What’s a Good First Fundraiser for New PTAs?

Simple fundraising ideas for new PTA groups.

You’re a newly formed PTA, possibly wondering what you should do for your first fundraiser. Should you start with a bang and offer something new and trendy? Or perhaps you should sell an already established product line that people in your community are familiar with.

As you can imagine, there are advantages and disadvantages to presenting unique items that haven’t been tried before. One advantage is that you may stand out; if your product is good enough, people will spread the word.

The downside, however, is that it may be risky, especially since your group is new and you may be inexperienced at fundraising. By selling unique items, you may niche yourself too much, thus narrowing your market. Here are some other things to consider.

Proven vs. New Fundraisers

Proven products will be familiar to most buyers, but they’re also sold quite a bit already by many groups. Many school fundraising companies recommend going with a tried and true product line as a first sale, especially for new groups; however, it’s essential to pick a time when other schools aren’t selling. This can sometimes be easier said than done. But since newly formed groups are often overwhelmed trying to get a handle on other things, the established fundraiser does help eliminate some potential uncertainties. Then, once you get some experience, you can consider other riskier but potentially more lucrative options.

Conduct a Buyer Survey

Before you decide on your first fundraiser, find out what was sold previously at your school. And if possible, go back at least five years. Perhaps you’ll find out about a sale that several people liked but, for whatever reason, got lost in the shuffle.

If you want to do your due diligence, survey your parents about what they want to sell. They may be tired of selling the same thing year after year, and a change may be in the works. It’s also good to find out what other schools in your area are selling. Your local PTA council can also be a great resource.

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.