A big success for us in generating money is t-shirts.  They look really sharp with our logo on the front.  Most people don't want to just hand over money but are more than willing to purchase something to support you.  Lot's of folks buy one to give to a friend that rides even if they don't themselves.  We screen-print the shirts at a cost of around 3.50 and sell for 10.  Or you can find someone in your area to do it for cheap too.  The shirts work two ways, we make some money to support parts/tools/space and also get great advertising whenever someone wears a shirt.

A note on memberships...We won't be offering these until we have a space for people to go.  It's hard to sell memberships for people to work in my living room :-).  Investigate to see what works best for you.

A nice way to get donations is to set up a workstand and offer free safety checks at events.  That way people can actually see your organization making a difference right then and there.  Just put out a donation jar that says something like "Help us set up shop!".  Make sure people know that you are all volunteers who love what you do.

My two (or three) cents,

Brian Windle
Urban Bike Project of Wilmington

On 9/21/07, Gary Gingras < bouldergary@yahoo.com> wrote:
GLAd to see your starting up a bike co-op

best thought i might have for you is plug memberships.
Have info available on what you are planning/ already
have. Get some membership cards for the folks and try
to get them to support and drive home the memberships
early on.

get some local bike shops/businesses giving discounts
to your members

once you have tools and such explain your members will
be allowed to use the tools and shop space as well as
pick your brains for instruction.

Get some schwag to give a way from local business.
bike shops/ make some key chains from old chains,
anything random you cam make to give away that is
bikey. IF you can get a nice item for free to give a
way/raffle you could sell tix at 2-$5 a
piece)becarefull with raffle lays but doing waht your
doing most likely will have no problem).

three fold board, sandwich sign with INFO! pics of
things you may have done- as small or large as that
may be at this time and what you plan to do. get
memberships.

it;s not easy to get started - one foot in front of
the other after that keep pluggin it will happen.

good luck






--- Jake Liefer <jakeliefer@gmail.com> wrote:

>  Myself and several students from the local college
> are starting up a
> bike co-op in our town and are looking to raise
> funds to buy tools and
> acquire space. The college's homecoming event is
> next week and we were
> able to get a vendor booth for free. While we
> primarly want to get the
> word out about what we're doing and get some bikes,
> this seems like an
> excellent opportunity to raise some funds. There
> will be several other
> vendors there selling coffee, drinks, and food. Do
> you guys have any
> ideas about what we can sell that will set us apart
> from the others?
> We are not limited to food, so if you have any
> non-food ideas that
> would be great too!
>
> Thanks,
> Jake
> The Hub - Beaver Falls, PA
> _______________________________________________
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> Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
>
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org
>


Gary Gingras
Community Cycles Assistant Director
http://CommunityCycles.org
2805 Wilderness Place Suite 1000
Boulder CO, 80301
720-565-6019



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