As everyone becomes more conscious of the impact that various products and packaging have on our environment, even student fundraising programs have begun changing. Here are a few suggestions of companies that offer eco-friendly solutions that will help you raise money to offset the cost of your trip to Trees For Tomorrow.
Better World Books - Helps high school and college students raise money through book drives to benefit their school and literacy programs around the world.
Divine Chocolate - Raise for money for your school or community group while benefiting small-scale cocoa farmers in Ghana.
Greenraising.com - Started by eco-minded parents, it exists to help schools raise money from the sales of useful green products.
EcoBags - Offers several types of reusable shopping bags through its fundraising program, from organic cotton string bags to to cotton produce bags.
E3Living.com - Raise funds for your school with products that demonstrate a sense of responsibility to the environment while saving you money.
Equal Exchange - Has a full line of Fair Trade and organic products, including delicious chocolates; popular coffees, teas, and cocoas; and new dried cranberries and roasted pecans!
Global Goods Partners - Offers schools an easy-to-implement, educational, and socially responsible fundraising tool by linking schools directly with community based organizations (CBOs) around the world that produce high quality, handcrafted products.
Green Benefits – change link! Offers a different themed fundraising program for schools each year.
Grounds For Change - A fair trade coffee roaster, offering wholesale coffee that is organic, shade grown and fair trade certified.
myEARTH360 – Sells school supplies and other necessities that are good for people and the planet.
Nature Net - Provides financial assistance for bus transportation.
Target - Provides field trip grants.
WeAddUp.com - Offers organic cotton totes and T-shirts with envrionmental messages on them.
Other fundraisers that school groups have been successful with in the past:
- Aluminum can collection
- Bake sales, chocolate sales, kringle sales, pasta sales, etc.
- Walk-a-thons
- Working concession sales at school sporting events
- Poinsettia sales
- Light bulb sales (KEEP Program)
- Spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the school
- Partnering with a local restaurant to have a special day with % of earnings that day/night going to the school. (Culver’s has been especially good to work with)
Places to look for funding:
- Community/Local Foundations
- Natural Resources Foundation teacher grants
- Local sportsmens clubs, conservation clubs, fish and wildlife clubs, garden clubs
- County Land Conservation office
- Contacting local businesses within the school’s community for donations
- Contacting local service clubs for donations (example Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, KCs, etc)