Never been a something-for-nothing guy, but I still think I can help...

Fundraising, be it on a large scale like a Non-Profit Org or on an Individual scale like a Gofundme page, isn't easy because it's usually a something for nothing proposition. You get the good feelers, sure, maybe some bragging rights, I guess, but by and large you give money and get nothing tangible in return.

I'm not advocating for the abandonment of charitable giving solely for the sake of the charity, but I am saying that, especially in an ever more materialistic consumer world, you are probably missing out on the largest segment of the population.

So... how to address those stingy masses?

It used to be that merchandise, everything from t-shirts to phone cases to coffee mugs, could only be utilized as a fundraising tool with a major caveat - Minimum Order Quantity and the Financial Risk that carries. For those very legitimate reasons, it's something that just never took off.

Let's focus on t-shirts. Just a few years ago, if you wanted to have a t-shirt designed and produced as a fundraising tool, your design options were somewhat limited (many opting for single color designs to mitigate screen costs) and you would have to make a minimum order - let's say 100 shirts. First, there's the upfront costs associated with design and production. Second, that puts you in a position where you have to sell at least half of your inventory to just break even. Finally, if you can't sell all 100 shirts, you're stuck with them and their cost.

Things have changed though! Print-on-Demand is quickly replacing traditional merchandise production, and because it offers a solution to the caveats that existed before, is a great new fundraising tool YOU can use to raise money - provided you have a skilled artist to collaborate with.

Print-on-Demand is pretty self explanatory - you, or rather your customer/donor/supporter, demand a thing, and then that thing is made just for them. This eliminates the minimum order paradigm, and because there are no minimum orders, there are no upfront costs, and that means there is no risk.

Additionally, Print-on-Demand companies offer dozens of products and the technique used in production opens up limitless design possibilities.

It's new, and requires someone with artistic skills specific to this industry, and that's where AndAbelArt comes in. I work with large non-profits and individuals to come up with compelling artwork on a curated list of products. Those products are offered at a base price, and we decide on a reasonable mark-up. I take a small percentage of all sales, and the organization or individual keeps the lion's share.

If you want to know more about how I can work with you to create a line of fundraising products, please contact me at fundraising@andabelart.com.