Publishing a cookbook can be a fun and profitable fundraiser for your group. Nearly everyone has a favorite recipe they can share, so every member of your group can contribute ... and everyone who contributes will want to purchase copies for themselves and for family members. The keys to a successful cookbook fundraiser are strong organizational skills and a team of dependable volunteers.
Instructions
1. Choose a theme for your cookbook, such as "Cooking for Chocaholics," or something more general like "Family Favorites." The theme will give people a better idea of what types of recipes to submit, and can easily be translated into the title of the cookbook.
2. Investigate cookbook publishers. You can publish the book on your own through a self-publishing company. Consider finding one that specializes in publishing cookbooks for fundraising and will offer assistance with every step of the process. Self-publishing involves the highest cash outlay, as you will need to purchase an inventory of books. Print-on-demand is a self-publishing option that involves printing books as they are ordered. This will lower your upfront costs, but may raise the cost to your customers. You can also find a local print shop to print copies and then spiral-bind them or put them in a binder, but the finished results may not be as professional.
3. Determine a time line to follow so that each step of the project gets done on time. The publisher you choose will let you know how long it will take to provide you with a copy of the book to proofread before printing it, and how long it will take to receive your final copies. Use those dates to figure out the deadlines for collecting, sorting, testing and proofreading recipes.
4. Have members of your group ask family and friends to contribute recipes that fit the theme. Post a "call for recipes" on social media sites of which you are a member, and ask other individuals from your group to do the same. Suggest to your local newspaper that they run a small ad or story on your group. Make sure to include the deadline for submissions.
5. Test the recipes so that you can add helpful tips, such as a cake's warning that the batter will be thin. If you intend to include photographs of some of the dishes, take pictures as you test. Keep in mind that photographs will increase the cost of the book, so select a few colorful, appetizing pictures, rather than trying to include photographs of every recipe.
6. Sort the recipes into categories such as appetizers, main dishes and desserts. If you find you are short of recipes in a specific section, send out another call for submissions to fill it out, combine categories, such as soups and salads, or alphabetize the recipes.
7. Design the artwork for the cover, lay out the pages and proofread everything thoroughly, then submit it to the publisher. The publisher will likely provide a proof of the completed book, which you'll need to check carefully and approve.
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