Car wash fundraisers are a proven money-maker in. All you need are willing volunteers, a high-traffic location with good visibility, and some attention grabbing signs.
You can put a car wash fundraiser together on short notice, but they work best with a little planning. Here’s how to get started…
Getting Ready To Wash Cars
- Weather is everything when holding a car wash fundraiser. Keep checking the forecast!
- Line up a location with good main road frontage
- Ensure it has suitable water access
- Assemble supplies list – hoses, buckets, wash towels, dry towels, squeegees
- Assign each volunteer an item from the supplies list
- Make 8-10 poster board signs in high-contrast colors
- Arrange your volunteers in 2-hour shifts
- Get advance publicity, if possible
Car Washing Tips
- Organize your group into teams – Promotion, Sales, Wash, Dry
- Promotion team attracts new clients with signs
- Sales team explains offers and up-sells (use flyer for quick info)
- Wash team soaps, scrubs, and rinses each car
- Dry team gets water residue off, vacuums, does tires, etc.
- Use at least two lines and wash two or more cars at once
- Wash cars for six to eight hours (Saturday 9:00 to 3:00 preferred)
Remember to put together a quick flyer that clearly states your fundraising for Young Heroes and states the price. You can even offer some extra services for an additional charge such as providing high-gloss tire treatment or vacuuming interiors.
You can advertise a free car wash and just ask for donations for your cause. Often, this can raise more cash than stating a specific price, because people will see a group of volunteers working hard and having a good time, and may actually donate more money than you would have charged.
Final Advice
Make sure to keep the event fun for all your participants and your customers. Play upbeat music. Provide soft drinks and snacks to keep the energy level up.
Keep safety in mind when trying to attract customers. Be sure to get volunteers to hold and wave signs toward passing traffic, not just volunteers to wash cars.
If you have time, increase your turnout by getting your car wash fundraiser some advance publicity coverage in the local newspaper, or by posting roadside signs a day or two ahead of time.