How do you raise $$$

[Ladder107]

Just wondering how some of your Posts or Jr. FF groups raise funds to keep going? Do your dept.'s pay for you or are you self-supporting?

Our Post raises about $1000 a year on average to keep things in operation. We have bratwurst and burger fries at the local hardware store and grocery stores in town. We have also received a few $$$ from some of the local businesses in excahnge for them have their name on a sponsorship board on the sides of our Explorer truck. All in all, we keep things going and it is fun.

Lets here from all of you...Thanks!

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Ff K. Johnson, NREMT
Chilton FD, Chilton, WI
Post Advisor, Chilton Fire Explorers www.geocities.com/cfdexplorers !!!

[fyrefyghter10]

one of the stations around me put a picture of there old truck on a plastic jar and put it in a 7-11 and wrote a sign on it and said we would appreicate your donations for our new truck that we just cant afford.you could try something like that if you need monry for equipment or school or what ever. do you have to pay for your own equipment and training?

[This message has been edited by fyrefyghter10 (edited 02-21-2001).]

[fyrefyghter10]

oh yea another thing is if u have an open house during fire prevention week you can ask for donations from local stores like bikes and different toys and raffle them off for and dollar.

[Newguy55]

Just a friendly word your topic...

Be careful about Explorer Post fundraising... BSA has some very specific policies regarding what you can and, more importantly, what you cannot do. For instance, any gambling or games of chance are prohibited... so much for raffles...

More surprisingly, soliciting donations (financial or material goods) is also on the "no" list, you must provide a good or service in return for anything you receive.

I know this is news to a lot of Posts. I am the new Post Committee Chairman of our local Post, and we have done a lot of research into BSA's REAL policies, vs. the hearsay and rumored "policy" passed down through the generations. For instance, it is FEDERAL LAW that your Explorer Post have an IRS Tax ID #... all this info came from our Council and they have been pretty good about helping us "legalize" our Post operations.

I also know that it costs over $1200 every year to keep my Post in business, and we don't get a cent from the department, so trust me, we know where you are coming from...

Just check things out before you jump in and accidentally get your Post in trouble.

[Ladder107]

Wow, thanks "new guy" for the advice. Well put! I will do some checking into that right away. We've never been asked anything...but will do some checking to make sure we are doing things correctly or if changes need to be looked at...

We've been successful in finances with keeping our Post running, but don't want any trouble!

Thanks!

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Ff K. Johnson, NREMT
Chilton FD, Chilton, WI
Post Advisor, Chilton Fire Explorers www.geocities.com/cfdexplorers !!!

[FireAngel18]

We have monthly dances, breakfast's and spagetti dinners. things like that..Also we do open houses, sell candy bars, car washes, and other things..