Fundraising Secrets for Your Best School or Group Fundraiser Ever!
1. Select the Best Fundraiser for your organization
- Decide which fundraiser will best meet your needs and goals. You will be successful if you choose wisely.
- Look at “Choosing a Fundraiser” for tips on choosing the best type of fundraiser for your school, sports team, church group, dance team or other type of group.
- Look at our extensive line of Fundraising Products - you will be sure to find the perfect fundraiser for your group!
2. Plan ahead
- Start planning at least one month in advance.
- Select your fundraiser early to assure ample time to execute it successfully.
- Schedule fundraisers to avoid competing with other groups.
- Order fundraising materials early to avoid rushed shipments, delays and to avoid sold out merchandise.
3. Set Goals and Deadlines
- Establishing a clear financial goal is absolutely necessary if you want to achieve success.
- Set a reasonable dollar amount you need to earn and then decide what it will take to reach it.
- Set deadlines to insure progress.
4. Limit Fundraisers to 2-3 per year
- Stay focused on 2-3 great fundraisers per year instead unlimited, ongoing fundraisers.
- Kids and parents will both participate more if they know this is the only fundraiser for the season. If they think another fundraiser will come along any day, they will toss the current fundraiser to the side and wait for the next one.
- Two or three strong fundraisers will yield more funds than several poor ones.
5. Have a campaign kick-off
- Motivate to participate!
- Give ideas on how to sell.
- Let your group know why they are fundraising and what they are selling.
- Get excited. If you are, they will be too!
6. Promote & Publicize
- Send home a letter of information to each parent explaining the fundraiser. S
- Spread the word to generate enthusiasm.
- Get everyone involved. If you can get each person to participate in some way then the goal is that much easier to achieve.
- Make a list of potential buyers – family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances.
- Let everyone know why you are fundraising.
7. Provide incentives
- Some fundraisers have prizes included with the program, use them!
- Make up your own incentives like donated prizes, cash prizes, pizza party, hat day, gum day, etc. Be creative!
- Set a goal for each class or group or a contest to raise more money than the others. Give them another reason to sell.
- See our Prize Programs section for more ideas to reward your participants.
8. Keep your fundraiser short
- We recommend no more than a 1-2 week selling period including 2 weekends.
- Allow time for late orders to come in.
- Most sales are done in 2-3 days so don’t let the fundraiser drag on for weeks. This will keep your participants motivated and on track.
9. Assign a quota to each seller or group
- If you can get each member to commit to the goal then it will be achieved.
- Give incentives for reaching their quota.
10. Get volunteers to help organize
- Delegate to lighten the load.
- Assign jobs to each volunteer.
- Communicate before during and after the sale.
- The more volunteers you have, the easier, smoother and more successful your fundraiser will be.