Help! Advice for Fundraisers: A Christian School Story

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Discussion Overview

This thread discusses experiences and challenges faced by participants in organizing fundraisers, particularly in school settings. Participants share their personal experiences with fundraising efforts, including successes and disappointments, as well as strategies employed to encourage participation.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience with a fundraiser for a local Christian school, noting low participation despite sending multiple communications.
  • Another participant mentions the importance of offering sales incentives to encourage participation, citing a successful fundraiser for a church youth group.
  • One participant discusses their own fundraiser experience, where they offered incentives but still faced low order collection, leading to uncertainty about rewarding the entire class.
  • Another participant recounts a similar situation at a daycare center, where only a few families participated, but they still managed to raise a significant amount.
  • One participant reports a surprisingly successful fundraiser, exceeding expectations and resulting in a booking.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the effectiveness of incentives and promotional strategies for fundraisers, with some participants emphasizing their importance while others reflect on their limited impact in their own experiences. No clear consensus emerges regarding the best approach to increase participation.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss their experiences with fundraisers in educational settings, highlighting various strategies and outcomes without implying any official guidance or safety claims.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants involved in fundraising efforts, particularly in school or community settings, may find these shared experiences and strategies relevant to their own initiatives.

KennethandTiffany
KennethandTiffany
Messages
109
:confused: Help! Does anyone have any advice for fundraisers?! I have one going with a local christian school (85 kids). One of the moms did a show for me and wanted to do a fundraiser. Apparently the school is only allowed 2 fundraisers a year, so they told this mom to handle it and just donate the money to the school. I sent a letter out 1 week before it started telling them about it, then I sent out a packet with another letter, a catalog and several order forms. After a week and a half, I sent home another letter reminding everyone that it was almost over and recapping the previous info I had sent out. Our three weeks were up yesterday and only 3 kids turned in orders! There were about 15 orders, plus 5 orders had been placed through our website. The mom feels awful, and she said that she will bring it up at the PTA meeting on monday in case anyone forgot to turn them in. I guess since it was a parent sponsored fundraiser and not a school one then maybe there wasn't enough hype about it. Does anyone have any suggestions? It will still be over $1000, so they will get $150+ for the school, I just thought that with 85 students and the parents being very involved with the school, that we would have seen a MUCH larger total. They said if it went well then they would do it again next year, but I don't know if it's worth it if they aren't promoting it at all! The materials alone cost me well over $50, although I will be making at least $150 in profit. I don't know!!! I guess I was just expecting it to be much better, and now I am kinda let down!
 
With fundraisers with kids, you have to offer some sort of sales incentives.

I'm doing one for a church youth group. I'm talking with the youth pastor about some options--like a $50 gc for the top sales and a $10 gc for all kids with sales over $250.

Another director in our area did this with a high school sports team and they sold $9k worth of PC!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #3
We did offer an incentive to the top seller and the kid with the most orders. We also offered a pizza party to the class with the highest sales, although I am not sure about that now. I picked up the orders turned in so far and only 7 kids total collected orders, out of 85. I will still be doing something for the kids with the most orders and highest dollar amount, but I am not sure about the pizza. I will be in the hole if I do that, but I did say that I would. I just don't think it's fair to award the whole class when only one child in the class collected orders. Any input on how to handle that? I guess next time I need to put a minimum sales amount for the class to win. But, the fundraiser is at $1200 right now, on a positive note! I had hoped for more, because I really wanted the school to be impressed with the results. Maybe they still will be, seeing that with only 7 kids participating, they still made almost $200. Imagine if 40 kids had participated! Oh well, hopefully there will be a few more orders on monday!
 
I had pretty much the same thing happen to me in January. 70 families at a daycare center. Only 10 turned in orders!! It was over $1000, but then I donated 10% of my commission, next time I'm only offering 5%!!! I offered a gift to highest seller over $300, no one turned that in (thank goodness) because I would've been even more in the hole. However, they want to do another one possibly in Oct, before the holidays, they do about 5-6 fundraisers a year. I got one booking and a possible recruit, so all is not lost, and it wasn't much work for me.

ange
 
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Not so bad!Well, my fundraiser ended up being over 1700 and I booked a show! Not as bad as I thought!
 
Congrats! That's so great!
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the "Help! Advice for Fundraisers: A Christian School Story"?

The purpose of "Help! Advice for Fundraisers: A Christian School Story" is to provide guidance and practical advice for Christian schools looking to organize successful fundraising events. It shares insights and strategies that can help schools raise funds effectively while fostering community involvement.

What types of fundraising ideas are suggested in the story?

The story suggests various fundraising ideas such as hosting bake sales, organizing auctions, and partnering with local businesses for sponsorships. It also emphasizes the importance of community engagement and leveraging the talents of students and parents to create unique fundraising opportunities.

How can a Christian school ensure community involvement in their fundraising efforts?

A Christian school can ensure community involvement by actively promoting the fundraising events through newsletters, social media, and local community boards. Additionally, involving parents, students, and local churches in the planning and execution of events can foster a sense of ownership and encourage participation.

What role does prayer play in the fundraising process according to the story?

According to the story, prayer plays a crucial role in the fundraising process as it helps to align the school's mission with its fundraising goals. It encourages the school community to seek divine guidance and support, fostering a spirit of unity and purpose throughout the fundraising efforts.

Are there any specific challenges mentioned in the story that Christian schools face during fundraising?

Yes, the story mentions challenges such as limited resources, competition with other fundraising events, and the need to balance fundraising with the school's educational mission. It highlights the importance of strategic planning and collaboration to overcome these obstacles and achieve fundraising success.

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