What Good School Fundraising Companies Always Ask

Questions good companies should be asking schools upfront.

Some companies tell groups precisely what they want to hear; the only thing that matters is getting the business. The company doesn't ask questions but instead reassures the group that their sale will run smoothly and they will raise a lot of money. It probably is if you find yourself in a situation where it sounds too good to be true.

First of all, when you initially talk with a company, you should be asking questions, as should they. Whenever a school approaches us to do a fundraiser, we hope they will ask us good questions. This tells us they've thought through what they want and expect. These schools have more successful outcomes because they have clearly defined objectives.

However, deciding on a company is much like a job interview. Both sides should be concerned about the questions and the answers. So, just as we expect good questions from potential customers, here are three questions that good school fundraising companies will probably ask you as well:

1. What is your purpose?

Are you just selling because it happens to be that time of year, or do you have a specific need? Schools that rally their staff, students, and parents around a specific purpose usually raise more money. However, if you don't have a specific purpose, the company should help you define, develop and promote it.

2. What kind of fundraising have you done?

There is a difference between a school that has experienced a brochure sale and one that is new to this program. We handle groups with recent experience a little differently from those without experience. Sponsors not as familiar with this type of campaign will need to have the process explained to them in detail. On the other hand, sponsors with experience still need to know how our program works but will probably need to know more about how we differ from their previous company.

3. How much money did you raise?

Knowing how much money you raised with your previous program helps us understand how we can help you grow your sales. To do this, we need to know how many students you have in your school and how many participated last time. What type of prize program was offered? How did you promote your fundraiser? What additional incentives were offered? We are looking to see how we can improve your student participation, which will increase sales.

To make the initial dialog as productive as possible, we recommend preparing a list of questions. Since you will enter into a meaningful working relationship with a company, both sides must have a mutual understanding. The only surprise you should have is a pleasant one once you find out how much you make.

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.