We have just finalized prizes for our spring fundraiser. We're using a brochure as well as some food items, but the prizes are a "Mystery Bar". We marketed it to the kids as a Willy Wonka type deal.
At kickoff we gave every child a miniature Hershey Bar and everyone that participates and sells even 1 item will get a "Mystery Bar" when they pick up their order. We are using plain Hershey Bars from a fundraising company because it has 2 coupons on the wrapper and we wanted everyone to get something. We stayed away from the other flavors because you never know who can and cannot have peanuts. The plain milk chocolate kept us pretty safe. We weren't sure how well we would do soliciting donations from local businesses. We have done amazingly well. Our school has about 600 kids in it.
We were able to get passes for each fundraiser participant for 1 day's admission to our local YMCA and roller skating rinks. We also got personal pizzas from Pizza Hut for 50 winners and MANY, MANY more coupons from local shops for a meal or subs, movie rentals, tennis rackets, etc. We are going to put them randomly in envelopes and attach them to the candy bars with our own printed design on them for our "Mystery Bar" theme. We plan to sell the extra bars from our case count to the parents during pick up times. (You could actually purchase a few extra cases and break even on the prizes costs)
The kids also suggested prizes like "Teacher for the day", "Pizza in the room for lunch for the class of the winner", " The top sellers in each grade will also receive a gift card in addition to their "Mystery Bar" prizes so as not to overlook the fact that they did more than just participate.
One of the incentives we offered this year was a money machine. The teachers of the top (3)participating classrooms each won (30) seconds in the money machine to grab "Class Cash" to be used in their classroom as they pleased. It gets the teachers involved plus all the children in the class feel they have won no matter how much or little they sell. One of the classes that won this year decided to donate their winnings to the Hurricane Katrina relief fund.
You asked about accomodating larger families. We do the fall giftwrap brochure fundraiser. The local rep offers a party for the kids who sell at least 10 items. Our principal requested that we incorporate a family plan, reducing the number of items needed for multiple children to attend 1-10, 2-17, 3-23 etc. The fundraising company agreed, but put the burden on us to figure out who qualifies and who doesn't. Be sure an put something in place on the front end for parents to complete to let you know who their children are and that they intend to participate in the family plan.
How about a Limo lunch? Top sellers in each class (or the top sellers in the whole school) get picked up by a limo and driven to a nearby fast-food (or other) restaurant for lunch!
We are working on a family stay at Great Wolf Lodge, amusement park tickets, and ball game tickets for our Spring Fundraiser. The compnay is working with us to provide these things instead of the cheesy stuff. I know another school does movie passes or spins on the money wheel. Some of the reps will really work with you on this stuff because they want your fundraiser to succeed for them and you.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
