Fundraisers for Schools & Libraries: Are You Facing Competition?

[kristamk]

I would LOVE to start doing fundraisers to help out our local schools and libraries but it seems like everyone that I talk to - PTOs, School boards, etc. - declines because if they do a Pampered Chef fundraiser they feel like they'd have to do a Thirty-one party and a Scentsy party and on and on. (Or some variation on that 'competition' theme.)

Have you run into this and if so, what have you done about it?

 

[lt1jane]

The way around that is to be willing to organzie a "home business" fundraiser. This solves the problem by allowing anyone who wants to do it. It could be done once or twice a year.

Heck, I've tried to talk to my chuch finance committee to no avail. I'd love to do an ongoing fundraiser for them too. I realize there could be other consultants in the parish (ours is about 1500 families) and would be willing to rotate with them. We'd have to find out how many consultants there are and then each one takes a month on a rotating basis. It could work, but I've been too busy to get to the meeting and present this idea.

 

[jendill]

Happens to me too. I don't know if there is a good way around it. I'm not particularly fond of our give back anyway. My church did do a Ladies Night out and there were lots of Home Based Vendors. There was a table charge and a door prize. I didn't sell much at all. I barely made my money back. I think the only way it would work is to do one home based vendor at a time =)

 

[pamperedlinda]

Personally, I think that's their 'polite' way of saying "No, we don't want to do a fundraiser with you"

 

[esavvymom]

I can see their point though. Our church is the same way. It has over 4000 regular attenders, almost 2000 members. If they let one group set up a table to sell donuts or cookies or popcorn (Scouts), then they have to let them all! And you know they would ask!Try smaller organizations, instead of things like the government-type organizations (schools). Day cares, charity groups, etc.

 

[JennyJennJen]

I haven't tried it yet, but if you have the guts to say it, you can say something along the lines of..."everyone, males and females alike can benefit from our products compared to most other home-based businesses. Everyone has a kitchen and cooks/and or heats up meals on a regular basis. Our products are High-Quality and backed by an amazing guarantee. Trust me, as a parent, I would be thrilled to be buying something from a fundraiser that can ACTUALLY be used and is a quality product and not ridiculously marked up in price. Your student's friends and families will also have personalized customer service. They will be able to contact me directly if they have any questions about what they are purchasing or how." Not saying all home business stuff is marked up, but I just finished with my very first fundraiser from my sons school and am extremely disappointed with the price and quality of the items that I bought. And I had a question, and I had NO ONE to contact from the company. I am definitely working up the courage to approach my sons preschool with our fundraising opportunity and hopefully I can sell it, b/c seriously, how many cheap trinkets and tiny bags of morley candy can a person be forced to buy/sell!Good luck

 

[carmom420]

I do a fundraiser for a school that participates in many different"vendor fundraisers" per year. They raise money for a Relay for Life Race in May. They are a very close group and do many shows because it is fun to get together outside of school. Thankfully, they hold my PC show the first week of December so the items can be delivered to the school before Christmas break. Each show so far was around $1800 in sales.

 

[ChefPeg]

Maybe the PTO/PTA/whatever can feature--if they're willing--a monthly direct seller.
example:
September--PC
October--31
November--Scentsy
etc.

That way, the PTO/school wins, the sellers win, and the buyers win (because it's spread out over the year, not all at once & having to decide which vendor(s) get their money).

 

[scottcooks]

BADDA BING! Just happened. So they decided to do it w/o the PTO/PTA/ASB by having the parent group sponsor, and not credit individuals with sales, but everyone participates for the whole group. I'm sending 170 high school band student families a packet out Monday with...
-a purpose letter on white
-a catalog
-6 halfsheet invites to the PC cooking show event in 2 weeks on white
-a "how to use this packet" sheet on color... goal is 2-10 orders per family or $15K profit
-a "tips on adding up an order" sheet on color
-10 outside order forms clearly marked "these are for folks who cannot attend PC cooking show event"
... fingers crossed; I'll keep posted about its progress.

 

[cookingwithdawn]

How are you handling shipping??? Direct or a pick up night?

 

[scottcooks]

Give them the option. It's available online so people can either pay to direct ship to themselves or their relatives, or have the standard "show shipping of $5.25". Doing the envelope stuffing has been slow, but a fun family task.

 

[Sheila]

I tried to do a big one like that Scott, did catalogs in the reusable shopping bags with inserts that I'd printed about the fundraiser and everything. Took it to the school & the PTO never passed out the bags to the teachers. I was so livid. I had even offered to be the one to go around to each room & hand out the bags & explain how it worked to the teachers so that they could answer questions if the parents asked. They drug their feet until the catalogs expired. I wasn't willing to re-do all the bags! I had invested over $300. I picked up all the bags & recycled all the catalogs. I have participated in the vendor events before. Keep it short! Don't make it a 2 day event, make it a short 4-5 hour event. People put those on their calendar & are more apt to show up rather than procrastinating until tomorrow, then getting busy & forgetting. The school events were always pretty successful for me. The parents knew what it was up front & that it supported project graduation, so they were all for supporting the cause. Good advertising can bring in people not associated to the school too.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Our church does fundraisers all the time but won't do PC, 31, etc because they won't do any fundraiser where someone might make money off of it. lol What do they think? The company doesn't make any money off that $8 wrapping paper? I've even offered to donate my entire commission to them so there's no conflict of interest but they still won't. It is what it is.