Thanks to its simplicity, the ease with which you can run it, and how familiar it is to the general public, the Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser is one of the most popular fundraising ideas and is one that's appropriate for all ages.
It's also flexible: you can run it on a large or small scale. For larger events, a banquet hall, cafeteria, or gymnasium space is going to be necessary. Another idea is to contact halls in the area to see if they'd be willing to donate a large enough room for your cause.
Ask around at as many local grocery stores, bakeries, and food suppliers as you can to get food offerings. Not only will you need spaghetti and tomato sauce (pre-made or homemade) , you'll also need meatballs, bread, drinks and desserts as well as plates, cups, and silverware to eat off.
Offer tickets in advance and have someone selling them on the door as well. You might want to offer a discount on the pre-sale tickets to see if you can attract more sales.
Prepare as much of the meal as you can in advance: spaghetti can be boiled, bagged, refrigerated, and then dropped into boiling water for a minute or two when you are almost ready to serve it.
A spaghetti dinner can work well as an all-you-can-eat buffet style dinner. During the Lenten season you might want to think about offering a Fish Fry dinner as an alternative.
See more delicious food fundraising ideas here.
