Here are some tips to help you have successful fundraisers all school year.

Start Planning Immediately

While planning might seem like an obvious part of fundraising, a lot of fundraisers are created out of necessity and begin with no plan in place. When fundraising events don’t begin with planning, a lot of the responsibility will fall on the organizer, leaving them exhausted and stretched too thin. At the beginning of the school year, make a list of all the events your school held the year before.

• Was there anything missing from these events that cause them to suffer? This can include signage around campus, a decorating team, ample notice to parents, etc. Make a plan to include those things this year.
• Was there an event held where product ran out (baked goods, etc)? Plan for extra this year (gather more bakers).

Create a Budget for Promotion

Coming up with a budget for promoting the event as soon as possible will save more money in the long run. Consider everything from signage, materials, snacks or beverages for volunteers, etc. If you know early on what you can spend then you are less likely to incur unforeseen costs in the future.

Communicate Expectations

Communication is key when it comes to succeeding at any group project. Be clear about what is needed from each volunteer to achieve your goals.

For example:

• In order to raise $1,000, each family must sell 5 raffle tickets.

It might be necessary to provide incentives to your volunteers such as prizes for the highest amount collected.

Promote! Promote! Promote!

Spread the word about your event as soon as possible by hanging posters, passing out fliers, or gathering email addresses. Make sure that you let everyone know where the funds are going toward. Engage on social media with parents and your network to get more hands on deck.

Remember that people are busy - keep your messages short and to the point. Keep getting your message out there even if it feels like you are just repeating yourself.

Wrap It Up & Hand it Over to the Next Group

At the end of most events, volunteers are often too tired to do a proper wrap-up. By ignoring this step, future events will suffer greatly.

Take the time to formally thank all of your volunteers for their effort. It is the right thing to do and it makes people feel great about their contribution and more likely to contribute again in the future.

Consider how you felt when you stepped into this role and what materials were given to you from previous events. You can make another volunteer's life easier by properly handing over all of the work you accomplished in an organized way. This can be passwords to social media accounts, email address lists, phone numbers, volunteer lists, images or computer files, etc.

By following these steps you are more likely to have a successful event now and in the future.