Community yard sale fundraisers are common events in the spring and summer months. Spring is the season for cleaning out closets, basements, garages, and storage units to discover things that are accumulating dust. Why not take this great opportunity and not only provide a reason for people to get started on their spring cleaning, but also give them a chance to donate to a great cause! People often look for opportunities to pass along the things they no longer need, so let them know well in advance that you’ll be hosting a community yard sale. This then becomes a very easy fundraising opportunity, your supporters are happy to donate their things towards a worthy cause.
How to Run a Community Yard Sale
Community Yard Sales events work well for schools, churches, sports teams, and other groups. One of the best things about these types of events is that there are little to no start-up costs involved. Ask your community for donations, find a location, and set the date to start selling. You’ll certainly need volunteers to help with organizing the details on the big day: set up and tear down, displaying and pricing items, managing money, and promoting the event. Because there will be cash on-site, reach out to local police or security officers to see if an officer might donate his or her time to be on-site during the event.
- Collecting Donations for the Sale
A successful yard sale fundraiser obviously hinges on the donation of goods. Be sure to advertise to your sports team or hosting group well in advance. That way, they can put items aside and consider fully what they wish to donate, which can take some time. Consider renting a small U-Haul or asking volunteers with trucks to offer collection services. Choose a pick-up day just before the fundraiser to travel to homes and pick up donated items. This could be a great way to receive larger items such as furniture that people may be willing to donate, but don’t have the resources to deliver. This is important since these items will likely bring in high dollar sales.
- Selecting the Yard Sale Location
It’s important to host the yard sale fundraiser at an accessible location familiar to your community. Local recreation or community centers, the school gymnasium or cafeteria, or your church basement all make great locations. Be sure that you have plenty of room and a place for people to mingle when they aren’t shopping. Oh, and what happens if it rains? Best to think of a rainy day plan in advance.
- Promoting the Community Yard Sale
Promoting the yard sale fundraiser is key to your success. Promote the yard sale on your organization’s website, Social Media channels, community bulletins, in the local paper, and on Craigslist. Encourage members of your organization to spread the word to their network via email and social media.
Ideas to Raise More Money via a Community Yard Sale
Consider adding additional fundraising ideas and strategies to your community yard sale fundraisers. How about entertainment and food? Selling baked goods, coffee, and lemonade is a good start. You could also ask community members to make prepared sandwiches or even engage with some local food trucks as an additional money-raising opportunity.
Many organizations host fundraising raffles as part of their community yard sales. Sell raffle tickets online and at the door and announce winners at the end of the day.
These are the keys to hosting a successful yard sale fundraiser. With a little organization and effort from your team, your organization can turn trash into treasure and raise money with no up-front costs.
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