Youth Fundraising with Smaller Groups:
The importance of fundraising for smaller groups is sometimes
underestimated.
Why would anyone contact these groups? The number of
participants is substantially less than a schoolwide fundraiser - which is on
average about 450 students. The fact
that there are more participants must mean more sales, a higher participation
rate, and better overall results - right? Well, I can tell you this theory is
wrong in many instances!
Here are a couple examples of these organizations and why
they are successful.
Dance Organizations
Have you ever heard parents talk about what it costs for
their child to participate in dance classes? It sounds something like this, “Oh
my God, the cost of costumes, competition, travel expenses, etc. are going to
add up to 4 to 5 thousand this year… I have no idea how I’m going to afford it!”
It’s a good thing that many studio owners and directors
offer families a way to offset these expenses by fundraising. In many cases
these funds are set up where each child or family has their own personal
account. This means that the funds raised are not used for the organization as a whole
but is their money alone!
Yes, the hard part is over. You have the parents’ motivation
to participate, and they ultimately make the decision whether or not to
participate in every youth fundraising campaign.
You do not need any prizes, gift cards, candy, etc. to
motivate this group. Maybe just offer a cash incentive for the top sellers or a
cash raffle drawing which gives them more money to add to their account. These
can be quick and easy fundraisers and can greatly benefit the students and
parents.
Middle School / High School Class Trip Fundraiser
These groups plan trips all the time to Washington DC, New
York City, Boston, etc. The cost of transportation, admission to events, and
spending money can cost over $500.00 per student. Again, this means a lot of
out-of-pocket expense for Mom and Dad!
The trip advisors establish personal accounts for the
students to offset these expenses by fundraising throughout the school year.
In many cases, the students pay for the whole trip.
Once again, you have the parents’ attention! The parents and
students get together contacting everyone they know through social media asking
for their help and support.
Remember, these organizations usually need to run at least 3
fundraisers throughout the course of a year. Keep it simple for these
groups by selecting one specific item to sell at a time, such as cookie dough,
popcorn, chocolate bars, etc. It is okay if you are selling the same product
each year. Consistency can be good for a profitable fundraiser.
You will be amazed with the fundraising success of these
smaller organizations. These groups are self-motivated. Parental involvement
and support make a huge difference!
The success of these fundraisers is achieved by both the
sponsors and parents working together to accomplish a specific goal. These
fundraisers are a necessity for many of the families on a yearly basis so they
can afford to do things that they may otherwise not be able to.
I wish you the best and hope you keep offering this great
source of funding to the parents in your community!
- Doug Diano
Cherrydale Regional Representative