January 16, 2008
Cardstock Cutouts
This fundraiser can help your group raise awareness for a cause, raise some money, and connect with supporters of your cause! Ask donors to show their love for animals throughout your community’s businesses, with the proceeds going to help rescued animals in the area. Cardstock cutouts are a quick and profitable way to raise a large amount of money in a short time, with little effort on the part of the rescue group.
If you’ve ever shopped at a grocery store in the United States, you have probably seen this popular fundraiser that is frequently used by the national charities such as Childrens’ Miracle Network and the March of Dimes. A shape cut out from colored paper or 110# cardstock is sold for $1 to $5 at the register. The purchaser personalizes the special cutout with their name or by writing a special message on it. The cutout is then put on display throughout the store to show support for a cause. Popular locations to display the cutouts is along the front windows of the store, along the walls near the check-outs, or strung on a clothesline in between the check-out aisles.
Potential Earnings:
Many groups have reported earning $1,500 or more in as little as a month with this campaign at a local grocery store. Your first year may only bring in $500, but as you do this each year, more and more customers will donate, building on your earlier success.
Where to get cutouts:
Alternate Locations to Host Display:
Don’t limit yourself only to grocery stores! This is a popular place, but you can easily take your show on the road. Go where the people go! You can sell cutouts at any location with good foot traffic. Here are just a few locations that would work well:
- Bank
- Public Library
- Restaurants
- Pet Supply Stores
- Farm Supply Stores
- Schools
- Shelter or Vet offices
- Movie rental stores
- Movie theaters
- Ice Cream Parlors or Pizzerias
- Pet Groomer and Doggy Daycares
- Hair Salons
Make this a campaign people can see all around town at many venues! The more people see the cutouts, the more your message is getting out there, too.
Popular Shapes:
- bones
- home/ dog houses
- silhouette shape of your animal
- horseshoe
- heart
- star
- pawprint
- ornament for tree
- support ribbon
- clover
- rectangle (bag of dog food if you use brown paper, dollars if you use green paper)
- flat cylinder (can of food)
- Choose a shape that works well for your campaign, such as a rounded ice cream scoop for a “Lick OverPUPulation” campaign at an ice cream parlor. Be creative!
- Avoid shapes currently being used by popular national charities, such as the umbrella, hot air balloon, and high top sneaker.
Popular Times of Year to Host:
Adopt a ____ Month (Dog = October, Cat = June, Ferret = February, Rabbit = February, Guinea Pig = March, )
National Homeless Animals’ Day (August)
Major Holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, Easter, St. Patrick’s (lucky clovers), Halloween (bones), Thanksgiving (leaf), and Christmas/ Hanukkah.
Publicity:
Send out press releases in advance of your campaign to increase media attention. Ask your local radio stations to interview you during their morning shows to inform drivers of your campaign. Work with your local newspapers to offer various interviews, helpful pet tips and other tidbits for a series of columns centered around your group and the campaign.
Extra Notes:
Bar code- Some groups have also looked into getting a bar code scan for this special cutout image to easily identify the donations in the register system. Your store may also have a special key code they can use to scan the cutouts, allowing the cash registers to calculate the totals throughout the campaign
Various colors for different denominations- Basic color for minimum $1 donation, golden paper for $5 donation.
Combine this campaign with a donation drive or other fundraisers and publicity campaigns currently hosted by your group.
Have more info about your group available at the cash registers. You want people to learn more about your group, so give them something to take home such as a business card or brochure. Better yet, get their name and mailing address on a sign-up sheet to receive your newsletter. This keeps the ball in your court, giving you the next move to contact them, instead of waiting for them to contact you.
Encourage sales people to offer the cutouts more by offering a contest for movie tickets and/ or $25 dinner coupon (donated!) to the one who sells the most.
Have one volunteer assigned to the store to pick up the proceeds on a regular basis, and bring in more cutouts. This volunteer should have an ID from the rescue group, and the store should know that only this person will pick up the money. Require store clerks to ask for the ID, or only allow the manager to handle the money exchange. Sign receipts stating how many cutouts were dropped off, and how much money was collected.
The small amount you may have to pay for the printing of the cutouts is negligible compared to the remarkable donations and exposure your campaign will bring in for your rescued animals! Good luck!
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