Recommendations for FRG fund raising events?

CPT Jacob Swartout Bowling alleys can be an awesome event and we once raised 17,000 dollars in one day. I have some ideas how you can do something like that and what it takes to get people exposure. Channel 10 in Tampa, asked me how I did that but this is never a one-trick pony but a consolidated venture. We had 22 Tampa Bay Bucs players and a bunch of cars with the drivers and players playing against each with blind auctions and other events. So much fun!!!!

A good fund raiser my company did was offer a self defense class. We got in contact with a local instructor and he offered to do it for free. The event was a success, I mean what wife or husband wont want to throw their soldier around a little.

What I was talking about CPT Jacob Swartout

At lot of patience. And some Jameson.
I can honestly say that I don't miss trying to make a FRG work.

If you crack the code, I think that's a LoM right there.

My read is the FRG is a Mission Critical Official Army Function to be funded by the CO's APF.

o http://www.blissmwr.com/frg/FRG%20LDR%20HBook%201%2010[1].pdf (pages 27-28)

o http://www.blissmwr.com/unitfunds/24Sept%20CDRsGuide%20Draft[1].doc

Fundraisers should be done for fun and unit cohesion. But CO APF should pay FRG expenses.

Hands down all time special event for Army -- "Las Vegas Style" Casino Night. Nothing supports fundraising like strong drinks, "entertainment" and gambling.

Pot luck dinner and silent auction with artistic creations from the beneficiaries and some more traditional prizes donated by officers and local businesspeople. This is an excellent way to get business tax benefit from slower moving items.

If there is a wholesale flower market nearby, volunteers get together to spend the previous night making Valentines flower arrangement and delivering them.

Develop a FRG budget and ask the CO to use APF to pay expenses as follows:

Army FRG Fundraising Rules: https://www.armyfrg.org/skins/frg/display.aspx?ModuleID=9eed30c4-706f-4895-8532-14bac5c094ec&Action=display_user_category_objects&CategoryID=16 [login to see] -4f1a-83df-54849538f0bb

http://lifelessonsmilitarywife.com/?p=511

http://www.armywifenetwork.com/?p=3509

http://community.babycenter.com/post/a23943743/need_frg_ideas

INTERESTING IDEA: "Something my hubbys old company did to raise money that brought in HUGE money (but the commander has to be on board with it) is what they called paying rank. once a month they would have all the soldiers pay their rank for a 3 day. or day off. so if you e4, $4. if you were an officer they put a ten plus rank, o1 $11. but EVERYONE in the company had to pay in order to get the day off. there of course had to be some kind of rule or only 5 guys would pay and get the day off. and the point was to make money. lol. what they did to raise BIG money for the christmas party was said how much would you pay for a 4 day? and they picked a 3 day weekend and gave them either the monday or friday that was the work day off. so technically they were only giving them one day off but still making it a four day. and everyone agreed to atleast $20. so EVERYONE in the company paid $20. they did that a couple times a year when they needed to bring in big money. but it has to be a company that would actually be willing to and keep the promise of giving days off. my hubbys comp. now is on rapid deployment and they train ALL year long. it would never work cause they would never get the day off. but if your company is good for their word and would be willing to do that..... GOOD money!!"

http://www.nj.gov/military/familysupport/frg/NJNGTreasurerHandbook.pdf

http://www.schweinfurt.army.mil/directorates/acs/documents/mobilization/ManagingFRGFundsHandbookFRSA.pdf

https://www.myarmyonesource.com/cmsresources/army%20onesource/media/pdfs/family%20programs%20and%20services/family%20programs/deployment%20readiness/army_guide_family_readiness_group_operations.pdf

http://www.blissmwr.com/privateorgs/fortbliss_sop_pvt_02_2011.pdf

http://www.blissmwr.com/fundraising/

https://www.armyfrg.org/

I spent a couple years as a FRG leader for my husband's command. Here are some fundraisers that were successful. Feel free to message me for details about any of them.

-Blankets with the command patch
-Deployment t-shirt contest and sale (first half of deployment families could submit designs, we printed and sold the two with the most votes)
-First Kiss/First Hug Raffle (I think the Navy is the only branch that does this)
-Plan of the Day notes (we sold space in the ship's plan of the day where families could write messages to their sailors)
-Message in a Bottle (sailors would send a message to the fundraiser coordinator who would print it out and put it in one of those antique-looking decorative bottles and deliver to the family, this was good for valentines day, for a dollar extra we would include a long stem rose)

FRGs at Stewart sometimes did hot dog sales either in the company area or down at the motor pool during lunch time, always did well with those; another idea was a "pie in the face" auction.

We had a pretty successful chili cook off last year. Competitors brought in their chili, and everyone paid $5 for a cup and spoon to go around tasting all of the entries, then voting for their favorites. The winners received a certificate and bragging rights. It was a lot of fun and everyone got to enjoy some great chili. Those of us who competed want to do it again.

A dinner event with a silent auction? You could probably get a lot (if not all) auction items donated, and sell the seats for an amount that covers the food, venue, and puts something in the coffers.
Even better if you could get a speaker...possibly a local veteran or family service agency rep or perhaps someone from a local higher command.
Maybe even sell unit or local command t-shirts.

Just had another thought... what about coordinating with the Chaplain and doing a joint fundraiser for the FRG and Chaplain sponsored projects. Such as Bingo nights or something...