Pick-a-date calendar

Donors choose a date in a month and give that day's number in dollars (1st = $1, 31st = $31).

Typically raises

$496

$100–5,738 per campaignest.

About $142 per organiser hour

Based on one fully filled 31-day month

Is it right for us?

Money: Under $500
Work: An afternoon
Helpers: 1–2 people
Lead time: A week or less
Red tape: None

Uncommon: a simple novelty most supporters haven't seen

People: 1
Organiser time: 2-5
Lead time: 1 week
Up-front cost: Nothing up front
Risk: none
Who can use it: Straight donation; no chance element.

Suits: Team going to a tournament or tour, One person (athlete, performer, student)

Less usual for: Scouts or Guides, Cadets (ATC, Sea Cadets), Church, Kapa haka, choir, theatre or band

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov)

How big a job: An afternoon, 1–2 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one fully filled 31-day month is about $496 per campaign.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

Arithmetic: a 31-day month = $496; every day of every month in a year = $5,738 (ESTIMATE of a theoretical maximum). Common US template format.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Pick the month (often the month before the trip).
Post a calendar graphic and booking sheet.
Ask people to choose meaningful dates (birthdays, anniversaries).
Update the graphic daily.
Thank everyone at the end of the month.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Members to share it with people they know.
Ask people to buy: People to buy a square, a number or a brick.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 1–2 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

A straight donation with no prize or draw, so it is not gambling. Adding a prize draw would make it a lottery.

Tips

Birthday dates sell first; it gives people a reason to pick.

Watch out for

Low ceiling; best for small targets or as one part of a bigger plan.