How to Ensure an Easy Fundraiser Delivery

How to ensure a smooth fundraiser delivery.

Your order has been processed, and it's ready to ship. So how can you ensure that you have an easy fundraiser delivery?

The first step is to schedule your delivery date with the school catalog company. Once your order is ready to ship, you should receive a 'schedule delivery' email or phone call. In some cases, you may even be able to request a morning or afternoon delivery.

For example, if you're dealing with frozen food, you may want an early afternoon delivery so your boxes aren't sitting out too long before they're picked up. The company will then note your request in the shipping paperwork.

Once you've set up your date, you'll want to let everyone know when their orders will arrive. It is also essential to have time to recruit people to help sort the students' boxes before pick up. So what should you do to prepare for your delivery? Here are some more tips on effectively preparing for your delivery.

Recruit Extra Volunteers

Make sure to recruit extra help to sort your seller's boxes. Most companies contract with common carriers that are only instructed to bring your order inside the closest available door. You may even run into an occasional company that won't take the boxes off the truck. Once the orders are inside, we recommend sorting the boxes by grade and class to make the distribution process easy and efficient.

Prepare Your Delivery Location

Ensure you've cleared a relatively large and reasonably secure area for your order inside your school. Most sponsors find that the cafeteria stage or gym works well. Ensure that your order pickup location will be easy to access for those picking up the orders. Also, send home delivery notices that let people know when and where to pick up their boxes.

Verify Your Fundraising Order

The bill of lading confirms what's delivered and must be signed by someone at the school before the driver leaves. Before you sign, make sure to inspect the integrity of your order. If you have any damaged boxes, you must note them directly on the bill of lading for your records. This way, if any damaged items are inside the boxes, the shipping company will be held responsible. This is why we recommend that you're physically present at your delivery. Otherwise, someone in the front office will sign off on the delivery without knowing any possible issues.

Check Student Boxes

Some companies provide a toll-free number for parents to call if they have any missing or damaged items. Other companies recommend that you check the boxes before they leave the school and report back any discrepancies within a certain period. Some schools will leave it up to the parents to report any problems. Regardless, if there's a problem with an order, the company must make it right.

As long as you know what to expect and plan for your fundraiser delivery, your experience should be quick, smooth, and accessible.

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.