Think tropical! Go Hawaiian for your next fundraiser.
If you're trying to think of fundraising ideas for your nonprofit, charity, business, team, school or church, try going Hawaiian. This fun idea is a delightful change from the humdrum bake sales and boring carwashes people are used to. And the theme can be interpreted in several easy and inexpensive ways.
Party
Tiki d cor sets the luau mood.
Throw a luau. Keep costs low by holding the party in a free venue: during summer, a picnic area in a park or someone's backyard; during winter, a church hall or someone's home. Visit party supply stores for tiki party kits, or make your own decorations. Cut palm trees, tiki masks and tiki poles from construction paper. Set out beach balls, beach umbrellas and surfboards. Play CDs of island music. Invite guests to wear tank tops, flip flops and shorts and charge $5 adult admission, $2 for kids.
Entertainment
Sell leis for party guests to wear.
Set up such island pastimes as hula hooping, water balloon toss, croquet, limbo, horseshoes, volleyball and ping pong. Let admission cover these, and charge $1 for all other activities. Guests can have a hibiscus flower or a pineapple painted on their faces. A ukulele player you hired for a couple hours can charge guests to hear a song. Buy plastic leis in bulk, which guests can purchase individually. Let guests buy "grass" skirts made from long strips of green construction paper. "Hawaiian Pete" can charge guests to give them a (temporary) Hawaiian warrior or princess tattoo; "Hawaiian Betty" can charge guests to tell them their "island name" and its meaning. Be sure the person who does this is prepared with a long list of names and meanings.
Meal
Sell shrimp-vegetable kebabs.
Another way to make money is food. Serve up some delicious traditional Hawaiian luau fare for guests to enjoy. Everyone is familiar with Kalua pig, a whole pig baked in an underground leaf-lined pit; if that's not feasible, you still have plenty of authentic options. Remember to keep costs low so you can make a profit. For example, you can buy crab claws and shrimp in bulk, then sell plates of either crab claws with melted butter for dipping or barbecued shrimp and veggie kebabs.
Sweets
Piña coladas are a good luau beverage.
Also provide Hawaiian drinks for guests to purchase: piña coladas for the adults and fruit slushees for the kids. For a simple dessert option, bake up several dozen pineapple upside-down cupcakes to sell. Or stick with the theme: make some haupia, a coconut pudding that is a traditional luau dessert. It's very easy to make, and because the ingredients are very basic: canned coconut milk, milk, sugar and cornstarch; it's also very inexpensive to make.
Tags: charge guests, construction paper, crab claws, guests purchase, guests wear