_
Getting started – steps towards success
The following tips and tactics will help you plan your fundraising campaign.
- Identify your goals. Clearly state how much money needs to be raised and how these funds will be spent.
- Find an organized and enthusiastic leader to spearhead the project and provide them with an energetic support team. It is important to share the workload right from the start.
- Set reasonable timelines for your campaign. Keep in mind that shorter timeframes will help sustain momentum. Also, try to stagger your fundraisers to avoid inundating potential supporters.
- Determine your fundraising tactics. Consider what types of fundraising has worked in your school in the past, what other schools in your area are doing, and your timelines and goals when determining which methods to engage. Focus on doing a few fundraisers well rather than many ineffectively.
- Be clear with your communications throughout your fundraising campaign. Share your fundraising progress with students, teachers, parents and the local community to maintain enthusiasm for your project. Once you have reached your fundraising goals, share your success with local media and be sure to recognize your sponsors, donors and volunteers that made your success possible.
Fundraising ideas
Here are some creative fundraising ideas that your school or district can use to raise funds for your technology wish list.
- Solicit direct donations from the local community. It is important to seek these donations for a specific goal, such as sponsoring a SMART Board interactive whiteboard for a classroom. Also, try to engage the community prior to asking for donation. For example, you could host a luncheon and invite potential donors to your school to see SMART products in action.
- Hold a festival or carnival. Host a themed event in your school yard or nearby park. Invite students, staff and the local community. Charge admission and a nominal fee to participate in specific activities or play games. You might have a harvest festival, winter carnival, Halloween party or spring fling.
- Hold a pledge-based event. Choose a date, distribute pledge forms, have participating students collect pledges and then have students walk, read or skip for the allotted time.
- Hold a school band or choir concert and charge admission.
- Hold a raffle. Do the draw publicly, showcasing the winner of the prize.
- Host an auction. Ask individuals and businesses to donate goods and services. The school could donate items such as VIP parking spaces or admission to other school events. Auctions could complement another event such as a school concert.
- Host a school dinner or barbecue. Prepare a dinner for students, parents and the community and charge a fee. You may want to have games or activities if the event will be held outdoors.
- Create a school recipe book. Gather favorite recipes from teachers, students and parents and combine them into a recipe book. You might ask if a local print shop would donate their services. Charge a nominal fee for the book and sell via the general student body or through music and sports clubs.
- Sell school spirit wear. Sell buttons, T-shirts, hats or pens displaying your school logo. Outsource printing of the logo on the selected items and sell at a reasonable price.
- Sell third party products. Research outside vendors for the sale of items such as magazines, ice cream, cookie dough, chocolate bars or discount cards.
Tip – Take pictures at your events while you are raising funds. They will be great material for next year’s publicity.
