Fundraising Info @ NJ Odyssey of the Mind

Teams have a variety of needs to raise funds for. Some have to do it to pay for their participation in the program. Most have to do it to pay for some (or all) of the costs if they go to World Finals. Some do it to raise money for shirts and pins. Below are some ideas which come from different sources. If you have any to add, please, let us know how to help other teams! Send your ideas to the .

Develop local pin (membership/district) to sell to general public.
Develop team shirt and sell to general public.
Present a Night of Champions. Show teams performing their solutions for their schoolmates, parents and friends. Charge admission and for refreshments.
Run a local Spontaneous Day or Tournament for anyone who wants to participate. Charge per team or per participant.
Have a Games Night. Set up games of Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, etc. and ask for donations of $2 to $5 from participants. Provide trophies, ribbons, certificates, or some other prize to the winners.
Have a Cake Walk. At the Night of Champions, Spontaneous Tournament, Games Night, or some other event, tape numbers 1-30 on the floor. Play music and have each participant walk from one number to the other until the music stops. Draw (spin or roll) a number from 1-30. The person standing on that number wins and chooses a donated cake. Each participant contributes a specific amount to play, e.g. $1, $2, $3, etc.
Hold a Car Wash-A-Thon. Advertise a "free car wash" in area newspapers, send notices home with children, put up posters, etc. On the day of the event, post signs-one mile in both directions-advertising the free car wash. In the weeks before, have the children find "sponsors" who support their willingness to wash as many cars as they can. Sponsors will commit to donating a fee for each car washed. So, if a child washes 20 cars and gets 20 sponsors to pay a dollar for each car washed, the worker gets $20 per car for a total of $400. A tip/donation bucket can be put out for those who have their car washed. Remember to remove the signs after the event is completed.
Have an auction. Ask for donations or bid for different kinds of services the team could perform.
Sponsor a Road Rally. Have participants follow a prescribed course with cryptic questions and directions. Charge $5 per person or $20 per car. Give an award to the winner and certificates to the participants.
Hold a barbecue, craft fair, auction, etc. Do it after another event. Ask a local food chain, stores, business, etc., to participate in the fundraiser. Ask for a percentage of sales during some period of time from the organization to go to your cause.
Have a golf tournament. Ask for donations for prizes.
Play Musical Chairs. Arrange up to 1,000 chairs (wishful thinking) on a football field or in a gym. Charge $5 per chair selling to one more person than you have chairs to support. Play the music, stop and eliminate one person and chair. The last ten people win gift certificates or items donated by supporters.
Remember to consider having food, snacks and/or refreshments at any event for sale.