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Many times nonprofit organizations such as churches and schools are housed in historic buildings that have slate roofs. While many slate roofs can last for over a hundred years, there will come a time when the roof shingles will need to be replaced or removed. Since slate is the most expensive roofing material, the cost for a new slate roof, depending on the size, can come to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even if the replacement roof will not be made of slate the cost will still be substantial.

Of course, raising the money for a new roof can be a daunting task for a nonprofit organization. Frequently organizations need to fundraise for several years to raise enough money for a new roof or other construction project. The option of obtaining a grant from national, state, or local governments should be looked into. Sometimes one donor has the means to donate the entire amount or can set up a matching funds program.

Since slate roof shingles are so valuable they should never been hauled off to a landfill and thrown away. The old shingles can be recycled and used to help raise money for your organization.

Some of the ways to raise money with your old slate roof shingles are:

Ask the company that will be installing the new roof to buy the old slates. Often the company will do this and use the slates for another project.

Sell the used slates to slate roof recyclers or construction salvage businesses.

Sell the slates to other organizations or individuals who are in need of them for their roofing installations.

Keep some of the old slates to use in your fundraising activities.

Slate roof shingles usually have two holes drilled in them that make them great for turning into plaques. You simply attach a chain and you have a plaque or wall hanging. You can sell the slates blank, as is, or you can decorate them. If there are artistically talented people in your organization you can decorate the slate plaques in any number of ways. Or, you can have an artist in your community decorate them for you. Slates can be decorated as keepsakes for members of your organization, for example, by applying a picture of your building. Slate shingles can also be turned in clocks and other decorative items.

The pricing of your shingles will depend upon your fundraiser. If you are using them as a memento you could ask for a minimum donation in the amount of, for example, $50 or more, and give them as a gift in return for the donation.

Even if you are getting rid of your slate shingles you should try and keep some of them for fundraising. Your board of directors or fundraising team can probably do a bit of brainstorming and come up with some creative and lucrative ideas on how to use them.

Article by Amy Passmore for DIYFundraising.com Visit http://www.diyfundraising.com for do-it-yourself fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations, clubs, schools and groups. Subscribe to our free RSS feeds from the DIY Fundraising Blog

The article may be reprinted only if the author, Amy Passmore, is credited and the links to DIYFundraising.com are live.

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One of the best ways to generate a lot of money for your upcoming fundraiser is to generate buzz and excitement - a great way to do that is with a competition. Get the members of your group, school, church, team and community involved by creating a competition they can sink their teeth into.

A chili cook-off or cake bake-off fundraiser is a fun way to get the competitive juices flowing. First, set a date and some guidelines for your chili cook-off or bake-off. You can set any rules you want and you want to give enough time for your group members to share the news of the cook-off or bake-off with as many people as possible. But you don't want to let people know too far in advance that they forget about it. About 2-4 weeks notice is a good amount of time to publicize your fundraiser.

Then, as a group, create posters, flyers, anything your members can think of to generate buzz and competitive spirit. It would be great to go to a local newspaper to do a story about the upcoming competition. You will want to sell tickets to the cook-off or bake-off at a minimal fee. You can also ask local businesses to sponsor different competitors of the competition - the businesses could pay an entrance fee for the cook-off or bake-off competitor to generate funds. Have each cook or bake-off contender make enough chili to feed 12-16 hungry people. Take the lead and get a few volunteers to be the first to sign up to compete.

Another option is to solicit local businesses for donations for a raffle or silent auction to be held at the cook-off or bake-off fundraising event. You can offer to place the business name or logo on your flyers and posters in exchange for their donation. Remind them that there will be well-fed and competitive excited people at your event so it's a great opportunity for the business to help you and get exposure.

It is important to have your event well organized. Have competitors signed up and signed in and direct them as to how things will work, who the judges will be and how many portions of food they will make. Also, make sure to organize the food service so that all in attendance are able to try the food and enjoy themselves.

Don't forget a prize! It's great to have a local business donate a prize for the winner of your chili cook-off or cake bake-off. The real winner can be your group who could make a lot of money doing this fun competition based fundraiser.

Jenny Ann is an expert fundraiser and writes exclusively for ABC Fundraising. For other great fundraising ideas and to receive a Free sample go to http://www.AbcFundraising.com - Don't forget to check out the World's first re-usable fundraiser "Spinners" at http://www.SpinnersFundraising.com

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My wife Gina served a 2-year sentence as President of our son's elementary school PTA (and some of you know exactly what I mean.)

During that time, I became aware of the "90/10 Rule," which states that - in any organization or committee - 10% of the people do 90% of all the work.

Event-planning committees almost always see a similar ratio of actual workers to members. And, over the years, I've also identified a few specific personality types you are likely to encounter.

First is Bertha Bulldozer. To Bertha, there are two kinds of ideas: her brilliant ones, and everyone else's stupid ones.

Marvin Motormouth has strong opinions on every subject - lots and lots of opinions.

Agreeable Agnes validates everything you say, as well as everything everyone else says.

Silent Sam adds nothing at all to the proceedings. He is so inconspicuous that you may forget he is even there (and he would be okay with that.)

Finally, Useless Sue is the committee member who promises the world, then delivers nothing (but always has really creative excuses why she failed to come through for you.) Complicating matters further, some of the personality types listed above combine into cliques - voting blocs that pursue a personal agenda, rather than what is simplest, least expensive, or best for the group.

When I recognize these personality types, how do I - as a committee member - deal with them? This way: as soon as a task that I'm personally qualified for is mentioned, I immediately volunteer to be in charge of it. By doing so, (1.) actual progress is being made toward our goal, and (2.) I can often avoid much of the time-wasting and pointless blather that follows. As soon as I complete Task 1, I then assist whoever is working on another facet of the event that is compatible with my skills. When Task 2 is done, I - and hopefully, we - move on to a third job.

The fact is - no matter how large the committee - all real work is done by the 10% (which will, no doubt, include you.) It may seem like a thankless job. At times, you'll want to quit. But I hope you will take heart in simply knowing that many of those who attend your event, and ALL of the professional vendors who work with you, will know who really made it come together.

And you can tell Bertha I said so.

For more information about this and other articles related to Corporate Events or Fundraising, visit http://www.davetannermusic.com

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Smencils Gourmet Scented Pencils - Set of 10

These deliciously scented pencils are made from rolled sheets of newspaper instead of wood--you can even see the layers of newspaper when you sharpen them! Recycled newspaper is tightly rolled around #2 graphite then hardened so they feel like wood pencils, but are better for the environment

Need money and support? The best and most practical way to get it is to fund raise. Fundraisers are profitable, fun, and well worth the trouble of organizing. You may be raising financial support for relief during a calamity or a tragedy, or the funds may be intended to support a particular organization. Nonetheless, a fundraising event works just like any other fundraising activity since it aims to collect money during donations, although usually in exchange for a particular service or product.

Fundraising vs. Donation Solicitation

Fundraiser events are organized by various groups and kinds of people and organizations-from multimillion companies to small non-profit organizations, from ordinary individuals to people of power and influence. The idea here is that the revenue gained from the fundraising event will not be used for personal gain. So why are fundraiser events more preferred than donation solicitation? Many view donation solicitation as too aggressive. Also, contrary to what many may think, donation solicitation will take too much time and effort. A fundraising event is a one-time event. Soliciting donations, on the other hand, is a continuous process. Besides, how many donations will an organization need to receive in order to collect sufficient funds?

Fundraising - A Mutual Benefit

The advantage of fundraising events is the exchange for the monetary support donors will give. The donors do not simply give their money to the fundraising event - they give it because they are expecting something in return. And what they will get depends on what type of fundraiser event an organization or individual plans to hold.

For example, a popular fundraising event idea is the car wash fundraiser. People will give money to the fundraisers and in turn, the fundraisers will wash the car of the donors. Other popular fundraising events include benefit dinners, benefit concerts, bake sales, auctions, and benefit sporting competitions. In all of these endeavors, the fundraisers provide something for the money they will receive. A popular form of fundraising done today is the televised fundraiser, where celebrities encourage viewers to phone in their donation pledges. Those who phoned in will then deposit their pledges in designated bank accounts.

Making Profit

Of course, the services or products given at fundraising events are more expensive if compared to their normal prices. This is expected and acceptable - after all, fundraiser events are held with the purpose to gain revenue in mind. Generally, fundraising events are not the best place to look for a bargain, although there are some exceptions, such as when the fundraising event is an auction or a bargain sale.

Imagination - the Key to Fundraising Success

Forming the fundraising activity into an event not only dramatically increases the revenue. It can also spread awareness and interest, which are both important if the fundraising event is done for a sports team or for a particular advocacy. Hence, many do not consider pre-order fundraising as a fundraising event, since it is merely an activity which is done to collect funds and not an actual event. Holding a fundraising event is definitely more exciting and more dynamic, and can obviously attract more supporters and donors. Door-to-door fundraisers may be effective, but it is bland and lifeless. Fundraising events inject life to charity.

So use your imagination! Be creative and different. Stand out from the crowd and turn heads with your fundraising event. And as long as you remember to stay organized and to have fun, success should be at your fingertips.

Jessi McCafferty writes about fundraising and recommends the friendly folks over at http://www.easy-fundraising-ideas.com/ as a great resource for accurate information and profitable fundraising product ideas.

Easy Fundraising Ideas is the fastest growing internet based fundraising company in the country. With their legendary service and help, they make you the hero!

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Educational Insights Smencils Scented Pencils Bucket of 50

Draw" student attention with these gourmet-scented, environmentally friendly pencils. An alternative to wooden pencils, Smencils are made from 100% recycled newspapers -- you can even see the layers of newspaper when you sharpen them! They feature 10 scent-sational fragrances and are guaranteed to keep their wonderful aromas for up to two years. Includes 50 Smencils, individually packed in their own freshness tubes. Each measures approximately 7" long.

Cookie dough fundraisers are one of the most successful and beloved fundraisers your group can do. Whether you have a large group like a church, school, or sports association or a smaller group like a cheerleading squad, fraternity or music club - a cookie dough fundraiser is a great and easy way to make a lot of money for your group. There are easy ways to make your fundraiser even more profitable.

First, sell Auntie Anne's pretzels at the same time as cookie dough!

When your group or team members go door-to-door and speak with their friends and family, it is very easy to ask them if they want delicious pretzels in addition to (or instead of) cookie dough. Pretzels are a favorite treat for many people and like cookie dough are especially welcome at holiday time when families and friends get together. It's easy - all your group members need to do is take Auntie Anne's pretzel order forms with them and present them with their cookie dough order forms. You will be surprised how many people won't be able to resist adding on a pretzel order too.

Second, set high goals for your group and have a set end date for your fundraiser.

Make sure everyone in your group knows when the fundraiser ends and when they must return the cookie dough order forms. By creating a sense of urgency and having high expectations, your group members will know what they are trying to accomplish during the duration of the fundraiser. It is helpful to offer incentives or prizes for those who reach the goals set for them. You can also set a group goal and if met, can have a pizza party or even a cookie dough party to celebrate your group's achievements.

Third, motivate and get participation from each member of your group.

It seems that it goes without saying but don't underestimate the importance of having each and every member of your group commit to selling a certain amount of cookie dough. The fundraiser is only as successful as your group makes it!

By selling pretzels, setting goals and end dates and motivating your group members, make your cookie dough fundraiser your most profitable ever!

Jenny Ann is an expert fundraiser and writes exclusively for ABC Fundraising.

For other great fundraising ideas and to receive a Free sample go to http://www.AbcFundraising.com

Don't forget to check out the World's first re-usable fundraiser "Spinners" at http://www.SpinnersFundraising.com

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