If you need to raise money for your school, you’re not alone. Many such institutions are in need of extra funds, and a successful fundraiser can help bridge the gap. There are many different ways to plan these activities, but not all of them are guaranteed to be successful.
If you’re picking stock images for your presentation or sending out invites right now, wait a moment! In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the best ways to prepare, so that the outcome will be financially profitable.
1. Let The Internet Help You
There are some great blogs and specialist websites offering top tips on how to plan a successful school fundraiser. Take advantage of their experience and expertise – it will help make your job a lot easier! You’ll find that there are many fundraising ideas available for schools online, whether it’s for Father’s Day, a-Thon fundraisers, academic fundraisers or activity and fitness fundraisers. You can also discover online fundraising ideas, donation ideas and prize ideas too.
A further suggestion would be to read the websites of other schools that are similar to yours. Find out what they’re doing to raise funds in case it can give you some inspiration.
2. Brainstorm Fundraising Ideas
This technique allows you to think creatively about potential solutions to a problem, and it can be used alone or with a group. Start by writing down the main goal of your fundraiser. Then, come up with as many ideas as possible that could help you reach that goal. Don’t worry about whether or not the ideas are good at this point—just get them all out there. Once you have a long list of potential solutions, you can start to narrow it down by thinking about what would work best for your school. Here are some brainstorming tips to keep in mind:
- Keep an open mind
- Be creative
- Think outside the box
- Write down every suggestion, no matter how ‘ridiculous’ it may seem
- Don’t evaluate or judge ideas at this stage
3. Think About Themes And Causes
If you want to be successful you should have a theme that matches the values of your school. This can help get students, teachers, and parents on board with the event. If you’re not sure what theme would be a good fit, consider surveying the school community to see what they’d be interested in.
If there are specific causes that the school community is passionate about, it can be a great way to get people involved and invested in the event. For instance, if your school is located in an area that was recently affected by a natural disaster, you could hold a fundraiser to support relief efforts. If a notable person died of a specific illness, you could raise funds to support a charity that’s related to it.
4. Think Of Locations And Timelines
If you have a large school, you may want to consider holding the fundraiser on-campus. You’ll need ample space to work with and sufficient room for people to attend. However, if your school is small or doesn’t have many resources, holding the fundraiser off-campus may be your best option.
You’ll need to consider how much time and effort you’re willing to put into the fundraiser and create a timeline accordingly. If you plan on holding the fundraiser during the school year, start planning early. The sooner you start, the more time you’ll have to market the event and get people excited about it. You should also try to avoid scheduling conflicts by checking with other clubs or organizations before nailing down a date.
5. Seek Maximum Involvement
One of the best ways to ensure a successful school fundraiser is to recruit volunteers from every corner of the student body and staff. Don’t forget to encourage parents to get involved too. Assign tasks based on interests and strengths to keep everyone engaged.
Be sure to communicate early and often with your team so that no one feels left in the dark. You’ll be amazed at what your team can accomplish when everyone is working together towards a common goal.
6. Know How To Promote It
The most important part of any fundraiser is getting the word out. You can have the best event in the world planned, but if nobody knows about it, you’re not going to make any money. You may wish to reach:
- schoolkids, parents and grandparents
- the wider community
Here are a few key ways to promote your school fundraiser:
- Social media is a great way to reach a wide audience with minimal effort. Create an event on Facebook and invite all your friends and family. Use Twitter and Instagram to post about the event and use relevant hashtags so people can find it easily.
- Another great way to promote your fundraiser is through fliers and posters around town. Get permission from local businesses to put up a poster in their window, or hand out flyers at community events.
- Finally, don’t forget to promote the fundraiser through your school’s channels. Send an email to parents and guardians, or include it in the weekly newsletter. Put up posters around the school and make announcements over the PA system.
7. Think About Finances
An important way to effectively manage a school fundraiser is to create a budget and stick to it. Before you start soliciting donations or selling tickets, sit down and create a financial plan for your event. This will help you remain on course and avoid overspending. When it comes to fundraising every little bit counts, so don’t be afraid to ask for donations from local businesses or community members. You may be surprised at how generous people can be – and of course, always remember to thank your donors for their support.
Hopefully, you’ve found these 7 top suggestions helpful as you begin to plan your school fundraiser. If you get it right from the start and receive all the help that you need, you’ll be a resounding success. The fun will be had by all, and vital money will be raised to support your most excellent cause.
