For the FundRaiser Crowd
Some teachers are really good at the “grants game.” Many others are far more comfortable with running “fundraisers.” Today, I am speaking to you...the “fundraiser” crowd. And you know as well as I do that carrying out fund raising campaigns can be tricky, but when done well can be very rewarding for everyone involved.
Yes, it can be difficult to get students excited in participating, let alone convincing parents and volunteers to actively get involved. With the right fundraising products and a dynamic approach, a successful fundraiser doesn’t have to be a burden on anyone. The key to a successful fundraiser is preparation: by following these seven steps, your fundraiser will practically run itself!
1. Rally Your Troops
Your fundraising staff consists of participants, parents, volunteers, and anyone else who will be helping with your campaign. Participants need to know well in advance that the fundraiser is coming, and when fundraising with children, parents will need to be kept in the loop as well, so be sure to send letters home with full details, and your contact information.
Volunteers are your support staff, so use them well! Divide up the responsibilities (responsibilities will depend on the type of campaign you’re running, so speak with your consultant for this step), and delegate to the people you feel are best suited to each role. If everyone knows his or her role beforehand, fundraising will go smoothly!
2. Know Your Purpose and Monetary Goal
Think about what the purpose of your fundraiser: are you looking to buy supplies for your classroom? Uniforms for your sports team? Funds to host a concert? Whatever your funds will be going toward, determine your goal.
Once you know what your funds will be used for, establish your monetary goal. Knowing how much money is needed to buy your new uniforms, supplies, etc., will make budgeting a breeze.
3. Plan Your Budget
Many programs require products to be purchased in advance, (not all – but some do!) Before you call your Fundraising Consultant, sit down with your group or committee and decide on a budget. That way, your consultant knows how to work for you within that budget.
Based on your planned budget and monetary goal, you can get a good idea of which fundraiser will work best for your group.
Not sure which is the best fit? That's where your Fundraising Consultant comes in!
4. Advertise Your Campaign
People need to know about your fundraising campaign to support it, so be sure to start advertising well in advance. If you’re planning an event where people will have to buy tickets, start advertising about a month in advance. For fundraising sales, 2 weeks in advance should be enough.
Advertise with posters and flyers. Ask local businesses if your team can place posters on their windows and post flyers on community bulletin boards. Send emails and mailings to all your contacts, and tell everyone you know about your fundraiser. A great fundraising tip is to contact your local TV and radio stations, and your local newspaper. They will often include your fundraising information in their community news.
5. Motivate Your Team
Be sure to keep your team motivated and excited with great incentives like prizes, fun activities and other rewards. When you set goals and offer incentives, your team members will be more excited about participating, and work harder to ensure the goals are met.
6. Always Say “Thank you.”
When it comes to fundraising, how you say "thank you" is as important as how you say "please". Always follow up your fundraising campaign with a letter of thanks to your supporters and team members. They deserve it and will remember how their time and efforts were valued the next time you need their help.
7. Use FundRaising.com Consultants to Help You Succeed
No one offers such a rich array of fundraising products, services, tools, and expertise than the folks at FundRaising.com. When you engage these assets you strengthen your team and make it all the more likely that you will reach your fundraising goal so you and your students can do what you need to do.
When it comes to Fundraisers...FundRaising.com is #1. When it comes to Teacher Grants, Classroom Grant and School Grants...GrantsAlert.com is #1.
You want both on your team.
Good luck.