2 Drawbacks to School Fundraiser Prize Programs

What you should know about your students' prize program.

School fundraiser prize programs are supposed to motivate students to get out and sell. Once they learn about the prizes at the kickoff, many students can't wait to talk to their parents about the sale. At least this is what you're hoping for. Unfortunately, the excitement often wanes once they realize how much they must sell to win better prizes.

Most elementary school brochure programs attempt to motivate their students with more traditional toys and gadgets. Even though schools have been using them for years, there are drawbacks associated with these incentives.

1. The Better Fundraising Prizes are Untouchable

With traditional prize programs, the less desirable prizes can be found at the lower levels, while the better prizes are more challenging. Analyze any school's results, and you'll find that most students won't sell beyond the first prize level. Why is that? It's mainly because they realize that getting to the higher levels will be too much work once they start selling. Disappointment sets in as most students are forced to readjust their expectations.

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2. Past Experience with Prize Programs Breeds Complacency

Have you ever wondered why your older students don't sell as much as your younger students do? Many people think younger students and parents are enthusiastic and are thus more willing to get involved with school-related activities. Even though this is partially true, it doesn't tell the whole story. Student excitement drives sales success more than anything else. Once older students have been exposed to enough of these prize programs, they already know what to expect. They understand they won't be winning the bigger prizes that the younger students are so naively excited about.

So, if it isn't broken, why fix it? Many sponsors are afraid to venture out of the safe and familiar. They think they have a sure thing every year by sticking with the same fundraising prize program. The prizes are updated yearly, but the concept remains the same. Get as many students excited about selling as possible, hoping that some will. The problem is everyone already knows what to expect. What's so fun about that?

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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.