Go Search
Skip Navigation LinksHome:Research and Plan:Plan Your Playground:Financing Options:Fundraising:Green Fundraising

Green Fundraising

Make your playground dream a reality

For decades, children have sold candy and cookie dough to friends and family to help fund extracurricular activities and school playgrounds. Now a handful of entrepreneurs have set out to change that model, offering ecologically-friendly products for kids and parents to sell for school fundraisers. From recycled wrapping paper to fair-trade coffee, the business owners are pitching the products as viable fundraising alternatives for schools.

 

It’s good timing, as schools race to eliminate junk food in the face of rising childhood obesity rates, and state and local governments crack down on junk-food sales in schools. At the same time, green is in, and parents and teachers are paying more attention to energy use and pollutants.

 

Greenraising, one start-up fundraising company that sells eco-friendly products, has helped about 500 schools and nonprofits raise money, says Lisa Olson, who founded the Agoura Hills, Calif., company last year. The company asks schools or nonprofits to distribute its catalog, from which customers then buy directly. For an item that costs $20, Greenraising keeps $12 and returns $8 to the school or nonprofit.

 

Today, church and school fundraisers represent about 10 percent of business at Higher Grounds Trading Co., a fair-trade coffee roaster in Traverse City, Mich. For no money upfront, the company supplies coffee to the school or organization, which then sells it at retail prices. The seller then reimburses Higher Grounds at the wholesale price of the coffee.

 

Eco-friendly options are available at: www.greenraising.com or www.highergroundstrading.com.

Go green with your fundraising!
Sustainable Practices
Landscape Structures is committed to healthier sustainable communities.
Landscape Structures has been ISO 9001 certified for quality and ISO 14001 for environmental stewardship for more than a decade!
Shade your Playground
Shade your playsystem with Landscape Structures CoolToppers® Shade systems.
Block up to 90% of harmful UV rays on your nature-inspired climbers with our CoolToppers® shade systems.
Budget Friendly
PlaySense® Playsystems are the best playground value for ages 2 to 12.
Looking for an exciting playground that won't break the bank? Check out our PlaySense® playgrounds--all the fun at a great price!
Request a Catalog
Request your free Landscape Structures catalog for all your playground needs.