Start your own Grand Chili Cook Off fundraiser idea FREE for nonprofits.

Grand Chili Cook Off

Are you a part of a large company

or professional association?

Ask if you can do a fundraiser for your organization in a special Grand Chili Cook Off contest. A lunchtime fundraiser will not take up precious work time, but will make work a little more pleasurable for all.

Get Your Contestants

contestant to cook their own special recipe. Sign people up even if they don't have a special chili recipe. They can find a great recipe from many books at BooksAMillion, or see our bookstore for more book companies.

Remember, that you will be feeding other employees, so plan for each contestant to feed a dozen employees each. That way there will be plenty of chili to dish out.

Get Your Judges

Have a contest one week to choose your judges. Put names in a hat of those that want to participate and then choose 4 to 6 names

Gather your panel of judges to come up with a few

blue ribbon awards like "Hottest Chili", "Most

Bizarre", "Best Tasting" and others. Be sure to

charge association members or employees for

attending the Grand Chili Cook Off and make

several hundred dollars for your group.

Judges will need to meet and decide on prizes to award the contestants. It could be simple blue, red, and white ribbons or different chili peppers mounted on a stained piece of wood with the categories that they won engraved in the wood.

Sign Up Tasters

Have a sign up form so that all employees or members can sign up for attending the Grand Chili Cook Off as an "Official Taster". This allows the fundraising committee to know how many drinks, napkins, and plastic dinnerware to have on hand.

You may allow the Official Tasters (employees) to bring their "suggested donation" when they arrive. Make sure that you have plenty of change on hand. You might suggest what a normal meal would run $5.00 to $7.00. Suggest a dessert when they are paying so that this will provide additional revenue.

Committee Assignments

Your fundraising committee should assign jobs for the following:

* Cashier -- this person will be at the door taking "suggested donation" for the Chili Lunch, get plenty of change before hand, and account for all monies after the event is over.

* Publicity -- this person will handle getting out flyers for the announcement, sign-up forms, sending a reminder to all contestants and attendees one week prior to the event, and sending a thank you to the appropriate people after the event.

* Site Setup -- this person will be in charge of decorations at the event; setting up tables, chairs and kitchen supplies; providing a stage, microphone and cashier's booth at the door; and other general event arrangements.

* Chief Cook -- this person will assist all contestants to secure the proper cooking and serving utensils (each cook should bring their own), help with setting up the contestants serving area and providing any extra dishes like Dutch Oven desserts and drinks.

The overall winner of this year's event will be next year's Chief Cook. This will keep this fundraiser as an ongoing effort automatically.

So, get hot over this fundraising opportunity to see who's the best chili cook in your work environment.

Resources

* The Ultimate Chili Book

* Chili Lovers Cook Book

* Killer Chili: Savory Recipes from North America?s Favorite Chilli Restaurants

* Championship Chili: Top Cookoff Winning Recipes

* Chili Roundup Marlboro Flavor It Up, 50 Winning Recipes One Burning Question