School Fundraising

When it comes to school fundraising, it can be a jungle out there. Competition is fierce and fundraising for schools can be taken very seriously between the teachers, kids, and parents involved. With a few friendly tips and ideas, however, that ferociousness and competitive spirit can be replaced with gracious, giving attitudes and, most of all, a friendly and fun outlook!

To put the "fun" back in fundraising, it is important to impress upon the participants that it is not a contest. There are various reasons a school may participate in fundraising, including library costs and school trips, but none of these reasons should turn innocent kids into cash-hungry monsters. Instead, fundraising should encourage kids to get creative and to have fun working together to raise funds for something that is important. Adding prizes is a good idea in theory, but prizes far too often lead to difficult situations and problematic fundraising practices.

Fundraising Ideas

There are a number of ideas when it comes to school fundraising. Some schools go with entire catalogues filled with items to sell, but these catalogues can often be overwhelming and can confuse potential donators. Instead of going with a wide variety of products or services to sell for fundraising, it is a good idea to go with a simpler approach and offer straightforward products or services that everyone can use and enjoy.

A good fundraising idea should be easy to sell and it should offer good value to the person that purchases it. Many schools sell prepaid phone cards or discount shopping cards, as these ideas offer tremendous value to the purchaser and come in handy. The discount card option is a great idea for schools, as it contains a number of prearranged discounts and involves a partnership with local retailers and companies.

Other great fundraising ideas include:

• Bake sales
• Auction for products or services, such as lawn-mowing or painting services
• Bingo
• Mini-golf tournament
• Karaoke night
• Car wash

All of these ideas are great for school fundraising, as there is no limit to the services and products that can be included. Auctions are especially fun, as old toys and items can be sold for a nice price and the benefits come back to the students at the school. Items like dollhouses, stuffed animals, and other great items make great auction ideas.

Keep It Positive

With a great fundraising idea in mind, it's important to keep the focus on fundraising and positivity. When planning a fundraiser, it is important to include as many of the school children as possible. This defines a role for each child and includes everyone. Nobody likes to feel left out of something important, so allocate responsibility and make sure each child has a task to do.

It should be fun to fundraise, so make sure that all of the children are treated with good humor and positivity. Try to plan little rewards or presents along the way, ensuring that the children enjoy being there and have something extra special to look forward to. Plan a dinner or lunch after the fundraiser to reflect on the experience overall, too.