Successful Fundraising Ideas for Groups and Clubs

Babysitting Service Fundraiser Idea ‘Parents Night Out’

How to put on a successful babysitting service fundraiser

The great thing about hosting a babysitting service fundraiser is that you can do it over and over again and people will be glad you did. Let’s face it, parents need a break every now and then, and having to pay a babysitter $20 per hour or more for a night out can get expensive. Although this is a great fundraising idea for schools, it can work really well for clubs and organizations such as youth sports groups, church groups, etc. All you need is a few responsible babysitters and a safe place to host the event. There’s no reason why your “Parents Night Out” Babysitting Fundraiser can’t be a huge a success!

To begin planning your fundraiser, you’ll first need to find a suitable venue with ample space for kids to play and engage in activities. This could be a community center, school gymnasium, or even a really large house. Plan on accommodating at least 30 people or so. Just make sure it’s a safe facility that parents will feel comfortable letting their kids loose in.

You can also choose to add an extra element of fun for the kids by choosing a theme for your event. For example, you could have a “Superhero Night” where kids come dressed as their favorite superheroes, or a “Princess and Pirates Party” with corresponding activities and decorations. You can also make it a movie night and rent out a large projection movie screen. Or, you can just have your volunteers set up a lot of fun and safe activities like face painting, arts and crafts, fun challenge games, etc. and have plenty of snacks available.

We suggest putting on a 4-hour event. Fridays work best between the hours of 6pm and 10pm. This allows enough time for parents to go out to dinner and enjoy themselves, without being too late for your volunteers. Charge around $40 per kid for the evening. Parents (and kids) will be begging you to do it again.

Recruit volunteers from your group or community, such as high school students, parents, or local organizations, to act as babysitters during the event. Make sure they are responsible and have some experience with childcare. How many volunteers you’ll need depends on the number of kids you expect to host. You should probably plan on 1 volunteer babysitter for every 4 kids.

Make safety a top priority by implementing appropriate safety measures, such as first aid kits, emergency contact information, etc. Any volunteers that you all not already familiar with should undergo background checks. Be sure to have some volunteers who are certified in CPR. You’ll want to have parents sign a waiver and provide all contact information (including emergency contact information) and require them to be back to pick up their child by a certain specified time. Let parents know that if their child misbehaves, that the parents will be asked to pick them up early.

Be sure to promote your community babysitting service fundraiser heavily through social media, especially on Facebook Groups! Also, reach out to local newspapers and radio stations to see if they will help get the word out. Create posters and flyers that can be handed out around town and in schools. Highlight the fact that all proceeds will go to support your group or club!