·8 min read
How to Handle Donor Data and Stay Compliant as a Fire Department
You are collecting names, emails, and credit card payments. Here is what you need to know about handling that data responsibly.
Operations
Firehouse Fundraising Blog
Practical guides for volunteer fire departments. No fluff, no theory — just what works.
·10 min read
Year-Round Fundraising Calendar for Volunteer Fire Departments
Stop treating fundraising as a once-a-year panic. Here is a month-by-month calendar that keeps revenue flowing all year.
Strategy
·7 min read
How to Run a Successful Fire Department Car Wash Fundraiser
A fire department car wash is low cost, high visibility, and easy to organize. Here is how to make it actually profitable.
Fundraising
·8 min read
Fire Department Website Mistakes That Cost You Donations
Your website is either making you money or losing you money. Most fire department websites are doing the second one.
Strategy
·9 min read
How to Thank Donors So They Give Again Next Year
Getting a donation is the easy part. Getting the same person to donate again next year is where most departments fail.
Community
·8 min read
How to Price Your Firehouse Fundraiser Dinners for Maximum Profit
Most fire departments underprice their fundraiser dinners by $3 to $5. That small gap costs them thousands of dollars a year.
Strategy
·9 min read
How to Build a Fire Department Email List from Scratch
An email list is the most valuable marketing asset your fire department will ever own. Here is how to build one from zero.
Marketing
·10 min read
The Complete Guide to Fire Department Open House Events
An open house is not just a PR event. Done right, it is a recruitment tool, a fundraiser, and the best marketing your department will do all year.
Community
·8 min read
How to Set Up a Firehouse Merchandise Store Without Inventory
Your community wants to wear your station logo. You do not need a garage full of unsold XL t-shirts to make that happen.
Strategy
·11 min read
How to Run a Successful Fire Department Golf Tournament Fundraiser
A well-run golf tournament can raise $10,000 to $30,000 in a single day. Here is the playbook that actually works.
Fundraising
·12 min read
How to Recruit Younger Volunteers and Get Them to Help Fundraise
Your department is aging out. The average volunteer firefighter is 50 years old. Here is how to bring in younger members and get them invested in the mission.
Community
·13 min read
Grant Writing Basics for Broke Volunteer Fire Departments
There are millions of dollars in grants available for volunteer fire departments every year. Most departments never apply. Here is how to change that.
Operations
·12 min read
How to Use Social Media to Sell Out Your Next Firehouse Event
You do not need a marketing degree to fill your firehouse event. You need a phone, a Facebook page, and a 3-week plan.
Marketing
·11 min read
The Legal Checklist for Running a Fire Department Raffle
Raffles raise serious money for fire departments. But running one without knowing your state laws can get your department in real trouble.
Operations
·11 min read
Drive-Thru vs. Dine-In: Maximizing Your Firehouse Breakfast Fundraiser
Your firehouse breakfast can feed 200 people or 500 people. The format you choose determines which one it will be.
Fundraising
·10 min read
How to Write a Community Appeal Letter that Actually Gets Donations
Most fire department appeal letters end up in the recycling bin. Here is how to write one that people actually read and respond to.
Marketing
·9 min read
Stop Losing Money: Why Your Firehouse Needs a Monthly Giving 100 Club
What if your fire department had $12,000 a year in guaranteed revenue before you even lit the first grill? That is what a 100 Club does.
Strategy
·8 min read
How to Modernize Your Annual Fill the Boot Drive with Digital Donations
The boot drive is a proud tradition. But standing at an intersection with a rubber boot full of loose change is not the most efficient way to raise money anymore.
Fundraising
·10 min read
5 Modern Fundraising Ideas for Volunteer Fire Departments in 2026
The bake sale is not going to save your department. Here are 5 fundraising strategies that actually work in 2026.
Strategy
·12 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Running a Profitable Firehouse Chicken BBQ
A chicken BBQ is the single most reliable fundraiser in the volunteer fire service. Here is exactly how to run one that actually makes money.
Fundraising
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