How to Estimate a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

Set a fundraising goal. Whether the event is for charity or to raise money for new team uniforms, you need to have an idea of your fundraising objective. Set a realistic, achievable goal. Make sure that the goal is flexible because you might have to amend the number once you figure out how much supplies cost.
Select a venue. To maximize profits, try to pick a place that is free of charge. Check with your local church or school to see if you can use a spare room or cafeteria. If it's a small fundraiser, you can possibly use someone's house. For venues that charge, ask when payment is due. If you have to put down a nonrefundable deposit to secure the space, you must be comfortable taking a financial risk in the event you do not sell enough tickets.
Estimate attendance. Once your venue is chosen, you will have a clearer picture of how many tickets you can sell. Figure out how many people can comfortably sit and eat in the space. Do not plan on overbooking to make extra money.
Price supplies. For the menu, plan on serving a simple salad, garlic bread and spaghetti with or without meat. For the pasta, plan on the typical serving of 4 oz. per person, or 1 lb. per four people. One jar of sauce is generally needed for every pound of pasta. Plan on 1 cup of salad and two slices of bread per person. For drinks, you can serve water, iced tea or soda. To be safe, plan on everyone drinking at least two servings, or 16 oz.
Calculate cost. Once you have priced how much it will cost to feed your estimated number of guests, add any applicable venue fees. Add this total cost to your fundraising goal and then divide by the number of guests. This will be your ticket price. If the ticket price seems unreasonably high, then you can buy cheaper brands of food, select another venue or amend your goal.
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How to Host a Church Fair (11 Steps)

Organize a fair committee to help make plans and make sure the fair runs smoothly.
Institute a budget for the fair. The budget helps establish plans and needs.
Establish a date and location where the fair will be held.
Plan for the fair to be held during lunch or dinner hours. This allows people to enjoy a few hours of play and entertainment and is an opportune time for fellowship.
Chose a location that will best suit games, entertainment, food and social interaction. Set up a stage for the entertainment, booths or areas for games, and tables and chairs for people to eat and visit.
Create a fun theme for a church fair. A theme can add character and fun to your fair. Try a theme like Noah's Ark or God's Creation with a petting zoo and animals, or try a theme that is Carnival Fun with games and clowns.
Prepare a menu that will go along with your theme. Ask volunteers to make potluck dishes, set up barbecue grills to cook burgers or hotdogs or make sandwiches. Add chips or fruit to go along with your menu and be sure to include pop, punch or water. Also, ice cream or floats are a hit!
Ask the church body to set up and run booths of home made crafts, baked goods or garage sale items to sell.
Create a game atmosphere of fun and joy for kids of all ages. Plan for carnival games, booths or stations for the kids. Also you can rent a 'Bounce House' for kids to jump and have a ball.
Select entertainment. A few ideas for entertainment may be: a Band, a DJ, talent show, karaoke, comedy or theatre. Chose entertainment that is appropriate for your church fair but is also geared to entertain and have fun.
Explore the opportunity to use a church fair as a fund raising opportunity. You can sell food tickets or game tickets to help raise funds to cover the costs of the fair or use the funds as a donation to a charity or organization.
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