Humboldt FFA members serve customers in the CaFFAé.
In fall 2022, Humboldt FFA in St. Paul, Minn., launched the CaFFAé, a specialty coffee bar located in their Industrial Food Science Lab near the front entrance of their school.
The CaFFAé, which serves as a fundraising outlet for the chapter, is open every Friday morning before school and is staffed by 10 to 15 FFA members at a time. Humboldt High School faculty, staff and students can purchase hot and iced coffee, hot chocolate, scones, donuts and seasonal treats.
“Our members are responsible for making sure we have workers every Friday morning to cover all the roles that need to be covered,” says Humboldt FFA advisor Andrea Nthole. “They’re also learning customer service skills, teamwork, communication and all facets of running a small business.”
Members came up with their own iced coffee recipe using heavy whipping cream, and they offer different sweeteners to meet the dietary needs of their customers.
Humboldt FFA members have found creative ways to offer affordable, high-quality products to students, faculty and staff at their school.
“We even use honey from our own beehive,” Nthole adds. “Our other unique take is we specialize in brewing coffee and turning it into ice cubes, which allows our iced coffee to retain its flavor and stay cold. We also create our own flavorings in our food science classes, and we recycle the coffee grounds into compost that’s added to our school gardens.”
Each year, the CaFFAé raises between $2,000 and $2,500 for Humboldt FFA.
“We make a small profit on each item sold,” Nthole says. “Our school is a Title 1 school, with a 95% free and reduced lunch qualification. We intentionally keep our prices low so our students can get a coffee or hot chocolate and be included.”
Interested in making fundraising more engaging for your chapter? Nthole, who leads the chapter with her co-advisor, Brad Novacheck, shares the following five tips for making fundraising an engaging and interactive experience.
1. Think outside the box.
“The CaFFAé is a unique experience where all students in our FFA program can contribute and succeed,” Nthole says. “Due to our school population and lack of transportation around St. Paul, we found the CaFFAé was a suitable substitution for the traditional fruit sale. While it does not cover all our needs, it makes a huge difference for funding.”
2. Allow members to take ownership.
“We’ve found that any chance our members can make it their own, we have success,” Nthole says. “Our members created the systems in place for the operation, creation and economics of the CaFFAé.”
The CaFFAé is a student-led venture that helps Humboldt FFA learn the ins and outs of running a business.
3. Be transparent about costs and how money is spent.
“We’re very upfront about what the money raised goes to, and we make sure our members see it,” Nthole says. “Funds are used for field trips, school-based FFA events, reduced membership fees and more. Students see and benefit from the funds, so they’re willing to put in the effort.”
4. Recruit help from non-FFA school staff and teachers.
“Our custodial staff assists members with getting into the building early, and other teachers assist with marketing,” Nthole says. “Students market the CaFFAé over the announcements and post flyers throughout the building.”
5. Make it enjoyable.
“[If it’s fun,] they will buy into the idea,” Nthole says. “As advisors, we offer suggestions and play devil’s advocate. But ultimately the members decide, and if it doesn’t work out like they thought, we revisit the process.”
Try Something New
Need additional inspiration? Check out these clever fundraising ideas from chapters across the country.
