Bingo Fundraising

Bingo is a fun game that people of every age can play and enjoy, making it a great choice as a fundraiser.

Bingo fundraisers are easy for school groups, scouts groups and churches to plan and hold, and gives them the chance to raise lots of cash all in a single night. Here are some tips for planning your own bingo fundraiser.

Getting started
As far as fundraisers go, a bingo fundraiser is relatively easy because there is not a whole lot of planning or monitoring needed during the actual event. There are a few things that you must plan for and have in order to hold a bingo fundraiser. A large room to fill with tables and seating is an absolute must.

The equipment for a bingo night can be rented from a supply store, including the bingo balls and tumbler, also a display to hold all the numbers. The bingo cards and ink blotters can be purchased from supply stores as well.

Lastly, you need to designate someone to be a caller. This is not a hard job, but does require a loud voice and consistency. Helpers should also be arranged to aid the caller and recording the ball numbers after they have been pulled.
Ideas for your Bingo fundraising
Before you host any bingo fundraiser make sure you are familiar with all rules and regulations regarding the game so that everything is fair for everyone involved and that you raise the most money.

Determine how much you will be charging each person per game and if you will be offering discounts for those who decide to play more than one game. You will also need to provide prizes for the winners, which can consist of cash or non cash prizes. Since the goal is to fundraise and keep as much cash as possible, non cash prizes are the best option. Reach out into the community to get local businesses and organizations to donate services and items that winners can choose from.

To mix things up some a ticket system of giving out prizes can be used as well. Each time someone wins a game of bingo they can get a raffle ticket that is placed in a bin and picked from at the end of the night. This option gives winners the chance to compete for prizes that may be worth more and are more desirable than several smaller prizes.

Additional ways to Raise Money
More money can be earned during your fundraiser besides what you bring in from actually playing bingo. Set up a food booth where you can sell refreshments for the duration of the bingo fundraiser. Again, talk to local vendors and see if you can get anything donated or at a discount. Other combined fundraisers such as a raffle, silent auction, or simply placing a donation jar out are all great ideas.
Publicity for the Fundraiser
A successful bingo fundraiser needs to be well publicized, so everything has to be done to get as many people in the doors as possible. Include letters to every member of your organization so that they all know when the fundraiser will be and can invite as many people as possible.

Go a step further and include press release in your local newspaper so that the community knows about the event as well. Make sure everything that includes the information for the fundraiser clearly says what the event is raising money for and who is hosting it. Many people are more likely to come by when they know that the bingo night is a fundraiser event.

Summary
A bingo fundraiser is a great way to raise the money your organization needs, and with a little help from everyone it can be a huge success. As long as you take care of the big needs, such as a space to hold the event, prizes and publicity you will do fine.