• Raising funds requires unique ideas, advertising and enthusiasm.money image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
  
  It is not unusual to raise money by selling products. Nevertheless, there are many other unique fundraising ideas that can stimulate interest and support. Utilizing volunteers and a strong core of people who are committed to the organization or cause will help generate interest and enthusiasm. Promoting fundraisers through word of mouth, signs, phone calls, and other low-cost advertisements will also help the fundraiser to become successful. Keep fundraising from becoming boring by trying unique and new ways to make money.
  
  

On-line Scavenger Hunt

• The beauty of this fundraiser is that it can be customized to any organization and does not require participants to attend an event. Additionally, planning the fundraiser does not require a lot of preparation other than choosing the questions and finding the answers. Participants pay a set fee of $5 or $10 dollars and are sent an online scavenger hunt at an appointed time. The hunt will ask participants to locate answers or information which pertain to the organization or the cause that needs support. Any other topic is fine too. A prize is given to the first person who successfully sends back the completed survey and correctly answers all questions.
  
  

Balloon Day

• Balloons look beautiful when they leave the earth en masse. This is a nice fundraiser for a school or religious organization to have in the spring. Advertise the event well in advance so that people support the fundraiser. Encourage participants to order balloons for $5 a balloon or three balloons for $10. On the day of the event, each person fills out his name and the phone number of the organization and adds a request that the person who finds the balloon contacts the organization. Everyone releases his balloon at the same time. The organization designates a time period when they must receive calls from people who find the balloons. A prize is given to the person whose name is on the balloon that is found furthest away and the balloon that is found first. Prizes can be donated or a portion of the money collected for the event. If you are running this event for a school, consider releasing the balloons during a class period since losing time from class will be an incentive to participate in the fundraiser. Send letters home to adults about the event several weeks in advance and announce it weekly over the intercom.
  
  

Guess the Number

• Although guessing the number of items in a jar is popular, guessing the number of balloons in a car or other vehicle can be more interesting. Ask a taxi service, limo company, or dealership to donate a vehicle you can fill with balloons. Offer to advertise the company heavily during the fundraiser and sell chances to guess the number of balloons in the vehicle. This is a nice fundraiser for a prom. Place the balloon-filled car in a highly visible area and run the fundraiser for a couple of hours over multiple days so it will draw many people to pay for a chance to guess the balloons. Arrange to have a free limo ride or taxi ride donated as a prize. This fundraiser is easy to coordinate and requires little more than time and the cost of balloons, pens and paper. This fundraiser can also work well at a carnival.
  
  

Pet Show

• No matter your organization, there are people in it who love pets. While a dog show may be a lot of work and eliminate many people from participating, a pet show of smaller animals can be held outside with little worry about cleaning up waste. Invite participants to enter fish and judge them on the prettiest, most active, ugliest and most lazy. Small gerbils and hamsters can be judged on the most unique color, most playful or most physically fit by running on a wheel the longest. Make money by charging a modest fee to enter and sell refreshments at the event. Advertise this event early and ask local pet stores to help judge the event. Ask people to donate their time by helping to monitor tables. Purchase ribbons at the dollar store to give as prizes and have a raffle auctioning off pet supplies that local stores donate. Consider creating a press release about this event so that people outside the organization can participate.