Another idea that I use with another fraternal organization I belong to, that we do to raise money to fund travel expenses:
Reverse Raffles (check to see how you can do this legally in your particular state, it varies):
We sell only 100 tickets, at $30 each. Participants have a 1:100 chance of winning the grand prize, which is $1,000 cash, if their's is the last ticket drawn out of the pot. We feed them a decent homemade meal, and have other prizes donated given out at regular intervals (first ticket drawn out gets their money back).
It is a lot of fun if done right. We do this twice a year, and along with other fundraising efforts, are completely self-sufficient in affording travel to various locations for international conventions and competitions. We usually net anywhere from $1,500 to $1,800 after expenses, if all 100 tickets get sold. You do need a special license to do a fundraiser like this, so make sure to look into specifics before you do such an event.
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