How to avoid wearing parents out with school fundraisers
In this economy, especially in California where I live, school
fundraisers are necessary to support school programs and make up for budget
cuts.Great school fundraisers prevent
many school programs from being scaled back or eliminated all together. There does come a point when parents and
students alike reach what I like to call “fundraiser burn-out”.This problem not only effects the parents who
are responsible for the majority of the work involved, but the neighbors and
relatives who get asked to purchase what seems to be a never ending supply of
magazines, cookie dough, candy and the like.It is no wonder why people reach fundraiser burn-out by this time of
year.
So, how can we avoid the dreaded fundraiser burn-out?
Here are a few tips that might help keep parents from
crashing and burning:
Don’t
do too many fundraisers.Many
schools do not even keep track of the fundraisers that are going on.There could be a school wide fundraiser
and multiple class fundraisers going on at the same time.Principals should monitor the
fundraising that is going on at all times and limit it to one school wide
fundraiser per semester.
Set goals
and reward those who do well. As with most successful programs,
fundraisers work best with defined goals.These should be written down and posted around the school.Also, reward the kids who sell the most
items.Kids want to be recognized
for their hard work, so don’t skimp on the prizes.
Research
what other schools are doing for their school fundraiser.You don’t want to be selling the same
thing as a school in your neighborhood.Also, ensure you have a unique fundraiser.There are many creative school fundraising
ideas out there, so find a good one and do it right.
Find
fresh volunteers.We all know there
is always a specific set of people who volunteer for everything.However, resist the urge to call on them
for every school fundraiser.Make
sure to ask for new volunteers often so you do not wear out your faithful
supporters.
Think
of some new creative school
fundraising ideas.Try to think
of things that don’t feel like a fundraiser to the parents.Art based school fundraisers are a good
example of school fundraising ideas that do not cause fundraiser burn-out
because the parents aren’t asked to “bug” their friends and family.
Find
other ways to add to your bottom line.Talk to your school
photographer to see if they will donate a percentage of their sales
back to support the school. Many school
photographers will offer other unique fundraising ideas
that will not compete with school fundraisers you are doing.
Never let fundraising distract you from your school’s
purpose, to educate the kids!I recently
heard of a school that was selling points that could be added to kid’s grades,
that is completely contradictory to everything a school stands for.Make sure you are honest and ethical in
everything you do because the kids will know if you aren’t.This is rarely an issue with schools as most educators’
primary focus is the wellbeing of the kids. Keeping these things in mind will ensure a successful school fundraiser
every time!
