Sell chips and soda after mass, organize parties with an entrance fee, encourage people to enlist to make monthly donations, however small.

Hi all,

I'd love to know different fundraising methods that you have used at your chapels to fundraise for new buildings. My priest and I are trying to think of ways to engage the faithful more on this.

Thank you!

So, one easy thing you can do.  You can always set up an Amazon.com link and ask all the faithful at the chapel (keep reminding them, post the link in the bulletin, on your chapel website ... create a website if you don't ahve one).  If people are buying stuff on Amazon.com ANYWAY, if they go through your link, the church can get a small percentage of the revenue there, but it can definitely add up.

I think it's good to tap into money people are already spending, since each family only has so much "extra" income for outright charity.

At our chapel we raised some money by selling gift cards to a grocery store. But here in Texas, there is only one grocery store. H-E-B has a near-monopoly on grocery stores, unless you count Wal-mart. If you listed all the famous grocery chains, I'd have to say that most of them don't exist here in Texas. H-E-B destroyed them all.

They also sell gas.

We had to buy $10,000 worth, and sold them for $11,000. So we made money, and none of the parishioners was "out" a single cent! We all have to eat and fill our cars with gas.

Unfortunately, the SSPX, being a global mega-corporation, had no idea how things work in Texas -- that we only have one grocery store. They thought we were favoring or promoting a single grocery store over their competitors. They thought we were being unfair to Aldi, Kroger, or Piggly Wiggly -- nevermind we don't have those in Texas.

So after making $1000 for the building fund, we had to stop.

But this was an *awesome* way to raise funds, because guess what? Not everyone shops at overpriced retail outlets, buys overpriced coffee, etc. So usually gift cards are a big "no" for me. I simply don't spend money on certain things. Knick-knacks, artwork, or ornaments for example.

If you're going to make people buy something they don't need, that they will have to shove in a box for a future garage sale (or for their heirs to purge at an Estate Sale), then why not just make a pure donation instead? It's cleaner and better for the environment. Who needs more junk for the landfills? Micro-plastics are a thing. Plastic breaks down into microscopic pieces, and ends up in human bodies and even brains.

So any "fundraiser" needs to factor in that most God-fearing Catholics, open to life, etc. are going to be frugal. If you're rich or well-to-do, then good for you. I'm happy for you. But please don't expect that everyone is in the same situation, or SHOULD BE in that situation. This is Catholicism, not the protestant "prosperity gospel".

It really makes large families feel bad. They feel left out. I remember a few years ago attending a "pro life" event (games, auction, etc.) hosted by a (Novus Ordo) ladies guild at a (conciliar) Catholic Church. It was almost surreal. They were throwing money around, patting each other on the back how generous and good they were, how much they love children and hate the "culture of death" -- all the while, at least one big family present couldn't afford to eat the food, which cost (cash) money. They didn't take food stamps. You might ask, "why was this family poor, and unable to buy hamburgers for their family?" The answer: Big family! And this was a "pro life" event. Very ironic and hypocritical, in my opinion. You see, the larger your family, the larger the restaurant tab would be. BUT the larger the family, the less extra money you have. So you get cut both ways.

There are many ways to raise funds for a chapel, however, so many of them depend on the $$$ from the same people time after time.  Many are already cash strapped to keep their children in private school.
What are some ways to get outside funds directed to the chapels?

Someone mentioned something similar. A garage sale and people can donate stuff. 

I don't know if this is practical, but offering services like babysitting, furniture moving, cutting grass, cutting wood, assembling furniture, etc. and donating the proceeds. Buying used/getting free furniture and fixing them up, flipping. Can do the same with spare fabrics and turning them into dresses. 

There are many ways to raise funds for a chapel, however, so many of them depend on the $$$ from the same people time after time.  Many are already cash strapped to keep their children in private school.
What are some ways to get outside funds directed to the chapels?

The fund raisers I mentioned (except for St. Joseph's Table) have many outsiders who attend and donate via paying a small fee to participate, then buying items that are put for auction. The items are often donated by local stores, are donated by parishioners or are home made. It is certainly a job for those running the benefit, but it can pay off pretty good. I know the ladies rent a hall that also caters and the guys rent a local establishment. As I understand it, they both usually pack 'em in.

But again, it takes a fair amount of work to go out and get items donated and sell tickets to these events, but so far it has paid off really well.