4 Goal Setting Strategies for Your School Fundraiser

Set sales goals that get big results.

School fundraisers are fueled by successful goal setting, which involves an ongoing process of planning, executing, and evaluating. Goal setting is a major component before, during, and after the school fundraiser, and it sets a tone for expectations, engagement, and performance.

While many of us are excellent at crunching the numbers to reach a dollar goal, we might neglect other goal-setting strategies that help us reach key stakeholders in the school fundraising process.

Consider these strategies when setting goals and objectives for your fundraisers this year.

Keep the Kids in Mind

Consider what the students care about when setting fundraising goals for your campaign. By setting goals that mean something to the children, they will feel more inclined to push themselves to reach their goals and get involved. Speak in the language they will understand by emphasizing the following:

• what’s fun about fundraising;
• any aspects of individual or class fundraising competition; and
• what they can get by participating.

In addition to practical impact, ensure the goal is accompanied by an exciting theme that will make students more enthusiastic about raising money. Kids may not fully understand the meaning behind the dollar goal, so by appealing to their interests, you can engage their most valuable asset: energy!

Engage the Community

When setting goals for your school fundraiser this year, consider how you can leverage resources outside the school to increase fundraising success. Make it a key part of your strategic planning to reach out to businesses, community organizations, and other interest groups.

Community engagement is a crucial aspect of any fundraiser. Businesses are often looking for valuable opportunities to get involved and show their support for community endeavors. Enlist some volunteers to canvass the local small business community and get local businesses to offer support through match programs and student incentives. You might even find it valuable to set a specific goal for community philanthropy not associated with your product or brochure fundraiser sales.

Break Big Goals into Smaller Parts

Many will feel overwhelmed by the prospect of a five-figure fundraising goal when attempting to reach their school fundraising goal. Goals this big introduce paralysis since any member feels their contribution will be inadequate to make a dent. Work around this by using a strategy of setting smaller goals. Consider:

• Setting smaller dollar goals for each grade level.
• Setting an attainable item goal for each student.
• Starting with a major contribution from a corporate sponsor to begin the school fundraiser with momentum.

This factor focuses on increasing the “A” in SMART goals: attainability. You’ll likely see increased participation and, therefore, in dollars raised when you break big goals into smaller parts.

Setting Non-Monetary Goals

School fundraisers are about the money. To reach your monetary goal and raise the money your school needs, you’ll need the support of your entire community. When you also set non-monetary goals, you can appeal to other sources of motivation that can fuel success and engage a wider audience of participants. Consider articulating goals for different types of involvement, such as the highest sales volume or highest-class participation.

Incorporate any or all of these into your school fundraising goal-planning and reap the rewards of innovative thinking.

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.