Your Ultimate Guide to a Successful Spring Fundraiser

Everything you need to know to launch a successful spring fundraising campaign.

It's best to start planning your campaign at least three months in advance to ensure you are ready when the time comes to launch. This means it is time to start preparing for your spring fundraiser. This article shares how to create a fundraising plan, the step-by-step preparation process for your sale, and six spring fundraising ideas.

Creating Your Fundraising Plan

When preparing to launch your school's spring fundraiser, ask yourself the following questions.

What Is the Cause?

The cause is the reason you are raising capital. Do you need new books? Are you funding a school field trip? Will funds raised help your school hire more teachers? Determine the 'why' for your campaign.

What Is the Goal?

Determine your fundraising goal or goals. Examples include:

• raising a certain amount of capital
• acquiring new sponsors
• expanding your donor and volunteer network

Determine your goal and share it with all parties involved in the campaign.

What Type of Fundraiser Appeals to You?

There are several types of fundraisers to choose from. Some options include:

• product fundraisers
• food sales
• events
• virtual fundraisers
• crowdfunding or peer-to-peer fundraising

Choose your fundraising method, then determine the details. For example, if you choose a product fundraiser, you must decide what product to sell. If you choose to host an event, you must determine what event suits your school best.

How Will You Engage Donors?

Donors need to be aware of your campaign and eager to participate. Think about how you will engage them. Will you call them each personally? Will you send an email? Does the donor receive anything in exchange for donating, such as school spirit merchandise or an honorable mention?

How Do You Measure Success?

Determine what it means to be successful in your campaign. Are you most interested in landing reputable partnerships, or is your main priority reaching a specific dollar amount within a specified time frame? Another way to determine success is to compare your outcome to your need. If you need to buy new books, how many do you need to afford to consider the campaign a success?

Steps to Preparing Your School's Spring Fundraiser

The following six steps will guide you through preparing your school's spring fundraiser. Use it as a fundraiser checklist as you move through each step. Remember to start this process at least three months before you launch.

1. Form a fundraising committee: Every time you launch a fundraiser; you should have a committee to oversee planning, execution, and review. Choose individuals with helpful knowledge and skills, such as accountants, managers, and marketing specialists.
2. Write your fundraising plan: Use the questions in the section above to help write your fundraising plan. Use this as a guide as you prepare to launch your campaign.
3. Create your fundraising narrative: A campaign with a well-written narrative is more likely to succeed. Include a little about your organization, needs, goals, and why your campaign is important.
4. Incentivize participation: Student, parent, and faculty participation is critical to success. Before starting your fundraiser, offer an incentive to all parties involved to encourage them to participate from day one. This can include prizes, honorable mentions, or hosting an event like a school dance.
5. Market your raise: The last step before initializing your raise is to start marketing. Let people know you're launching a spring fundraiser and ask for the help you need.
6. Launch and execute: You're ready! Launch your fundraiser and strive to reach your goals.

Spring Fundraising Ideas

There are many fun and profitable ways to spring fundraise. Six ideas are listed below.

1. Flower Sale

One of our favorite parts of spring is the blooming flowers. Follow mother nature's cue and sell cut and potted flowers to raise money for your school.

2. Household Products Sale

Spring cleaning means out with the old and in with the new! Sell household products such as kitchen gadgets and decor this spring.

3. Host a Cookout

After a long winter, getting outside and enjoying the warm spring breeze is refreshing. Host a cookout to enjoy the beautiful weather while raising funding for your cause.

4. Sell Yard Work Services

Spring is the season of yard work. It's time to start seeding and mowing lawns, weeding, and cleaning up our yards. Selling yard work services is a great way to beautify the community while working towards your goals.

5. Jewelry

Love is in the air with the relief of the warm spring breeze after a chilly winter. Sell jewelry and encourage donors to buy for friends and loved ones- or even as a treat for themselves!

6. Charity Run

Spring offers perfect conditions for long outdoor runs. Host a charity walk or run to get outside, exercise, and earn capital for your school.

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.