One Page Guide to Fundraising Participation! Believe Kids Elementary School Fundraising

The One Page Guide to Fundraising Participation - Believe Kids Elementary School Fundraising

Hope you like it!

Ok, until next time!

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elementary school fundraising

Consolidation of the School Fundraising Business...

Let's talk the business side of school fundraising for a moment.

School Fundraising is changing.  The industry is being consolidated.  What this means is that there are no longer thousands of thriving fundraising companies.  The business has effectively shrunk to just a few key players - all of which are dealing with a new reality.

More groups fundraising more often.

This is causing participation in fundraising to fall.  In some cases, groups are finding it difficult to determine which fundraisers raise $1,000 vs. those that raise $10,000

In the confusion, some schools are contributing to the problem by adding other fundraisers to make up for losses on earlier ones. 

I believe it's the responsibility of fundraising companies to help groups navigate their fundraising strategy and create a plan.  Groups should be fundraising LESS but MORE EFFECTIVELY.

Letting a group know how much they should realistically make should help.  Groups fundraising without a reachable goal, are not succeeding. 

My hope is that fundraising companies will step up to provide better products and services and truly help the schools by letting them in on what to expect. 

Help Schools Succeed!!!

Ok, until next time!

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elementary school fundraising

The Challenge of Elementary School Fundraisers...

There's a distinct challenge with elementary school fundraisers today... 

7 Ways - Getting Parents to Participate! 

Before you host your next fundraiser, here are a few tips to getting more parents interested.

1) Make sure every parent knows why you are fundraising.
2) Have teachers send a note or email to parents asking for their help.
3) Send a preview notice home letting them know what WILL happen.
4) Use signage to get the attention of parents in drop off / pick up lines.
5) Have a reward for hitting a goal that kids will share with parents.
6) Reward parents who help out (think muffins for moms is we hit $xx in the fundraiser).
7) Have a principal email campaign, where the principal makes a plea for help.

Yeah, I pretty much just put what came to mind first and I'm sure I missed some.  Regardless, you can see that people will participate if the fundraiser becomes important!  Every one of these listed will increase the participation in the fundraiser by either encouraging or reminding parents of the fundraiser.

Ok, until next time!

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Keep the conversation going on twitter or facebook or below in the form of comments left on this blog.  If you like what you see, please share with others!  The direct link to this website is fundraising-advice.com or believejay.blogspot.com

Elementary School Fundraiser
School Fundraising Blog
Twitter.com/BelieveKids
Facebook.com/BelieveKids
Believe Wordpress Blog

Question? How Does Public Opinion Hurt School Fundraising Participation? Read This...

I think this is funny.

Take a look at this blog post when you get a chance.  It's pretty funny.  You'll notice something else if you read the comments too.  Lots of varying opinions and very few of them positive.  That's not funny.

The clincher for me is diana who encourages us to support Girl Scouts instead of a school.

The bottom line is that participation in fundraisers blows.  School fundraising companies have to go to extremes to encourage charitable contributions.  Schools desperately need money.  There's some serious issues there that need to be explored here but I'm done for today.  Here's the blog post I ran across:

An Angry Goose in My Kitchen and Other Reasons I Hate School Fundraisers

Ok, until next time!

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School Fundraising PLN
Catalog Fundraisers

Parents Need to Support Schools... Fundraising Companies Should Improve... Schools Need To Promote!

In the last few days, I've heard from some fundraising reps that the number of incentives required to effectively promote a fundraiser has gone up - way up over the years.

Incentives are intended to be a subtle encouragement during a school fundraiser, not a bribe.  I have been reminded that marketing and incentives can easily become overbearing.

There is also a fine line between encouraging sales and interruption and bribery.  The fundraising industry by and large, can effect change so parents will once again support fundraisers in large numbers.

The solution...


1) Parents need to participate in fundraisers.  It is really that simple.  They have to do so as part of a team. To work with the school, family and fundraising company to host one successful fundraiser.  This is how we achieve supremely effective fundraising that does not interfere with schooling or coerce students to participate.

Then, after one condensed successful fundraiser, don't spend the rest of the year fundraising, but rather having some fun, entertaining or educational activities and events.  Celebrate your successes by not fundraising multiple times throughout the year!

2) Fundraising companies need to improve to offer heavy-hitting fundraisers that can be school-wide successes so that schools do not need multiple fundraisers.  Fundraising companies also need to offer the type of quality products and services that leave parents happy.

3) Schools need to effectively portray the main fundraiser as the main fundraiser... put focus on it... make it important!  If 'save those box tops' is on the scrolling marquis before you launch your fundraiser, your main fundraiser of the year will not perform as well.

As you can see, the solution is not to offer more and more incentives.  The answer is to work together to make one fundraiser important.  By encouraging all parties involved to participate and asking them all firmly, amazing successes follow!

Ok, until next time!

__________


Keep the conversation going on twitter or facebook and please share what you see here with others!  The direct link to this website is fundraising-advice.com


Elementary School Fundriaser
School Fundraising Blog
Twitter.com/BelieveKids
Facebook.com/BelieveKids
Believe Wordpress Blog