Are you looking for some fun non-dues revenue ideas for your chamber? What could be more fun than animals? In this article, we’re showcasing what chambers and organizations across the country have done with animal-themed non-dues revenue events.
Before we explore what they’ve done, know that these non-dues revenue events aren’t for everyone. If you’re a strict believer that your events have to match your mission, pets may not fit. But if you’re looking for a fun, community gathering with some memorable sponsorship opportunities for your members, these ideas could be just right.
Benefits of Chamber Pet Events
Pet events are great for many reasons including:
- they get a lot of engagement
- pets are family for many of your members and for the community at large
- these events yield endless social media content
- they’re a feel-good, family-friendly event
- they provide unique sponsorship opportunities and partnership possibilities between the chamber and nonprofits
- it’s often easier to get volunteers for events involving pets
10 Ideas for Animal-themed, Non-dues Revenue
The Great Rubber Ducky Dash
This family-friendly event is perfect for all ages. Participants purchase (and sometimes decorate) rubber ducks, which then race down a designated water course. Sponsorships from local businesses can add to the fun and boost revenue. You don’t need a body of water in town. Some chambers create their own giant water slide.
Check out the Osprey Nokomis Chamber of Commerce’s Kenducky Derby Duck Race.
Goldfish Races
Animal events don’t always need to center around fluffy pets. Here’s a creative idea from Brittni Bates that she shared in the Chamber Pros Group on Facebook. She wrote, “We did this for our annual banquet on Saturday and raised $8,400. We auctioned off 20 goldfish and raced them. If you want to see a video, YouTube goldfish races. The top 8 fastest made the semi-finals, and then we had a Calcutta auction for the top 8. Top three won cash prizes along with the 1st place Calcutta winner. We had two tracks custom built to race 4 fish at a time which is what you see in the photos. We tied it in with a Kentucky Derby theme. It was a blast!!!”
Bark & Brew Festival
Dog lovers and breweries! What could be better? This event combines local craft beer tastings with dog-related activities, like agility courses, costume contests, and pet adoptions. Partner with local breweries, photographers, and pet stores (among others) for sponsorship and vendor opportunities.
Check out Barks and Brews in Palm Beach Gardens (this event was hosted by a local nonprofit)
Woof Walk & Wagathon
Organize a sponsored walk or jog where participants participate with their furry friends. Include additional activities like a pet photo booth or a “Kiss the Pig” photo op (with a friendly farm animal, of course!).
Not into planning a walk but still want to have all the social media content opportunities of a pet event? Try hosting a “dogs (or pets) in the park” event like these chambers did:
Barktoberfest in Treasure Island (this event was hosted by the City)
Pleasure Island Pets in the Park Program (this Facebook group is dedicated to the Chamber’s Pets in the Park Program, which features multiple events. Don’t you just love the unicorn pony?)
Purrfectly Feline Fashion Show
Let’s not leave the cat enthusiasts out. This event idea showcases felines strutting their stuff in fabulous costumes. Partner with pet boutiques and groomers for sponsorships and offer prizes for the most creative and stylish feline ensembles.
Or how about a Kitten Cuddle? (This one was hosted by the SPCA and Orlando Cat Cafe.)
Pet Photo Contest
Embrace the power of social media by hosting a pet photo contest. Participants submit adorable pictures of their furry (or feathery, or scaly) companions, and the community votes on the winners. This “event” can be done entirely online, making it a low-cost and engaging option. You can line up sponsors for prizes. While this may not be a high-earning, non-dues event, it will bring a lot of traffic to your social media profiles, something that’s great for expanding your reach and showing the algorithm that your page is a fan favorite.
Animal Festivals and Honors
If you have a unique type of animal in your area, give it its own festival. Brevard, NC hosts a White Squirrel Festival as well as a White Squirrel Day with Pisgah Penny (who makes yearly predictions not only on the end of winter but also the winner of the Super Bowl).
Pet Parade
Parades don’t have to be giant events that shut down streets. You could host one in the chamber parking lot. Throw in a discount vaccination clinic for furry friends and sponsorship tables and you have a family-friendly event.
Take a look at the Garfield Ridge Chamber of Commerce Pet Parade.
You can also incorporate your pet parade as part of a larger festival like the Burnet Chamber of Commerce did. They made their Pet Parade an opening event to the Bluebonnet Festival and listed it as a sponsorship opportunity (it was sponsored by a photography business).
Additionally, you can create a theme like the Salem Main Streets organization did with their Howl-o-ween Pet Parade.
Dog Sports Contest
Is your community filled with talented dogs? Then why not create an event to show them off like the East Coast Dog Surfing Festival? While this event was hosted by the Brevard Humane Society and sponsored by the Ron Jon Surf Shop (of course), you could recreate something similar. Consider the businesses you have in town and how they might tie into a contest or sport for talented pets. Think about how wildly popular the Puppy Bowl event is during the Sper Bowl.
Cow Plop Bingo
If you know, you know. It’s kind of like Roulette but with a grid layout and instead of a ball, it’s cow excrement. But then again, I’m assuming you got that idea from the word “plop” in the title. It’s a great event to get local farmers and ranches involved.
Not big into cows? We’ve heard talk of using moose or chickens as well.
One note of caution on these animal-themed non-dues revenue ideas: You might want to consult an attorney first. If you plan on dropping any animal waste from a plane as part of your chamber event, know that it could be illegal in your area. Additionally, if you use the word Bingo, you might need a permit in some counties. Fur reals.
Finally, there are times when animal events are a necessity in cutting back on an invasive species that is hurting the environment or other animals. The Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce used to host the annual Squirrel Roundup and Banquet for hunters helping to control the infestation of Belding Squirrel in the area. They are no longer sponsoring the event, which is another good lesson about non-dues revenue events. If it no longer serves your chamber’s (or community’s) needs, then consider sunsetting the event. If the event is important to the community, someone else will step forward.
