People always respond better to requests for money when they get something in return! Running an charity fundraising event, like a Pinewood Derby, that involves people is a lot of fun, and participation means that you are more likely to attract an audience…
If you charge Pinewood Derby participants a ‘race entry fee’, or advertise the cost of a car kit, then you can cover some of the cost of your event, or begin to raise funds to support a project, purchase of equipment, or whatever.
In the first phase of our experience with this aspect of Pinewood Derby, in the context of a Scout Group, this meant that we were able to cover the cost of building our track!