ILP volunteer Grace L. raised $5,000 over a month and a half, just by selling cookie dough!
Luckily she shared what she did so that hopefully you can have similar success.
Here’s how she did it: Grace made batches of cookie dough and put them in tubs (each batch made 32 ounce tubs). She estimated that her cost per tub was about $4-6, and sold them for $25 each or two for $40. Everyone had the option of purchasing cookie dough or just making a donation.
Grace posted her fundraiser to Facebook and Instagram and reposted things over and over again to get the word out. She also made calls to people she knew, and her and her parents reached out to people at work and their church group.
Grace thinks she raised about $3,000 just in selling cookie dough and received around $2,000 in extra donations.
Who would have thought that selling cookie dough could get you the money you need to go to Africa! We love that idea.
Are you an artist? Do you have a knack for organizing? Love to cook? Turn something you love into a way of fundraising. Get creative, brainstorm and write a list of everything you enjoy doing and see if you could turn that into a product or service you could offer and sell.
For example, you can do a lot with baking: making cookie dough and selling baked goods aren't your only two options. Consider teaching a hands on baking class and charging admission, holding a neighborhood bake sale (where others supply the baked goods), or putting together a recipe book of your favorite recipes.
Let everyone and anyone know about your fundraiser. It can be weird asking for donations, but just remember your end goal and how beneficial your semester will be to those you are serving. Also, know that friends and family usually want to support you if they are able to.
You'll always want to have the option just to add a donation, or add an extra donation. With Ashley's fundraiser, she suggests pricing items in odd amounts like $12 or $17 so people give you $15 or $20 and tell you to keep the change. Those extra dollars add up!
It might take some time to feel like you're making progress with your fundraising, but that's okay! Keep working hard and you will see success! Remember, anything you come up with is so, so helpful as you prepare for your semester.