Why your fundraising incentives need an overhaul.
Many people are tired of the same yearly elementary school fundraiser prize programs. Are there any incentive plans that both parents and students can get excited about? Unfortunately, parents roll their eyes once they see the prize brochure inside the student packet.
Students are eager to sell right after the kickoff, but many parents have mixed feelings. They know they can buy something similar at the dollar store, yet they don't want to disappoint their child. After all, they can justify it because the money raised returns to the school. But perhaps you may be considering other options for the following reasons:
Parent Apathy about Fundraising Prize Plans
Since the parents usually do most of the selling, it's easy to see why they don't want to participate. Even though their children may initially be excited about the prizes, is that reason enough for parents to sell, regardless? Some will, but most don't. It's no wonder that many schools report participation as low as 15-20%. There may be other reasons for the low participation rate; however, uninspiring prize programs appear to play a significant role.
Fundraiser Incentives Discourage Most Students
Are students tired of the same prize programs most school fundraising companies offer? Many older students would probably say yes. They've learned over time that they must sell many items out of their brochure to win bigger and better prizes. They eventually discover the same thing that their parents already knew. The cheaper prizes at the lower levels aren't worth selling for, and the better prizes are too hard to obtain.
Prize Programs Target Younger Sellers
Parents of younger primary-age students carry out most elementary school sales. These parents are still relatively new to the school and are usually more willing to help. Their children are naively excited about the prizes and thus push their parents to sell.
It appears that most fundraiser prize programs are geared more toward younger students. Just think, what could happen to your sales if everyone became excited?
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.