Everyone I know is looking for it. They have to know how to do it, where to find it, and most importantly what can they do to make it successful. I’m talking about fundraisers of course. Budget cuts are happening everywhere and schools are facing them head-on. Sadly, the people who end up losing are the kids. Parents don’t take kindly to those cuts and whether you’re a tiger mom, working mom, soccer mom, or a stay-at-home mom, parents want to find that magic something that can fix the school’s financial problems and help their kids develop a love of learning that will carry them through their lives.
Fundraising is the answer. Through fundraising at my kids’ school, parents are able to hire an extra teacher to bring down the student-teacher ratio, bring in enrichment staff so they get science, dance, and music among other things, hire classroom aides and still have some left over for soap and toilet paper (yeah, we know the school district should cover that too, but a mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do to make sure the kids can take care of business)!
Here are some of the best fundraisers I want to share with you from all over the country. Some schools are big, while others are small. Some are private and others are public. It doesn’t matter what kind of school it is; these ideas have been tested out and worked for parents in a wide variety of situations!
- Annual Appeal Letter – This is the most effective fundraiser your school can do. Whether you call it an annual appeal letter or annual giving campaign or annual gift, this is usually the top way to get money. Just ask!
- Walk-a-thon – This fundraiser helps support a healthy lifestyle for the kids and a healthy bank account for the school! Parents and friends can give per lap or a set amount. The important part of this fundraiser is to ask kids to try to meet a certain goal ($50/child or $100/child). This gives them something to strive for.
- Party Book – Want to create more socializing in your community? The party book consists of small themed gatherings hosted by parents. People purchase spots to go to the parties and 100% of the money people contribute goes to the school.
- Silent Auction – Do you have local stores and restaurants that would donate items to a silent auction? This is a great way to make money!
- Community Sponsorship – When the local businesses support the school, it builds camaraderie and helps both the school and the business. Parents want to patronize places that support the local school and businesses want more customers.
There is more detailed information in my book, A Mom’s Guide to School Fundraising, including how to do it and many more ideas. Parents bring so much knowledge and experience; we should all help each other succeed. When schools succeed with fundraising, our kids win!
Now I want you to do a few things for me. (1) Leave a comment (and share it on Facebook too) and let me know what’s working for your school (or if you could use a little help)! (2) If you haven’t signed up for my list yet, do it! I will send you information on how to make your fundraising easier and more successful!
To your success,
Sarah
Sarah has been fundraising for schools since 2008. She is the author of A Mom’s Guide to School Fundraising and has consulted for several schools and clubs. She has been featured on RetailMeNot.com, Scholastic: Parent & Child and The New York Times. She thinks all kids should be able to have a well-rounded education, team uniforms, instruments and support. Don’t you?
Photo attributed to cityonahillpress.com