Car washes are one of the go-to fundraising events for many schools, churches and non-profit organizations. They’ll always be in high demand as long as people drive cars. However, the need doesn’t guarantee people will show up.
Here are eight points you must cover when planning your church’s car wash to ensure the event’s success.
1. Solidify Your Cause and Goal
The first step in organizing any fundraising event is nailing down your “why.” Why do you need to raise money for your parish? What specific cause do you have in mind? How much money do you need to gather? Your fundraiser could also seek to accomplish non-financial goals, such as increasing Mass attendance or raising awareness for an issue in the community.
2. Set Your Budget
Once you settle on the car wash’s big-picture details, set a realistic budget that covers all expenses. Setting a budget early helps you avoid overspending. Your main expenses will be the venue, car wash supplies, food and refreshments for the volunteers. Consider all variables and make sure your budget leans on the safe side.
At this stage, you should also decide how much money to charge for each car wash. A price between $10–$20 is reasonable for a standard car wash. To maximize your profit potential, consider offering extra premium services like rim cleaning for a higher price.
3. Identify Your Target Audience
Finding a target audience is usually straightforward for car wash fundraisers — everyone who drives a vehicle is fair game. However, church-related events can establish a narrower target audience by appealing to other members of the same faith. Focus on spreading the word to people from other Christian churches in the area to build a solid base of attendees.
4. Create a Theme
Like a new business, your fundraiser must have an eye-catching and memorable theme. Bring your parishioners together and come up with a fitting event name and mission statement. Devise a color scheme, draw signs and design custom apparel people will notice when passing by in their vehicles.
5. Secure Your Venue
Your car wash’s success will largely depend on its venue. Choose a convenient location in a high-traffic area where you’ll get the most customers. These places are all viable options with unique advantages:
- Gas station: This location provides a constant source of potential customers, including people from out of town. You can spread the word about your church’s cause far and wide without leaving your community.
- Police station: Connecting your fundraiser to the police is a great way to draw more attention to the car wash and show your support for your local law enforcement.
- Bank parking lot: Banks are often in ideal locations near busy intersections. They’re also guaranteed to have ATMs, so you can be sure every customer can pay in cash.
- Retail parking lot: The parking lot of a popular retail outlet will bring you the highest volume of people. The wide-open space will also make it easier to plan the logistics of your car wash and keep volunteers safe.
If you play your cards right, you could find a local Christian-owned business that will happily support your cause. They might even give you a discount and help you promote the car wash using their own marketing resources.
6. Organize Your Car Wash’s Logistics
When the day of the event finally arrives, you need to have an organized car washing system to keep the lines moving and satisfy your customers. Split the volunteers into groups of four or five so they can wash each vehicle as fast as possible. Schedule them for reasonable shifts so they don’t get tired and you always have fresh hands.
The most important part of your plan will be managing the wastewater. DIY car washes use between 40 and 140 gallons of water for each vehicle. Make sure the parking lot has a reliable run-off system and choose an area that won’t form deep puddles.
7. Set the Date
Once you secure your venue, determine the car wash’s date and time. Aim to choose a non-holiday weekend — ideally a Saturday, when more people are likely to run errands. More traffic means more profit potential. Always have a rain date in case weather or other unforeseen circumstances cause delays.
8. Promote the Event Everywhere
With the car wash’s services, location and date established, you can now focus all your efforts on promoting the event. Use as many channels as you can to maximize awareness for the car wash. Advertise the event on social media, through email marketing and on printed materials. Any promotional method is worthwhile to get more eyes on your upcoming fundraiser.
Make Your Church Car Wash a Success
Your church car wash will meet its goal with thoughtful planning and careful coordination. Take your time with these steps and gather plenty of input from your parishioners. After all, this fundraiser is about them. They’re devoting their free time to making their church community a better place. Give them the resources to make the car wash a success!
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In