7 Fundraiser Questions a Parent Letter Must Answer

Things your parents should know upfront about the sale.

Making sure that your sellers understand what's expected of them is very important to the overall success of your sale. The parent letter is the communication bridge between you and your parents. Without it, you'll probably be inundated with phone calls.

Instead, to make your life easier, you'll want to ensure that everyone knows about and follows the same procedure. Your parent letter should be an easy-to-follow guide that will answer the most basic questions about how your sale works.

What follows are seven fundraiser questions every parent letter must answer that will help keep your sale running smoothly:

1. What are we going to be selling?

Is it a large shopper or a brochure that features a single item? It's a good idea to reference the brochure's name and a short pricing summary.

2. What's the fundraising purpose?

Your parents want to know what the money will be used for. This should be highlighted towards the top of the letter.

3. How much are students being asked to sell?

Your parents will need to know how much they need to sell to achieve your purpose. Giving them a specific number to reach lets them know exactly what's expected.

4. How do we use the order form?

The parent letter should provide basic information for completing the order form. For student orders to be processed correctly, parents should be instructed to:

• Complete student information at the top
• Ensure that all printed orders are readable

5. Who do we make checks out to?

Parents need to be able to tell buyers who to make checks out to. The parent letter will instruct them to refer to your organization's name.

6. When will the fundraiser end?

Your parents will need to know when your sale will end. They should be instructed to submit their completed order forms and money collection envelopes by a specific date.

7. What are the prizes and incentives?

What can your students get for selling? Your parent letter should include information about your prize program and any additional incentives.

A well-organized and informative parent letter will help you avoid unnecessary fundraiser questions.

See our brochure fundraisers.

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.