This and all the pages regarding fund-raising initiatives are composed in part or entirely by young volunteers who have actually done the given project successfully. The authors simply want to share their experience, and it is general advice only; Trailblazers takes no responsibility for private initiatives, nor claims any percentage from those who find these ideas helpful.

Fundraiser Name: Crazy Hat Day

General Idea:

• This is a simple fundraiser that is easy to do & works with all age groups. Select a day that students, teachers, and staff can wear their craziest hat to school, or have a specific day to have a crazy hat party.

Expected Income: Perhaps $250; it depends on what the registration fee is. $5 for at least 50 kids at school could earn you $250. Knowing it's a fundraiser, don't be afraid to ask for $5 or so, and don't shoot too low like $1, or else you won't raise many funds off of this event.

People Needed: 1 to organize, 50 or so to participate would be best.

 Materials Needed:

• Crazy hats!
• Prizes
• Registration papers, with the list of those who have signed up and a recording of their payment

The time questions:

• When and How Long: It lasts a day. Preparation time would be minimal, including:
• Permissions at the school or place where you will be holding the Crazy Hats Day
• Preparing any documentation
• Getting your own Crazy Hat!
• You will need some time to promote it, and depending on how you publicize it, that will determine how much foresight you need to promote, and how much time before that you will need to prepare the materials, such as posters for the bulletin boards, or fliers, which will be used in the publicity.
• Frequency: Twice a semester, would be good 

Location:

• This is best done in a school

Method:

• Each person pays a fee & gets his or her hand stamped, so that you know who paid. 
• If you do this at a school or other such institution, you will need the permission of the authorities there before doing this.
  
• Make it fun, have a contest!
• Winners are selected according to originality, creativity and the hat that was favored by the attendants.
• You can have a panel of judges, or let everyone vote.  Either way it’s a lot of fun.
• Decide whether you want people to make a hat from scratch, buy a plain hat and add things to it to make it crazy or buy a totally crazy hat ready to go, or all of the above. It’s your choice as to how you want to do it.
• You need rules or guidelines for the contest.
• This may or may not be a big money maker, but it’s a lot of fun!!
• Suggested Prizes:
• 1) A T-shirt that says something like “I won the Craziest hat Contest at  such and such a place 2007” or “My hat is crazier then yours” You know something fun.
• 2) A big bag of candy
• 3) Maybe a gift card to a hat store or somewhere fun.
• 4) A certificate stating that this person won the crazy hat contest of 2007, people love certificates stating that they accomplished something; no matter how goofy it is, they like getting a certificate to prove it.
• 5) A hat filled with little trinkets, candy, a book, or maybe some pennies.
• Notes: Remember if you choose to have 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners, the prizes should have different values.