Double Your School Fundraiser By Getting Parents Involved
Posted by: Daniel Hatcher in Business, tags: BusinessElementary schools and middle schools hold school fundraiser events for many reasons. New sports equipment, trips, and new computer equipment are just a few of the many reasons. Sometimes it is the PTA or PTO that run the school fundraiser. Many times smaller groups such as the yearbook, student council or a class raising money for a field trip, even at the elementary school level that run the school fundraiser. Though each of these school groups work very hard to raise the money that they need, they sometimes have a difficult time.
Of all the things that get put in place to effectively run a school fundraiser, one very important aspect often gets overlooked. That is how do you communicate the importance and solicit the help of the parents of the students. Parents are busy doing the things that are most important to them. Unless they are reminded in a way that catches their attention they will often forget or simply not be aware of your school fundraiser when it happens.
To increase parent participation in our school fundraiser we must make every effort to ensure that they are kept in the loop and reminded when events are scheduled and will soon be coming up.
Here are 4 tips that will help you get the most out of your school fundraiser.
1.) Beginning of School Year Correspondence
When school begins each year you should send a memo or letter to parents which outlines your plans for school fundraiser events that are planned throughout the year. Only in this way can you ensure that there are no surprises that catch the parents off guard.
2.) Secondary Communication
As we have said parents are just as busy as we are and sometimes an upcoming event may slip their mind. Send a letter home with the students take home pack a short time before the beginning of each school fundraiser throughout the year.
These first two tips are helpful in keeping parents informed of what you are planning but if you really want to keep them in the loop read on.
3.) Publish a Newsletter or Ezine regarding your school fundraiser.
Use your ezine or newsletter to keep parents informed of happenings at the school and to promote upcoming school fundraiser campaigns. Encourage parents to sign up for the newsletter in any correspondence that is sent home.
Public schools and other educational institutions should have newsletter or ezine that is published regularly. A simple form should be placed on either the school’s website or that of the local board of education. This will make it easy and painless for parents to sign up.
4.) Collect Email Addresses of your parents.
Every school sends correspondence home that needs to be completed by parents and returned. On any correspondence that must be returned to the school add a space for an email address. You can also use this space to help you find volunteers for your school fundraiser events.
Build a list of all these email addresses and when it is time for the school fundraiser, send out a friendly reminder message. You would be surprised at how effective this tactic is in making your school fundraiser a huge success.
These 4 methods will help you increase participation in your next school fundraiser. Not only of your students, but you will likely find more volunteers from the ranks of the parents that are willing to help.
Entries (RSS)
This is a very well written post. You’ve just about covered the most important aspects. You have made it simpler. We took into account most of the points when we have a fundraiser for the elementary school. Picateers was our big idea this time. Worked like a charm. Mostly because it was organized eficiently and informed well in advance and the fact that Picateers was easy , simple and fun and most liked by parents.