painting for a charity event

Hi guys,
I was asked to do a fundraiser, and she wants to know what my rate is. Is it normal to be paid for a fundraiser when they are trying to raise money for someone? Do I put out a tip jar and give those donations to the benefit? How do you all do it?

Thanks,
Shannon

They always have a budget for the event. I always give 20% off my hourly rate IF it is over 2 hours. If not, my regualr rate - 10%.
Tip jar is your choice. I would not give more then 30% of the tips back to the charity. You are in business to make money.
But, that is your choice.
Maybe if you choose to charge them full rate, you can donate 50% of the tips back to them. That way you are making money for your business and donating to their charity.
Good luck.

Fundraising Events
I would love to help you with your fundraising efforts! While I am unable to donate my time and materials for free (there are just too many fantastic causes that I want to support), I have worked out two different options for charity events:
~ Pay Per Face (raising money for you): I will appear at your event to do face painting while charging my standard "pay per face" rates to the patrons of the event. At the end of the event 30% of the collected money benefits your group/charity and the rest covers my costs and materials.
~ Discounted Hourly (free for patrons): I can offer you a discounted hourly rate since it is a fundraiser. This would mean that my payment would come out of your budget, but you could choose to sell tickets for whatever price you choose to regain some of that cost.

LOVE that Perry! Mind if I borrow it? It seems like I am always getting this question too. I don't mind supporting a charity, but it is getting crazy all the free requests!

I do the same as Perry.

I will sometimes offer a slight discount to non-profit or fundraising events, but they still pay me to be there.

Thanks guys! Your solutions are great Perry. The last two events I did I got burned on, and they were ppf..I didn't even make enough at the dog carnival to donate to the tent I was sitting next to! So, I am weary of offering a percentage of my makings to the benefit event as I have NO idea if it will be worth it at all to me, if I will even make anything...I'm on a slump here. It's like being on tilt after a bad hand of poker..I don't want to do anything but guarantees, like b-day parties, but I hate to say no to voluteer stuff and charities. ugh.

I used to give a larger percentage, but I was getting my calendar so swamped with charity events that I wasn't making anything. I can only afford to "give" so much. I have a business to run and many businesses, much larger and richer than ours, limit themselves to one or two donations per year.

Everyone is always welcome to my ideas, just don't use my pictures... you can paint my stuff, but take your own photos of your own work. I'm not copyrighting words or ideas... that's silly

Love your options, Perry! I don't do very many charity events simply because they seem to always call me at the last minute when I'm already booked! I have done a couple for free, although I'd like to incorporate a policy like this so I'm not donating 100% of my time and supplies. Especially now that I have kiddo's at home...my time with my family is just really valuable to me now! I did just recently put together a little "kit" on my website for charity events, which has the supplies needed for someone with no face painting knowledge to make awareness ribbon designs. (a ribbon design stencil from Snaz, paints, brush, & sponge) I figure at least now if I can't do their event, I can help them out with some supplies and they can find a volunteer!

I think I took it from Shannon, I offer to work for 45% of my usual rate, if the charity is something that I support. I also offer the pay per face option that Perry does.

I do a couple of events where I organize the volunteers, but don't paint, in exchange for advertisment. "Volunteers coordinated by..." and I get to put out my cards.

So far each charity event has been a PPF, so I've always given between 15 - 20% of my takings to the charity/organisation. I do however, do one total freebie each year...(usually a children's charity) where they give a gold coin donation for a face paint and they keep it all

Charity-wise it seems to me that anything that is not homegrown &smallhas finances available. Those they are targeting for fund-raising have cash, if they can't afford it, suggest that maybe somebody could sponsor it. You are a draw to their event. Somebody can give up their cigarettes & beer for a few weeks and help you pay your bills...Sorry to sound a bit crass, but oftimes your heart & needs are larger than theirs...I have gone to so many events that low-balled me only to find I've been had, and they were just cutting corners to enhance elsewhere. Be wise!

On the other hand, Lilly once pointed out that if you are tithing, this could be a way to give it also...you truly never lose by giving--but make wise investments!

I don't do free, but will discount at my discretion. Frankly, it is all work to me and I don't work for free. I donate to specific charities with cash or volunteer in another role, not as a face painter. After the years I've been doing this I don't get asked for free much anymore as they know how I work. And I do many charity, fundraiser and non-profit events every year.

Perry, Thank you for sharing your idea!!! I like that! You are so sweet