How to Ensure Safe Fundraisers

A guide to putting safety first with your next school fundraiser.

A lot of time is spent on selecting the perfect brochure that we think people will be more apt to buy out of. We look at the pricing, selection, and even how the cover’s designed. Seller motivation is essential, so we’re seeking the best prize program. Top seller prizes are included because motivating students to sell as much as possible is essential.

Sometimes we get so caught up in all the planning needed for a successful sale that we assume that safety is already a priority. Above anything else, your students need to understand that their safety is most important. Here are some things that you’ll want to enforce at your kickoff to ensure safe fundraisers:

Don’t Sell to Strangers

How often have we talked to our kids about not talking to strangers? It’s almost become cliché. Despite our preaching, some will do it anyway because they want to make sales. However, not only is safety a concern, most strangers won’t buy from students anyway. They’ll have much greater success talking to people that they already know. It may be a good idea even to encourage them to make a list of names of neighbors, family, and friends that they can approach.

Not only should you encourage your students never to go out selling alone, but this message must also get through to your parents. Reinforcing this throughout your fundraiser is also essential.

Ask Parents to take the Brochure to Work

Most sponsors will stress the importance to their students to ask their parents to take the brochure to work at the kickoff. However, how many do? Just ask your top sellers because they’re successful at it. Now imagine if you could get more of your students to convince their parents to help.

Make Fundraising Sales Online

Many schools realize the vast potential to make significant money through online selling. It’s not uncommon for sponsors to bring in several thousand. Sellers can easily ask friends and family from around the country to support their school by purchasing from an online store. Online selling needs to be emphasized to students as well as parents. Make sure that students are practicing internet safety by only going online under the supervision of a parent or guardian.

Safe fundraisers aren’t just about discouraging certain sales; they can help sellers become more productive.

What are some creative ways that you’ve been able to convince your group that safe selling is the more effective approach?

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.