3 Things to Ask Before Your Next School Fundraiser

What you need to know before your next sale.

If you want to reach your goal, you must do some effective planning before and during your sale. If you merely hand out your student fundraising packets and expect them to go out and sell, don't be surprised by your lack of results.

Some sponsors mistakenly feel that the purpose of the sale should be enough to inspire their students to sell. While this is important, don't assume it will be enough. Nevertheless, you usually get out what you end up putting in.

Here are three questions to ask before your next school fundraiser:

1. Did We Establish Our Fundraising Goal?

This may sound obvious; however, it isn't so straightforward for many sponsors. Some organizations need to raise money, yet they don't feel that establishing a purpose is necessary. They believe that once they have the money, they will figure out how to spend it.

This is backward thinking. Every fundraiser should have a specific purpose; once that's established, the money needed to achieve it can be determined. Many people won't support a fundraiser unless they know where the money will be spent. This also allows you to establish trust and accountability. Once people see that the money was spent where it was intended, they will be more likely to support future campaigns.

2. How Will We Communicate It to Our Students?

Once you have established your goal, you will need to communicate your goal to everyone. Use your kickoff to discuss this with your students and ensure your parent letter gets home to your parents.

3. How Will You Help Them Reach It?

Ensure your students work towards your goal by reminding them to sell daily. Elementary school-wide fundraisers usually make daily announcements over the intercom. Some schools take it further by incorporating periodic prize drawings into their announcements. If you are a high school group, you can track your fundraising progress by asking your students to show you their order forms at various times during the sale. High school students can also receive various incentives, like the money game, during check-in dates.

As you can see, establishing your goal is only the beginning. It's going to take work on everyone's part to achieve it.

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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.