How to Organize a Brochure Fundraiser for Your High School Band Booster Program

Band programs have real costs: uniforms, instruments, music, travel, and competitions. For many boosters, a brochure fundraiser is a dependable way to cover them, because every band family can share the brochure with relatives, neighbors, and coworkers, and the product arrives without anyone having to guess how much to order. But a brochure fundraiser has more moving parts than a quick direct sale, and a plan makes the difference between a smooth sale and a stressful one. If you are collecting fundraising ideas for band boosters, this is one of the most dependable.

This guide walks you through organizing a brochure fundraiser for a band booster program, step by step. If you are still weighing options, see band fundraisers, booster club fundraisers, and our marching band fundraiser ideas. Big Fundraising Ideas has supported school brochure fundraisers since 1999.

How a Brochure Fundraiser Works for a Band

In a brochure fundraiser, your band members distribute brochures to friends and family in person. After viewing the brochure, people add their choices to an order form, and the money is collected. At the end of the sale, the order forms and money go to the booster club, which submits the order. The product is delivered later, and your volunteers sort it so every student can hand out the orders they took.

From Big Fundraising Ideas' Otis Spunkmeyer product page. Confirm current terms before you order. The product is frozen, and ingredients vary by flavor.

Step 1: Get Approvals and Define the Purpose

• Talk with Your Band Director: Agree on the goal, the dates, and how the fundraiser fits the performance and competition calendar.
• Check Your Policies: Confirm what your school or district and your booster bylaws require for fundraisers, including how money is handled and how any student accounts or fair-share rules work, since these vary.
• Name the Purpose: Uniforms, instruments, music, travel, or competition fees. Families respond better when they know the purpose.
• Get the Board's Vote: Record the decision so the plan is clear. See how to form a booster club and training for new booster club officers.

Step 2: Build Your Fundraising Committee

A brochure fundraiser needs a few clear roles. Small bands can combine them, but the money team should always have at least two adults.

These are the typical fundraising committee roles and responsibilities for a band booster program. For more on parent involvement, see How to Get Parents to Support Your School Fundraiser and the Booster Fundraising Guide.

Step 3: Set Your Goal and Per-Member Targets

Start with what you need, and work backward. Here is how the Otis Spunkmeyer fundraiser works out at about $8.80 profit per item, for three goals and three band sizes:

Total items equals the goal divided by $8.80, rounded up. Retail sales needed equals the goal divided by 40%—illustration only, before fees.

For comparison, Big Fundraising Ideas' example has 60 participants selling 10 items each at about $22, for $13,200 in sales and $5,280 in profit at 40%. For help setting a realistic target, see how to set realistic fundraiser goals and the fundraiser goal setting guide.

Step 4: Choose the Program and the Dates

• Cookie Dough: The Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser has no order requirements and an online store. See how much a school can make.
• Seasonal Brochures: Browse fall fundraising and spring fundraising brochures, including kitchenware, home accessories, gift wrap, and personalized gifts.
• Frozen Food: See frozen food fundraisers.
• Allergens: Otis cookie dough contains milk, wheat, soy, and eggs, and some varieties contain nuts or peanut butter, so tell families up front.

Work Backward From Your Deadline

Subtract the sale length and the delivery time from the date you need the product, and add a buffer. This example assumes you want the product in hand by Friday, December 11, 2026:

An example only. Confirm delivery windows with the team, and adjust for your own calendar.

Step 5: Hold a Band Kickoff

• Explain the Purpose: What the money pays for, and how much each member is aiming to sell.
• Show the Process: How to fill out an order form, where the money goes, and how to use the money collection envelope.
• Practice: Role-play a short pitch and a polite response to a no.
• Share the Incentives: What members can earn, and when.
• Send a Parent Letter: With the dates, the goal, and a contact for questions.

See exciting fundraiser kickoff steps for more ideas.

Step 6: Run the Sale

• Check In: Ask members at rehearsal how they are doing, a few days in, at the midpoint, and in the final days.
• Track Progress: Use the sales tracking sheet and a fundraising thermometer.
• Add Incentives: Big Fundraising Ideas offers sportswear and cash prize programs that suit bands and boosters, and additional incentive ideas can add more.
• Keep Students Safe: Students should sell with an adult or in groups, and follow school policy. See school fundraising safety tips.
• Keep It Inclusive: Offer an online store for families who prefer not to sell in person, and see Inclusive Fundraising for Schools.

For more on involving every member, see How to Improve School Fundraiser Participation.

Step 7: Collect Orders and Money Safely

1. Set Turn-in Times: Choose a day and place, such as rehearsal, for turning in order forms and money.
2. Count with Two Adults: Count and record the money together, and match it to the order forms.
3. Review Forms: Check for missing information before the order is submitted.
4. Deposit Promptly: Follow your booster and district rules.
5. Submit the Order: Send the order forms and sales report as directed, and keep copies.
6. Pay the Invoice: See how a school gets paid after a fundraiser.

Step 8: Plan Delivery Day

• Storage: Arrange freezer space or a short pickup window.
• Sorting: Recruit volunteers to sort student boxes alphabetically by last name and by band class, for example.
• Pickup: Tell families the time and place, and set up a table at a rehearsal or concert.
• Problems: Report any missing or damaged items to the team promptly.
• Thank Everyone: Announce the total raised, thank the families, and share what the money will pay for.

For more, see School Fundraiser Delivery Tips.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Is a Brochure Fundraiser Right for Your Band?

A brochure works well as a school band fundraiser when your families have networks to share the brochure with. You can even plan five to six weeks. If you need money faster, direct-sale options finish sooner. For a comparison, see catalog fundraisers versus candy bars. For terms, see no-upfront-cost fundraisers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Band Booster Brochure Fundraisers

How do you organize a brochure fundraiser for a band booster program?

Get approval from your band director and administration; appoint a fundraising chair and a small committee; set a goal and a per-member target; choose a brochure program and dates; hold a student kickoff; run the sale with regular check-ins; handle orders and money with two adults; and plan delivery day. Work backward from the date you need the product.

How much can a band raise with a brochure fundraiser?

Use members times items per member times profit per item. For the Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser, which lists about $22 per item and 40% profit ($8.80 per item), an 80-member band selling 15 items each earns about $10,560. In Big Fundraising Ideas' own example, 60 participants selling 10 items each bring $13,200 in sales and $5,280 in profit.

Who should be on a band booster fundraising committee?

A fundraising chair, a co-chair, a kickoff lead, a money team of at least two adults, the booster treasurer, a communications lead, a delivery coordinator, and a liaison to the band director. Small bands can combine roles, but the money team should always have at least two adults.

How long does a brochure fundraiser take?

Plan for about five to six weeks from kickoff to delivery for the Otis Spunkmeyer fundraiser: a two-week default sale, plus delivery about three to four weeks after the order forms are submitted. Add a buffer for collecting and counting money.

When should a band booster club start a brochure fundraiser?

Start by subtracting the sale length and the delivery time from the date you need the product. For example, to have the product in hand by December 11, submit order forms by November 13 and start the sale by October 30.

How do you keep band students motivated to sell?

Explain what the money pays for, set a clear target for each member, check in on sales regularly, and add incentives beyond the basic prize program. Big Fundraising Ideas offers sportswear and cash prize programs that suit bands and boosters, and no-cost privileges and group goals can also help.

How do you handle fundraiser money safely?

Give each student a labeled money-collection envelope; have two adults count and record the money together; match it to the order forms; and deposit it promptly per your booster and district rules. Never leave cash with one person.

What should a band booster club do about storing products on delivery day?

Cookie dough arrives frozen, so plan freezer space or a quick pickup before the order arrives. Recruit volunteers to sort orders by student and tell families the pickup time in advance.

Can band families who do not want to sell still take part?

Yes. An online store lets relatives anywhere order without a student having to sell in person, and a donation page lets supporters give directly. Keep participation optional, and make sure cost never keeps a student out of band.

Is a brochure fundraiser the best fundraiser for a high school band?

It works well when your families have networks to share the brochure with, and you can plan for five to six weeks. Direct-sale options such as candy bars or scratch cards finish faster. Compare the work, timeline, and profit before you choose.

Need more info? Reach out today for a FREE consultation with an expert. Contact Big Fundraising Ideas or call (866) 980-9930, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST.

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.