6 Pageant Platform Money Raising Ideas That Are Guaranteed to Work! Share on Social Media

Raising money for your platform can be rewarding and fun, but only if you know how to get started. Here's how to raise money for your platform!

Miss Pennsylvania Collegiate America 2019 Alexis Wintle at the Portland Sea Dogs Mother’s Day 5K. Photo: Miss Pennsylvania Collegiate Instagram

One of the best things about being a pageant girl is your opportunity to make a difference! This is where the your pageant platform will come into play. Platforms can range from raising awareness about a type of cancer or empowering those young and old. Now I know what you're thinking, "I have a platform, now what?" Well, you've come to the right place. Here are 5 tips for raising money for your platform.

1. Host a Pageant Planet fundraiser

Did you know that you can raise money for your platform right from your Pageant Planet profile? The feature works just like GoFundMe and like GoFundMe there is a 0% platform fee. Contestants will only pay 2.9% + $.30 per donation, to cover credit card processing. But, unlike any other donation site, Pageant Planet has created this feature specifically with contestants in mind. You can learn more about how to set up your very own Pageant Planet fundraiser by clicking here!

2. Have a “thon”

“Thons” are the grandfathers of fundraising from marathons, telethons, etc. All have been done before and work extremely well. Try a “thon” but change it up a bit! Maybe a “read-a-thon?” Have the parents sign their children up for a fee and they read for a certain amount of time across a certain amount of days for a prize. It will be a great incentive for kids and parents will love to have their children off the videos games and into something more educational. “Dance-a-thons” are fun as well. Invite your friends and their friends for an all-night dance party and whoever is still standing by the end of the night gets a prize. It’s safe and tons of fun. Besides who doesn't want to do the whip till 2am?

3. All You Can Eat

I don't know about you, but any place that has an “all you can eat” menu is a place I want to be, so why not try that out? There are many places that have all you can eat fundraisers. All you need to do is set the ticket price and they provide everything else. This fundraiser is convenient because all you need to do is invite people and show up. You don't necessarily have to put out a lot of money and is a great way to raise more than you put out. Applebee’s and IHOP are two places I know for sure that have these types of fundraisers. This is a perfect fundraiser because who’s going to pass up the opportunity to eat pancakes all day for a good cause?

4. Competitions

There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, right?  So why not have a competition or a challenge? You can have a competition for jump roping, pie eating, basketball, kickball, dancing, etc. Have a talent show at your community’s youth center or park. You can charge an entry fee and give prizes out to the winner. This is a great way to raise money and involve your community. Start a weight loss challenge. If the person loses 15 pounds they donate $15 and so on. Whoever loses the most weight will win a prize. Competitions like these are exciting because they teach sportsmanship and offer positive outlets that aren't always available in the community. The weight loss challenge is good because people are always looking for exciting and fun ways to lose weight, especially after all those pancakes you had at the all you can eat fundraiser.

5. Block Parties

You don't need to be indoors to have a good time! Block parties are super fun and provides another chance to raise a lot of money without having to put out as much of your own. Get together with your neighbors and set up two dates (one for just in case it rains on your first date). Contact different businesses in the area to see if they can donate whatever they can. You can sell hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, drinks, and other barbeque foods. Have a snack bar and sell candy, popcorn, lollipops, etc. Offer raffle prizes or have numbers on the tickets that people buy, have a board with different numbers on it and if their number is on the board then they win a prize. Having vendors there as well are great because they can help you offset any costs you may encounter and also offers them a chance to get their businesses out there as well.

6. Social Gatherings

Are you good at baking? Are you a good cook? Have a taste testing party. This is something I've done before to raise money, and it was very successful. If you can bake cakes, cookies, and cupcakes then you're already halfway there. Invite your friends and family or even put an ad in your local paper to let guest know about your event. Have them pay an entry fee and they can taste your amazing cookies all evening long and because they'll be so good they may just want to buy some so have enough available for purchase. Movie nights are neat, too. Show an old movie (Lion King, anyone?) and invite your friends and their friends over. You can sell popcorn and candy and make it a really fun time. Tea parties are super cute too. They're very cost effective and allow ladies to get all dressed up for a day. You can play games and even have an impromptu fashion show.

You'll have lots of fun and the ladies there will enjoy having the opportunity to strut their stuff! Lastly, try planning a trip somewhere. There are many families that would love to go to amusement parks but often times can't afford it. Plan a trip to maybe Hershey Park or Bush Gardens that will include transportation and admission and you'll have a lot of people that will want to go, especially if they can make a family trip out of it. The best part about coming up with fundraising ideas is that you can be as creative as possible and there aren't any limits. Any and everything can work, you just first have to believe and put forth the effort. The most important thing is that your cause is clear and is always the main focus. Make educating others on your platform as fun as possible and you'll always raise the funds you need!