Winnipeg Fundraisers: 10 Ideas to Put the Fun Back in Fundraising
If you’re organizing a fundraiser in Winnipeg, you have tons of options including car washes, raffles, yard sales, and more.
Winnipeggers are no stranger to fundraising. After all, we invented the wedding social. But, there are more ways than one to raise some cash for a cause.
With that in mind, Rumor’s, Winnipeg’s premier comedy club, has compiled this list of fun ideas for your next Winnipeg fundraiser.
Car wash
The community car was is a time-honored fundraiser, so much so that it has become a Hollywood trope. But, you don’t have to live in balmy La-La Land for this idea to work. Winnipeg summer’s are the perfect time to pull off this hot weather moolah-maker
How it works: You’ll need access to running water, some hoses, buckets, soap, sponges, and rags. You’ll also need an area large enough for cars to park so they can be washed, like a parking lot.
Once you have the items and location secured, you’ll need to advertise before and on the day with posters and signs. You’ll also need volunteers to do the washing.
Charge each car a fair fee for the wash, and stick that cash in your organization’s bank.
Raffle and 50/50
Raffles and 50/50s are a staple of Winnipeg fundraisers, particularly wedding socials. But, you can do one or both of these for just about any fundraising endeavor. So, if you’re planning a fundraiser here at Rumor’s, you can add a raffle and 50/50 to increase your fundraiser’s profits.
How it works: Have local businesses donate prizes to be auctioned off. Next, sell tickets and have people place their purchased tickets in a container for the corresponding prizes they wish to win. Then draw tickets from each container to find a winner for each prize.
A 50/50 works the same way, except all tickets get put into the same container, and the winner walks home with half the money raised from 50/50 ticket sales, while the organization keeps the other half.
You can stage a raffle or 50/50 just about anywhere so long as you have the required licenses (we covered this in our article about wedding socials).
Dog wash
Not into washing cars? How about dogs?
Every dog needs a good wash from time to time, and very few owners enjoy the process. That’s why this is a great fundraising idea.
How it works: A dog wash works pretty much the same as a car wash, except you won’t need as much space—you can get by with a small yard, or by setting up in a park.
You’ll need most of the same items as a car wash—access to running water, hoses, soap, sponges, and buckets, as well as a tub or two big enough for a dog to fit in. You might also want to grab a dog brush and maybe some dog treats to reward your new canine pals for behaving so well while you scrub them down.
You’ll want to advertise the dog wash ahead of time and put up signs to bring in walkers-by. And of course you’ll need volunteers to wash those dogs—but those shouldn’t be to hard to find.
Charge the dog owners a reasonable fee, watch your organization’s coffers grow.
Bake Sale
A bake sale is a great way to pull in some extra cash for your group and show off your team’s skills at the same time.
How it works: First, recruit your groups best bakers to create and donate confections to be sold. Next, find a spot to sell your creations, like a park, your organization’s parking lot, church, or community hall—you may need to bring your own tables.
Price the baked goods to sell, and don’t forget to advertise the event ahead of time with posters near the area that you’ll be selling your baked goods at.
Dodgeball Tournament
Bring out the kid in your squad by organizing a good old-fashioned dodgeball tournament.
How it works: Secure a gymnasium at a community centre or church to host the tournament, and get a hold of some safe-to-use dodgeballs. Then charge teams a registration fee. You may want to get a trophy and/or prize for teams to compete for. Some businesses my be willing to donate a prize.
You can double down on your fundraiser by offering lemonade and baked goods to competitors and spectators to help make even more money.
Recipe Books
Give a person a fish, and you feed them for a day. Give a person a recipe book, and you’ll feed them for a lifetime.
How it works: Have your team gather all of their best family recipes and put them into a single recipe book to sell. The best part of this type of fundraiser is that you can sell them continuously, and you don’t have to limit yourself to a specific date and time. You’ll need to cover the cost of the printing, but after that, all the money can go to your organization.
Hockey pool
If you’re a hockey fan, you can organize a hockey pool to combine your love for your organization and Canada’s national passtime.
How it works: Charge each entrant a registration fee, determine a prize amount for the winner at the end of the year, and donate the rest to your organization. You can put half the registration fees toward the prize money, or you can set a flat prize amount and donate the rest.
Dunk tank
It’s time to get wet and wild with a dunk tank fundraiser.
How it works: You can rent a dunk tank in Winnipeg from a number of vendors like Gags Unlimited or D and M Rentals. The tank rental shouldn’t be much more than $200 for a day, but you’ll need a place to put it, so make sure that you have a spot all figured out before you rent.
Next, put your most dunkable colleagues in the tank (with their permission, of course) and charge passers-by a nominal fee for the chance to get your chosen victim all wet. You may want to reach out to local media outlets to see if they’ll sponsor your event and maybe send one of their media personalities to get dunked.
Yard Sale
This is a very easy fundraiser to accomplish because everybody has something lying around the house that they want to get rid of.
How it works: Have colleagues, friends, and family members donate their old items, such as books, kitchen ware, furniture, you name it. Then choose someone’s home to display and sell these items at. You may want to get extra tables, and be sure to have a cash box with a float to make change with.
Again, consider bringing baked goods and refreshments to sell, to really capitalize on the influx of interested shoppers.
More: 11 fun ideas for your Winnipeg bachelor party
Fundraisers at Rumor’s
Did you know that you can host your fundraiser at Rumor’s Comedy Club? We’ll print the tickets and help you raise money for your organization or cause. We have room for you to stage prize raffles and a 50/50, and your guests can order dinner from our full dinner menu, so you won’t have to worry about providing food or drinks.
Rumor’s brings in the best stand-up comedians from Winnipeg and around the world, so its a can’t-miss night of fun and laughs. Click here for more details about hosting your fundraiser at Rumor’s.
"Always a good time at Rumor's!! Good food, friendly staff, great place!!" - Tegan O.