Create an exploding profitable fundraiser with Fireworks Tent Sales.

Exploding Profits --

Fireworks Tent Sales

When it comes to fundraising profits

for small to medium sized nonprofits,

few come close to the exploding

profit potential of Firework Sales.

Fireworks are one of this country's

display of visual patriotic art.

Practically every community has a

fireworks show on Independence

Day and around Christmas/New

Years Day. It's tradition, history

and great fun for many firework

enthusiasts.

As a child, I marveled at the sounds and displays of pyrotechnic light that interrupted my normal childhood routine. As a teenager, I loved to pop and light some of the many fun fireworks like smoke bombs, sparklers, bottle rockets and firecrackers. Of course, my dad taught me to use the utmost caution when dealing with fire and explosives and he practically always monitored my actions, as parents should.

Recently, I had a good friend who was involved with a local VFW (Veterans Of Foreign Wars) Post express excitement about the money they made for their post by selling fireworks. They had only one fireworks stand, but did fairly well for a weeks worth of work. I'll cover what they raised later, but for now let's look at the basics.

Check On Legal Issues

Your first priority is to check on the legality of selling fireworks in your county, parish or city. Check with your state to determine what they allow. The National Council of Fireworks Safety shows you the state laws and limits on handling fireworks.

Your local city sales and revenue department can tell you this fairly quickly. Also, while you're at it, get your sales permit since none of the sales at your tent will be tax-deductible. You will still have to pay sales taxes.

Also, check on permits with the police department, fire department or Sheriff's office to determine if you need specific notifications. Be sure to inquire whether you have available someone to patrol your site at night.

The following states allow only wire or wood stick sparklers and other novelty items: IL, IA, ME, OH, PA, VT.

The following states ban all consumer fireworks: AZ, DE, GA, MA, NJ, NY, RI.

Find A Location

This is the next priority for your group if you plan to set up your own fireworks sale tent. Your location must be in a highly visible area with high traffic potential. I've found that grocery stores and some superstores have large parking lots with unused portions at the front side near the road (parking spaces are taken more as you get closer to the store entrances).

Don't forget availability of electricity. You will need lights at your tent at the very least.

Be sure to check on zoning restrictions. This will insure whether you can run a part-time business (the fundraiser) at a particular location.

Contact A Fireworks Representative Or Company

You may be able to locate a fireworks company or representative by checking your phone book yellow pages. Another resource is contacting groups like the Jaycees or public commission that hosts the nearest fireworks display. They will have some suggestions of who they deal with in the local area to help host the annual fireworks show.

I've found one company that really likes to work with nonprofit groups to help them raise funds. They are Thunder Fireworks. They work with small groups especially. Mention ProfitQuests.com for special consideration.

I've also found that there is an The 2002 International Fireworks Trade Directory available on the web. See American Firework News to obtain the latest directory. It's published each year.

What Does A Firework Company Offer

Typically, most firework companies will offer their fireworks on consignment. You receive from $12,000 to $16,000 worth of fireworks at retail. The company will provide you with the best sellers, various promotional items and will help you choose the right fireworks that are allowed by law in your state.

As I mentioned previously, the VFW Post was given $12,000 worth of inventory. They ended up selling $10,000 and was able to send back the unsold portion of $2,000. It cost them very little to get started.

Most of their sales occurred the day of July 4th as they sold $5,500 worth of fireworks. They received 30% of the total sales or $3,000 for that one week of work.

Recruit Your Sales Force

Recruit a minimum of 3-4 people to man your fireworks sale tent. This will help with logistics and will keep your group members from being loaded down doing all the work.

Make a schedule to trade out workers every hour, two hours or three hours. Don't work a couple of people all day. Rotating your workers regularly keeps people excited and energetic. Energetic and excited people create more sales.

The more people you have will show that you are well organized and also protected against possible theft of your products or of cash-on-hand.

If you are a youth organization, do not allow your youth to conduct the sales or handle money transactions. This is important: Have at least two adults on site at all times. Three to four adults on-site are better.

Be sure to train your workers on making sales, firework suggestions, safety, money transactions and what to do in inclement weather. If in bad mosquito zones, be sure to wear mosquito repellant.

Stress Safety And Caution

Safety training is a service that you should offer as a part of your program. Stress to all of your volunteer workers that each potential sale should stress safety. Even former President George Bush states this for the NCFS .

Your portrayal of safe practices will help you attract more families, churches and civic groups to do business with you.

Also, have a plan to consistently move any cash that you have to the bank or a safe location. Do not leave large amounts of cash on hand. Place signs up that state you do not keep more cash on hand than necessary to make change. My advice would be to take any overages of $100 to your groups treasurer at your hourly shift changes (or every two hours).

Go To It

The sale of fireworks is about as simple of a fundraiser as it gets. I would suggest that you plan this kind of fundraiser at least 4-6 months ahead of schedule to insure that you meet all state and local requirements.

If you conduct your fundraiser twice a year, you could possibly raise from $2,000 to $10,000. Remember, none of the sales by your customers are tax deductible. So, go out and have a bang-up fundraiser with your own Fireworks Tent Sale.

Note: Please don't call us about getting a firework stand as we do not provide this service. This is just a free fundraising idea to investigate further on your own.