25 Great Fundraising Tips! From incentives to marketing, here are some essential tips for making your school fundraiser a success!

1. tips & ideas
for fundraising

2. tip
s&
Choose the right fundraiser ide
1 for your group.
The most important consideration in fundraising is
to choose the right fundraiser for the group.
Take your time. Choosing the right fundraiser
allows for financial goals to be reached while
as
making parents happy.
Use a reputable fundraising company.
2 Finding the right fundraising company can be intimidating. Talk to
other people, talk to several companies and get multiple offers in
writing up-front before deciding. Research your options on the
internet, request information, make calls and check references!
Represent value
3 & quality.
Not all fundraising products
are created equal. Choose
only quality products that add
value! Don't try to peddle
fundraising items that are not
quality. Present yourself with
pride and respect and your
customers will appreciate it.
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3. tip
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ide
Reduce number of fundraisers as
4 Don’t stretch yourself too thin with smaller fundraisers
with low profit margins. The best way to hit a fundraising
goal is to have one main fundraiser and put all your
effort behind it. In preparation of this heavy-hitting
fundraiser, downplay the fundraisers that won't make a
big impact on the group.
Ditch the little guys
5 Successful fundraising groups have made the decision to
do away with fundraisers that don't perform well. Instead
of always appearing to have a hand out, these groups let
parents know that they expect participation in one main
fundraiser. Although it may seem hard to turn down free
money, statistics show that getting rid of the smaller
fundraisers will increase your overall fundraising revenue
and prevent “fundraising fatigue.”
Market heavy-hitters
6 Use every opportunity to let parents know
you request their participation in your
main fundraising efforts. Instead of
focusing limited time and resources on
small fundraisers, take that opportunity
SCHOOL - W I D E
FUNDR A I S E R
NEXT W E E K ! !
to let them know that you are limiting the
number of fundraisers so that everyone
will participate in the main fundraiser.
Mention this main fundraiser often
before and during the fundraiser!
HINT: There is no substitute for getting the word out!
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4. tip
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Focus your efforts ide
7 When you are ready, make a list of the items you will
focus on. Put the most impactful efforts at the top of
the list. When the time comes to get the fundraiser
underway, focus your efforts towards creating
fundraising success! Don't let anything distract you
as
from holding one successful fundraiser per semester.
8
Incentivize students
Prizes, silly contests, drawings and
school-wide glory are all huge motivators
for students. Giving gifts and recognition
doesn't have to cost a lot. Creating
excitement will ensure that kids get
involved to help their school!
Ideas - Cumulative student prize
programs, ice cream parties, extra recess,
lunch with the principal, classroom pizza
party, drawing for a bike or other fun item.
Incentivize teachers
9 Reward the teachers for participating and they will help fuel the
excitement of the fundraiser. Some fundraising companies will
provide free product to teachers that help support the efforts of
the kids. Not recognizing the influence teachers have on the
success of a fundraiser is a mistake. A teacher can have fun with
it or put a negative spin on it depending. Give them something to
be happy about whenever possible.
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5. tip
s&
Incentivize Parents ide
10 Parents need motivation too. It’s crucial that they
understand the importance of this fundraiser – i.e. what
the money is going towards, why it’s necessary, what
impact it will have on their child. Parents ultimately say
as
'yes' or 'no' to the fundraiser when it comes home and we
know they often get out there and help get sales
themselves – so incentivizing parents so they will get
involved is the best way to make the fundraiser a success.
Ideas - If possible, offer student prizes that also appeal to parents.
Provide a special offer to parents, have a drawing for participating in the
fundraiser and make it easy for relatives to purchase items online. Offer
quality products to make parents look good!
Involve the community
11 The community will rally around a school if they know the school
needs help. They do not have to have children going to the
school, they just need to know that their local community needs
their help. If there is a way to get the point across that they are
needed, they will step up and help. Society is built on giving
and support for others, so get out there into the community and
let them know you need their help!
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6. tip
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ide
Keep it simple as
12 The quickest way for students, teachers and parents to lose
interest in a fundraiser is to make it confusing. Be
straightforward in your goal and how you are going to reach
it. Set an expectation for each parent so they know what
they are responsible for raising. Keep the fundraiser to two
weeks and offer only easily understandable incentives.
Involve the Principal
13 Make sure the Principal is as excited and
is willing to get everyone else involved.
Have them offer up a challenge to the
school - In exchange for meeting a goal,
Ideas - Shave head, tape
to wall, throw an ice
cream social for the
school. The more
the principal or another favorite teacher incentives, the better the
will do something silly. A good head fundraiser! One of the
shaving will create all the excitement most successful
needed! Statistics show that when the incentives we’ve seen
principal is supportive, sales soar! Don't was sitting in a tree for a
forget to have them send a note about the day - Just about anything
fundraiser to their Principal s email list!
Principal’s fun will work!
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7. tip
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Kick it off as
14 Host a fun school spirit assembly or party to kick off the
event. It will energize everyone and give you a chance to
explain the goal and mission of the event. A favorite teacher
in the school is usually your best option but there are
professional entertainers that can really bring the
excitement up a notch. Regardless of how big of a deal you
make the fundraising kick-off, make it fun and remember
that anything you do will be better than just sending the
fundraising information home without letting the students in
on how to participate.
Announce, Announce,
,
15 Announce
Don’t catch your school by surprise and
cause a lot of undue stress. Get people
excited about the fundraiser months
e
before the actual fundraiser. Let everyone
one
know when the fundraiser takes place,
what is expected and when to turn in
materials. There is no substitute for
getting the word out on the fundraiser!
Use morning announcements, email,
printed newsletters, signs & banners,
reminder notices, etc. to communicate. .
Fundraising Tools
16 Your fundraising company should have a set of tools available for you
to market the fundraiser with and make running the fundraiser
e
easier. Use these tools. Chances are, anything a fundraising
company is providing is done so because they work - so hang
posters and use promotions offered to you wherever possible.
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8. tip
s&
Daily incentives ide
17 Giving out prizes everyday keeps the momentum up
throughout the whole fundraiser. Good fundraising
companies can provide items at no cost for you to use to
increase excitement surrounding the fundraiser during the
as
fundraiser. Look for a promotion that encourages students
to report sales daily!
Make it exciting - Raffles
18 & other drawings
When you compare fundraising companies,
ask what raffle or drawing prizes they will
provide and get it in writing. You can always
add some additional prizes besides the ones
offered through your fundraising company as
well. Use the intercom system to reward
students daily with these prizes. It's quite
natural for excitement to fade a bit over the
course of the fundraiser, and a drawing can
rejuvinate everyone’s spirit and get them
back on the right track!
Ideas - Bikes, electronics, toys and games. If
you have time, get some local businesses to
donate gift cards or services.
Timing is important
19 The time of year you host your fundraiser is critical. Don’t schedule the big
fundraiser right before vacation or holidays. Make sure not to schedule a
main fundraiser around some other fundraising effort (such as a book
fair). Don’t have it drag on for a whole month, you’ll lose enthusiasm and
your momentum.
HINT: Consider starting your fundraiser as soon as possible to beat other
groups ‘out of the gate’!
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9. tip
s&
20 ide
as
Participation is key
A good fundraiser requires the
21
participation of students, parents and
administration. Participation is where
your level of success will be decided. It's
hard to imagine what would happen if
nearly every parent participated. There
are schools that have mandatory
fundraisers and have the highest Don't confuse the issue.
success rates. On the flip side, schools If you are hosting a fundraiser, host a
that don't set goals and put in minimal fundraiser - Put your expectations out there
effort usually have very few participants and focus your efforts on succeeding. If you
and small profits. Even an increase in are hosting an event that is not a fundraiser
ten students could equal a thousand first, don't make your fundraising efforts
dollars in additional fundraising money. obvious. Say for instance you are hosting a
Just a little bump in participation equals safety fair. Do not call it the 'Safety Fair
a large amount of money back to the Fundraiser' for instance. Keep your money
school so every single student counts! making efforts to a minimum. The point is,
you shouldn't appear to always have a
hand out. Save your money requests for
when you really need the money.
22
The importance of asking for what you need
Set clear expectations. Be very clear to students and parents about the goal of
your fundraisers. It's ok to set high expectations too as long as you don't always
have a hand out. Make your request clear. There is proof that if you ask for what
you really need, you will get it. Don't feel like you have to hide the facts. If you
need $80 per family, for instance, let it be known.
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10. tip
The education behind the s&
ide
23 fundraiser - teaching safety
Fundraisers also provide a good opportunity for students to
learn about the safety and etiquette of selling, math, handling
money and the importance of community. These days,
as
however, fundraising companies do not recommend door
-to-door sales. Point out who kids can safely sell to and make
sure parents accompany children to neighbors houses.
The importance of online efforts
24 Don’t forget about internet sales for remote relatives and friends.
As Internet shopping has increased in popularity so have
fundraising sales online. Use a company that has a solid online
presence to attract sales from out-of-state family and friends.
Wrapping it up - Delivery,
25 pos
post sale issues
When your sale is over, get your fundraising
order placed right away. Because orders have to
be processed on the fundraising company end,
pro
you w want to get the orders in as soon as
will
possib
possible to avoid any possible delay. Use
tracki
tracking and reports to stay 'in the know' about
your s
sale and make sure to keep a cool head
when it comes to damaged and missing items.
When a lot of product is sold, chances are good
somet
something will be damaged or missing. A good
fundraising company will have a system in place
fundra
to make this process simple and you should not
ma
have to do anything. Most product fundraising
t
companies will replace chocolates, even if they
compa
were eeaten on the bus!
8
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11. ab
ou
Believe Kids is not tu
your average fundraising s
company. Regardless of
whether you use us or another
company, we will provide any
information we can to help you succeed.
Please get in touch with us if we can answer
any question, big or small.
Phone: 1-877-7-BELIEVE (1.877.723.5438)
Colorado: (303) 200-1290
Email: Home@BelieveKids.com
Website: www.BelieveKids.com