Try Fundraising Cookbooks to Raise Money for Your Nonprofit Organization or Charity

by Amy Passmore

Community cookbooks have been used as fundraisers for decades, and they are still as popular as ever. In fact, they are increasing in popularity due to the many cookbook publishing companies that now handle the entire process online.
Fundraising cookbooks can be produced by almost by almost any size group, club, team, or nonprofit organization. Churches are well-known for producing fundraising cookbooks. Womens groups and Junior Leagues also traditionally produce cookbooks.
Selling cookbooks is not difficult and can be used as a long-term fundraiser. The great thing about cookbooks is that they have no shelf-life and can be sold over a period of several years.
Cookbooks can be sold year-round and sell especially well during the holiday season. Keep a supply for sale in the principals office at school, at your church or organizations headquarters. Fundraising cookbooks are not generally sold door-to-door, although you could try that. Ask local businesses, such as bakeries, video stores, and coffee shops to display and sell your cookbooks for you.
Any time your organization has an event or meeting you can display some cookbooks. If you have a bake sale, take some cookbooks along. Bake some items using a recipe from the cookbook to help your sales. Give cookbooks away as a raffle prize or use them as prizes in your auctions.
In general, it costs about $5.00 to produce a cookbook. Your organization can sell them for $10.00 to $15.00 a piece. To maximize the return on your cookbook you can also sell advertising space in the book to local business. If you sell enough advertising you may be able to cover the costs of printing and have a fundraiser that makes your organization a 100 percent profit.
Do a search on the internet youll find many fundraising cookbook publishing companies who will help you create an attractive, professional-looking cookbook. Some of the companies will even feature your cookbook on their website and allow you to sell your cookbook from their website. As previously mentioned, most publishers will handle the entire publishing process online. You can view and choose, online, the cover options and other options that may be available such as tabbed sections and pockets.
Most publishers can provide you with starter recipes and pages with cooking hints to help make your cookbook more appealing. All you have to do is gather the recipes, upload them to the publishers and they will handle the rest. The publishers usually keep your cookbook records so that you can order more when you sell out of a printing.
If your nonprofit organization or charity is looking for a fundraising idea, consider publishing a community cookbook. People love to get involved and contribute their favorite family recipe and see it in print. Fundraising cookbooks make great gifts and become treasured keepsakes while preserving the recipes of your community

Article by Amy Passmore for DIYFundraising.com. DIYFundraising.com has do-it-yourself fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations, clubs, schools and groups. Visit the the DIY Fundraising Blog