Fundraising with Popcorn

Fundraising with Popcorn is a real Winner! It's cheap to run, popular, and can be really profitable!

Popcorn is a really popular snack, which makes it perfect to fundraise with.

It's healthy, tasty, and has a scent that will attract customers from miles away!

Popcorn Fundraising is a great fundraiser if you are holding regular events.

Like school sporting fixtures every weekend or weekly bingo/quizze nights. It's a snack that will always be bought!

Fundraising with Popcorn is a really popular and profitable fundraiser. Here's how... (Photo by Ginny / Flickr)

If fundraising with popcorn is a campaign you'd like to do, you will first need to decide how you will do it.

You either sell...

  • Un-popped corn in packages,
  • Or readymade popcorn.

Let's first look at some benfits of fundraising with popcorn and also how you can maximize your profits...



Advantages Of Popcorn Fundraising:

Here are some benefits of fundraising with popcorn...

  • Easy and cheap to make – The ingredients do not cost much!
  • Very Popular.
  • Not expensive for supporters – A cheap way for people to help out your cause.
  • Healthy.
  • Widely fit-able – Can fit in with almost any campaign or event and can work well on its own too!
  • Profitable – Can generate some great funds while costing very little!!!


Maximizing Your Fundraising Profits:

  • Advertise & Promote Properly – Use posters and flyers at your popcorn stands and at your events.

    Also advertise through your website and newsletters about where and when you will have your popcorn stand.

    If you are selling un-popped packages you should also advertise them on your website clearly explaining how people can buy them!
  • Make sure your sales team knows how to sell! When supporters come to buy popcorn, you're sellers should be friendly, look them in the eye and know what to say.

    They should also offer other options for people to contribute if they don’t want to buy popcorn. Like a simple donation or a custom bracelet.

    Design and practice a sales pitch that uses the words help and because. Read the food fundraiser guidelines to find out why.

    You'll also find some great fundraising sales advice in this eBook.


Themed Popcorn Fundraiser:

This is probably the best way of running a popcorn fundraiser!

You and your volunteers sell themed microwave popcorn packages to supporters, friends and family. The themed popcorn gives it a fun twist and are pretty easy to sell!

Fundraising with Popcorn is a really popular and profitable fundraiser. Here's how...

When a supporter then pops his corn package in the microwave, the bag pops up into a certain theme. This themed based fundraiser is a real hit with schools, kids and sports teams!

Some of the themes you can choose from are Soccer, Baseball, Football, and Music Rocks.

This innovative idea is the type of creativity that will really boost your fundraising profits!

Use the fundraising with popcorn Search Engine up above to find an appropriate supplier.

Special Note:

Unfortunately the supply of these themed Popcorn packs have sometimes become difficult to come by, and so I'd suggest looking into these Gourmet Popcorn Fundraising packs instead.



Ready-Made Popcorn -
How do You Make It?

There are three ways that you can make popcorn to sell... Cooking in a pot, making microwave popcorn, or by using a popcorn machine!


Which one you choose will depend on what equipment you have, how much you can spend and how big you plan to grow with your popcorn fundraiser campaign!

Think it through carefully...




Cooking In A Pot On Stove:

Turn your plate or stove on and place a pot on it. Add oil to the pot and add the desired amount of corn too.

Some people like to wait for the oil to heat first but I get my best results from adding them both at the same time.

Wait for the corn to pop (shake pot to stop popcorn burning if required) and then empty into serving packages. Quite simple hey! Practice a few times before serving to get it just right!




Microwave Popcorn:

Fundraising with popcorn from a microwave is a very easy thing to do. Of course, you will need a microwave though!

Microwave popcorn will be supplied in ready to use packages with the flavoring already added. Follow the directions on the packaging and BAM! You have some easy made tasty popcorn.

You can then either serve the popcorn in its supplied packaging or re-package it into a preferred package!

Remember that you can use the Asap Microwave Popcorn Fundraising packages that I mentioned up above to have a cool theme or twist to your ready-made popcorn fundraiser!




Using a Popcorn maker for your Popcorn Fundraising can be a great investment! (Photo by Michael Stout / Flickr)

Using a Popcorn Maker:

Although somewhat expensive up front, a popcorn maker can be a great investment!

You can easily make large amounts of popcorn with it and when you aren't using the popcorn maker you can hire it out. Adding an extra way of Fundraising with Popcorn!

If you are planning to use popcorn fundraisers often, it would definitely be worthwhile investing in one.

A popcorn machine will cost you about $650, but you will make that back reasonable quickly if you are using it regularly and also hiring it out when it's not in use!

Please follow the popcorn machine directions when making your corn. It is pretty simple to make popcorn with one!




Packaging your Popcorn:

The last thing you will need to do before selling is packaging your popcorn.

That means both choosing the type of packaging and what flavours of seasoning you will use.

To package you can use simple plastic bags that you tie off, or you can buy specially made paper bags or cartons, or lastly, you could make your own paper cones.

It really comes down to what will work best for you.

Seasoning:

For seasoning you should think carefully about what your supporter's tastes are and maybe even ask a few people what they'd prefer.

Obviously plain salt and icing sugar are two popular flavours but consider some others like salt & vinegar too.

I'd suggest having a choice of different flavours that you serve or allow people to season their own popcorn with your supplied seasoning.



Finishing Notes:

So there's your fundraising with popcorn wrapped up.

Remember to always maximize your profits, advertise your other fundraisers, and also offer other options for people to contribute... Like a straight forward donation!

Or maybe you could also sell candy bars from your popcorn stand.

All the best of luck for your popcorn fundraisers!



Other Fundraising Ideas:

Pizza Fundraising Cards

Online Auction Fundraiser



Where are you?

› Popcorn


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