Fundraising ideas and proven fundraisers FREE for nonprofits

Make Money

Catering Business

Lunches

This simple fundraiser is perfect if you have a number of talented cooks. Host the luncheon at your location. Alternatives to having others show up at your doorstep would include acting in a catering capacity or in a hosting capacity taking food to another location.

Ask local garden clubs, civic clubs (Lions, Rotary, Civitan, etc.), ladies bible class, and non-profit executive board meetings (Boy Scouts, American Red Cross, etc.) to host their event. Business training seminars or employee training workshops are great to cater to and bring much goodwill. You could even set up a tripod stand with a little about your group as participants come to get their food. Have business cards and brochures about your group nearby.

If you have the perfect location complete with kitchen, utensils and storage then invite various organizations to visit for lunch once a month or once a week depending on how many groups you can attract. Accept a set fee like $200 for up to 40 people eating lunch or a per plate fee of $5.00 or $6.00 each. With a set fee, if only 5 people show up, you still get the money you spent on food costs -- for example the $200.

Before getting into a time consuming program, weigh the time and financial costs. Ask for enough volunteers before you begin. If two to three cooks and helpers are needed each day, you would need ten to fifteen helpers per week. Add another 6 alternates for good measure.

Collegiate student church ministries typically host luncheons for students on one or two days each week. They usually ask churches within the region or association to volunteer to work the kitchen one week per year or two weeks for smaller associations. The church provides the planning, workers, and food for free.

The collegiate ministry advertises the weekly luncheon and hosts the event. The college students pay a small amount from $1 to $2 per meal. The money raised over the year will raise enough money for 10 to 20 students to go on a missionary trip during the summer.