Hi Chrissy, I am doing my fieldwork (for the MEPAP course) at a 125 bed nursing home. Last week i sat in with the activity director and a group of residents that are on a committee that try and raise money for nursing home. This small group (8-10 residents) have come up with a bunch of ideas and they have raised enough money to buy all sorts of nice things for the facility - a big screen tv, Wii game, some patio furniture as well as some smaller things like a popcorn machine (which they make popcorn and sell it to the staff for $1.00). This facility has even a less budget then you do. But the activity director said that because this group are "residents" and they come up with the ideas its easier to raise the money. They do a lot of fund raising not only inside the facility for the other residents and their families, but also open to the public. This month they are hosting a car show in the parking lot - they will be having hot dogs and pop (donated by Mcdonalds), a bake sale, a 50/50 raffle and older music. Hopefully this will help.
Sue