School Fundraising Tips

How To Improve your Next Fundraiser

Want your next school fundraiser to run more smoothly? Here are ten tips to help you create a successful marketing plan.

Put your project plan in writing - Run your fundraiser like a business. A written project plan that spells out all roles and responsibilities is your blueprint for success. Create a timeline - Make sure that your start date and end date are both firm. Make sure your project does not conflict with other major events where your constituency is likely to participate.

Recruit, recruit, recruit (volunteers that is) - Let the community you serve know that you need more caring individuals to help with your goals. People who volunteer do so because they are asked. So ask! Use your newsletter, website and word of mouth to help in your recruitment efforts.

Incorporate your website - Don't have one? There is no better time than the present to create one. Your website should be used to communicate goals, thank your sponsors, recognize successes, honor individual contributors, tell about upcoming events, etc. Be sure you promote your web site on all your marketing materials.

Look at the past to plan the future - See what's been successful before. Review your records. Find areas that need improvement. What did you do best? Do it again! Is there something you have always done that is on the decline. Examine the reasons for the decline. Perhaps it is time to change course or find a new event. If your stakeholders are bored with a project, chances are, so is the audience you serve.

Define Roles - Match the needs of your organization with the volunteer's skills and availability by including it in those written volunteer position's description.

Move people around - Unless you have a good reason not to switch roles, put new people (with a good track record) in those organizational roles that will move your fundraiser forward. Do this ahead of time. Provide proper training.

The early bird gets the "volunteer" - Let the community know early and often about what volunteers you need. Recruit more volunteers than you think you will need. This way, no one feels overworked. And of course, those volunteers will be able to pick up the slack in the event others don't follow through as expected. Have volunteer sign-up forms at every event and meeting your organization hosts.

Recruit a volunteer to be the volunteer coordinator - A strong communicator that will help assign and place volunteers would be the best choice. Some people are a natural for this key role.

Set realistic goals - Break those goals down into what's needed from each sub-group. Tell them the consequences of their participation as well as what could happen if they don't follow through. Let the volunteers know the importance of their roles and what's in it for them. Reward volunteers based upon their individual and group success.

Related Pages

School Fundraising Success - The three secrets of a successful school fundraiser - Motivating your sellers, offering high-quality products, and maximizing profit margins are the keys to your success.

Getting Started: Part 1 - The who, what, when, where, why, and how of a successful fundraiser.

Donor Recognition - How to use donor recognition to increase your capital campaign results.

Selecting the Right Fundraiser: Part 1 - Good advice to use on picking the right fundraiser for your group.

Successful Fundraisers - Boost results with organization, quality incentives, and sales preparation.

Organize School Fundraiser - Quick tips on organizing your school efforts by planning ahead.

Tried and True - These old standbys always produce good results for any-size group.

Sample Letter - Sample school event donation letter where you can insert your specific information.

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Ideas For Fundraisers

Art Raffle
Auction
Bake Sale
Band
Baseball
Bingo
Bowling
Bracelets
Brick
Candle
Candy
Candy Bar
Capital Campaign
Car Donation
Car Raffle
Car Wash
Cash Calendar
Casino Night
Cell Phone
Chair-ity Event
Charity
Charity Poker
Cheerleading
Cheesecake Calendar
Chinese Auction
Christian
Christian Event Ideas
Christmas Carols
Christmas Trees
Church
Church Festival
Church Fund Raisers
College
Cookbook
Cookie Dough
Corporate Grants
Cow Chip
Credit Card
Dance
Dance Team
Discount Cards
Donation Request
Donor Recognition
Earth Friendly
Easy
eBay
Event Tips
Events
Events - Part 1
Events - Part 2
Events - Part 3
Flower Bulbs
Flowers
Food Sales
For The Cure
Free
Fruit
Fun
Fundraising Sample
Gift Wrap
Golf Ball Drop Raffle
Golf Fundraiser
Golf Tournament
Grant Requests
Halloween
Healthy
Hockey
Home & Garden
Holiday Carnival
Individual
Inkjet Recycling
Internet
Jamba Juice
Jingle Bell Run
Jingle Bell Walk
Karaoke
Kathryn Beich
Krispy Kreme
Lip Sync
Location
Lollipop
Magazine
Mardi Gras
Merchant Plan
Mini Golf Tournament
Non-Profit
Pancake Breakfast
Photography
Pink Flamingo
Pizza
Pizza Hut
Political
Popcorn
Product Ideas
Promo
Publicity
Raffle
Raffle Prizes
Raffle Tickets
Relay For Life
Relay For Life Events
Rubber Duck
Sales Tips
Sample Thank You
School
Scratch Card
Scrip
Silent Auction Tips
Soccer
Softball
Spaghetti Dinner
101 Tips
Top Five
Tried & True
Tupperware
Valentines Day
Whiskey Tasting
Wine Tasting
Worlds Finest
Youth Group
Youth Sports