Fundraising for your studio—whether it’s to raise money for your competition team dancers, fund a much-needed renovation or offer a family in need a scholarship—can feel like pulling teeth. You’ve done the bake sales, the car washes, the candy bars. Why not try something new?

Hailey Doyle

Elevate Dance Center

Vacaville, California

110 students

Taking advantage of a recent trend, Hailey Doyle organized a Paint Nite last fall for adults. She contacted a local organizer in Sacramento, and the company set up everything day-of—she only needed to provide tables and chairs. She sold tickets that could be used to purchase beer and wine, plus desserts (provided by her comp team parents) and held a raffle for gift baskets she and parents put together. Local businesses donated items for the baskets—a kitchen-themed basket included a crockpot, cookbooks and cooking utensils. She assembled a studio basket, with an Elevate Dance Center T-shirt and tank top and two tickets to an upcoming show.

The paint night company required a minimum of 35 attendees, so promotion was key. She posted on the studio’s Facebook page and handed out flyers for her students to take home. The evening was so successful and easy to pull off that she’s planning to do another one this fall.

Costs and materials $30 per person to professional organizer; beer and wine; gift baskets to raffle off; tables and chairs

Fees $45 per ticket; $1 per raffle ticket or six tickets for $5

Net proceeds $1,280 in one night/$43 for each dancer

Word to the wise “I was nervous about selling alcohol, so I talked to some business owners who I knew did a wine-and-yoga night once a month,” says Doyle. “As long as it’s something you’re doing in your venue, you’re not advertising that there will be wine and beer, and your guests are 21—we advertised that the event was 21-and-over—it’s fine.”

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Photo courtesy of Doyle