Black Friday is almost here and that means the holidays are coming!
With all the holidays coming up, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to turn simple projects into effective fundraisers. One of these projects is gift-wrapping. There will be an estimated $465 billion spent this year during the holidays – that’s a lot of presents!
Be part of the festivities! With some gift wrapping supplies and a giving spirit, you can boost the holiday cheer of everyone around you and your Summit funds too.
GET THE WORD OUT
The first step of any fundraiser is letting people know about it. Reach out to family, friends and neighbors offering your gift-wrapping services. Draft a letter or flyer to give people, and send the information out via email and social media too! Explain your fundraiser, and be specific about which Summit you’ll attend along with the highlights you’ll experience there. Make it personal by sharing the one thing you are most looking forward to learning or doing. We’ve included our sponsorship flyer to help you get started!
Let people know that you’ll bring all the supplies and wrap their presents for a Summit donation. It’s up to you to choose your suggested donation amount. Depending on the number of presents to wrap, consider asking for $15 per hour, $2 per present or a flat donation of $20.
Be sure to include days and times you’re available to wrap gifts! Some people may need your services on multiple days as they buy gifts throughout the season.
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES AND GET WRAPPING!
Most cities and towns have Dollar Trees or similar stores where you can buy the gift wrapping supplies you’ll need without breaking the bank. Plan to purchase a variety of wrapping paper for your customers to choose. Remember to pick up some tape, ribbons and scissors too, and don’t forget the gift tags! For under $10, you can be ready to start your fundraiser!
WRAP ‘EM UP
When you arrive to wrap gifts, start by letting people select which wrapping paper and ribbons they would like you to use. Give them the gift tags to fill out while you work! If you need some extra gift-wrapping inspiration, get your creativity flowing with this article from Real Simple.
Take your time and be precise in your gift-wrapping. The presents you wrap should be beautiful! When you’re finished, collect all your items and clean up your work area. Be sure to thank customers for their Summit donations, and offer to come back again should they have more gifts they need wrapped before the holidays.
SEND A THANK YOU
It’s always a good idea to follow up after a fundraiser by sending out thank-you notes to those who helped you. This could be as simple as a follow-up email, phone call or text. When you return from your Summit, contact donors with a quick update on how it went, what you learned and your favorite memory from the experience. Thank them again for being part of the journey!
Are you a superstar fundraiser? Email your ideas to info@ambassadorleaders.com. You could be featured in our Toolkit!
By Meghan Kendle
Meghan, an educator from Oregon, has been an active member of Ambassador Leaders for years and has traveled the world with students. The best part of her year is participating in the Summits, and she can’t wait to see you there!