How successful was our first fundraiser?
Our first donation was to the Trevor Project on July 1st, and it wiped out any profit I might have seen from the campaign.
In June 2024, I launched a special Pride shirt for our dive shop through my Etsy store. The shirt started to come together after a coworker suggested creating a Pride design. In previous years, I had hesitated because our usual t-shirt distributor required a minimum order of 124 shirts, which seemed too ambitious. However, things had changed in late 2023 with the discovery of a print-on-demand company. This had allowed me to set up an Etsy store and sell items without worrying about minimum orders.
By June 2024, I was able to offer Pride shirts through my Etsy shop, with the POD company handling production and shipping. For the dive shop, it meant we could have Pride shirts available and for Argiope, it meant my Etsy shop’s sales would grow.
It seemed like a win-win situation, except for profit…
In the dive shop’s marketing material, I had listed this as a ‘collaboration’ between our shop and a ‘local design studio,’ and included a note about the fundraiser for a nonprofit. This was to highlight the positive impact the two companies could have, rather than focusing on Argiope’s struggling sales.
Despite the promise of a donation, sales were modest. By the end of June, I had sold only a few shirts, mostly to coworkers, and barely over cost. When it came time to donate to the Trevor Project, I felt that a small amount, like the $3 I had raised, wouldn’t make a significant impact, so I decided to round it up to $50.
It wasn’t a grand financial success, but it sparked a bigger idea. Although I initially chose just one design for the fundraiser, I realized I could expand this concept to include a wider range of items and organize various fundraisers throughout the year. As you might have noticed, our homepage now reflects this exciting new direction!
Side Note: As a web developer from a small conservative town, I found the Trevor Project’s website popup particularly meaningful and appreciated the support it represents.
