Elementary School Fundraising Ideas for Great Kickoffs

Learn why the kickoff is critical and how to leverage it.

There's one thing that you have to get right about your fundraiser. It's your kickoff assembly. Also known as the 'launch' or 'start' meeting, this is where you can make your best case about your sale to your students.

You may have searched far and wide for the best elementary school fundraising ideas. After an exhaustive search, you've found it. You have a product that you feel everyone can relate to. People are going to want to buy it.

The prizes are going to be even better than ever. Last year's prize program was good, but not compared to what you have planned for this year. You're even using a multi-tiered approach. Every student has a chance to win prizes from your main prize program.

You've also added more prizes, like the top seller and the most sales made per grade. Even daily prizes are included. This strategy will get a lot of students excited. Why? Because everyone will feel they can win something.

Parents, teachers, administration, and even the community are on board. They understand the mission and the goal. You've had a lot of positive feedback. People are eagerly anticipating the start of the fundraiser.

As a result, you're hopeful. You expect a lot of sales over the next two weeks. You have a big goal and need things to go well. Combining a desirable product and exciting prizes will surely get the job done.

You think you've answered the right questions to reach a loftier goal this year. How are you going to get more students to participate? It will be a challenge, but you must get each student to sell more to hit your target.

But none of this matters as much as the kickoff assembly. Everything else is extra compared to your initial meeting with your students. You've done all the preliminary work. Now everyone needs to see the plan unfold. This is where you pull everything together and have it go off like clockwork. You'd better be prepared to hit it out of the park.

Those who've experienced elementary school fundraising ideas that work understand that students are their biggest asset. It's not the product or the prizes. Having your parents, teachers, and community on board is also great. But here's the most critical question you need to ask.

Will your students be passionate enough to send your message to their parents? And not only after the first day but throughout the sale. You'll have a lackluster sale without this connection between student and parent. Your students will drive your sale. They'll be the ones to convince their parents to make sales every day.

The key is to deliver a good sales pitch for this to happen. It's not just what you say but how you communicate it. Be confident and enthusiastic. This requires thinking through how you plan to convey information to your students. When preparing, here are three questions to get you started:

• What do students need to know about the fundraiser?
• In what order should I present the information?
• Are there more effective ways I can communicate specific points for a more significant impact?

There's Nothing Like a Strong 1st Impression

We're all familiar with the saying, "You only have one chance to make a first impression". This is so true, especially for elementary school fundraiser kickoffs. You only have one chance to impress your students. No pressure, but there are no do-overs.

So when it comes to your kickoff, you've got to make the most of your opportunity. You're not only a presenter; you're an actor. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience. No one wants to listen to someone with low energy speaking in a monotone.

After you've created your presentation outline, rehearse it. Practice makes perfect, so do it several times until it feels right. And be sure not to memorize your speech. This is a no-no. Instead, know your outline inside and out. It's ok to cover each point differently each time you rehearse.

Also, be sure to get feedback from other board members. This will ensure you don't leave anything out that needs to be conveyed.

Your kickoff is the first opportunity to make your case to your students. Communicate what they need to hear in a way they can relate to it. The pressure is solely on you to create the sales momentum you need to succeed. Your kickoff assembly needs to come across like a professionally choreographed production.

Remember, your kickoff meeting will give you the foundation and set the tone for your success. So take the time to make it right.

Great Elementary School Fundraiser Kickoffs Require Strategizing

"The devil is in the details". You need to think beyond the presentation to pull off an effective kickoff. What will lead up to your presentation, and what will come after it? Here are some questions you need to answer before your big day:

• Who's going to introduce the fundraiser? Consider having someone in authority, like the principal, do it. When the principal's involved, it must be important.
• When do you plan to introduce the prize program? A good place for this will be at the end of the assembly.
• How should you close out your assembly? Ask the principal to come back up and give some closing remarks.

Having a dress rehearsal before your kickoff is also a great idea. Allow plenty of time to set up and test any sound or video equipment.

More Elementary School Fundraising Ideas for Effective Kickoffs

Here are some extra fundraiser tips that can positively impact your kickoff:

• Have radio-edited music playing as students enter the assembly area.
• Speak with the principal in advance about introducing and closing out the assembly.
• If you're showing a video, use as large a screen as possible.
• Ensure you have a good sound system that can be heard throughout the room. Things are going to get loud.
• Plan to have someone dim the lights before starting any video.
• Get interactive during your presentation. But be sure and ask students to raise their hands when you ask a question.
• If you plan to show your incentives, have them initially covered up on a table in the front. Bedsheets work great for this. But ensure they're dark so no one can see what's underneath.
  • Reveal the prizes excitingly. Uncover them one at a time as you talk about them. This creates added expense.
  • Don't lose control. Be sure to rein students in after each exciting point. This way, everyone can hear what happens next.

Don't assume everyone will love your fundraiser just because of the prizes. If you want their support, you'll need to earn it.

Learn how to boost your elementary school fundraising profits by 300%

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.