KaBOOM! Forums

OK, so it's not Law and Order, but here are some ideas I've run across in putting together those email newsletters I know you are dying to get every week. Yeah. Right. Well, on the off chance you haven't dropped everything to read them lately, here are some fundraising-specific ideas that y'all might find useful or interesting. Let me know if you've tried any of these things and if they work or not.

The Pleasant Valley Parent-Teacher Organization in Carthage, MO, did a chili cookoff. They did this last year and raised about $1,300.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5526/Chili-Cooking-For-A-Playground-in-Missouri.aspx

The Tupelo Women's Club in Missippi raised $30,000 with a "holiday tree program". Those must be some darned impressive holiday trees.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5497/Fundraising-Idea-From-the-Tupelo-MS-Womens-Club.aspx

Linda Irvin of Lenexa, KS, got a $10,000 Teacher of the Year award from Walmart that went into a playground.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5523/Teacher-of-the-Year-Award-Helps-Build-A-Playground.aspx

Somehow, a group in Menomonie, WI, raised $150,000 for a universally accessible playground. Does anyone know anyone who was on this committee? I'd love to know what they did.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5507/150K-Raised-For-Accessible-Playground-In-Wisconsin.aspx

Ravenel Elementary in Seneca, SC, got a $28,000 donation from their local electric plant for their playground.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5506/Electric-Company-Donates-28K-To-Playground-Effort.aspx

A Springfield, IL, elementary school hopes to raise $15,000-$20,000 with a school play.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/CategoryView/mid/573/categoryId/756/Fundraising-News.aspx

A Michigan group worked for six years to raise $36,000 for two pieces of playground equipment. Persistance is worth something, too.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5486/Saginaw-MI-School-Fundraising-For-New-Play-Equipment.aspx

Helen Cox High School in New Orleans was part of a drive to get students to donate old tennis shoes as part of Nike's "Reuse-a-Shoe" program. The shoes were then being recycled into safety surfacing for playgrounds.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5481/Recycling-Shoes-For-Playgrounds-in-New-Orleans.aspx

An 11-year-old girl published a hand-written "newspaper" in return for donations for her church's playground. She didn't make a ton of money, but it's a cute idea.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5465/ElevenYearOld-and-Friend-Publish-Newspaper-to-Fund-Church-Playground.aspx

Villalovoz Elementary School in Latrobe, CA, is having a scarecrow contest -- a great idea for Halloween.
http://www.kaboom.org/MyKaBOOM/EditKaBOOM/News/tabid/166/ctl/ArticleView/mid/573/articleId/5463/Scaring-Up-Funds-For-A-Playground-In-Lathrop-CA.aspx