Windshield Wash (while parishioners are celebrating Mass teens wash the car's front winshield leaving a "Have A Bright Day" sign on the wiper.  When Mass is over, a teen (or priest, etc.) stands to announce what was done and that "it was a free service to the parish community (and yes, here it comes...) however should anyone wish to make a dontaion, there will be teens at the doors to accept it.  Any money raised will go towards (name future events)"  We did this fundriaser this year and riased $1,400.00.  Not bad for one day's work!

Dinners, Breakfasts

Sales (Candy, T-shirts, Flowers, Baked Goods, Coffee & Donuts, Christmas Wrapping Paper, Vending Machines, Garage Sale, etc.)

Auction, Dinner Auctions, Silent Auctions

Raffles & Drawings (Contact your (Arch)Diocesan Offices to find out what the law allows in your community regarding raffles, drawings, and any game of chance.  It is your responsiblity to be informed regarding these laws.

"_____ - Thons" (Telethons, Walk-A-Thons, Run-A-Thons, Rock-A-Thon (rocking chairs))

Rent-A-Teen (Parishioners "rent" teens to assist with yard work, house painting, etc.  Teens should work in groups and never be unsupervised.)

Dances

Mile of Pennies (For a number of weeks, invite parishioners to bring in their pennies to donate to your group. State you want to collect enough pennies to make one mile long! People usually give more than just pennies and when you're done, you can have an event to create this mile in your parking lot. Get the local paper to write a story. Can you figure out how much money equals one mile of pennies?)

Sell Parking Space (If your church parking lot is full of cars during nearby events, fairs, carnivals, shopping, etc, you can sell parking space.  While working at a church that had a nearby art festival we would sell parking spaces in our lot and we would make $2,000.00 or more in one weekend.  We charged $4 and $5 to park in our lot)

Kiss the Fish (Create a wooden or cardboard replica of a fish. Choose good-nature candidates to run in an election to see who will end up kissing a real fish. (Your priests would be good choices.)  Place a jar beside the fish for each candidate. Have church members "vote" for their candidate by placing money in the appropriate jar. Allow people to vote for four weeks prior to the election, and encourage the priests to announce each week who is in the lead. *** Could be adapted to "Kiss the Squid" or whatever else you can come up with.)

Free Throw Contest (Each teen gets people to pledge an amount of money per successful basket made within an agreed upon amount of time. Example: Tim gets 20 sponsors to donate .10 cents per basket within 10 minutes. Tim scores 50 baskets and therefore collects $100.00. If your group had 10 teens do the same, your group collects $1,000.00)

Dinner Theater (We've only heard of groups doing this.  If you've done a Dinner Theater please tell us what a group would need to know and how yours went.  Thanks.)

Breakfast with Easter Bunny / Santa (This is a fun fundraiser, which includes lots of costumed characters, Polaroid photos for $3, sale of flowers and spring plants. Sell tickers for $10.)

Cow Pie Fundraiser  (Experience the "sweet smell of success" while hosting a cow pie fundraiser during a country fair or rodeo event. A cow is turned loose on a fenced-in area which has been marked off in 500 three-foot, numbered squares. The crowds wait for the cow to make the first "deposit" on one of the squares. Chances on each square sold for $5. The winner receives $500. A line judge is required for close calls. Hint: The animal is well-fed on the day of the event, so it only takes minutes for a "deposit". Give group members and volunteers 20 tickets to sell in advance and have them sell on opening day of the rodeo or country fair. Possible revenue: $1200.)

Goat Insurance (Hold a "goat insurance" fund raiser that people can't resist because they can't stop laughing. Flyers are mailed to civic groups and throughout the church community to announce that you will raffle off a donated goat. For $10, a person can send in the names of three people. Letters are then sent to those three people, telling them they have a chance to win a goat. But, for $10 they can buy "goat insurance" to protect themselves from being entered in the raffle. The winner of the raffle does get the goat, but after the fun wears off, the goat's returned to its owner. Possible revenue: $2,000 or more!)

Trunk or Treat  (Advertise WEEKS in advance. We hold ours in the church parking lot. The idea is church members, neighbors, or anybody who would like to participate arrives early and decorates the trunk of their car in a festive, non-scary theme. Some we had last year were Pooh Sticks Bridge, Victorian Tea Party (in a minivan), Hawaiian pig roast (had a toy pig in the trunk roasting over fake red coals), one person had a pickup truck they did as Noah’s Ark. We placed cans at each contestant and voted for the best one with money. We then gave 1st, 2nd & 3rd place ribbons. We had candy to give out at each trunk. We also had lots of games and prizes and sold hot dogs and Coke. If it is too cold out, you can do this in a gym or hall with foot lockers instead. We received an awesome response from the community & neighbors which in turn gave the youth great visibility.)