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Five Choir-Related Fundraisers

 The joy that singing brings people, both young and old, is boundless. For centuries, choirs have been an integral part of our culture and our communities. When it comes to raising money to support a choir's activities, there are many unique and specific options available, given the broad appeal choir music has. Even if a person has no direct ties to the group itself, he may still be willing to sponsor a choir, just because he likes the sound. This is a distinct advantage over other kinds of non-profit organizations. The following is a list of five examples of fundraising activities that tie very well into the character of a choir.

Valentine's Day Singing Telegrams

A choir has no better currency than the beauty of its combined voice. Put those voices to work for your community. On Valentine's Day or Sweetest Day, rent your choir out as a singing telegram service. For a price, your members will travel to a local business and sing a serenade to the loved one of the person who hired you. Advertise this service well in advance and make it affordable. Get on the local radio stations, the local television news, and in the local newspaper to say that you will be making these personalized romantic serenades as a fundraiser for your choir. Establish this as an annual event, and as more people in the community become aware of your stellar reputation, you will receive an ever-increasing amount of reservations.

Celebrity Choir Benefit Concert

Another way to make money with your voices is to hold a benefit concert in your town. Do something to make the event special. You could advertise it as a black tie affair or as a costume party. You could even collaborate with a local symphony and make it a formal ball. If you would really like to draw a larger crowd, do everything in your choirs' power to arrange for a celebrity to join you for the concert and then advertise it widely. People love to see celebrities perform, and if you or anyone in your group has a connection or relation to a celebrity, even a "B or C list-er", it could add dollars to your bottom line.

Radio Call-in Fundraiser

Contact a local radio station and ask if they would be willing to allow you to come on air and conduct a live concert for their listeners, who could then call in their pledges of support. Line up prominent people within the community such as the mayor, business owners, school officials, or anyone else with a recognizable and trusted name to join you on the radio for your pitch. If the radio station won't donate the air time to your choir, search for a corporate donor and promise incredible name placement on all your marketing materials, as well as repeated mentions while you are on air with the fundraiser.

CD Sales

 Again, a choir's most valuable asset is its collective voice. People love good music. Therefore, it makes sense to become a supplier of good music in the ways people want it most. Consider recording and producing a Christmas CD. Families are always looking for new holiday recordings of their favorite carols or hymns. It would be a very nice addition to a families' music collection to have their local choir's Christmas CD. You can place your CDs for sale all over town in heavily-trafficked businesses and restaurants, or even churches. Work with a local printer to create an attractive display for them. Although there are some overhead costs involved with this pursuit, if you market it well, you could still end up making money and spreading your choir's reputation. I would also suggest investigating selling individual tracks from your CD on online music services like iTunes. Even though your cut on each song sold is less than one dollar, this can still add up if you've got a hit. 

Product Sales

In a slightly different approach, there are a number of very reliable and proven fundraising methods available to groups such as a choir. From this website, you can investigate cookie dough sales, scratch cards, discount cards, and popcorn sales, to name just a few. Product sales have a track record of results when a strong effort is invested. As with any fundraising activity, however, you will want to do some homework to find out what other groups are holding product sales and when, so you don't conflict with them. Take a good look around Top School Fundraisers to learn much more about these kinds of successful fundraising methods.

Music and singing are part of the very fabric of our lives. Unfortunately, as with every other non-profit group, choirs are faced with the reality of seeking out funding to cover their expenses. On a positive note, however, choirs are in a wonderful position when it comes to the opportunities available in this arena. Be creative, have fun with the process, and always maximize your gifts!