Living the Greek life isn't cheap and membership dues alone won't be enough to fund your fraternity or sorority for the entire year. Instead of counting on your group's members to cover the costs, fundraisers can be a great way for sororities and fraternities to raise the money needed for everyday needs, special events, charity projects and more. If you're part of your house's leadership, check out these fundraising ideas for sororities and fraternities to discover some new ways for your Greek group to gather up some green.
Sell Stuff
Selling stuff is the easiest, most basic way for a fraternity or sorority to raise money. There are literally thousands of potential customers on your campus, so get creative and find a product that everyone wants to buy. Consider selling trash bags during a rainy football game (nobody likes getting wet), hats and scarves during the winter or candy bars on the campus common. The key is to make it something inexpensive enough that everyone will want to buy it. As a bonus, you'll also introduce your fraternity or sorority to potential new members while making your sales.
Don't forget the customers within your walls. Take orders for customized Greek apparel and accessories from Greek Gear and make a small profit off your group members. Take advantage of our bulk pricing on select items to increase your profit margin and bank more for your group. While you're selling, don't forget about mom and dad. Parents love to brag about their kids and what better way than with a hat, keychain or window cling?
Raffle and Scratch Tickets
Selling raffle tickets and scratch tickets during a friends and family event can bring in a lot of money in a short period of time. You'll need to put out an initial investment for raffle items and custom scratch tickets, but you'll easily make that money back and more. Reaching out to alumni to donate items to your raffle or prizes to your scratch ticket game can help keep costs down to maximize profits. Remember that raffle items don't have to be gift baskets full of goodies and scratch ticket prizes don't have to be monetary. You can easily give away services like a massage or a couple of hours of yard work done by members of the group.
Host a Tournament
Bring out your community's competitive side by hosting a tournament and opening it up to the public. A golf tournament can bring in thousands of dollars in entry fees and cost very little to organize and market. Reach out to alumni members to spread the word and participate in the tournament. You'll be surprised how much people are willing to pay to competitively golf against their friends and neighbors.
Make even more by selling Greek polo shirts, sun visors, golf balls and golf towels at the tournament. Greek Gear offers a large selection of Greek golf equipment that will sell well at a golf tournament.
Introduce a Recycling Program
If you go to school in a state that charges a bottle and can deposit, starting a recycling program can help save the environment and boost your group's treasury. Just place a bin outside of your fraternity or sorority house and advertise around campus that your group is accepting can and bottle donations. College students tend to go through cans and bottles quickly, so plan on making a weekly trip to the redemption center to reap the financial rewards of your Earth-saving fundraiser.
Sell Advertising Space
If you're part of a large group, selling adverting space in your newsletter or on your website can be a cash cow. To get advertisers, start by reaching out to alumni to see if their company or the companies they work for would like to advertise. Companies that are geared towards college students may be more apt to opt-in to the offer, but don't hesitate to approach other types of businesses as well.
Throw a Benefit Dinner…with a Twist
Everyone has to eat which is why a benefit dinner is one of the most popular fundraising ideas for fraternities and sororities. You can go one of two ways with your dinner: elegant and sophisticated or simple and fun. A high-society benefit dinner will have a limited attendance and expenses will be higher because you'll need a fancy venue and a caterer, but tickets will sell for a lot more. A simple and fun event can potentially be done on-campus and a caterer isn't necessarily needed. A basic spaghetti dinner can feed a crowd and is easy enough that even college students with limited cooking skills can deliver a decent meal.
Of course you don't want to leave your guests bored, so you'll want to add a fun twist to the evening. A classy murder mystery dinner will add a thrilling element to a formal affair while a dunk tank at a more casual event will make it a night to remember. Think about the type of event you want to throw and plan a special activity or event that fits the theme. You can also combine your benefit dinner with a raffle or silent auction to bring in a little extra money or you can sell branded sorority and fraternity items like T-shirts or pen sets at the event.
Greek fundraisers don't have to be boring or stressful. Find a fundraiser that fits your group and have fun with it. Subscribe with your email address to sign up for FREE sorority and fraternity fundraising ideas and exclusive messages from Greek Gear. Have questions? Contact the Greek Gear team at 866-473-3543, via email or on Live Chat and we'll be happy to help. We want your group to succeed at raising the cash you need for the upcoming school year and beyond!