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Circle Cookbook

When it comes to organizing fundraisers for your group, you can't go wrong with baked goods. There are few people who don't enjoy cookies or other sweets, and even if they don't care for them, chances are they know someone who does. One way to go is to have a bake sale, but that entails buying the ingredients, doing the baking, and then finding a venue or event where you can sell what the group has made. There's nothing wrong with this proven method, but a slightly easier way to go is to have a cookie dough fundraiser.

Cookie dough fundraisers are actually pretty common. They're a tried and true method of fundraising, most often used by schools. Kids will sell the dough to extended family, and maybe go door to door. Parents will also take order forms for cookie dough to their workplaces. The best time to hit up coworkers is right around lunch when people are thinking about food. Cookies seem much appealing when you're hungry.

If you're not raising money for a school, it doesn't mean you can't hold a this fundraiser too. Sweets are popular with people of all ages, and at all times of the year. There's no reason why you can't offer cookie dough to your church congregation, your book club, or your sewing circle. Just be sure to offer a few different kinds of cookie dough to appeal to a wider group of people. Also consider that many people have allergies to things like chocolate and nuts. By offering a selection of cookie doughs, you stand a better chance of having something that even someone with allergies can enjoy.

Now, don't misunderstand. Holding this fundraiser doesn't mean you have to mix up a bunch of cookie dough and take it door to door. There is a much easier way. Several fundraising companies provide cookie dough for groups to sell. The dough usually comes in tubs, and is frozen. The company will simply provide your group with brochures that you can show to your potential customers, allowing them to select their favorites. You will collect orders, and most likely payment, up front, and pass the orders on to the company.

The company will deliver all the ordered dough to your group, not to the individual customers, so make sure you are either able to deliver the orders immediately, or that you have access to a large enough freezer, or a few freezers, where you can store the tubs until you're ready and able to deliver them. The last thing you want is for the cookie dough to spoil before it reaches your customers. You can also store all the cookie dough in one place, and have customers come pick it up, if they're agreeable to that arrangement.

Bear in mind that because this is such a popular fundraiser, other groups may be holding this fundraiser at the same time you are. This can decrease your potential for sales. Try to find out if other charity groups in your area are holding fundraisers so you can avoid duplication. Also, try to hold your cookie dough fundraiser near a big food-related holiday, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. Busy people who have a lot of cooking to do can save a lot of time by buying pre-made dough.

Connie Foreman is a freelance writer who makes regular contributions to various websites including Fundraiser Insight which offers information about fundraising companies, product selling like cookie fundraisers, and much more at http://www.fundraiserinsight.org.

WXIN 59 cooks with the Circle City Socialites Roller Derby Team

Filed under: Cookbooks