I'm surprised that more schools don't do bars. They are bulletproof. They were one of the first things to be sold as fundraisers and everyone always has a dollar in their pocket. Plus they are a fairly nostalgic program. I am sure many parents remember selling candy bars when they were in school.
We have never done candy bars, but our Kathryn Beich rep always has some sort of computation to help us figure out what resonable goals are and what to expect. It basically taking the number of students who normally participate in a fundraiser and multiplying it by the average dollar amount said students sell. Like we have 100 students that usually participate and they average 100 each, that would be $10000. The nice thing about candy is if you buy too much, you can keep selling it (especially to staff) until it's gone-not like paying for shipping when you have to order last minute bacause you ran out.
If you are really worried about it, Sam's Club sells fundrasier candy kits that your group can purchase as needed.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris