Fundraising

Need Fundraising tips for getting to PhysCon? 

• Approach your Student Government/Senate for funds: Emphasize that it is a national meeting of physics students and professionals with top-notch speakers (list them). It may also be helpful to build in a contribution by the student and the department with the proposal-$100 each or so.
• Take Advantage of Department Specific Items: Have a used book sale; have a garage sale or silent auction of department junk. Old scientific apparatus make fine curiosities (you might even try selling them on ebay!).
• Tie fundraising in with SPS activities: Sell physics themed t-shirts/toys for a profit; host a liquid nitrogen ice cream social.
• Don’t forget about food: sell donuts or other baked goods regularly in your Physics/Science building in high traffic areas; see if a local restaurant has a fundraising deal (eg: selling chicken biscuits to students for breakfast and delivering them to their dorms); sell pizza and snacks during a ‘study party’ before big tests.
• Do a community demo show and sell tickets
• Sell raffle tickets for a prize, like fun physics toys, movies, or t-shirts
• Hold a change drive – ask students to donate any spare change they have
• Write letters to alumni asking for donations, or put out something in the department newsletter
• Talk with your school’s Development Office – they may know the best people to write letters to
• Sponsor opportunities on your club/SPS website
• Contact local churches to see if they will provide discounted transportation to the airport
• Hold a Rent-a-Student fundraiser! Charge $25 per student for 3-4 hours of work
• Ask your research adviser if there’s funding for you to present at a Congress
• Approach your Summer REU or Internship advisors to see if they can provide support to present at this national meeting.
• Sell SPS themed school supplies: pencils, notebooks, etc.
• Chapters that want to present a poster on a Future Faces of Physics event on their campus are eligible for a $200 stipend (if you received a Future Faces of Physics Award, do a poster on what you did!)