Unique Fundraising Ideas That Work!
July 12, 2008
When you come up with unique fundraising ideas you need to think about a few things. You need to know what your resources are, skills of people who can help, and what will attract a crowd.
You need to know what your resources are when you hold a fundraising idea. Resources include property or places you can hold an event, items you might have an abundance of that you can sell, and more. If you don’t have any resources it doesn’t mean you cannot hold an event. It just means you are thinking hard enough. Many fundraising events don’t require resources if they are low or no budget fundraisers.
The skills of willing volunteers must also be taken into account. Anyone who will benefit from your fundraiser is likely to be willing to volunteer for your event. If you know people with skills; baking for instance, than a bake sale may be a good fundraiser for you. If you have some creative types in your group, then perhaps a craft sale will work well as a fundraiser for you. If there are parents, consider having children create artwork and crafts for the fundraiser. Knowing your group and their talent can help you to come up with some excellent, unique fundraising ideas.
Also, consider the tastes of your community. This will help you to come up with a unique fundraising idea that will draw people in - and if your cause is one which will capture the attention of your community. If your neighbors believe in your cause, you will have a much easier time fundraising.
The demographics of where you plan to hold your fundraising event matters a great deal as well. An event held in the least affluent part of your city will, understandably, bring in less than if it was held in a more well to do area.
When you hold fundraising events there are many places that will be willing to support your cause. It usually depends on what the cause is. If you are trying to raise money for your local book or library club then you should talk to local book stores or a location that holds relevance.
Grocery stores are also a good bet - again, they generally carry books as well and also will often be willing to allow you to place a table somewhere on their property to hold a bale sale. Any public place which will allow you to hold an event and has a good amount of foot traffic will work well for your fundraiser.
Coming up with unique fundraising ideas can be easy once you follow these steps. Know your groups skills, the resources which you and your group have available to you and what kinds of fundraising ideas will appeal to your community.
How to Think Up Unique Fundraising Ideas
July 9, 2008
In order to come up with unique fundraising ideas involves knowing a few things before you begin. You will need to assess what sort of fundraiser will draw a lot of people in, what resources you have at your disposal and what the people you have to help possess in terms of skills.
You need to know what your resources are when you hold a fundraising idea. Resources include property or places you can hold an event, items you might have an abundance of that you can sell, and more. If you don’t have any resources it doesn’t mean you cannot hold an event. It just means you are thinking hard enough. Many fundraising events don’t require resources if they are low or no budget fundraisers.
The skills of willing volunteers must also be taken into account. Anyone who will benefit from your fundraiser is likely to be willing to volunteer for your event. If you know people with skills; baking for instance, than a bake sale may be a good fundraiser for you. If you have some creative types in your group, then perhaps a craft sale will work well as a fundraiser for you. If there are parents, consider having children create artwork and crafts for the fundraiser. Knowing your group and their talent can help you to come up with some excellent, unique fundraising ideas.
The community in which you live must also be taken into account. What sort of fundraiser will really draw people in to your fundraising event? Think about the issues your community cares about and work around this to create a fundraiser with broad appeal for your community.
The demographics of where you plan to hold your fundraising event matters a great deal as well. An event held in the least affluent part of your city will, understandably, bring in less than if it was held in a more well to do area.
When you hold fundraising events there are many places that will be willing to support your cause. It usually depends on what the cause is. If you are trying to raise money for your local book or library club then you should talk to local book stores or a location that holds relevance.
Grocery stores are also a good place to inquire; they normally carry some books and will often allow groups to set out a table for a bake sale. You should look for public places too hold your fundraiser where you will have a lot of passers by. This will make a successful fundraiser much more likely.
When you come up with unique fundraising ideas you need to consider a lot of things. You should find out what all of the skills your group has. You should list all of your resources and determine if you have something to work with. You also must consider the community and if the people will be willing to help support your cause.
Coming Up with Unique Fundraising Ideas
July 7, 2008
When you come up with unique fundraising ideas you need to think about a few things. You need to know what your resources are, skills of people who can help, and what will attract a crowd.
Knowing your resources can help you in coming up with unique fundraising ideas. These sorts of factors include facilities at your disposal for hosting an event, things which you have to sell and others. If you have no resources to begin with, this does not mean that you cannot hold a fundraising event, just that you are failing to take advantage of something which you have not thought of. A lot of fundraisers can be done on little to no budget.
Next consider the skills which are possessed by those who are likely volunteers for your fundraiser. Perhaps some in your group are excellent bakers - a bake sale may then be in order. Creative types in your group could help you to put on an arts and crafts sale; particularly if there are parents in your group, you may be able to enlist children in creating items for sale. Knowing your groups interests and skills will assist you in coming up with unique fundraising ideas.
The community in which you live must also be taken into account. What sort of fundraiser will really draw people in to your fundraising event? Think about the issues your community cares about and work around this to create a fundraiser with broad appeal for your community.
You should also hold an event where you know people have money to spend. If you hold an event on the poorest side of town where the economy is very poor then your chances of making money are much lower than if you were on the rich side of town.
Think about which local businesses and organizations are likely to support your fundraising mission. For instance, if you were to raise money for a book club or library, perhaps local bookshops would be willing to assist your cause by donating books to be sold at a fundraiser. No matter what your fundraiser, look for organizations that have concerns which are relevant to your own.
Grocery stores also have book sections and they may be willing to let you put out a table for a bake sale. There are public places and businesses that will be willing to allow you to hold your event on their premises.
When you come up with unique fundraising ideas you need to consider a lot of things. You should find out what all of the skills your group has. You should list all of your resources and determine if you have something to work with. You also must consider the community and if the people will be willing to help support your cause.
How To Prelaunch Your PTA or PTO Fundraiser
July 3, 2008
Don’t Assume PTA or PTO Members Get It The First Time. When you are trying to get the parents of your students behind your fundraising efforts, never be afraid that you are covering the same ground too often. Tell them many, many times why you are doing the fundraiser. It will surprise you how little makes it into your parents minds, even after they have read or heard something twice. Here are some tips to help you make sure that your important announcements get noticed and noted.
Give Specific Reasons For Why You Are Doing It. It is much better to give your parents very specific reasons for the PTA or PTO fundraising drive. You should have a specific goal set and a list of what the PTA or PTO is going to do with the money raised. Parents and teachers will be much more willing to help if they know exactly why you are raising the money
Methods: Take Home Backpack Flyers, There are several things that should always be done in preparation for your fundraiser. One action is to send a letter (take home packet) to parents shortly after school starts telling them about the PTA / PTO fundraising plan. Mention in the letter how you’re going to accomplish your money making goals. Mention to them what program or procuts you will be selling. ie catalogs sale, cookie dough sale, car wash, candy sale, smencils etc. Most will feel a sense of ownership in the PTA or PTO plans.
Second, write a letter for your fundraiser that is geared specifically for the parents of your students. In this “cover letter,” you will remind the parents what you are raising the money for. This is one more time that you have to make sure the word gets out about your purpose for raising funds.
Methods: Email If you are fortunate enough to be able to use the school’s e-mail system to announce your sale. This is a one button operation that give you great coverage with the parents of your school children.
Methods: Marquee Put a message up on the school marquee to let parents know about the sale. When it starts and ends are the best times to have a message up on the marquee. You can even change the message at various times during the sale just as a quick reminder that the sale is in progress.
Methods: Reminders via students In most schools students go home once or twice a week with a “Take Home Pack.” This is an excellent opportunity to have the teachers in the school include a note about your fundraiser. Remember that you don’t have to include lots of details in this note. These are simply reminders to the parents.
Methods: Signs Use signs advertising your fundraiser in bus lanes and your pick up and drop off points in the school. Your parents and students will see these every day.
Have signs posted at various locations around the school. This type of promotion is geared mainly to the students, so signs or posters that appeal to students is the best thing to do to get students to look at them and remember.
Methods: Do a live kick off Doing a live presentation will affect your sale positively, especially if the students see or hear things that they don’t normally experience in a “standard” assembly. If enough of an impression is made on the minds of the students, they will certainly be sharing that with their parents when they get home.
Methods: Public Address System Do reminders on the daily announcements. This is a great opportunity to keep students motivated which in turn keeps them selling.
Work closely with your fundraising representative. Planning is key to communicating your fundraiser to your parents, faculty, and students. If you know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it, it is much easier to facilitate and run a profitable fundraiser and that is what it is all about. Your goal is to raise the most money possible for your group in the particular sale you are planning. After all, if you raise all the funds you need in the first one, you won’t have to do a second fundraiser! You can achieve that by working smarter, not harder.
Make Sure The PTA or PTO Hears About The Fundraiser And Repeat
July 2, 2008
PTA and PTO Members Just Don’t Get It The First Time. You can never cover the important things too much. For instance, why you are doing your fundraiser will give your parents a good reason to get behind the effort. If it absolutely needs to be communicated do not be afraid to repeat your message over and over. You would be shocked at how little information actually makes it to your PTA or PTO parents consciousness. Following are some tips and tricks to ensure that “the important stuff” gets noticed.
Give Specific Reasons For Why You Are Doing It. It is much better to give your parents very specific reasons for the PTA or PTO fundraising drive. You should have a specific goal set and a list of what the PTA or PTO is going to do with the money raised. Parents and teachers will be much more willing to help if they know exactly why you are raising the money
Methods: Letters, Two things I always suggest are to send a letter out to parents early in the year telling them what fundraisers you will be doing and when. Tell them how you’re going to accomplish your goal i.e.: catalogs sale, cookie dough sale, car wash, smencils or such. This might keep them from feeling as though your hands are constantly in their wallets.
Secondly, do a school and fundraiser specific parent letter. Use a school mascot on your parent letter. Remind parents what you’re raising the money for again. They’re busy and might not remember your first note or may not have seen it the first time.
Methods: E-Mail If your school has a school wide email system or a call out system, use it to announce your sale. This is a great way to let parents know to check their children’s backpacks for their selling kits. I can’t tell you the number of times people have said that they didn’t even know a fundraiser was going on. That is missed opportunity every time it happens.
Methods: Marquee Announce your fundraiser on the school’s marquee. Many parents drive to school twice a day and are likely to see it if it is left up for several days before the sale begins.
Methods: Reminders via students In most schools students go home once or twice a week with a “Take Home Pack.” This is an excellent opportunity to have the teachers in the school include a note about your fundraiser. Remember that you don’t have to include lots of details in this note. These are simply reminders to the parents.
Methods: Signs Use signs advertising your fundraiser in bus lanes and your pick up and drop off points in the school. Your parents and students will see these every day.
Have signs posted at various locations around the school. This type of promotion is geared mainly to the students, so signs or posters that appeal to students is the best thing to do to get students to look at them and remember.
Methods: Do a live kick off A live presentation, especially one that is out of the ordinary, will leave an impression on the students. When the children return home, if the presentation has been memorable enough, the students will promote the sale better than a flier or letter ever could.
Methods: School Wide System During the daily announcements remind the students about the fundraiser. Take some time to do some bragging on some of your top selling students. This is a great opportunity to keep students motivated.
Working closely with your fundraising representative is paramount to your success. How you run your sale is literally as important as what you choose to sell. Planning and execution is the key to fundraiser if you want your parents, faculty, and students to support your fundraising drive. Your goal is to raise as much money as possible for your group in the particular sale you are planning. Remember, if you raise all the funds you need in the first fundraiser, you won’t have to do a second one!
Let The PTA or PTO Members Know All About The Fundraiser
July 1, 2008
Don’t Assume PTA or PTO Members Get It The First Time. When you are trying to get the parents of your students behind your fundraising efforts, never be afraid that you are covering the same ground too often. Tell them many, many times why you are doing the fundraiser. It will surprise you how little makes it into your parents minds, even after they have read or heard something twice. Here are some tips to help you make sure that your important announcements get noticed and noted.
Be specific. If you are kicking off a fundraiser and you know what you’re raising the money for, let your parents, teachers, and volunteers know. If you aren’t sure what you’re going to do with the money yet, tell them what you did last year. If parents and teachers know that they will benefit they will be much more likely to support your sale.
Methods: Take Home Flyers, Several things that should always be done in preparation for your fundraising drive. One action to take is to send a letter out to parents early in the year telling them what fundraisers you will be doing and when. Tell them in the letter what you need funds for and how you’re going to accomplish your goal i.e.: catalogs sale, cookie dough sale, car wash, candy sale, smencils etc. They won’t feel as though your hands are constantly in their wallets.
Second, write a letter for your fundraiser that is geared specifically for the parents of your students. In this “cover letter,” you will remind the parents what you are raising the money for. This is one more time that you have to make sure the word gets out about your purpose for raising funds.
Methods: Use The School Email System. If your organization or the school has many or most of the parent’s email addresses, then use that as an alternate way to get the word out the your fundraiser is about to begin.
Methods: School Sign or Marquee Use your school’s marquee to announce when your sale is starting, ending, and delivering. Your parents live in your neighborhood and so they will look at the marquee every time they drive by the school on their way to work or the grocery store.
Methods: Reminders via students In most schools students go home once or twice a week with a “Take Home Pack.” This is an excellent opportunity to have the teachers in the school include a note about your fundraiser. Remember that you don’t have to include lots of details in this note. These are simply reminders to the parents.
Methods: Signs You can post signs advertising your fundraiser in various places around the school where parents will likely see them when dropping off or picking up their children.
Place signs in the school with pictures of the prizes to keep the students motivated. Place them in key places where the students will see them daily in common areas. People are very visual and notice things that are different or new in their environment.
Methods: Do a live kick off Doing a live presentation will affect your sale positively, especially if the students see or hear things that they don’t normally experience in a “standard” assembly. If enough of an impression is made on the minds of the students, they will certainly be sharing that with their parents when they get home.
Methods: Public Address System Do reminders on the daily announcements. This is a great opportunity to keep students motivated which in turn keeps them selling.
Work effectively with your fundraising representative. Organization and planning is key to communicating your fundraiser and your goals to your parents, faculty, and students. If you know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it, running a profitable fundraiser is easier to do. If your goal is to raise the most money possible for your group in the particular sale you are planning, your fundraising professional is your best resource for making that happen. You can achieve your goal by working smarter, not harder.
