Common Sense Guide to Fundraising with Chocolates

Common Sense Guide to Fundraising with Chocolates

While many Australians have a sweet tooth, there are those who will criticise this choice of fundraiser. At the end of the day, it is up to a community to decide what is appropriate for themselves, and hopefully there are plenty of people to step up and share in the workload of running your fundraiser!

For those that do run a chocolate drive, here is a common-sense guide to fundraising with chocolates and sweets. An approach that will respect the views of your critics while still allowing this popular and successful form of fundraising to proceed and help you to reach your goals.

1. Give parents the opportunity to opt-out up front. See the example below.
2. Discourage children from selling at school. Instead, encourage parents to take their box to their workplace.
3. Use the fundraising effort to remind children about ‘sometimes’ foods, and opt for the smaller portion size offered by most chocolate companies
4. Alternate the confectionery drive with an activity-based fundraiser such as a Walkathon.

Here is a template letter that you can send out prior to your chocolate drive:

Dear Scouting family

You will have heard that our scout group is raising money to send members to the World Jamboree.

This is an opportunity of a lifetime: but it’s very expensive. That’s why the Fundraising Committee is running a Chocolate fundraising drive, starting on 1 September.

All participating families will be issued with a box of 30 chocolate bars. We ask you to promote this fundraiser to family, friends, work colleagues and neighbours. The chocolates are high quality and sell for $2 each. That’s great value for money!

Please return money and any unsold product to Baloo at the scout meeting in the week beginning 15 September. If you require more boxes before that date, please call Baloo on 66660000.

If you do not wish to participate, please let us know as soon as possible so we can redistribute the box. We would be grateful if you would consider showing your support for our Scout group in another way: for example donating the equivalent amount that we make in profit from selling a box ($20).

Remember, the more funds we can raise to offset travel and registration costs, the more representatives can have this fantastic experience.

Thanking you in anticipation of your support.

Kind regards

AKELA

Group Leader