Domestic Architecture
| You can afford it. You really can. |
| Easy Auto-Pay | |
| We want to make our lowest-priced tours even more affordable!
After all, an educational tour is an investment in your future - you'll explore amazing
destinations, discover new cultures, and braoden your perspective. That's why we use Auto
Pay.
Your total balance is divided by the number of months before your extended final payment deadline (A minimum of four Auto Pay payments is required to be eligible for enrollment.) That amount is then charged to a credit or debit card once a month. It's that easy! Example: If your total Field Trip fees are $1,000 and your final payment date is 10 months away, your monthly cost is just $100. Auto Pay is the easiest way to pay for Field School
Just sign up for Auto Pay when you enroll in a Field Trip. It's that easy!' |
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| Fundraising Ideas | Return to the top |
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Get the printer-friendly List of Fundraiser Ideas | |
| Very Easy | |
| School Night | |
| Time: 2 weeks
Money up front: $10 - $30 for advertising Expected profit: $50 - $500 How it works: Get a favorite local business to donate a portion of their profits to your Field Trip!
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| Supermarket Fun Day | |
| Time: 2 – 3 hours Money up front: $10 - $30 for advertising Expected profit: $50 - $500 How it works: A local supermarket donates a percentage of its profits from groceries purchased by your group on certain days.
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| Penny Drive | |
| Time: 1 week to 1 month Money up front: None Expected profit: $25 - $200 How it works: Spare change can help you fund your Field Trip!
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| Easy | |
| Coupon Clipping | |
| Time: 1 – 2 weeks Money up front: None Expected profit: $50 - $100 How it works: Trade coupons for change!
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| Holiday Decorating | |
| Time: 1 – 3 weeks Money up front: $25 - $50 for paint Expected profit: $50 - $300 How it works: Earn money using artistry!
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| Holiday Gift Wrapping | |
| Time: 3 weeks Money up front: Minimal. You will have to purchase gift wrapping supplies if you are not able to acquire them through donations. Expected profit: $50 - $500 How it works: Wrap holiday presents for donation!
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| Flower Sales | |
| Time: Several hours a day for up to one week. Money up front: Minimal (based on donations from local flower shops and grocery stores that will donate or sell flowers at a discount for your good cause.) Expected profit: $50 - $200, depending on how much you charge for flowers and how many you sell. How it works: Sell flowers to fellow students to raise money for your Field Course.
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| Quick Cash Idea! Students can hold a bake sale with their own home-baked treats. Set up a few tables at the busiest places on campus where there are sure to be plenty of hungry students. |
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| McDonald’s Day | |
| Time: 2 weeks to organize Money up front: None Expected profit: $200 - $500, depending on publicity How it works: Students work in McDonald’s in exchange for a percentage of the profits
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| Extras | |
| Time: 2 – 5 hours a week Money up front: Minimal. Many of these “extras” come from donations from local merchants. Expected profit: $50 - $500, depending on goods you will sell and frequency of sales How it works: Take advantage of organized school events to conduct raffle and candy sales to large groups of people.
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| Moderate | |
| Bottle Drive | |
| Time: The event itself can be held as
often as the group deems profitable. Because there is so little labor involved
in a bottle drive, it is easy to staff and requires little set up/clean up. Money up front: None Expected profit: $50 - $500 per event, depending on publicity and frequency How it works: Community members donate their bottle returns (recyclables) to your cause.
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| Car Wash | |
| Time: 2 weeks for planning and holding the car wash Money up front: About $50 (sponges, towels, soap, etc.) Expected profit: $100 - $300, based on price of car wash How it works: Wash cars for donations
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| Yard Sale | |
| Time: At least 5 hours a week leading up to the event Money up front: Minimal Expected profit: $100 - $1000, depending on how many items you can collect and people donate How it works: Have a yard sale with donated goods from students and families within the community.
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| It worked for them! "I estimated the number of hours students would be traveling and learning. Then, I asked members of the community to "buy" an hour or more to sponser other travelers." — Stephanie Labay, Group Leader |
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| Selling Ads | |
| Time: 5 – 10 hours a week, 1 – 2 months to order merchandise Money up front: Minimal to none Expected profit: $100 - $500 How it works: Local merchants get inexpensive advertising in exchange for supporting your Field Course!
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| Ornaments and Seasonal Sellers | |
| Time: 5+ hours for 2 – 4 weeks Money up front: $50 - $75 Expected profit: $100 - $300, depending on quality and quantity of ornaments How it works: Sell seasonal gifts and treats!
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| Raffle a Vacation | |
| Time: 2 – 5 hours a week leading up to the raffle Money up front: Minimal Expected profit: $100 -$1000 depending on cost of raffle ticket and number who enter raffle How it works: Raffle a weekend or week in a vacation home or timeshare to raise money for your group!
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| Test Drive | |
| Time: 2 – 5 hours a week Money up front: Minimal Expected profit: $500 - $1000 How it works: Partner with a local car dealership to donate to your cause for bringing adults in to test drive their cars.
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| It worked for them! Group Leader Ken Zimmerman hosted more than 1,050 guests at a spaghetti dinner, netting over $5,000 for his students! |
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| Taste of your Town | |
| Time: A few hours per week for one month Money up front: Minimal – cost of tickets and putting up posters/ads Expected profit: $500 - $1000, depending on cost and number of attendees How it works: Restaurants donate food for a community buffet dinner.
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| Singing Telegrams | |
| Time: A few hours per week for a few months Money up front: Minimal – cost of flyers or any promotional materials Expected profit: $100 - $300 depending on how many students participate and duration of event How it works: Sing for donations!
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| Spaghetti Dinner | |
| Time: 2 – 3 weeks Money up front: $0 - $200, depending on how much food, etc. you can have donated Expected profit: $100 - $1000, depending on attendance and admission fee
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| Quick Cash Idea! Have a benefit school dance for your Field Course with a destination-related theme. Charge a $3 - $5 cover. |
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| Fruit Baskets | |
| Time: 2 – 5 hours per week for one month Money up front: Minimal if you can find grocers and craft stores to donate everything you need. Expected profit: $50 - $500, depending on the number of sales and how much you charge for each basket. We recommend $5 - $10 per basket depending on the size and quality of contents. How it works: Collect and assemble colorful, delicious baskets of fruit to sell in your community!
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| Holiday at the Mall | |
| Time: 1 – 2 months Money up front: None Expected profit: $100 - $1000 How it works: A local mall designates a night that it will be closed to the general public (typically the Sunday before Thanksgiving) People buy “admission tickets” to shop at the mall on this special night!
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| More Challenging | |
| Gift Calendars | |
| Time: 1 – 2 months Money up front: $0 - $200, depending on whether production costs are donated Expected profit: $100 - $1000, depending on production costs and the price of the book
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| Christmas Tree Sales | |
| Time: 4 – 8 hours per week for 1 – 2 months Money up front: $100 - $300 for cost of trees Expected profit: $200 - $1000. Sell trees for double wholesale costs to earn a substantial profit. How it works: Sell Christmas trees for a profit!
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| Hole in One | |
| Time: A few hours per week for one month Money up front: Minimal – cost of tickets and advertising Expected profit: $300 - $1000, depending on cost of tickets and number of attendees. We recommend selling tickets for $10 each. How it works: Sell tickets to a hole-in-one golf contest and give your friends and family a chance to win a new car!
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| Auction Night | |
| Time: 1 – 2 months Money up front: Minimal. You will need to purchase refreshments if you decide to sell them at the event, but try to solicit donations (in exchange for publicity) from local food merchants. Expected profit: $500 - $5,000, depending on the quality and quantity of auction items How it works: Invite the community to a night of bidding on merchandise donated by area merchants.
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| It worked for them! One group raffled off 20 turkeys before Thanksgiving. They earned $18,000 for their Field Course! |
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| Silent Auction | |
| Time: 1 – 2 months Money up front: Very minimal Expected profit: $500 - $5000 How it works: People bid on items or services donated by area merchants over the course of a week.
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| Holiday Crafts Bazaar | |
| Time: 1 – 2 months Money up front: Bazaars require little money up front because, ideally, the space, labor, and refreshments are donated. Expected profit: $100 - $1000, depending on size and duration of event, and number of participating artisans. How it works: The profits from a holiday bazaar come from the rent you charge artisans and merchants to participate.
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| It worked for them! A Maryland group raised money by raffling designated squares in a local field. On the raffle day, they let a cow roam freely in the field. The person who "owned" the square where the cow "dropped" won the raffle! |
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| Cabaret/Talent Show | |
| Time: 1 – 3 months Money up front: $0 - $200. The up-front money will become more substantial if you need to rent a sound system or lighting equipment. Expected profit: $500 - $5,000, depending on attendance and entrance fee How it works: Charge admission to your own talent show!
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| School/Community Cookbook | |
| Time: 2 – 3 months Money up front: None to $200, if the design and production costs are not donated Expected profit: $100 - $1000, depending on production costs and price of book How it works: Create a community cookbook to sell!
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| It worked for them! A Colorado group appraoched a local business to sponsor them for each hole of miniature golf they completed in a day. One student raised nearly $900 this way! |
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| 50/50 Raffle | |
| Time: 1 – 2 weeks Money up front: $5 to buy the roll of tickets Expected profit: $100 - $1000, depending on the volume of ticket sales. You can make a very large profit if you have a number of people selling tickets at a large sporting event in the stands, at booths, and at the door. How it works: Sell tickets (3 for $2), hold a drawing, and give the winner half of the money you have collected.
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| School Logo Merchandise | |
| Time: 4 – 6 months Money up front: None, if organized through a catalog (money is submitted afterwards); $100 - $500 if producing and selling school logo merchandise that needs to be ordered in advance Expected profit: Varies widely with merchandise How it works: Operate your own business by selling school logo merchandise (Note: a tax permit may be required; check with the merchandise company about how to obtain one.) There are companies that facilitate events through merchandise sales (See the next section, “Fundraising Companies” for some ideas).
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| Door-to-door Sales | |
| Time: 4 – 6 months Money up front: Varies – you’ll need to purchase items before selling them. Expected profit: Depends on the extent and duration of the campaign How it works: This is a similar venture to that of selling merchandise, but you’ll take it to the community!
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Get the printer-friendly List of Fundraiser Ideas | |
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| Fundraising Companies | Return to the top |
| Contact these fundraisers! Here’s a useful, but by no means exhaustive, list of companies that offer fundraising services. They are neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Architecture Addiction. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts M&M/Mars World's Finest Chocolate Red Apple See's Candy Dutch Mill Bulbs Schermer Pecan Company QSP Magazines Entertainment Fundraising Cookbooks by Morris Press Gateway Fundraising Services Marlin Art, Inc. Uno Chicago Grill Get the printer-friendly Checklist for Outside Fundraising Companies |
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| Get the publicity you need | Return to the top |
| Getting attention for your tour by garnering publicity in the local media can go a long way in heling with word-of-mouth referrals, recruitment, fundraising, and building credibility for the educational value of the expereince. Refer to the information and samples below for ideas on how to use public relations to benefit your tour. | |
| Why contact local news media? | |
| Local news media love to talk about what is happening in their area - schools, cultural centers, the community at large. In short, they are interested in stories that impact residents' lives and are interest to the community. | |
| What is newsworthy? | |
| Anything different, exciting, unique, heartwarming, interesting, or inspiring.
Your news should also have a hook, or a reason why their readers or viewers will care. For example,
the hook could be a fundraising event (maybe a neighborhood-wide garage sale to buy the first-year
studio students all the basswood they'll need for the year), or a local tie-in to a national event (such as a blood drive to send the Materials and Method students
to build a home destroyed by a natural disaster in another part of the country.)
Your Field Course is also a hook. By taking students abroad, you are exposing them to more than their community and broadening their perspectives. You are changing the lives of some of the community members. It's a good idea to generate publicity from the local news media for a specific evenet relevant to your Field Course, such as a fundraiser, or for the Field Course itself. The local news media may also be interested in photos and stories after you return from your Field Course, which can help you recruit for your next Field Course. |
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| Why should you garner publicity for your tour? | |
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| Write letters to potential funders | Return to the top |
| You can find many local and national organizations who love to help students - but they can't help if they
don't know what you're trying to accomplish. Get the editable printer-friendly Word.doc Sample Fundraiser Letter Tailor this sample letter to your potential funders and print it on official letterhead. To whom can you send it? Try these: |
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American Legion Attorneys Automobile dealerships Banks Beverage distributing companies Booster clubs Construction companies County extension offices Daughters of the American Revolution Doctors and dentists Elks Lodge Fire, police, and sheriff's departments Flower shops Fraternities Grocery stores Guilds |
Hair salons Historical societies Insurance agents Jaycees Kiwanis Club Knights of Columbus Lions Club Local and state politicians Local Chambers of Commerce Local newspapers Major corporations with plants in your towns Mason Lodge Military associations Moose Lodge National Honor Society NCO CLubs |
Officer's Clubs/Officer's Wives Clubs Optimist Clubs Owners of professional sports teams Pharmacies Political committees PTA or PTSA Restaurants Rotary Club Ruritan Club Senior citizen organizations Sororities Student Council Telephone companies Unions VFW/Auxiliary Club |
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| Send out a press release | Return to the top |
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A press release is used to announce news or release information to local
media and is typically sent one to three weeks prior to the event.
Why do you want to send one? It's publicity. It establishes the importance and credibility of what you're doing. You can use it to announce your your good cause and the fundraisers that support your good cause. It's also a clipping that you can use when you raise funds for your next Field Course. Everything counts. Everything matters. Get the editable printer-friendly Word.doc Sample Press Release |
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| What You Need to Know | ||
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You can do this. You really can. We believe in the power of positive thinking. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." We have plenty of fundraising ideas for you to use. We'll show you the web sites of different fundraising companies. You're creative. Give your mind the directive to think up creative ways of funding this trip of a lifetime. You'll amaze yourself at what you can do once you set your mind to it. | ||
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