IAFF Fundraising

[FireCritic]

I am wondering what the various IAFF locals do for fundraising? Not for charity, but actually for operating costs. What works, what doesn't.

[rfd599]

FireFleitz:

We have had good luck with raffling a Harley Davidson Motorcycle. We have raffled off three in the past couple of years with great success. We usually purchase a "Fat Boy" or "Wide Glide" and put a custom paint job on it. I believe that we assigned each FF (10) tickets to sell (we have 280 FF's) and then we also sell tickets at some local summer events. In addition to the bike, we pay out cash to nine other winners. If I remember right, this netted the local around $30K last time we did it.

This year we are doing a convertible.......so we will see how it goes.

rfd599
www.IllinoisFireStore.com

[FireCritic]

Thanks for the information. I will look into this type of event.

[rfd599]

FireFleitz:

Here is the info I gathered for this year from my station union rep. We are raffling a Limited Edition Saturn Sky Convertible, value $27K or $25K cash. We are also paying out 2nd-$600, 3rd-$500, 4th-$400, 5th-$300, 6th-$200, 7th-$100. All prizes are going to be giving out at a party we are throwing in September. This party is at a bar and open to anyone that purchases a ticket.

To motivate our membership, we are having an Early Bird Raffle, and giving out (2) $250 cash prizes to members. These tickets are drawn one month and two months prior to the actual drawing. This gives the guys an incentive to sell tickets and get them in early. The person that sells the most tickets will receive $500. We are selling a total of 6000 tickets at $10 ea.

I hope this helps!

rfd599
www.IllinoisFireStore.com

[FireCritic]

Thanks so much for the information. Do you guys actually purchase the vehicle, or is there a deal set with the dealer, or is the vehicle set by the price you are willing to spend on the prize and in the end the winner can take the cash?

[rfd599]

The vehicle is reserved at the dealer and we pay for it if the winner wants the car instead of the cash. No money is paid out until after the actual drawing.

rfd599
www.IllinoisFireStore.com

[Nozzleman216]

My question is this....we are relatively small local (17) and as the Secy/Trea I have come about many things as far as taxes and all that BS goes. So is this union money or what? Does it go into the general fund (god forbid)? Just curious as to how this works. As a young guy that is very strong in the union and very active in the firehouse and fire service I have pondered many hours about things like this. Most of the leg work I have no problem doing as I take care of all the paper work anyhow. As I have quickly noticed over the last few years there are a lot of guys that are happy with how things are...in other words too lazy to even try to make a difference here and there. How are these funds used? Is it a stock pile for that One big contract negotiation (as if they all aren't). I just have many questions unanswered thats all. If anyone wishes to email me about this let me know in a PM. Thanks!

[rfd599]

Our fundraising dollars are split between charities, our building fund, and to cover negotiating costs. I think this year is going to be an even split between all three. We own the building that our local is in and have been making some improvements to the building, so this fundraiser will help defray those costs.

rfd599
www.IllinoisFireStore.com

[butwhatdoiknow]

No local is too small for this. Our local is only 54 members now and we have pulled off one of the largest single local fundraisers 4 years running.
www.iafflocal1715.com
We have over 90% participation of our members and their families but we did a lot of planning prior to starting over a years worth of planning before we even presented the idea to our membership. We have a lot of non profit groups help us in exchange for $ for their group. We purchased a FIRESAFE house and tow vehicle and do a program county wide in all our schools make donations to MDA and our local charities and now are purchasing land and a building to store the FIRESAFE House in and keep it in good condition.
If you have the people willing to do the planning and stick with it you can make it work.... We did.

Kenneth D McKenzie
Equipment Operator – Paramedic
IAFF Local 1715
Cumberland Fire Department

You have to be smart enough to play the game, but dumb enough to think the game is important!

[achief15]

Our small Local (3286, Outer Banks, NC) uses T-shirt sales primarily, but has also used a tattoo raffle and put on a Bull Ride. We are considering other ideas, but it is hard to get folks motivated sometimes.

[firebuzz]

Good Morning from NS Canada

Our Local owns 2 pop/juice machines that generate dollars for the local...not charity. We do a charity hockey game with NHL'ers each year which fund a charity account.

We also increase our dues enough to support some items at the station that the municipality doesn't pay for....satelite tv, fridge items etc.

There are a lot of things for a small local to do... but hard to get motivation sometimes.

Regards from NS Canada
Firebuzz

[kghemtp]

(reposted from another thread)
Hey everyone!

This is exactly the kind of thread I was looking for. My wife & I just got home from a whole weekend of fundraising for my career department. It's a food & drink fundraiser at a Triathalon where we make & sell burgers, dogs, sausages, sell drinks, danishes, muffins, bagels, soda, juice, and water. My department is 32 members (4 shifts of 8), and yesterday we had 2 of us there (along with my wife & my partner's dad for a total of 4 people). Today we had 4 members (including the same partner Chris, his dad & GF, me, and my lieut & capt along with my wife, and a couple other non-member helpers). We have a short list of willing participants with an extensive list of "Sure, I can TRY to be there" or "Sure, I'll be there (but I don't mean it)." This benefits our union, which is exactly like benefiting any other organization out there from vollie, call, or FT. My question to the world is, How have departments of ANY kind been able to pursuade/force members to participate in something that the whole group needs AND uses? There's nothing in place for any member, senior or junior on the list. You'd think the junior guys (especially those on probation) would be putting in every waking second to look good for the department (I was the only one during my probie time to take part in most of our fundraising events). I love helping the cause, don't get me wrong, and my wife enjoys it too because it's another thing we can do together AND she likes my group of guys & gals from work, but it gets old when we feel like we're carrying the department on every event. I hope those who have shared the same frustration can come back with solutions that worked for them. Thanks in advance!

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

My Local puts on a comedy show, which has sold out 4 years in a row. The funds generated are used for expenses, the college scholarship fund and the community support fund for various charities as well as sponsoring a teams in all the local youth sports leagues and the Booster clubs of the schools.

We raise about $30K a year.