It seems odd that your child would be left to his/her own devices to raise this money, especially since most fundraising supporters won’t help you if you can’t prove you’re a non-profit.

Just typing “school fundraising” in a search engine gave me so many results that I didn’t know where to start reading. You have to find something that is reputable. Check any possible companies with the Better Business Bureau first.

Personally, when I buy stuff for school fundraisers, I like food–good food. Two things I’d buy would be the following (Cinnabon and See’s):

http://www.cinnabon.com/fundraising/index.html

and

http://fr.sees.com/fr.cfm

One last thing–while researching fundraising ideas online, look out for spoof and pfishing sites. In other words, don’t give a website your personal information (even an email address) unless you’re sure they’re legit.

UPDATE: Having read your comments that your school is not helping, I betcha that several other parents are scratching their heads too. I’d suggest trying to get together with some of them, and forming a fundraising group. Perhaps you can get some sort of nonprofit status that way, or at least permission from a company to sell their products. Having the other parents may help you with more ideas too. It will probably require more than one fundraising activity in order to come up with the money.

Probably the best idea for personal fundraising involves a letter writing campaign. With limited help from you your child can write a letter that can be sent to friends and relatives.

In the letter explain the basics of the trip but also what your child hopes to gain from the experience.

Then send the letter to friends and relatives who may want to help. Also, send it to family doctors and dentists. I wouldn’t hesitate to send it to other businesses of which you frequent on a regular basis as well. Often they are quite interested in helping out children, especially clients or customers.

It sounds simple but it has been successful. People like to help children for good causes. Visiting the Washington D.C. is a great opportunity.

I hope it works . . . maybe we’ll see you in D.C.

I sell Gold Canyon candles and offer fundraisers or will offer a cande or gift basket for raffles to help a worthy cause- check around your area and you may be able to find one or more people that are willing to do this.

I will tell you what I would look for , what would make me take the request seriously and give you some advise for approaching home based business owners or small business for sponsorship-

Have your eighth grader write a letter- include what he/ she is raising money for, why they want to go, what they expect to get out of going and thank you for considering helping sponsor the trip. People that offer to sponsor children for these types of things want to see a maturity and a goal- that the donation is not just going for a trip but for an experience that will enrich the child, that they are interested in getting something more out of it than just a free trip to Washington.

Things like raffles, etc. take a lot of time and organizing and really aren’t that fruitful most of the time.

Try to ask them?

Have your child go door to door.

Explain the purpose of your fund raising.

Sell 1 egg for $1.00 or give the person at the door the option to crack the egg on your head for $10.00.

I raised a good $300.00 doing this. Some will want to crack the egg. Others, will simply donate.