The key to having a successful fundraiser with high participation from parents and students lies in the personalization of the event. The hack is to involve the majority of wards and guardians in the planning of the fundraiser. This stimulates interest and motivates high participation. There could be a number of activities to actualize this. They include class presentations, a collection of items for parents to bid on, homemade snacks to be sold at the fundraiser, car washing, door-to-door requests, etc.

Here are some useful tips to keep in mind when organizing a school fundraiser.

Create a Fundraising Committee

You cannot do everything by yourself. You need a team of resourceful and people-oriented volunteers to pull off a successful fundraiser. Learn to delegate responsibilities, and do not be scared to explore ideas from your team members.

To make the tasks easier, faster, and garner more participation, there should be subgroups with team leads. Some tasks you can delegate to the fundraising committee and subgroups include; establishing a budget, selecting a date and time for the fundraiser, planning activities, picking out venues, publicity, selling tickets, sponsorship, and event follow-up.

Draft a Compelling Fundraising Pitch

This is the fulcrum of the entire event. Your pitch should contain your intention for the fundraiser. It could literally make or break the entire day. Your purpose for deciding to start a fundraiser should be communicated in very clear terms. It should also be appealing to your target audience, which is parents and sponsors.

To make a good fundraising pitch, you need to tell a compelling story. Practical, yet emotional enough to make your audience reach for their purses. Let them into the problem you intend to solve with money from the fundraiser. Help them see the need to fix the problem from your perspective.

Encourage their interest by communicating the resources and support you already have. This shows how committed you are to the cause. Be clear and precise on how you hope they would support the fundraiser. Don’t mince words. Ask, very politely, for the amount needed.

Provide Value

Most people naturally gravitate and donate towards projects that are valuable to them. Yes, it is a charitable event, but why should they support yours and not the other numerous applications they receive?

Also, always keep in mind that maintaining a healthy relationship with donors is critical to the sustainability of future fundraisers.

Every donor should be thanked for their generosity. It is best that personalized emails are sent. Some donors could be visited too.

Think out of the box; at the fundraiser, there could be stands or advertisements and free PR for the business of some donors, etc

Have Art of the Event Organize Your Next Fundraiser!

In conclusion, aside from charitable reasons, the major reason sponsors donate to fundraisers is for exposure. Always consider this while sending applications for sponsorship. If you find the procedure overwhelming, Art of the Event is an expert at planning fundraisers, galas, and other school events. Contact us for full-service event planning and designing!