School Fundraising Ideas that Prevent Seller Fatigue

Derail school fundraising burnout with these proven ideas.

You can almost feel it in the air… school fundraising season is in full swing. And it's time for extracurricular groups to raise funds, too. It feels as though parents are being asked to buy and sell food, trinkets, and gifts or donate their time almost every week. And with so many requests, parents and teachers eventually start to feel resentful. And some parents will ignore pleas for help altogether.

Situations like this could lead to fewer dollars coming in, which could lead to more fundraisers, which then leads to… well, you know. It's a cycle that inevitably causes what is known in the nonprofit world as fundraising burnout. According to the Civil Society, fundraising burnout is marked by exhaustion, ineffectiveness, and cynicism. Sound a little familiar?

Put the brakes on fundraising burnout

Finding the right school fundraising ideas isn't a chore if you know where to look. And parents and teachers don't have to feel exhausted by them either. Fundraising burnout can be avoided. It could be as simple as schools reducing the number of fundraisers and making them more efficient and productive. With this tactic, plus a few more ideas, schools can put the brakes on burnout for parents, teachers, and students.

So, we got you if you're wondering what it takes to have a more efficient and productive school fundraiser.

Tips to help avoid the fatigue

Check what's going on in your community

It’s hard to schedule a fundraising event that doesn’t conflict with events from other groups. However, it pays to schedule yours when there isn’t a scheduling conflict. Do a little research, find out what’s happening in your community, and plan accordingly.

Keep your events fun and fresh

Burnout at the fundraising committee level is real. It’s easier to rinse and repeat an event than develop new fundraising ideas—especially if it was successful. After all, parent group members often are volunteers, too. Think about using a fundraising company. They have great programs to infuse a sense of fun and adventure into your next fundraiser while increasing revenue. It’s worth checking out.

Set a plan with the principal

If your principal isn’t already involved, get them on the job. Principals who play a vital role in the school fundraiser can decide whether a fundraiser succeeds.

Involve teachers and keep them in the loop

Teachers are also crucial to the success of your fundraisers. But they, too, are strapped for time. Make it easy on them and keep them informed and involved at every step. PTO Today is a good resource for help. Check out this letter template you can send to teachers at the beginning of a catalog sale.

Let parents know the impact of their involvement

Engaged parents may not realize how their efforts affect their children. More specifically, a 2012 research study showed that parental involvement significantly affects academic performance. So, it often pays to put parent involvement first.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.