Youths are often called upon to raise money for purposes such as funding school programs, paying for travel with various youth groups, or offering donations to charities. While just asking people for money, particularly friends and relatives, is an option, it may not be well-received, and it teaches youths nothing about making and managing money. There are many different youth fundraiser ideas that involve youths offering some product or service in exchange for money. Many schools, for instance, host magazine sales or chocolate sales, in which youths sell magazines or chocolate and get a cut of the profits to benefit the cause for which they are fundraising. Other youth fundraiser ideas, such as collecting cans and bottles or raking leaves, may be better for youths who are not affiliated with a larger group and who may not, therefore, have access to larger fundraising programs.
Some youth fundraiser ideas that are commonly used by schools, clubs, and athletic programs include candy sales; car washes; magazine sales; and working or hosting events, such as craft sales or concerts. These all allow youths to work in a safe and supervised setting, make money, and better understand the connection between work and profit. When coming up with youth fundraiser ideas, it is essential to offer products or services that others will want. While some people, especially relatives, may give money regardless of the product or service offered, youth fundraisers will be much more successful if they offer products and services that people actually want.
In some cases, youths do not have the benefit of a large group and cannot, therefore, engage in large and coordinated fundraising events. This does not make fundraising impossible, as there are many different youth fundraiser ideas that can be done alone or with small groups. Small-scale car washes, for instance, really only require a couple of people. In places where it is possible to return cans and bottles for money, can and bottle collections can be run alone and can be quite profitable. Other good small-scale youth fundraiser ideas include shoveling snow, raking leaves, and mowing lawns.
While there are plenty of good youth fundraiser ideas, there are a few points to consider before starting any fundraising project. While it is important to let youths do as much as possible on their own, supervision is important, and working or trying to sell products alone, especially in unfamiliar environments, can be dangerous. One should definitely check the legality of any proposed fundraising project as well. It is also very important that the purpose of any youth fundraiser ideas is made clear to everyone involved and that none of the money obtained goes to alternate purposes. By strictly adhering to these rules, the youths involved can learn about basic business ethics.