Fundrasing ideas?

Cigar Night. (Outdoors)

50 dollars for smokers.
- Gets you several cigars and a lighter for the evening + Food.

35 dollars for non smokers.
- Gets you all the food you can reasonably eat.
--Burgers, Dogs, Sausage, Fries, etc.

The only money out is the cigars, food and lighters. It nets us 1200 per night. We try to get 3 in a year. We tried a winter one but it is just too cold and too dark to draw out everyone we get in the spring, summer and early fall.

About how many people attend cigar night?


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japool said:

About how many people attend cigar night?

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Lombard 1098 has been selling out 50 tickets for several years in a row now. They do it as a catered event rather than outside. The anti-smokers smile and wink at each other when it's discussed in stated meetings, but a number of non-smokers attend.

Holding an assortment of events is common to almost every successful lodge I've seen. Cigar smokers are popular with some, not interesting to others. They fit the assortment concept well.

Euchre - I grew up playing Pinochle. With Cribbage and Gin they seem to have geographical popularity.

We get about 30 ~ 40 people.

We are teaming up with the Commander at the local American Legion this spring to combine our fundraiser. I'm not sure if that is finalized yet but if it happens I will report the numbers as best I can.

Our lodge is having a car show in April.

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Are donations tax deductible? If not, you will not get anything big. Sponsorship can be a good way to go. Acknowledgement with summons and acknowledgement on lodge web site. Shoot for $3-$5k for that- a businesa can claim it as advertising expense in a way they may not be able as a donation to a non-incorpoated group (ie a lodge). If a sponsor sells a service or product, have them present the cheque at the Festive Board at Installation when your crowd is at the largest.


Forget about special efforts to hold events when you raise a few bucks unless the goal is social or unless its a side activity ( like a lodge raffle) at a social function.


The biggest gift i've been involved in was about $140k, but it was from a business i'm a dirctor of... in the last 10 years that business has given sponsorship and grants of $2.8 million dollars to community groups..


Fundraising has 2 goals, provide a focus for a lodge to come together on a project and to raise cash. While creating social events sounds good and is worthwhile, keeping them affordable can compromise financial outcomes.... you need to decide if the social or amount of cash raised will be the primary goal of the project....


If it's cash -put your business hat on and ask the "what's in it for them" question... then chase some big dollars