If your fire department is like most, you rely on grants, donations and fundraising activities to provide the funding necessary to purchase equipment and fire fighter training resources. Many departments have had success with large fundraising events such as community bingo nights and golf outings; however events like these require a great deal of planning and effort, something smaller departments might have a difficult time pulling off. With that in mind, we’re thinking small and presenting our top 5 fire department fundraising ideas that your department can do throughout the year:
1. Open House
Host a public open house to give community members a chance to tour the fire house and get inside fire trucks. Throughout the day, offer presentations and/or talks to the community that highlight the specific difficulties your department faces due to a lack of funds. Advertise for free at your local libraries, schools, and churches to get people in the door.
2. Donate and Dunk
Who doesn’t love to dunk someone in water? Set up a dunk tank at your community festival and ask participants to donate money for the opportunity to dunk a fireman. You can even get local schools involved and ask teachers to volunteer to get dunked to raise even more money for the fire department.
3. Combine Forces
Get together with another organization or department to create a larger fundraiser. For instance, put together a community pancake breakfast or BBQ, then split the proceeds 50/50.
4. Clean Up Crew
Many parade and fair organizers along with football teams will donate money for groups to clean up after events. Call around your town to find out where you can offer your time in exchange for a donation. This can be a simple way to keep getting donations all year long, and can be particularly helpful for smaller departments that are unable to get government grants or organize larger fundraisers.
5. Birthday Parties
What kid doesn’t love fire trucks? And what parent doesn’t love a cheap place to throw a birthday party? Combine these two favorite things by asking for a minimum donation per hour in exchange for a memorable birthday party experience. This is a great way to give back to the community and also take in donations.
Fire departments are essential for the community, but often people just don’t realize how underfunded they are. Use some (or all) of the above fundraising ideas to become more active in your community and to raise money through donations. For information about Action Training Systems and our online or DVD training, contact us today!
