How many times have you rolled your eyes when presented with flyers and brochures offering frozen cookie dough, candles, pizzas, candy, popcorn, or soap? Fundraising for schools and clubs has gone far beyond Girl Scout Cookies and the ubiquitous $1 and $1.50 candy bars you’re asked to purchase when you walk out of a store. But with rising costs come rising needs for funds for schools to afford educational tools and supplies and for organizations to enjoy things like trips and new experiences.
While a common criticism of fundraising is that children should not be expected to be little salespeople, always hitting up parents and grandparents to purchase this or that, when you consider the benefits of fundraising, it seems less an annoyance. And after all, when kids get older, especially when they go to enter the work force, selling themselves is an important part of doing good on an interview and getting a job. The ability to face people and ask for a purchase, a raise, a resolution to a problem, and almost anything we as adults face, requires a bit of salesmanship. While having 5-year-olds sell candy bars might be just fun for them, older children do benefit from fundraising a little more because they’re just starting to become more socially aware. They can also see how their efforts reap good results in the form of new computers, sports equipment, uniforms or trips.
Planning is key when it comes to fundraising. If you’re in charge of a group who has a candy bar fundraiser at the same time as another group, chances are both groups’ efforts will be hurt. Even different types of fundraisers at the same time can cause lessened sales. Coordinate your fundraising with the other school groups so that campaigns don’t overlap. It’s a good idea to choose any necessary fundraising plans for the entire year before the school year begins, so you have plenty of notice and can avoid last-minute rushing.
It’s also a good idea when planning fundraising to make sure at least one fundraiser is a tried and true money-maker. If you always have a great result with candy bars, don’t abandon that fundraiser to try the next thing a company offers. While it’s a great idea to try new things and be creative, a new idea could prove less successful. And if you’ve got your old standby fundraiser planned as well, you’ll at least have some idea about the funds you’ll bring in then.
Also, candy bars, lollipops and other items that are sold immediately appeal to a different group of people than the fundraisers which require an order and later delivery. Many people will gladly buy that box of cookies or candy bar they can take with them, but hesitate to pay for something that they’ll receive in the future. It’s best to use a mix of immediate purchase and order-required fundraisers throughout the year.
