Fundraising Ideas

[dennis]

Hi everyone!

New to the forum and to GF, definitely a novice with the machine. I’m looking to see if anyone has some thoughts on what this machine could be used for in relation to creative fundraising items - essentially customizing or creating projects. I’ve had the thought of doing key tags and plates, but I’m not entirely sure how to go about that or get access to the blanks. We are a nonprofit group and pretty much open to anything. We deal with public safety people if that gives you an idea as well. We also sell flashlights and have been working a few things on that.

Thanks for any input!

[rebecca]

Hello @dennis,

Welcome to the forum! I must say upfront, I have not made things to sell on the GF. However, I do like to make things on the GF that help me to make other things. I tried to keep the amount of time to create objects in mind.

Here are a few of my humble ideas:

• Coaster Stamps. 100 blank coasters cost about $16. Creating coaster sets of 4-6 coasters, each coaster with a different funny or uplifting statement, might be attractive to folks. Sell coaster packs for $5 each.

• Using Delrin/Acetal to make a leather stamp. Sure, we can engrave into leather, but cutting out an interesting shape on the GF and then pressing a shape into it (embossing) is quite gratifying. I made several simple leather keychains for a friend’s band. I made 20 for about $5 of product cost (and about 30 minutes of stamping). He sold them for $5 a piece and made $100.

• Cut out a useful safety tool to connect to a keychain or in a wallet. I like GF’s idea of the “Gift of Good Measure.” Something like that, but related to safety.

This is just what I can think of off the top of my head in about 3 minutes. If I think of anything else, I’ll post it here. Maybe my suggestions can spark ideas in other forum folks wanting to suggest something here?

[Jules]

I don’t sell physical items either, but anything personalized is going to sell like hotcakes…

For blanks, check out Amazon, or do a quick Google search for “Bulk Blah-Blah-Blah Blanks” and that should get you started.

[pubultrastar]

I’m made a number of things for fundraisers, and ended up making the most by raffling these off. I made one item for a silent auction, and it did make a few hundred dollars, but not what I’d hoped. Min are bigger it, but it looks like you might be looking to make smaller items. If that is the case, I agree with Jules, and you have to personalize them.

Here are a few of my charity items:

Owyn's: Another Monopoly Board

Yes, I do make other things besides Monopoly boards. No, I’m not planning on making another one. For the board, I ended up using some cherry ply from Owyn’s, versus proofgrade from GF. The Star Wars board that used Proofgrade ply has some significant warping, and I’m keeping some weights on it trying to straighten out the boards. The Owyn’s ply has been true, and no warping, even after cutting. Outside of having to add your own mask, and it not being finished, I think that this was a nicer …

My 3rd bathymetric map

I’ll end up using this as a fundraising item in the future, but for now it will sit in my office at work. This is Rest lake in Northern Wisconsin. Do you like it with color or without, as I’m planning on cutting a few of these in the future. [Rest%20Lake%20Topo-2] [Rest%20Lake%20Topo-1]

Scrabble for Charity

I was asked to make a Scrabble board for an upcoming charity auction for a local literacy council. I used Cherry plywood from Owyn’s for the board, and Hickory (Pecan) Ply for the tiles. I used oil based Sharpie pens to color in the board, and used a little mineral oil to bring out the wood grain. I may seal the whole thing with a clear poly. I still have to design and cut the tile holders, but I’m still pondering the best route for that. I like how it turned out, and will make another for…

Fold-out dice box (and dice tower)

A co-worker has assisted me with getting my replacement set up, and as a thank you I cut this dice tower for him. He is very active in the Extra Life charity, which is gamers playing games to raise money for children’s hospitals. It’s a very worthwhile cause, and the dice tower was very apropos. Here is my dice tower with the extra-life logos on it. I was able to use the most updated version from @dan that had the no-glue, serrated tabs. He really loved it and asked for a bunch …

[todd.hassell]

If all goes well, I’ll be getting an order from the company that services our home backup generator to cut / print about 200 key chains (out of basswood) with their phone number and logo on them, to give out to people who either have them service their generators, or who sell them new ones. (They typically have a key for access.)

You might want to speak to local businesses that use keys (e.g. - Car Dealerships, Locksmitsh, etc.) to see if they might be interested in placing an order with you, or even to offer up 50 or 100 key tags as a promo gift for a raffle (for businesses). Using a small key tag format, (slightly larger than a lot of the barcode keytags some retailers used to hand out), you can get about 56 to a sheet of proofgrade. Material costs (for basswood) is $12, plus the cost of key rings from amazon (far less than 20 cents each.) At $4-$5 per tag retail, you would probably get a number of people bidding / buying fundraising raffle tickets, and you would come out far ahead.

I’ve also found that wood (vs. metal blanks you buy elsewhere) tend to be more “interesting” and eye catching, so you will probably do well with them (they look more original and custom).

You could also do Business Cards in plywood as a neat promo item too.

Hope that helps.

[dennis]

That’s a really great idea, thank you!

[dennis]

I am going to look at doing that today with the key tags. Thank you!

[ca_worth]

Genius!

I have a home generator, and wasn’t left with a key because the owner’s didn’t have one as it was all handled by the gen company.

I wanted to be able to open it up and read the dang codes.

at any rate I got the key, and used the GF to create a key chain for it. hadn’t thought about using it as advertising for the company.

[ca_worth]

where is a good source for Delrin?

[rebecca]

I am lucky to have a Ridout/Johnson’s Plastics near where I live. If you find some Delrin, there are settings in the forum. If you cannot find them, PM me and I will send you the settings I’ve found and use.

Also, I have an old book press. It makes leather embossing easy. I’ve had much more luck with pressing than using a hammer to emboss.

[ca_worth]

Thanks!

I would use a press too. a hammer to me wouldn’t be consistent enough.

[bansai8creations]

I have a little Cuttlebug that I use for some diecutting, but mainly works with my own logo dies about 1"x3" or so (purchashed, this was years before my GF) and use the CB to emboss leather with my own stamps (up to 6" wide)… With idea of doing more and bigger than the CB, I bought an Itaglio roller press, 12" wide, which I’ve not used yet! Now i usually laser etch my logos into my goods!

[evermorian]

I wonder if some modification of something like this 3D printed press:

Open Press Project | Home

… or, this one:

http://www.stampomatica.com

… might work for that sort of thing.