Tips for Effective Fundraising

The 7 Habits of Effective Fundraisers 1. Be Proactive. Motivated fundraisers are successful fundraisers. Truly motivated volunteers never wait to be asked. They're often the first to identify the fact that the playground needs repair or the media center needs more books. Likewise, they're usually the first to take action to meet those needs.   2. Begin with the end in mind. Successful fund-raising projects and the people who drive them are supremely goal-oriented. They are, from beginning to end, focused on the reason why the group is fund-raising and take every opportunity to remind volunteers of why they are fund-raising.   3. Put first things first. Strong organizational skills, including the ability to set priorities without losing track of the details, is one of the most common traits found in successful fund-raising chairpersons. Good math skills and comfort in handling money also are important.   4. Think win-win. Successful fund-raising programs have at their core a trusting relation ship between the volunteer at the helm of the fund-raising drive and the company/company representative with whom they are working. It's what is described as the "you help me, I help you" concept. If the fund-raising sponsor and the professional they've hired both believe in this concept, the non-profit group will benefit.   5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. When problems arise (and they always do), it's great if the person at the helm is unflappable with good people skills. Effective fundraising chairs are good listeners, therefore, excellent communicators and problem solvers.   6. Synergize. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts; therefore, successful fund-raising coordinators are good at team-building and understand the importance of a diverse committee. Work to make sure that each member's strengths offset the weaknesses of others, with a good mix of new and experienced volunteers.   7. Sharpen the saw. Exhausted volunteers are commonplace. To stay fresh, keep a good balance between the professional, family and volunteer parts of your life. Heading up a fund-raising crive can be time consuming. Prepare for it. And always have a backup – someone in training ready to take over when your job is done.	Workplace Fundraising Dos & Don'ts "Don't feel obliged. But feel free (and don't forget to leave $1)" So read a sign put in an office break room next to chocolate bars for sale by one mom hoping to help her saxophonist son raise money to pay for a field trip. This is just one idea for how to raise money without raising hackles in the workplace. More and more parents are looking at their co-workers as potential fund-raising customers. Likewise, more and more businesses are placing limits on what they consider appropriate for fund-raising among co-workers. Here are some ideas for tasteful workplace fund-raising to pass on to your parent volunteers. Target Your Sales. There are three kinds of fundraising customers: 1) Those who have shown an interest in your product/s; 2) Those who have purchased from you before; and 3) those from whom you've purchased items. Be selective about who you approach and focus proactive efforts on these three potential customers. Make sure these in-person appeals to co-workers are only made during work breaks and lunch hours. And be aware that the higher you are on the corporate ladder, the harder it is to prevent people who work for you from feeling pressure to buy something. Let the Rest Come to You. Reserve office equipment for company business only – not fund-raising. Avoid sending broad announcements about your fundraising project via company email. Instead, take advantage of high-traffic, central locations – office and break room bulletin boards – to post fundraising flyers, sign-up sheets and self-serve product kits. Merchandise Creatively. Display your fund-raising items in a festive basket or alongside themed props. Example: put candy bars in a festive basket with a basebal and glove alongside a photo of your child in the team uniform with a sign that says "Buy this candy to support Matt's dream to "play ball". Remember to Say Thank You. Remember to thank supporters, particularly those without children whose generosity is seldom reciprocated. After the fund-raising drive, treat your supporters to donuts or bagels and let them know how much money your office contributed to the child's school, little league or other organization. A hand-written thank you note from your child will only enhance the "aawwhh" quotient.
It's a Wrap!  7 Tips for Bringing a Fundraiser to a Close. The end of your sale can be as exciting as the beginning if you make a big deal raching your goal and give lots of attention to the volunteers who made it happen. 1. Reward Achievements. Make sure that all students who participated – even in small ways – are rewarded exactly as advertised. Present personal and group awards after the products have been delivered. Announce dollars earned, top sellers, and prize winners. Display charts in classrooms or school halls to give students a sense of achievement in helping the school reach its goal. 2. Celebrate. Make a fuss about special achievement. Tell everyone, "We did better than anticipated, so there will be ice cream on Friday for everybody." Plan a wrap-up assembly. If your principal promised to kiss a pig, tell the students that you've located the biggest, smelliest pig in town. Most important, talk about what you'll do with the money. In letters to volunteers, in your newsletter, and on your organization's website, emphasize what the fundraising made possible. Be specific. You might say, "Because of the success of this sale, we can now fund a new field trip." Include a photo. 3. Say Thanks. Parent volunteers feel extra commitment to a project if their contributions are also recognized. Use the school sign to say "Great job!" To add a personal touch, send supporters photocopies of one child's handwritten note or add a brief handwritten thanks to photocopies of a typed letter.  4. Show Appreciation. Express gratitude tangibly. At your next parent/teacher meeting or student assembly, ask all who helped with the sale to stand. Designate a parking spot for a special volunteer or the week or reserve a prime parking space for atop volunteer at the next school event. With each order you pass out, include a pair of complimentary passes to the next ticketed event at the school, or a pencil with the group's name or a bumper sticker promoting your your group. If you hold a volunteer appreciation breakfast or luncheon, send a chocolate bar with the invitation. 5. Recognize Volunteers. Broadcast the names of active volunteers. In your newsletter or by email, list the names of all participants. Create a tree of thanks on a wall at school, writing volunteers' names and brief notes about their contributions on colored leaves around the trees. Take photos of parent volunteers handing out and picking  up their orders and post these on your website and school bulletin board. Create a Walk of Fame with a red carpet remnant, decorated with stars that include each participant's name. 6. Have Fun. Remind volunteers that sales can be fun. At your next meeting, play "Jeopardy" with topics relating to your volunteers. Write and read poems abour individual volunteers. Buy some goofy yard ornaments such as plastic flamingoes; then plant one each week in a volunteer's front yard along with a note of thanks. Make your volunteer luncheon a little wacky by calling it Volunteeravillle and serving cheeseburgers and milkshakes in a Jimmy Buffett buffet. 7. Give and Get Feedback. Solicit volunteers' ideas for how to improve the sale. Schedule a meeting with the fundraising professional with whom you worked. Ask them how it went from their end. Was there anything they'd do differently next time? Likewise, share your suggestions for how they can do a better job. Think of things that would have made your job easier if only you had known ahead of time.	Reaching Your Fundraising Goals in a Weak Economy Reduce Your Fundraising Noise. Regardless of the economic situation, parent groups always try a lot of different things to raise money. Collecting box tops and soup labels, school carnivals, raffles, walk-a-thons, car washes, etc. Unfortunately these activities all generate fundraising noise – and the more fundraising your group does, the louder it becomes. In today's economic climate, it's vital that your group redue its fundraising noise. Supporters are already apprehensive about spending or contributing more money. if they develop apathy, then it becomes even tougher to meet your fundraising goals.  "One well-planned, well-executed fundraiser can more than triple the results of several status quo programs", said John Kukta, a professional fundraiser in Ohio. Organizations considering schoolwide programs should forego adding too many fundraisers to the school calendar, experts say.  Identify the Finish Line. Set a specific beginning and ending date for primary fundraising activities and stick to it. Without a clear target date, the campaign will drag on often without direction. Rely on Your Fundraising Professional. Rely on your product fundraising company professional for suggestions and advice. They often know what other neighborhood schools and sports leagues are doing. Tapping this knowledge will help avoid going head-to-head against another school's fundraiser. Keep Energy Levels High. Communicate before, during and after the program – remind parents, students, teachers and other volunteers of the fundraiser's goals and deadlines. Provide regular status reports and updates. Remember to Say "Thanks!" Don't forget to thank all your supporters and let them know when the new computers are installed or the new playground is ready to open. After all, it wouldn't have been possible without their support. Have fun! With the right approach, fundraising itself can bring ownership and pride to parents, teachers and students.      Results from a National Fundraising Survey Product Sales are Most Popular & Most Profitable. Eight out of 10 parent groups at public elementary schools conducted a product sale during the 2006-07 school year. Among those parent groups, 8 out of 10 said a product sale was the most profitable school side fundraiser. In addition, out of all the parent group members surveyed, 6 out of 10 said a product sale was the school's most profitable fundraiser. Product Sales Require Fewer Volunteers. Product sales only require 7 volunteers, on average. By comparison, some of the most labor-intensive fundraisers include, in this order: carnivals (59 volunteers), auctions (28) and "thons" (e.g., Walk-a-thon) (22). Product Sales are Reliable. Product sales produce the most consistently successful results year after year. Nine out of 10 parent groups who conducted a product fundraiser in each of the past two years said this year's product sale generated about the same amount of net profit as last year's product fundraiser. "Do a Few and Do Them Well" Really Works. Parent groups who conduct fewer overall school-wide fundraisers raise more money. Among parent groups who raise the most money, the majority limited the total number of school-wide fundraisers to no more than four.