Becoming Who You Want To Be

School fundraisers have been around for a long time, whether it’s to buy new football pads for the team or to send the band to a competition miles and miles away. Some of those fundraising activities are as traditional as the school song and stuffing freshmen into lockers.

But should we keep doing them just because they are traditional, or should we be looking for school fundraisers that are a little more lucrative? Are there really any options out there? Even though the idea of a fundraiser is to build some sort of financial security, it still requires some money to get things started. And most schools have to be extremely careful with their resources.

Some of the most traditional fundraisers seem to come around every year. Schools will send kids out with chocolates, magazines, and coupon books to peddle to their family and friends. In some cases they even go door to door. The major problem with these endeavors is the fact that they still require an upfront investment but cannot guarantee a good return.

Smaller groups within the school often turn to the classic carwash fundraiser to scrape together money for special occasions like a trip out of town or to purchase some extra equipment or supplies that the school just can’t afford. Once again, there isn’t really a way to predict exactly what the return will be.

If you can get the student body excited about your financial goals, these fundraisers can work pretty well. For example, when a team needs to buy some gear for the next big game, they’ll probably work extra hard at the carwash. But what you really need to ask yourself is: should you work harder or should you just work smarter?

Working smarter means that you will never restrict yourself to the basic activities when there is so much more you can do. Go ahead with the carwash, but include a concession stand with it. You can make more money by offering treats and drinks to your customers while they wait for the kids to finish the car.

Raffles and auctions, also classic fundraisers, don’t have to be done with regular tickets. Try selling lollipops with the raffle numbers printed on the sticks. Someone may not be interested in the raffle, but they just might be willing to donate some money in exchange for a little treat.

There are all kinds of ways you can take school fundraisers to the next level. Always make it easy for someone to give you money and then deliver something they can actually use. If you take the time to plan your activities and manage them the best you can, you will start to receive the finances you need.

Marc Cornish is a topical expert about fundraising companies and fundraising programs.