If you have recently been put in charge of a school fundraiser you might be feeling a little overwhelmed, especially if this is your first fundraiser. School fundraising is a great way to earn extra money for your school and to involve parents and students in the money making process. Fundraisers can seem like a lot of work, but fortunately they aren’t as difficult as you might think. Often you golf fundraiser ideas can successfully run a fundraiser with a minimal time commitment if you are organized and if you get the help you need. Here are some tips that will help you to simply school fundraiser planning.
Work With an Experienced School Fundraising Company
One of the easiest ways to earn money for your school is to partner with an established and experienced fundraising company. This is a great choice for anyone, but will really reduce the stress of an inexperienced fundraiser planner. These companies work with schools and organizations every day and are experts at making money for schools. They will guide you through the fundraising process step by step from choosing the type of fundraiser to collecting money to distributing orders.
Another advantage of partnering with an established company is that everything you need will be provided. They will provide you with order forms, catalogs collection envelopes and more. Plus they supply the products that you will sell as well. This means that you don’t have to spend hours on the phone figuring out what products to sell and trying to determine what supplies you will need. Plus you won’t have to worry about excess inventory.
Ask Lots of Questions
If you do choose to work with an established fundraising company make sure that you ask questions. Before you commit to any fundraiser you need to know if there are minimum order amounts, what percentage of sales you will receive, what your responsibilities are and what deadlines you need to meet. Asking questions will help you to receive the guidance you need and will ensure that you understand the fundraising process. Many people find it helpful to compare multiple school fundraising companies so that they can find the best fit for their school or organization.
Stay Organized
Organization is key in a school fundraiser, so make sure that you don’t fall behind on this critical task. As orders come in make sure that you know what has been paid, what money is still owed and which orders have been filled. Organization can be a lot of work for one person, so consider enlisting an assistant or two. If you stay on top of organizational tasks it will be much less overwhelming than trying to catch up after things are already a mess.
Get Help
Finally, make sure that you have enough help. You don’t have to do everything on your own. Ask parents and other school volunteers to help you make the fundraiser a success. You may need help distributing catalogs, keeping track of orders, communicating with the fundraising company and distributing products. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and remember that most people are willing and excited to help their school earn a little extra money.