After four years of hard work and watching the seniors before you get dressed up and celebrate the end of an era, it’s your turn! With dresses, flowers, makeup and getting your hair done for the big day, prom can get a little costly.
Before you get started, make sure you have a prom committee or a dedicated group willing to help. Here are some fundraising ideas to get you started:
- Bake Sale: Get the entire committee to bake one item each. Sell each item for a reasonable price and there’s no doubt your treats will sell out.
- Fair or Carnival: Plan a fun-filled evening at your school with treats and fun events at a low cost. Make sure you advertise well in advance.
- School Fashion Show & Battle of the Bands: A school talent show of sorts will bring a big crowd. Performers get in for free, but the audience pays a small fee, $5 or so. This could be an easy moneymaker for any prom committee.
- Car Wash: Host the car wash on campus! Put up lots of signs for a $5 car wash and get the parents of students to bring their cars in for a quick wash!
- Pancake or Spaghetti Dinner: Host meals for students and parents to attend. Estimate the cost and choose a price point that will help make you money, not just break even.
- Shave/Wax/Hair Cut auction: Have a teacher who has a 10-year-old ponytail you’re dying to cut off? Now’s your chance. Sign up volunteers to commit to shaving their heads or cutting their hair publicly if a specified dollar amount is reached by the deadline. Bonus: Virgin hair (hair that is untouched by dye) that is at least 10-inches-long can be donated to make wigs for cancer patients.
- Candy-grams: Calendar holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Easter are the perfect time to encourage your fellow students to purchase and send candy-grams (a couple pieces of candy with a note attached) to friends. Round up a few volunteers before getting started with this one – assembling the “grams” take all hands on deck.
Fundraising Tips Every Prom Committee Should Know
- Before putting these plans into action, talk to a school representative or teacher and get permission.
- Once you have permission, ask for help! Your teachers might have ideas to help you execute your plan.
- Plan well in advance for all events, especially if they will take place on campus after hours. You will most likely need teacher supervision and want to make sure they’re available when you need them.
- Ask your classmates what they would want to do. There may be some great ideas just waiting to be turned into reality.
- Speak with local businesses. Many small business owners might be willing to donate products or services for prom night or as prizes for fundraising raffles in exchange for advertising opportunities on signage or in the yearbook.
Originally published in Prom Canada magazine 2016. For all the latest fashion-forward prom dresses, beauty tips and advice visit www.promcanada.com.
