Why School Fundraising Companies Are Awesome!

Fundraising awesome!

Fundraising companies are awesome!

Hey, you either think that fundraising companies are selfishly making money hand-over-foot or you know the truth.  Fundraising companies benefit only when schools raise money.


These days, anything that is not good or helpful or in demand, is going away. 



Think about the things that you love to do and support.  Well, if you didn't support them and the other folks that love them were to stop supporting them, what would happen?

Fundraising companies operate in margins that no brick and mortar or online retailer would bear. To provide a 40-50% cash payment to groups followed by paying for product, shipping expenses, prize programs, incentives, catalogs and order forms, websites, customer service and so much more would seem ludicrous.

So, if you have a good fundraising company, you will be earning significant funds.  Many times, this is above and beyond previous fundraisers dollars raised and in some cases, new fundraising records are achieved!

On top of the dollars raised being very substantial, kids should be satisfied - parents should receive quality goods at fair prices.  Customer support should be free and included and good.

If you find such a company, support them back because they're awesome!

Ok, until next time!

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school fundraisers

I'm Mad at You Because Your Fundraiser Stinks!

Ok, so I'm not really mad, but your fundraiser stinks!

No Excuses

As a busy parent, just like you, I want fundraisers that are effective and quick.  I want to minimize the confusion as I look through my kids papers.  I want to be clear about what's important to the school and my child's education.

Things today need to be condensed, the fluff removed.  There is no excuse for confusing issues surrounding my child's education.

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The Busy Parent

As a parent, the last thing you need is more interruption!  You don't have time to waste and if you do, you want to productively waste that time in ways you see fit - most likely strengthening your family relationships and not thinking about things that have little impact or relevance to your day.

The PTA Member

Parent group members are often swayed by how things feel.  For better or worse, decisions on fundraising are made in many cases without regard if the fundraiser will actually raise enough money and rarely is the amount of interruption or difficulty a factor in decision making.

The Fundraising Company

Fundraising companies offer all sorts of products and they all want to sell them to schools.  Fundraising companies, by and large, are not concerned with if a school hits it's fundraising goal.  The fundraiser itself can raise a certain amount of money.  Lollipops for example can only raise so much regardless of how they are promoted, but I bet if a school wanted to sell lollipops a company would sell them, even if they knew they had no chance of reaching their fundraising goals.

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Improving Fundraising

Parents

Parents can resolve themselves to helping when it is requested.  This works great right after you read the following paragraph.

PTA member

The PTA simplifies it's coorespondence with the parent allowing important requests to be important.  When it's time to ask for help, the parent group asks for help in a way that makes it clear, this is the one - this is the time to help.

PTA's must seek out fundraisers that work.  Ineffective fundraising should be reserved for after the main fundraiser and minimized wherever possible.

Fundraising companies

Fundraising companies can improve their products and services so that schools can continue to raise large amounts of money in just a few short weeks.

Just as importantly, I believe fundraising companies have a responsibility to work within the groups current school fundraising strategy to help them succeed.  This means that occasionally a fundraising company recommends a school not add another fundraiser.

If you like this sort of thing, please comment below or at twitter.com/believekids

Ok, until next time.

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school fundraisers

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

How Much Do Schools Get for Profit from the Fundraiser?

Every fall during fundraising season, several customers email me asking how much profit the school gets from the school fundraiser.  It's an interesting one because the question itself has meaning beyond it's original meaning.

People are looking for something more than just a percentage.

The question itself implies that the consumer is looking to find fault in what we do or to discredit it in some way.  It implies that the schools would be better off without a cut going to the fundraising company.  What they need is the confidence to purchase knowing that they are not being taken.  In a way it all makes sense.

There are two reasons for this in my opinion. 

The first is a down and dirty resistance to charitable giving.  More precisely, it's a response to being asked for something someone really didn't set out to do on their own.  It makes someone want to gain control back.  I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this but this is most commonly expressed in comments like... 'I'd rather give directly to the school'.  The key there is the 'I'd rather'.  It would seem that giving through the fundraiser or giving direct are the choices when really, there is no choice.  People are always able to give directly so the question is really just to support the fundraiser at hand or not.

Which brings me to the second reason.  There has to be a valuable exchange in which the school benefits and the fundraising company does not.  The fundraising company is very likely viewed as the bad guy - the necessary evil and they should not gain.  Why this is, I am not sure.  The fact is, people don't get all that bent out of shape with typical retail where companies profits are their own and they don't give the majority of their income away.   

What most people forget is that school fundraising isn't a matter of 50 cents on the dollar going to the school.  There are product costs and shipping and prizes and promotions and consulting and marketing materials and catalogs and order forms and websites and warehousing and a bunch of other stuff involved. There is consistency and security and trust too. 

Schools get a lot of benefits from using good fundraising companies.

Ok, until next time...


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school fundraisers

Teachers Hate School Fundraisers

It's pretty much a fact and it's understandable -Teachers hate school fundraisers!

They hate walk-a-thons, spell-a-thons and every other thon.  They hate product sales, spirit nights, auctions, carnivals, book fairs, bake sale, car washes and more.

I normally don't utter the word 'hate', but just broke my own rule to make a point.  The thing is, it's not these events in themselves that causes such strong feelings.  It's the fact that time in the classroom is just too valuable.

I suspect that assemblies, class photos and other distractions feel very similar to many teachers.

Fundraising companies today may be the solution to getting technology in the classroom.  Fundraising can provide books and supplies that teachers go without or pay themselves.  The reality is that one distraction is all it takes.

Teachers are not considering that a fundraising company could be their ally but when a fundraising company is committed to fundraising LESS but MORE EFFECTIVELY this can change.

I know a lot of teachers and they're not entirely embracing the fact that a fundraising company could be their ally when it comes to supplying what they need in the classroom.

But consider this...

If a teacher was asked to participate in ONE fundraiser and the profits would be there's to purchase supplies with, do you think they would change their tune?

I think so.

Now schools just have to discover the fundraisers that minimize distraction inside the classroom and the support from teachers will be there.

Ok, until next time!

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school fundraisers

School Fundraising Advice & Inspiration - 3 PTA Fundraising Essentials

You're PTA is planning a fundraiser.  Here's a quick 1,2,3 of what to consider BEFORE you make your final school fundraising decision.

1) What are your volunteer capabilities?  Fewer volunteers means product fundraising may be a better bet than events.  Product fundraisers do not need volunteers in the same way events do.  In fact, a core group promoting a product fundraiser is really all you need.

2) What fundraising product will you sell?  A Fall gift & wrap catalog is your best bet for high-dollar results.  Here is an example of a fall gift & wrap fundraising catalog (this is my company but please feel free to use any competitive alternative).  Frozen foods are a close second in terms of profitability for elementary school fundraisers.  Magazines are still a good option, particularly with middle schools.

3) Do you dare get multiple fundraising offers in writing?  There's not much by way of assurance that you are working with a great fundraising company until you ask a few simple, yet straightforward questions.  Ask what the average seller raises in retail sales, ask what participation rate you are likely to experience (based on past performance from that company) and ask what your profit percentage will be on those sales.  Based on that, you can relatively accurately determine how much you will earn through each of your potential fundraising companies.  Use that as part of your decision-making process.  If making money is a priority, the data you get will be very telling.


There you have it!  3 PTA fundraising essentials!

Ok, until next time!

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www.BelieveKids.com
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Believe Kids Elementary School Fundraiser Review

There's no real way to find out reviews of fundraising companies.  Believe Kids is a bit different in that respect.  Everything is a lot more out in the open.  Really, there's not much sense in trying to stay hidden these days with the social web.  I just think things are different nowadays.  So, things like the reviews and comments on the homepage of the school fundraising website, the Believe blogs, facebook, myspace and twitter page are all subject to comments.

Here's the Believe Kids elementary school fundraiser review from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).  Consider if your company, school, parent group or even your local community groups will really be able to hide in the shadows in the future.  There's just too much social web coming our way.  My guess is, with all the ways for people to share ideas, good companies will become great and bad ones just won't show up. 

Direct link:   

http://www.bbb.org/denver/business-reviews/fund-raising-games-merchandise-supplies/believe-productions-in-englewood-co-10003218?nostat

Ok, Until Next Time!

Why parents should support elementary school fundraising...

There is a business that supports elementary school fundraising.  It's not the biggest industry, and because most of what would be considered 'profit' goes to the schools and groups using the fundraiser, it's not the most profitable or attractive one either.

We know one thing is clear, schools need our help.

The thing is, parents should want the fundraising industry that supports elementary schools to be vibrant... alive and well.  They should support the companies and services developed for them that keeps fundraising fresh and new; effective and successful.

From what I hear though, parents would just like to write checks for less money than the sales they would make from their fundraisers and pay it themselves.  I guess that's fair enough.  Of course, the logic holds true more in times of prosperity, rather than in our current economic climate.  There are plenty of folks out there that can't just 'write a check' and even more that never get around to it.

Regardless, I hope parents begin to realize that many fundraisers go nationwide and by supporting fundraising companies, parents in essence share the responsibility instead of taking it upon themselves.

Instead of a parent writing a check that is really more of a fee, if many people were to contribute, the cost is shared and a community is a community. The community supports the needs of the schools.  I believe a reminder from time-to-time from our local school is the best way a school has to remind us that our neighborhood kids are important.

I hope parents come to realize that community support is the opposite of just paying a bill.  The industry is counting on it and I believe our children are as well.

Ok, until next time!

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Keep the conversation going at twitter.com/believekids
All this talk about support reminds me of spirit gear.
Fundraising pln

School Fundraising Contracts - Long-term Contracts Just Don't Make Sense

Hey, when you're considering signing on the dotted line, you may want to think twice about committing to more than one fundraiser at a time.

Here's my take:

1) Let the fundraising company do the work they need to to ensure your success.

2) You commit to providing the type of teamwork, planning and execution necessary to succeed.

If you have a quality partnership that creates sales, the fundraising company will want to work with you. If the fundraising company performs for you by offering profit, value and quality you will want to work with them...

I can't think of many other businesses that use long-term contracts still, but I know I personally expect an option to get out if I am not being taken care of in my business transactions.

Long-term contracts just don't make sense.  Let the results speak for themselves.

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Keep the conversation going on twitter - twitter.com/believekids
school fundraising companies
school fundraising blog

Sharing is Caring...

Here on my blog, I post mostly about how to make elementary school fundraisers more successful. The rest of the time, my goal is to help make fundraising easier and more respected.

Parents, teachers, PTA, PTO, PTSA, PTSO and other parent group members, school administration and principals are all welcome!  Fundraising companies and fundraising representatives are also encouraged to visit.  I believe in quality competition and cohesiveness within the fundraising industry.  Our ability to explore common goals encourages me daily.

So, here's my plea...

"Sharing is caring!" my Mom would exclaim as she raised three rambunctious boys.  I believe that today and hope you feel the same way. 

Please share this website address with someone involved with school fundraising in some way.  I think they'll have some fun too!

http://www.Fundraising-Advice.com

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Thanks so much!!! 

Strange Weird and Wacky School Fundraisers

Here's a fun Friday blog post for ya!  There are a lot of school fundraising ideas floating around out there and not all of them are reasonable, rational or even sane. 

Not sure how many people really take advantage of these fundraisers "on the fringes" so to speak but I just ran across a post about cow pie bingo or something like that.  They had a whole field marked off with squares to track all of the cow patties.

Hey, if it works for you great!  Not everyone is going to get it and that's just fine if it's your thing :)

I hear about strange fundraisers all the time.  Recently ran across a fundraising company that offers a mattress fundraiser and I'm sure if I started to really think about it I would remember some much stranger.  Oh yeah, cash for grades.  Yes, that was one fundraiser that got some negative attention last year.

Take a look at this one that discusses Alpaca Poop Fundraiser, Pink Flamingo Flocking and 'Slave for a Day' fundraisers.


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Planning a School Fundraiser? How to Walk the Fine Line Between Shocking and Savvy - LINK

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My advice for anyone throwing an off-the-beaten-path fundraiser is that if you must pick one, do so with it becoming a huge repeatable hit in the forefront of your mind.

Choose something that will resonate with your school or community personally, then try your darndest to make it a huge event that you can use to get press with and repeat every year.   If you can't make a lot of money, remember that there are already quite safe fundraisers out there that raise tens of thousands of dollars in just two weeks.  If you still insist then...

Make it a thing!  Make it an event to remember - and not for bad reasons.

Keep in mind that not all weird and wacky fundraisers will work. By hosting one, you are taking a risk.  Choose wrong and risk ridicule or worse.

Last year, a few duct tape fundraisers went bad as well.  Folks, cover your private parts with cardboard or the kids will have no choice but to tape over them. If you don't put the cardboard over you before taping, don't complain when things get weird.

School fundraiser goes awry - LINK

The trouble with the duct tape fundraisers lead to students being expelled and trouble with the law.  It's not worth it.

To sum it up, there are reasons fundraising companies exist and in many cases, save schools from embarrassment.  Be careful out there.  If you are on your own planning a fundraiser, look at all of the possible downsides before you jump right in.

You can contact me for insight anytime.

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Thanks for looking, sharing and commenting!  Feel free to let me know if you've hosted a strange fundraiser that has become a trend in your area!  On the flip side, have you hosted a bomb of a crazy fundraiser I should know about?

What School Fundraising Companies Won't Tell You...

We're pretty darn sure every school and PTA, PTO, PTSA, PTSO and all sorts of other groups get tons of fundraising offers every year. What if I told you there was a secret. Something that school fundraising companies don't want you to know.

Yes, there's a secret.

But first a bit of perspective. Fundraising companies want to sell their products or services. They aren't interested in if it's good for you, your school, your parent group or even your community. They have goods to sell, plain and simple.

So, what's the secret?



It's quite obvious that when presenting an offer, you want to put your best foot forward. This means that anything that is a negative will be hidden from view.

Here it is...

Fundraising companies that do not produce results will want to hide the following:

• The participation rate of students in their program
• The average sale of students in their program
• Profit margin, hidden fees, shipping cost etc.
• Your anticipated profit based on your school specifics
• Most frequent negative comment about their product or service



To cut to the chase, as a parent group member in a PTA, PTO, a school administrator or other group leader, it's your duty to uncover what is hidden beneath. A good fundraising company will tell you what to expect and how your sale should turn out. A low participation, low profit fundraiser will tell you that it's going to be easy and exciting for students and attempt to leave out the rest.

Why does all this matter?

You may want to have multiple revenue streams at your school so that have consistent fundraising and income but there's a bit of a problem. Parents will only participate in so many fundraisers before they pass on one.

If you have consistent fundraising going on, let's just hope they don't pass on your main fall heavy-hitting fundraiser!

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Jay Moneta is the Vice President of Believe Kids Fundraising and encourages any and all comments, suggestions and feedback here on this blog or via twitter - twitter.com/believekids

If you found this information helpful, please forward this on to someone who can benefit from the information and contact me via www.BelieveKids.com anytime.