Fundraising Ideas - Chili Cookoff Fundraiser

Grand Chili Cook Off

by Jesse Carter

Are you a part of a large company, professional association or host a community event? Try conducting a fundraiser for your organization using a special Grand Chili Cook Off contest.

This could be a weekday lunchtime fundraiser so that it will not take up precious work time for those going on a lunch break and could be done in a downtown city park or corporate building complex.

Get Your Contestants

Sign up nonprofit association members or fellow employees as contestants to cook their own special recipe. Sign people up even if they don't have their own special chili recipe (see the Resources below).

They can find a great recipe from many books at BooksAMillion or Amazon for more book companies.

Remember, that you will be feeding other employees, so plan for each contestant to feed a dozen employees each. That way there will be plenty of chili to dish out.

Get Your Judges

Have a contest one week to choose your judges. Put names in a hat of those that want to participate and then choose 4 to 6 names.

Gather your panel of judges to come up with a few blue ribbon awards like "Hottest Chili", "Most Bizarre", "Best Tasting", "Most Chili Peppers Used" and many others.

Be sure to charge association members or employees for attending the Grand Chili Cook Off and make hundreds of dollars for your group.

Judges will need to meet and decide on prizes to award the contestants. It could be simple blue, red, and white ribbons or different chili peppers mounted on a stained piece of wood with the categories that they won engraved in the wood.

Sign Up Honorary Tasters

Before the event, have a sign up form so that all employees, members, and community supporters can sign up for attending the Grand Chili Cook Off as an "Honorary Official Taster". This is who you make your money from. This also allows the fundraising committee to know how many drinks, napkins, and plastic dinnerware to have on hand.

You may allow the Official Tasters to bring their "suggested donation" when they arrive. Make sure that you have plenty of change on hand or try accepting Text SMS Donations from those with Smart Phones.

You might suggest a donation amount of what a normal meal would run... say $5.00 to $7.00. Suggest a dessert or ice cream for an extra $2.00 (or $3.00) when they are paying so that this will provide additional revenue.

Committee Assignments

Your fundraising committee should assign jobs for the following:

* Cashier -- this person will be at the door taking "suggested donations" for the Chili Lunch, get plenty of change before hand, and account for all monies after the event is over. You may also want to try the free Square Credit Card Processor or have a computer set up to accept donations.

* Publicity -- this person will handle getting out flyers for the announcement, sign-up forms, sending a reminder to all contestants and attendees one week prior to the event, and sending a thank you to the appropriate people after the event.

* Site Setup -- this person will be in charge of decorations at the event; setting up tables, chairs and kitchen supplies; providing a stage, microphone and cashier's booth at the door; and other general event arrangements.

* Chief Cook -- this person will assist all contestants (volunteer chili cooks) to secure the proper cooking and serving utensils (each cook should bring their own), help with setting up the contestants serving area and providing any extra dishes like Dutch Oven desserts and drinks.

* Prizes -- this person helps select appropriate prizes, attendance items, and promotional products. If offering a separate Silent Auction in another part of the room, this person will handle securing items as well.

The overall winner of this year's event will be next year's Chief Cook. This will keep this fundraiser as an ongoing effort automatically.

So, get hot over this fundraising opportunity to see who's the best chili cook in your community.

Resources

* The Ultimate Chili Book

* Chili Lovers Cook Book

* Killer Chili: Savory Recipes from North America?s Favorite Chilli Restaurants

* Championship Chili: Top Cookoff Winning Recipes

* Chili Roundup Marlboro Flavor It Up, 50 Winning Recipes One Burning Question