Raise Money With Pasta FUNdraising!

Our friends at The Pasta Shoppe first blew us away with their adorable pasta shapes that we love to use in recipes like our vegan pasta salad. We became die-hard fans when they launched insanely delicious vegan macaroni and cheese that’s now sold online and in stores all around the US.

And guess what? They’ve wow-ed us once again! Their Fun Pasta FUNdraising program empowers nonprofits (and their supporters) to raise money by selling fun-shaped pasta and vegan mac ‘n’ cheese!

Have fun. Eat pasta. Raise money. And maybe even change the world. Sounds pretty great, right?

Whether you love this idea for yourself, or for your kids, it’s a great chance to develop entrepreneurial skills and practice philanthropy. And participating is easy!

Simply reach out to your favorite nonprofit organization—such as an animal sanctuary or animal shelter—and encourage them to sign up to host a pasta fundraiser. You can then join their fundraising team as a participant and start spreading fun-pasta-joy while raising funds for a cause you care about.

Why Pasta FUNdraising is Awesome

Let’s face it: Pastabilities pasta is awesome. If you’ve got vegan friends, they’ll go crazy for the vegan mac ‘n’ cheese. And for everyone else? The creative pasta shapes make really fun seasonal family meals (like this vegan spaghettios recipe) and awesome gifts.

I mean…who doesn’t want:

• Black Cat Pasta on Halloween
• Football-Shaped Pasta at the Superbowl
• Star of David Pasta at Hanukkah
• Heart Pasta for Valentine’s Day
• Bunny pasta on Easter
• Cat or Dog pasta literally ANY day

. . . these are just a few of the exciting options waiting for you.

My mom used to cook up special pasta shapes on holidays like Valentine’s Day when I was a kiddo, and I can’t wait to do the same for my little one as he grows up. Parents will love it. Kids will love it. Adults who still like to feel like kids will love it.

How Does Pasta FUNdraising Work?

Connect with your favorite nonprofit and suggest that they start a Fun Pasta Fundraiser. Once they do, you can join their fundraising team as a seller participant.

Once you’re connected to your nonprofit as a participant, follow these three simple steps:

Sign up and create your online Pasta FUNdraising page. Share what you’re raising money for and how people can support by ordering pasta through your page. Be sure to highlight which products are vegan!
Choose featured pasta items. Here’s where you can select specific pasta items you want to highlight in your fundraiser (like vegan mac and cheese).
Share your page. Once you’ve published your fundraising page, you’re ready to share it with friends, family, and the world!

Your supporters can place orders through your special online fundraising page. If you’ve ever sold or ordered Girl Scout cookies, you know the drill!

Wondering how much money you can raise by selling pasta? The nonprofit leader will receive a whopping 40% of any sales that come in through your fundraising page! And Fun Pasta Fundraising will handle fulfilling the orders, shipping out the pasta, and making your supportive friends and family happy! Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.

How to Share Your Fundraiser

Okay, you’ve got your fundraiser set up, but how do you start actually raising money?

Share, share, share! Reach out to your existing network. Think of your:

• Friends
• Family
• Work Associates
• Social Groups
• Teams
• Anyone else you know!

Some great ways to make your fundraiser a success:

1. Send an email to your friends and family letting them know that you’re hosting a pasta fundraiser and would love their support!
2. Post to your social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok) and share that you’re hosting a pasta fundraiser. Be sure to share why you’re raising money so people can feel extra-good about supporting the cause.
3. Use word of mouth—bring it up in conversation and share how excited you are to be hosting this fundraiser! As the holidays approach, talk about how these can make awesome holiday gifts.
   Let people know in your social groups and meetups. Think: clubs, sports teams, church groups, temple, camp, organizations, and beyond.
4. Add a P.S. to your email signature linking to your pasta fundraiser.
5. Ask for family to support your fundraiser in lieu of holiday gifts or birthday gifts.

Don’t Be Shy!

I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit since I was teeny-tiny. Back in the day I used to go around my neighborhood selling my watercolor paintings, carved hotel soaps, car washing services, babysitting services—anything I could think of.

Looking back, I’m proud of myself for having the courage to go door-to-door because I was extremely shy. I’m an introvert, and my comfort zone is at home cozied up in blankets reading a book. But I pushed myself out there and I’m so glad that I did. It made me into the much-more-confident leader I am today.

My advice: Be proud of what you’re doing.

I know it’s not easy to ask for support, but think about it like this. By inviting people to be a part of your fundraising campaign you’re actually giving someone else a chance to do something nice and to feel good (because yes—kind acts feel good). Plus, anyone participating will receive a delightful package of pasta goodies to enjoy—and they’ll have you to thank!

It’s a win-win-win all around.

Shop Fun Pasta & Save Animals!

I encouraged my local farmed animal sanctuary—Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary—to start a pasta fundraiser to support their lifesaving work. If you’d like to shop some pasta in support of the sanctuary, you can do so here.

You can also sign up as a participant seller yourself if you’d like to join the fundraising team!

Let’s Do This!

Okay, you’re still reading, so you must be at least a little interested. It takes 5 minutes to set up your fundraising page or contact a nonprofit you think this can help. Go for it! And if you need any help, you can email the Fun Pasta Fundraising team at letushelp@pastafundraising.com.