Cookbook Fundraising
Cookbook fundraising - Its a tasty little earner!
Writing a charity recipe book is surprisingly easy and straightforward. They can be good money-makers, whilst the basic idea can be adapted and tweaked to fit all sorts of groups and situations.
Church recipe compilations in particular sell well. Whilst books comprising recipes from your work colleagues are an easy way to get your workplace or company behind a cause or charity.
The other great thing about cookbook fundraising is that it can involve contributions from right across your organisation. This can help bring your group, school, community or congregation come together in a great way.
A successful group project is fantastic for morale and building a sense of belonging. Sharing special recipes for a charity cookbook is a perfect way to get to know people.
And hey if nothing else - someone's recipe for pea and parsnip pudding might be the best thing you've ever tasted!
Themes for you cookbook
Charity cookbooks can be general or follow a specific theme.
Examples might be:
- St David's Church - Great Supper Ideas
- Newtown Junior School - From Asparagus to Zucchini - The A to Z of Super Soups
- Bankside Community Association Present - Better Barbecues the Bankside Way
- Better Baking with The All Saints Sixth Form
- School Dinners at King Arthur's Elementary School- A Collection Of Old School Recipes
- Perfect Puddings From Paisley Park Youth Club
- Campfire Classics - Park Vale Scout Troop
- In Training With West Fields Sports Club - Recipes for fitness and stamina
- We like it hot! - Spicy Suppers with Loverton Fire Dept
You can see that there are lots of possibilities. Come up with one that will suit your situation. Don't forget the best cookbook fundraising ideas should be fun. Your charity cookbook needs to stand out to capture the imagination of both contributors and potential purchasers.
Compiling the cookbook
To put together a charity cookbook it is usual to have one or two people in over all charge to co-ordinate things.
Other people are then invited to submit their own best loved family recipes. Its usual to include the name of the person whose recipe it is along with their personal story about the dish and why it is so great.
The co-ordinator is responsible for bringing the whole thing together. This will probably involve chasing people up for promised contributions and ensuring that all the recipes received are suitable and fit the brief.
The style for the book and the way it will be laid out should be carefully chosen. Recipes might be featured alphabetically or split into chapters based around particular ingredients.
Recipes should be re-written to fit a common design and layout. Do include a clear index and page guide for the cookbook. Decide on whether you will use imperial or metric (or both) measurements and stick to it.
As you re-write the recipes check that you think they will work OK. It is easy for people to miss an ingredient off a list that they then refer to later. Make sure nothing is missing. Or that all listed ingredients are actually being used.
Producing the cookbook
The final production of the book can vary from:
Very basic
A number of photo-copied sheets of A4 paper stapled together into a simple but cheap to produce booklet.
Very classy
Professionally printed on good quality paper with a glossy cover.
There are of course all sorts of options in between.
Its one of those situations where you have to do your sums.
- Who is the
target customer?
- How much will they wish / be able to spend.
- How much
will the book cost to produce?
The key to successful cookbook fundraising is getting this right.
If using external printers much of the cost will be initial set up charges. The first run of books will be at a higher cost with the subsequent cost per book dropping quite considerably.
Do get quotes from several print firms. Modern technology has made small run printing very competitive.
There also are a large number of companies specializing in charity cookbook publishing who will take all the headache out of designing and producing the finished book. You simply supply them with your recipes and they do all the rest. This is an easy way of getting a great looking book put together but comes at a cost. Again it is a case of "do the sums".
Selling the books
The advantage of cookbook fundraising is that when it comes to selling the book you have an established army of sales agents - your contributors. Most should be able to sell copies to families and friends.
The books can also be sold at any other fundraising event your organisation puts on or takes part in.
If the cookbooks are of sufficient quality you may be able to persuade a local bookshop to take some on a sale or return basis.
Getting your recipe book reviewed by a local paper (who might like to print some of the recipes) or local radio station may also help sales.
Another idea to generate publicity and sales is to organize a competition whereby purchasers can vote for the best recipe in the book.
Imagination and perseverance are the key to selling the books successfully.
Charity Cookbook Fundraising is a great way to raise money for your organisation and to produce something of which you can be really proud....................Its a guaranteed recipe for success!
Heritage Cookbook Fundraising
Create a great fundraising cookbook with pictures, stories and tasty
recipes. Guaranteed to raise more money. Printed in 2-3 weeks. Minimum
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