Fundraising

Questions to keep in mind:

Is this fundraiser going to be fun? Will Scouts want to participate?
Who is our target demographic? (Better not to just sell to our own families!)
How can we advertise this?
Is this fundraiser going to cost us money? Are there risks in that?
Do we have access to the facilities that we need to pull this off?
Do you want to incorporate a Merit Badge opportunity (e.g., Entrepreneurship or Salesmanship) with this fundraiser?

Things that you can sell:

Seattle Chocolate

This was our 2021 fundraiser: we raised $3000 with relatively little work: popular local product.
Seattle Chocolate gave us wholesale rates on their chocolate, and we were able to make ~50% profit.
We did only advanced sales, but resourceful scouts could try to organize site sales or sell via community forums (e.g., Be Neighborly Kirkland on Facebook).
Participating scouts were given a reward afternoon of whirlyball: all funds raised benefited the troop.

Sees has a fundraising arm for selling product at 50% profit.
Supports online sales (will ship chocolate directly), and you can also presell or buy in bulk and do location sales.

Wreath Sale

Would need to be done in late-October or early-November.
Popular fundraiser with scout troops: we would be overlapping sales with other local troops

Kicks off in October.
Very expensive products, but people are often willing to purchase because of the goodwill associated with the Scouting name and the familiarity of this fundraiser.
This is the “traditional” BSA fundraiser, run through Northern Trails. Chief Seattle Council organizes site sale opportunities, and Scouts are also expected to sell to friends and family.

Can be a traditional fundraiser (pick up donuts and sell them locally, or presell and have people pick up)
Can sell digitally: customers buy vouchers and receive redemption codes that they can pick up locally
Donuts are sold for 50% profit

This is a popular fundraiser for Scout Troops nationwide: purchase beef sticks at $0.75 and sell them for $1.50.
Country Meats is a supplier for Philmont Scout camp and has a long tradition of partnering with Scouts BSA.

Fundraising in the Community:

Haunted Forest needs volunteers to run the Scream Team for their annual haunted house event. Most critical is finding actors , but they also need everything from ticket takers to runners. Participation is guided by finding the best fit for the volunteer's skills and abilities. They work with many Scout troops.
The Forest is produced by Haunted, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that formed to give back to the community. All profits for Haunted Forest go nonprofits designated by their volunteers: scout troops have worked with them in the past to fundraise for their troops. Contributions are based on the profitability of the show and overall volunteer hours. In 2019 they donated more than $80,000 to charitable organizations.
For Scouts aged 12-15, would need an adult in set or onsite any time the scouts volunteer.
With no traffic, the Haunted Forest is 28 minutes away (22.2 miles).
In 2023 our participants earned about $7.50/hour for their time.

Feeling creative? The Redmond Busker Program was established in 2021 to provide local and regional street performers an opportunity to perform at Redmond's Downtown Park. Through the program, artists are permitted as a busker and authorized to perform at designated times at 2 locations in the park with up to 5 performers at a time.
Permitted buskers may sell goods and solicit donations onsite. A business license is not required for permitted buskers.
Requires a $25 permit fee, which is good for one year.
Buskers must be at least 13 years old.

Husky Stadium Cleanup

Husky Stadium pays $15/hour for clean-up crews on Sunday mornings following home Husky football games. This is a popular Scout fundraiser. It's dirty and hard work, but you're helping their green initiatives (separating out green waste from recycling from trash) and it pays well.

If you reserve a date in advance, you can arrange for Mod Pizza to give your organization 20% of all sales form diners who state that they are there in support of your organization. We did this in conjuction with a Troop hike on the CKC and made about $90 from our sales.

Build-Your-Own Fundraiser:

Car Wash
Easter egg drop or hunt
Walk-a-thon / Hike-a-thon / Trash pickup-a-thon
Christmas Tree recycling
Flag retirement: offer to retire flags for a donation
Run a youth single-day camp (e.g., teach scout skills or run a D&D campaign for kids)
Run a community "escape room" type experience
Rent-a-Scout program: offer Scouts for ad hoc yard work (especially leaf raking/snow shoveling/mulch placement)

Other Resources and Ideas:

Page updated

Report abuse