Fundraising -- Community Cookbooks Raise Money for Nonprofit Organizations

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Amy Passmore

Amy Passmore is a fundraising for nonprofit organizations, clubs, schools and groups. Visit her website, DIY Fundraising for fundraising tips and techniques.

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In my last post I wrote about the fundraising cookbook that the Weber Grill Company produced to raise money for injured U.S. Marines and their families. Fundraising cookbooks have been around for decades and they are still one of the most popular fundraising activities for small nonprofit organizations. The best way to produce a community cookbook is by using the resources of one of the many companies that produce cookbooks for nonprofit groups.

Fundraising cookbooks can be produced by almost by almost any size group, club, team. Churches are well-known for producing fundraising cookbooks. Junior Leagues also traditionally produce cookbooks. People love to get involved and contribute their favorite family recipe and see it in print. Fundraising cookbooks make great gifts and will become a treasured keepsake.

Selling cookbooks is easy and can be used as a long-term fundraiser.

Sell them year-round, not just at holiday times. Keep a supply for sale in the principal's office at school, at your church or organization's headquarters.

Any time your organization has an event or meeting you can display some cookbooks. If you have a bake sale, take some cookbooks along. Give cookbooks away as a raffle prize or use in your auctions.

Ask local businesses, such as bakeries, video stores, and coffee shops to display and sell your cookbooks for you.

To maximize the return on your cookbook you can also sell advertising space in the book to local business. In this way you could cover the costs of printing and have a fundraiser that makes your organization a 100 percent profit.

Fundraising cookbooks make great gifts and become treasured keepsakes. You can find cookbook publishers online that will handle the entire publishing process for your organization. All you have to do is gather the recipes and they will handle the rest. Generally, a fundraising cookbook costs around $5.00 a peice, or less, to produce.

For a list of fundraising cookbook publishers visit DIYFundraising.com.

Article by Amy Passmore of DIY Fundraising. Visit www.diyfundraising.com for do-it-yourself fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations, clubs, schools and groups.