We called it a time and talent auction--figuring everyone has time or a talent to offer--baby sitting, lawn work, baking, cooking--stuff like that--that way they are involved and really feel like they can be part of it
Car Wash--we did it free will donation--went to the local bowling alley where there was a fire hydrant--the city just charged us for the water--which was about 10.00---they made over 2,000!!!
When I was in 4-H--and they might not let you do something like this now--but we did the bake sale--put kids in a car with different adults and went house to house to sell items
Candy bars sell very well around here--sell them for 1.00 and you earn 50 cents off each one
I too have seen the local supermarkets let them sell candy bars--or just donation jars with the pictures of what it is for
Also saw our Jewel support a local church--they let them put up a little jar at each of their registers and collect what ever amount they could get
Our school does well with Cooks Night Out--McDonalds, Culvers, pizza places etc--give you back 10%
Would you be able to sell those cards that give you back 50%---my girlfriends daughter sold them and they were a hot ticket--they were a fundraiser card--you could use over and over--with a lot of restaurants, sporting good stuff on them--it was a plastic card that was good all over the US__I think it was called the Valu Card---people liked them because they were good in other states--so out of state friends could buy--and if you were on vacation you could still use the card.
A craft fair could be cheap--you could do it two ways--if you have a home-then have the girls make items and sell them in your home
If you have a gym or somewhere like that-you can sell space for other crafters---
I had one church that let people use their great room---they charged the people 20 percent of their sales--no charge for the tables--so that people were more abt to go since if nothing sold you were not out anything
Also-have seen it where they just pay a certain amount for a table (they bring their own-if you supply it cost more)
This one would take more work--however many people have reported making lots of money--put on a 5K race and a kids race. If you can find a place in your area that has done one--you can reuse their route--the most expensive part is the t-shirts--or if you are in an area that charges you for police to guard the streets--
however--if you do a 5 K--you can time it yourself--or hire a timing company (try and get a sponsor to cover that cost--usually people can get the cost of most of the race covered with sponsors--the names go on the shirts--and you can usually find places to do them cheap)
Einsteins is really good at donating bagels--usually day old ones that people freeze and then bring it to the race--
For a teacher at our high school--the kids did a basketball game--where they just played against adults and kids---sold fund raiser tickets and did well.
Good luck!
. We don't have a specific school or location as the girls are from all over, and we have food including desert at our meetings for the sorority, so don't think we could sale enough to make it worthwhile there
