Less Is More - Fall 2006
In Defense of Fundraising - Fall 2006
Eight Ways To Get New Volunteers - Spring 2005
Fundraising Gone Wild! - Fall 2004
Mission: Possible - Cliff Notes for the Newly Inducted Fundraising Chair - Spring 2000
Ask a Pro: About Fundraising Fatigue - Fall 1999
Guest Editorial "Fundraising and Volunteerism" by Jackie Burch - Spring 1998
How to Fight Fundraising Fatigue - Spring 1997
| Less is More | Fall 2006 |
Better Results with Fewer Fundraisers
It happens in the entertainment business all the time. A popular game show suddenly appears in primetime four nights a week, instead of its usual one. Or a well-known movie star is suddenly chatting on every talk show, has a guest appearance on a popular sitcom, and is the lead in the weekend’s biggest Hollywood movie. What once seemed novel, no longer is. Fundraising is no different. When it comes to fundraising at schools, the motto should be “do a few and do them well,” according to fundraising professionals who partner with schools to help raise funds.
“A lot of school groups today are doing too much fundraising,” according to Rich Freeman, a fundraising professional from Indiana. “Parents are getting so many requests to support so many programs that after awhile, they start to ignore everything.”
Too many fundraisers will create burnout — with volunteers, parents, students and teachers, according to Freeman. Parents and other supporters are already being tapped by the local little league, football teams, and Girl Scouts, among other things. So the last thing your group wants to do is create more noise in the fundraising traffic jam. Freeman said he counsels the fundraising chairs he works with to conduct one or two well-planned, well-executed programs per school year.
Larry Grau, PTO president at an Indianapolis middle school agrees with that philosophy. “We have fewer volunteers than ever before, so we have to get the most bang for our buck by ‘streamlining’ our fundraising efforts,” he said. Grau’s school conducts a product sale in the fall and a walk-a-thon event in the spring.
Grau said his school PTO funds multiple projects with the money raised during its two annual fundraising programs — including construction of an outdoor ampitheatre, outdoor classrooms and a nature trail.
So what’s the best way to plan and organize one or two fundraising programs over the course of the entire school year?
“A lot of communication,” according to Grau. “We publicize not only what we’re doing, but why we’re doing it as well,” he said. “We start promoting the fundraiser early in the school year to build support. We also provide clear instructions to teachers and students once the program starts.”
Matt Poe, editor in chief of Student Youth and Traveler magazine – a publication dedicated to helping educators organize field trips for their student and youth travel groups – suggests school group leaders work together to organize the most effective fundraising program, while reducing the overall number of programs.
“Collaborate with the other groups in your school that will be running their own fundraisers throughout the year to make sure you aren’t competing,” Poe writes in the September issue of Student Youth and Traveler. “Another recommendation is to try to combine fundraising efforts with other groups from your school. Combine [your] efforts and split the profits.”
School groups can get a maximum return by doing one or two fundraisers per year — and doing them well. It’s difficult to organize, execute and promote five or six fundraisers in nine months. It’s easier to get parents, students, teachers and volunteers excited and willing to participate if they know ahead of time that they’ll only be asked to support one or two fundraisers each school year.
| In Defense of Fundraising | Fall 2006 |
Why most parents support it despite being tired of it
Every day in big cities and small towns across the country, enthusiastic volunteers and dedicated professionals are working together to raise money for school libraries, youth soccer leagues, high school bands and scores of non-profit projects. And every year – thanks to these efforts – schools and other non-profit groups raise nearly $1.7 billion to help pay for important programs that enrich young lives. So what’s wrong with that?
Plenty, if you listen to some critics who say schools in particular are doing way too much fundraising and claim parents are getting fed up. What with all the car washes, walk-a-thons, auctions, box-top collections and product sales happening during the school year, it’s easy to see why some parents burn out and parent groups become frustrated. Even the most noble causes are threatened when parent support begins to lag..
Debate in Print
At the beginning of every school year, fundraising opportunities abound, as do newspaper articles on fundraising. This fall, syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, Michelle Singletary, weighed in on the debate with a column on her decision to “opt out” of her daughter’s private school fundraising drive. She wrote a check instead. And then the letters and emails came. Some were supportive, but others took a different view. Here’s a sample:
Laura Rosenfeld, a parent living in Arlington Heights, Illinois wrote, “I understand how annoying it is to constantly be hit up for money, but I also understand that it takes a community effort to keep our school not only solvent, but maintaining a standard of excellence. If I have to write one more check to do that, I don’t mind. My kids are worth it.”
Leira Satlof of Santa Rosa, Calif., said, “Thank you so much for your column on school fundraising. It so precisely expressed my feelings that I clipped it, copied it and attached it to the eight (eight in the first five days of school) fundraising requests I received from my children’s two schools.”
PTO president Jeanne Scaramuzza, of Mount Prospect, Illinois, wrote, “Our PTO would be happy to eliminate all fundraisers if we also felt comfortable eliminating all the programs, cultural enrichment, supplies, books, computer software, sound systems, gym equipment, classroom treats, reading achievement awards, field trip subsidies, assignment books, holiday baskets for the needy, teacher appreciation lunches, newsletters and teacher training that we provide our school.” “Your article really hit a nerve,” wrote Julie Schapire. “As a mom who has spent a lot of time fundraising for our elementary school, I really resent what you say about fundraisers. I feel sorry for parents in your school who are probably busting their ‘you know what’ and then have to read an article like this. I am sure that your family and children benefit from their efforts. It is a shame that you do not have more respect for their efforts.” These letters illustrate two points:
- Fundraising burnout does exist. It’s more difficult than ever before to get the attention AND support of dual-income families – almost as difficult as passing a referendum for more school funding.
- the need and desire to fundraise still exists. Why? To pay for vital programs that help enhance young lives.
This issue of The Fundraising Edge is dedicated to helping schools and parent groups improve fundraising efforts and increase support without alienating their primary supporters – time-strapped, budget-stretched parents. You’ll see a few recurring themes: Do a few and do them well. Focus on the goal. And promote, promote, promote.
| Eight Ways To Shore Up New Volunteers | Spring 2005 |
You might need eight days in a week to get that next fundraiser off the ground. And you definitely need eight to eighty warm bodies for your fundraiser to set sail (get sales)! Research suggests there is a strong correlation between the number of volunteers a fundraising organization taps and the amount of money they can expect to raise. Where and how do you get good volunteers committed to your fundraising goal?
1. Seek ’em out: At the bus stop, at the school drop off or pickup, at the neighborhood BBQ or monthly Bunco game. Opportunities are right in your backyard. Have the sign up sheet with you at all times and follow up quickly with those who say “yes.” For a given fundraiser, you can display a large poster signup sheet in the school hallway, listing areas of need, e.g. concession, classroom, counting orders, product delivery. Visuals can support by showing a picture: “Help sell x and the school gets y.” Better yet, “help sell x and your child gets y.”
2. Line ’em up: During the first two weeks of school, line up a healthy reserve of volunteers who rotate during the year. Individuals should not be tapped for more than one or two fundraisers a year. Encourage eager newcomers, such as parents of kindergartners or high school newcomers, and parents new to the community. Keep the pipeline full: At the end of each drive, begin the search for next year’s crop of volunteers. Ask this year’s volunteers to write a job description for their replacement. Then ask who they recommend for the job.
3. Sell ’em with information: Busy parents, working parents don’t always have the school calendar on the brain, nor do they necessarily know what your parent group is about. Make folders describing your mission, the people on the team and their contact information, and include a snapshot of the year’s calendar of activities and have them ready for open house and parent-teacher conferences. Ask for one commitment, either to a regularly scheduled fundraiser or to a special event or project. Use constant reminders: a month-at-a-glance calendar parents can tape to the refrigerator, telephone trees, email groups, electronic bulletin boards.
4. Think short-term: Give volunteers a specific task in a manageable timeframe and let them take ownership. Recruiting warm bodies for quick results is effective when the volunteer position can be done by almost anyone, either because no special skills are required or the necessary skills can be taught in a limited amount of time. Short-term simple jobs can be handed to those who would help at family book reading night, a field trip, or a special weekend event.
5. Match Skills: If it’s more than a warm body you need, consider matching the skills and interests of your volunteers to your list of tasks. Get to know them by asking questions: What would they like to do? How much time can they commit? What do they do for a living or for fun that applies? For example, the freelance copywriter in your neighborhood may be the next person to take on your newsletter or write and pitch a press release to the local media. Similarly, the tennis league member who never has time for meetings and committees might be the person to chaperone a sporting event.
6. Target each grade: Parents who may not warm up to a schoolwide fundraiser may find it easier to get involved to raise funds for their child’s specific grade level. Parents will see a direct benefit to their child because their efforts are sharply targeted.
7. Put more people on the clock: Whether someone has an hour, a half-day, a weekend or a whole school year to give — accept it. Graciously. Then ask the new volunteer to tell five friends about the parent group and its goals. And so it goes.
8. Praise ’em like you should: Create an environment that celebrates the spirit of volunteering all the time. End-of-year appreciation is nice but you might need to recognize your star players weekly, monthly or on some recurring basis. Ideas: A prime parking spot with a big sign that says “Reserved for Volunteer of the Week”; a monthly raffle for “best seat in the house” for school events like graduation or local events such as a hot play or concert in town; a feature story complete with pictures of volunteers in your parent-group newsletter, the local newspaper, and don’t forget Fundraising Edge and the Fundraising Makes It Happen program (see sidebar).
Wrap-Up
You know you have a winning fundraiser when volunteers replay their experience thinking of the playground they helped build instead of the catalogs, order forms and monies they organized. This warm-hearted memory just might motivate them to sign up and volunteer again.
| Fundraising Gone Wild! | Fall 2004 |
“Some schools fundraise to [hire more teachers and] reduce class size,” says Jan Harp Domene, Secretary/Treasurer of the National PTA. Others raise money for notebook paper and pencils. Not that these are unworthy goals, Domene is only relating how fundraising objectives have changed from simpler times when music, art and drama classes made the fundraising A-list. Domene says it’s unfortunate when school fundraising dollars are unable to pay for programs that stir kids’ passions. Instead, more and more fundraising dollars are being used to pay for school necessities such as classroom supplies and equipment.
Recent research indicates that 71% of parents are concerned and overwhelmed with having to do more fundraising. Not only are schools running multiple programs each year, parents are also tapped by the local little league, football teams, Girl Scouts, and so forth. Parents and kids are simply burned out on the subject. Naturally, concerned parents who question why they need to do more also will want to know what they are doing it for.
“With so many working families today, there is only so much time and money to go around,” says John Kukta, President of an Ohio-based fundraising company. Kukta says fundraising participation is down, on average, because of too many programs. Some schools hold three and four fundraisers in the fall alone, and the same wonder why only 30% of families participate in a single drive. “You can only go to the well so many times,” Kukta says.
A common misperception is that more fundraising will make more money. And some organizations make the mistake of running a smaller program that returns very little profit, prior to kicking off a larger campaign. This type of back-to-back fundraising can shortchange both programs. It can backfire with an unprofitable result on the small program and, further, taint participation for the “big” fundraiser that can “show you the money.”
Kukta advises organizations to concentrate on the fundraiser that makes the most money for the school.
He says that one well-planned and executed fundraiser can more than triple the results of a few status quo programs. Domene agrees that “less is more” when it comes to fundraising. “Parents would be happy to know that schools are sensitive to their time and money concerns,” she says. Schools and organizations should begin by focusing fundraising on fewer, but higher impact projects. Parents will double their efforts if they know they’re going to be tapped only once or twice a year, Domene reasons.
To return participation to effective levels, fundraising experts recommend that organizations considering schoolwide programs forego adding too many fundraisers to the calendar. PTAs, PTOs, parents and faculty need to talk to each other and work together to deliver a common fundraising program that accomplishes a worthwhile goal.
| Mission: Possible Cliff Notes for the Newly Inducted Fundraising Chair |
Spring 2000 |
"Congratulations Ms. Cantsayno, you've been appointed fundraising chairperson. Your mission, should you decide to accept (and you will because we know that's the kind of person you are) is to oversee our school's fundraising activities. Good luck."
Do not panic. Fundraising is not for wimps. You'll never hear Tom Cruise whine, "But…but…I've never done this before." Now is the time for action. The following attack plan was developed with the fundraising rookie in mind in consultation with several experienced fundraisers. One word of caution: every fundraising program is different so the logistics can vary greatly. However, once you've selected a particular program and a professional company, your fundraising representative can help you map out the details.
Six Months Before
Step 1 - Set a Goal
No fundraising activity should be without purpose and that purpose should be one that everyone can support. Why do you need the money? How much money do you need? When setting the fundraising goal, be specific. Involve all interested parties in setting the goal and then make that the focus of your campaign from start to finish. If the goal is meaningful to school administrators, faculty, parents and children, your chances for success are greater.
Step 2 - Recruit a Committee
New fundraising chairs often try to do too much themselves rather than delegate. Recruit a team of three or four parent volunteers to help organize the activity and recruit any other needed volunteers. For example, assign one person to take care of publicity; two to handle money collection and record keeping; and another to manage delivery logistics.
Step 3 - Select a Company
Get this right and the rest should be a cakewalk (pardon the expression). Pare down your list to two or three companies and make appointments with each. Allow enough time (at least 45 minutes) for a proper presentation. Step 3 is not the place to skimp on time and effort.
Competing companies will need to know your group's financial goal; the number of potential participants and their ages; and any historical information you can provide (e.g. past fundraisers, participation levels, successes and failures).
You will need to learn from each of the companies you interview:
- How long has the company been in business?
- How many years of experience does the company representative have in fundraising?
- Are the program's product/s of high quality that the organization will be proud to stand behind?
- What services are available to save you and your volunteers time and energy?
- How will the program work? Are products paid for in advance or upon delivery?
- Does the company understand and comply with your state sales tax laws?
- How is safety addressed? Does the company discourage unsupervised door-to-door sales? Will adult supervision be stressed? How will these points be communicated to parents? Children?
- What promotional assistance will the company provide? (kick-off assemblies; parent letters; posters; samples for display; etc.)
- Is there an incentive or prize program? If so, who pays for it?
- How are products shipped and when? Who pays the freight?
- What is the policy regarding damaged or unsold product? What about back orders?
- Will there be a written agreement?
- Can the company provide references? (Be sure to call and check these references.)
Again, it's important to remember that there are many types of fundraising programs. Not all of the above criteria may apply to your organization or the company with whom you choose to work.
Once you've selected the firm, set the dates and place them on a school or community activities calendar to avoid overlap within your own school or neighboring schools. Clear activities and crucial dates with appropriate officials (school principal, coaches, and custodians) to avoid conflicts with other events. Now relax for a few months.
One Month Before
Step 4 - Final Planning
Contact your fundraising representative and meet with your fundraising committee to review logistics. Make a list of materials that you'll be responsible for and those that the company will supply. Determine how many adult volunteers you'll need to execute the fundraiser at every step.
Develop a master schedule of important dates for everyone to use as his or her blueprint. Include such details as: advance promotion (press releases, newsletter articles, billboards); arrival dates for company materials; kick-off activities with students/teachers/parents; deadlines for orders/money to be turned in; reminder notices/P.A. announcements; delivery of products and prizes; announcement of results to all participants; volunteer appreciation; and a wrap-up meeting to review the entire event.
Let teachers know about the fundraiser so that they may incorporate it into their lesson plans.
One to Two Weeks Before
Step 5 - Advance Promotion
Send a flier home to parents announcing your fundraising goal and when they can expect to receive their fundraising packets/products. Put up posters around the school and post dates on the school billboard, web site and on the homework hotline. If an open house or parents meeting is scheduled, arrange a display with product samples from your fundraising project.
One to Two Days Before
Step 6 - Countdown
Touch base with fundraising company, school administrators and custodians to reconfirm logistics. Gather and sort the supplies you'll need from the company. Check in with your committee and team leaders. Call volunteers to remind them of their responsibilities and when
they're needed. Post reminders to teachers, explaining procedures, reminding them of the goal.
D-Day
Step 7 - All Systems Go
This is when you start to congratulate yourself on all the careful planning. Kick-off activities, if scheduled, go off without a hitch. Appropriate materials finally go home to each family. If your particular event will last over a one- or two-week period, make your final preparations to motivate volunteers. Remind volunteers of important deadlines; the group's ultimate goal and what progress has been made.
Some families may jump right on the fundraising project, returning their order forms/money immediately. So it's a good idea to review your process for order and money collection to ensure these
early returns are accounted for. Likewise, now is the time to review your plans for product delivery first to your school and then to the end-user. Touch base with the fundraising company representative for an approximate date of delivery. Reconfirm availability of space with school officials. If parental pick-up is planned, begin scheduling times once a firm delivery date has been determined.
Step 8 - Product Delivery
Again, fundraising programs will vary widely. Sometimes products will go home with students. Sometimes parents will pick up the orders. There are some instances that the product may go directly to the end-user. Have enough volunteers on hand to handle products at the appropriate time, making sure there is someone to trouble-shoot missing orders. Forward appropriate paperwork (invoice, purchase orders) to your organization's treasurer or bookkeeper to ensure prompt payment. Then, congratulate yourself again on yet another well-executed plan.
One Month After
Step 9 - Evaluation
Did your group meet or exceed financial expectations? Are plans underway toward implementing the originally stated goal? (Is the new playground equipment on the way? Are the field trip plans complete?) Communicate the final fundraising results by P.A., billboards, newsletters, parent letters, etc., thanking participants for their support. Meet with your committee to review the entire activity and any notes taken along the way to identify improvements for next year. Provide an overall report to the school principal in a brief meeting. And provide your fundraising company representative with your feedback.
Now you can proudly pass on your file and vast knowledge to the next, more fortunate fundraising chair, because … congratulations, Ms. Cantsayno, your successful fundraising efforts just landed you the position of incoming President!
| Ask a Pro: About Fundraising Fatigue | Fall 1999 |
"We didn't meet our fall fundraising goal and parents are complaining that there's too much fundraising. What do we do now?" We posed this dilemma to a couple of professionals in the business of fundraising to see how they would advise this organization.
"I've been in fundraising for 30 years, the first ten as a school principal. We used to have one or two fundraisers with 80 to 90% of the kids participating. Now you'll see a school doing one fundraiser after another with only 30-35% participation. It's easy to see why they're losing steam. I tell groups: limit the number of fundraisers you do and avoid competing with others in the community. And before you overburden parents, consider backing-off your original goal. It's more important that you keep your long-term credibility intact."
Mike Purvis, Atlanta, GA
"We encourage groups to keep fundraisers down to two per year and to try avoid being talked into too many ancillary activities. Incrementally, the more fundraisers you do, the less your return. The community can only support so many and eventually volunteers burnout. Everybody loses. If another fundraiser in the spring is the only way to go, we'd include a note in the parent letter that says we want to keep fundraising to a minimum but in order to meet your goal of . . . . Be very specific."
Steve Wienkers, Grafton, WI
| Guest Editorial Fundraising and Volunteerism |
Spring 1998 |
Rosemary had just been elected as a Student Council representative at her school. She was so proud because she knew that the Student Council was a very active group that believes in giving back to the community. One of the first projects in which she participated was selling candy. She understood that all of the profits would be given to a local organization that helps needy families. Rosemary worked hard and was a top salesperson. She was chosen to present the check to the local charity. While at the charity, she met other volunteers and decided that she wanted to do more for the needy and homeless in her community. Rosemary became a dedicated volunteer, donating more than 350 hours of her time before high school graduation. Rosemary is one of many students nationwide who had her first volunteer opportunity through fundraising.
Community service and volunteerism are natural extensions of good citizenship. Students can show the community that they are taking an active interest in its well-being. Our Student Council does at least one fundraising project a year with all of the profits donated to a charity. When the students become more informed about the needs in their community they are more willing to volunteer and help. Volunteerism among youth benefits both the youth and the community. It places the youth on the front lines addressing some of the most pressing issues of today such as homelessness, illiteracy, and the environment. Youth volunteers bring energy, commitment, and ideas to impact and enhance the services of community organizations. Schools are also discovering that youth can learn and grow a great deal while serving others. “Service learning” has become an important tool for communities as well as educators. Not only are the needs of the community being met by energetic new volunteers, students are learning about themselves and others around them.
Helping others encourages youth to make positive choices in life. Youth who stay busy with volunteer activities are less likely to be involved in at-risk activities. Volunteers are busy making a difference. Fundraising plays a vital role because it gives many youth their very first opportunity to become involved in serving their community.
Jackie Burch
Student Council/NHS Adviser
National Association of Student Activity Advisors, Region 8 Board Member
Fort Meade High School
Fort Meade, FL
| How to Fight Fundraising Fatigue | Spring 1997 |
In America fundraising is as commonplace as the drive-thru window. If you are or have been a student, you’ve probably been through one. If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or live near or work with people who have children, you’ve probably bought (or sold!) something through one. In fact, shrinking school budgets and the growing cost of education have combined to create an unprecedented demand for fundraising — and some people, parents in particular, are growing tired of it.
To stave off fundraising fatigue, many schools, volunteers and fundraising companies are taking measures to prevent parent burnout and preserve an important self-help tool for developing resources.
Set Clear Goals, Firm Deadlines
Barb Lewis, veteran fundraiser and staunch supporter of her high school in Lilburn, Georgia, has fought and won the battle against fundraising fatigue. Her children already have graduated, but she is
still one of the school’s most successful fundraisers in a community inundated with fundraising activity. She believes one of the best ways to beat burnout is to establish clear fundraising goals and set firm deadlines for reaching those goals.
“Identify what you need, how much money is required and how long it will take to get it,” said Lewis. Otherwise, she says, fundraising activity can be never-ending. At her school, Lewis sets beginning and ending dates for all fundraising projects. “That way everybody knows that there will be closure.” Others involved in school fundraising say the emphasis on goal-setting is spreading.
Do a Few and Do Them Well
“Last year we had five [fundraisers] and all the money went into a general pool,” reports Stephen Van Zant, principal of an elementary school in Chula Vista, CA. “This year we’re only doing three, but the money we raise is earmarked to pay for more library books and computers — hot buttons for my parents,” said Van Zant.
Most fundraising companies who work with organizations to raise money agree that, with fundraising, less can be more.
“Schools simply need to minimize the number of fundraisers that come out of their building and we have to help them do it,” said Pat Bieneman, owner of a fundraising company in Redmond, WA. “Otherwise, we just shoot ourselves in the foot.” Serving Seattle and the surrounding area, Bieneman says that she puts pressure on herself and her customers to do only a few fundraisers but, importantly, to do them well.
Fundraising professional Bob Johnson of Mobile, AL agrees: “If I start to hear that parents are sick of fundraising, I bite the bullet and recommend dropping the spring fundraiser to make an investment toward next fall.
Many schools, volunteers and fudraising companies are taking measures to prevent parent burnout and preserve an important self-help tool for developing resources.
I also suggest they advertise the fact that they won’t do a spring fundraiser so that parents can have a break. Then, come September, everyone will be more willing to participate.”
Not only should schools and school groups be watchful of their own fundraising efforts, many advise that it is good practice to know what other groups in the area are doing to raise money.
Know What Others Are Doing
“Today children and their parents are fundraising for their schools in addition to raising money for other groups — usually in September after purchasing school supplies, new clothes and a dozen other unexpected things,” says Florida elementary school principal Nora Gledich. “We have to be sensitive to that.”
One good way to do that, Gledich says, is know what, where, when and how others are doing in fundraising. At her school, Gledich works with the PTA at least one year in advance so that they can coordinate fundraising efforts with neighboring schools and other groups (youth leagues, scouts, etc.) who may be selling in the community at the same time.
“I wouldn’t dream of selling cookies in January because that’s when the Girl Scouts are at work,” said Gledich. “The last thing we want to do is duplicate the efforts of others and oversaturate the community. We’d only hurt each other.” Gledich talks with other principals AND she requires her fundraising company rep to keep her informed. Many fundraising professionals are members of the local community and a good source of information on what other groups are doing, she says, and most likely, they are working with these other groups on fundraisers.
“I’m not in the business of fundraising and neither are the parents,” said Gledich. “I’m in the business of teaching kids, and parents are in the business of raising them. We have to listen to each other and help each other.”
