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School asking for fundraising money

by qu4rk
17 replies
I'm helping a local school with some fundraising they are doing. They are going to email & direct mail past donor's to ask for donations. Their past messaging has been sports related. This go-round they want to avoid having it sports related.

They also have a goal they are short on & they have about 3 months to reach this goal.

For anyone who has experience with this, what do you think is the best way to approach their messaging?
#fundraising #money #school
  • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
    Originally Posted by qu4rk View Post

    I'm helping a local school with some fundraising they are doing. They are going to email & direct mail past donor's to ask for donations. Their past messaging has been sports related. This go-round they want to avoid having it sports related.

    They also have a goal they are short on & they have about 3 months to reach this goal.

    For anyone who has experience with this, what do you think is the best way to approach their messaging?
    What's always worked on me is using the "Mum's Army"

    Forget direct mail or email...although that can pre-frame the request and may get some response from past supporters.

    Nothing beats having a Mom approach a business with kids in tow after she's collected them from school.

    If you can get people mobilised you can get a good response because the business owners and their gatekeepers find it had to reject genuine approaches from real people who go in unscripted and say

    "Help my kid's school do this"

    Most gatekeepers go and grab the boss when a women turns up with kids. Works for Guys with kids too.

    Usually local businesses want to support their community but you must make it easy for them to give.

    You can always offer several incentives.

    Publish business in School newsletter.

    Top sponsors get signage on school fence for a year.

    Promise of using business if school needs their services.

    Also...be sure to ask for donations of any variety....if approaching a mechanic for example rather than saying "give us the money" ask for three free services you can raffle at next school function.

    When schools ask for genuine support and just don't want "cold hard cash" they do better.

    My advice...send in the Moms and get gift vouchers that the school can leverage for cash by selling to parents of the students.
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  • Profile picture of the author Freebiequeen1999
    Some great ideas from Ozi

    I would add - get up a facebook page, spread the word

    you can set up a gofundme kind of account...set up one where you get all the money whether you hit your goal or not...then promote the fundraise site to your email list and on facebook

    get a paypal account and donate buttons up and running = make it easy
    make your contact info easy -

    yes, getting donations of oil changes, dinners, karate lessons etc is a good idea and good publicity for the local bix. Promote them on facebook too when they donate. Having a couple fundraisers with "auction" or silent auction is good

    you can of course get the kids out there....there are many fundraising companies

    One you might try is "enjoy the city" ...they ship local coupon glossy large book to you at no charge and the kids sell them and you make a nice profit. Many name brand restaurants, local attractions - sort of like entertainment book but not as hard to use.
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    What is the amount of the goal?

    What is the funding going towards?

    Perhaps a retailer or, even auto dealer, would donate a desirable larger ticket item
    for a drawing where people pay x amount to get in. Jet ski? Ssomething popular in your
    area and for the season.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      This is a topic that in the last few months has been eating at me. I live in that snob community that every metro area has. My child goes to the best school in the area. and my child brings homes donation crap on what I would think is a daily basis.

      Forget the book clubs and pictures and school shirts and all of that stuff. its the playground fundraiser ( in the middle of them trying to get a levy to build a new school ) asking for donations to improve the ground with flowers ( no I am not kidding ) and this and that and the other.. it seriously is out of control.

      My overall plan is to get involved in the PTA next year - just to see how things work, and the following year go in and make some "suggestions". So the idea of how to raise money for a school has taken on a bit of interest for me.

      The whole mom thing works there is no doubt.. but it really is for most a burden. I immediately think of developing a non profit and develop a nice site that is an amazon affiliate or the like. 500 kids 1000 parents 4000 grandparents. another 5000 in community support. and that's just the Grade school. add in the other grade school the middle school and the high school... and your consistent reach with School to Student to Parent flyers becomes pretty impressive.

      "Support your school with your iTunes purchases click here" it to me just seems like a no brainer
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
        savidge4 - I THINK there is some tax impediment to doing what you are suggesting. I am trying to remember a conversation from years ago and can not "pull up" the details. Maybe something to do with sales vice donations.... or starting to look and act more like a business. I wish I could be more specific. Best of luck. Can't wait to hear how it works out.

        chris

        Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

        This is a topic that in the last few months has been eating at me. I live in that snob community that every metro area has. My child goes to the best school in the area. and my child brings homes donation crap on what I would think is a daily basis.

        Forget the book clubs and pictures and school shirts and all of that stuff. its the playground fundraiser ( in the middle of them trying to get a levy to build a new school ) asking for donations to improve the ground with flowers ( no I am not kidding ) and this and that and the other.. it seriously is out of control.

        My overall plan is to get involved in the PTA next year - just to see how things work, and the following year go in and make some "suggestions". So the idea of how to raise money for a school has taken on a bit of interest for me.

        The whole mom thing works there is no doubt.. but it really is for most a burden. I immediately think of developing a non profit and develop a nice site that is an amazon affiliate or the like. 500 kids 1000 parents 4000 grandparents. another 5000 in community support. and that's just the Grade school. add in the other grade school the middle school and the high school... and your consistent reach with School to Student to Parent flyers becomes pretty impressive.

        "Support your school with your iTunes purchases click here" it to me just seems like a no brainer
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        • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
          Maybe I am mis-remembering that... There seems to be an awful lot of discussion available on that topic. https://www.google.com/search?num=10...67.tLz-vJeGS2c
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        • Profile picture of the author savidge4
          Originally Posted by Chris Grable View Post

          savidge4 - I THINK there is some tax impediment to doing what you are suggesting. I am trying to remember a conversation from years ago and can not "pull up" the details. Maybe something to do with sales vice donations.... or starting to look and act more like a business. I wish I could be more specific. Best of luck. Can't wait to hear how it works out.

          chris
          Actually no there really isn't.. Good solid Non Profits.. ARE BUSINESS's I hate to use them as an example.. but the Catholic church.. nothing non business about them at all. they are landlords and bank owners, and have payrolls and everything a business would have.. except the tax implication.

          A better example.. in some states there are actual for profit bingo Parlors, and in other states only non profits can run them. No matter what side of the fence you are on.. they are one in the same. There is rent to pay for the space ( or a mortgage ) there are employees of some type to pay. usually an accountant is in there somewhere getting his fee. An lets not forget about the marketing budget to make the whole thing work... Its a business.

          As far as affiliate marketing.. well this page https://affiliate-program.amazon.com.../join/faq.html and look at #6 as an example. Or maybe https://smile.amazon.com/ as another example.. your non profit can be listed and anyone can select your "Charity" and with every purchase once the setting is made there is a .5% kick to your charity.

          Combine the 2 ( and why wouldn't you? ) and it all adds up.

          There are some other programs that I am personally connected to that I will not mention here, that are geared towards non-profits as well. They produce long term earnings of 1 to 6%.

          There are simply many ways to go about this.. and getting away form the "donation" based model is really the only logical step I can see in developing beyond meeting the budget.. MAYBE.. and getting ahead and doing what these school based organizations should be doing.. making a difference in communities and kids lives
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        • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
          Originally Posted by Chris Grable View Post

          savidge4 - I THINK there is some tax impediment to doing what you are suggesting. I am trying to remember a conversation from years ago and can not "pull up" the details. Maybe something to do with sales vice donations.... or starting to look and act more like a business. I wish I could be more specific. Best of luck. Can't wait to hear how it works out.

          chris
          About a decade ago I walked through this with one of the top guys in the state as far as setting up
          non-profits goes. I wanted to sell stuff on the internet with the main goal being to fund raise for a charity.

          Some care has to be taken that you don't do something that is crosswise with the stated and filed
          reasons for the non-profit in the first place. The most common non-profit is the 501(c)3 and it's
          usually for educational purposes. So, if the non-profit itself starts something, like selling Ugg Boots
          for Christmas markets, it might look like something for profit and against their filed purpose, which could jeopardize their status with the Federal government.

          I think the work around is starting a separate company that sells Ugg Boots (or whatever) and donates to the charity.

          In my mind, it would be questions for a CPA or tax attorney, as to whether the charity can fund the start up, and if employees (especially executives) of the charity can be owners of the start up.

          501(c) organization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

          The most common type of tax-exempt nonprofit organization falls under category 501(c)(3), whereby a nonprofit organization is exempt from federal income tax if its activities have the following purposes: charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering amateur sports competition, or preventing cruelty to children or animals. The 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) categories are for politically active nonprofits, which have become increasingly important since the 2004 presidential election.
          So, yeah, it's some technicalities.

          Also, you have to be very careful with the language used when working with non-profits. Again, you cannot
          jeopardize their status with the government. I worked for a non-profit a long time ago under one of the smartest bosses I ever had. He was a lawyer and rather seriously jumped on me because I used words to the effect of "more profits" while doing a within office marketing presentation. (He was protecting our office and also, I think, helping me prepare for the consulting business I was about to launch.) 501s can't breathe the word profit - I think it has to be revenues in excess of expenses.

          Dan

          (Not a financial or tax professional.)
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    Bingo is another strong fundraiser.

    My nephew's little league soccer team used that and they raised
    ridiculous amounts of funds. 12 year olds with matching gym bags, shorts,
    socks, high end short sleeve and long sleeve shirts, sweats..
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by bizgrower View Post

      Bingo is another strong fundraiser.

      My nephew's little league soccer team used that and they raised
      ridiculous amounts of funds. 12 year olds with matching gym bags, shorts,
      socks, high end short sleeve and long sleeve shirts, sweats..

      LOL I hear yeah.. sports don't bother me so much. the company can pay for that.. is a tax write off! LOL My little one is on a U10 ravel team and there are 10 kids on the teams If I remember right the uniforms etc for each kid was $150ish. me and 2 other dads "Sponsored the whole thing.. its just so much easier that way!
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      • Profile picture of the author hardyfella
        PTA at my boys school is always struggling, in the uk so different to you guys. I want to get involved also, I keep thinking they should create a little school coffee company, lots of people twice a day everyday.
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  • Profile picture of the author Freebiequeen1999
    Many of the large fundraising companies now have "online fundraisers"...essentially affiliate programs but unlike like most affiliate programs that do not let you "incentivize" these encourage you to "incentivize" by telling the "buyers" that $x amount of dollars goes to the fundraiser

    In fact, enjoy the city is ON commission junction - but you would make more with having them send you the books and the kids sell them. No cost to the charity

    The truth is that the percentage of money paid out to the charity from these fundraiser companies
    is much higher than Amazon and you won't have any problems about "begging" or "incentive" )
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      I am sure some of you know I am a demographics freak. things like Gallup Daily: U.S. Consumer Spending ( scroll below the cool chart to see the actual numbers. ) And then a even deeper view of these numbers broken into spending habits of those with less than and more than $90,000 a year in income. http://www.ibtimes.com/what-average-...se-you-1648024

      then you look at things such as U.S. Adults Spend 11 Hours Per Day With Digital Media [CHART] and then you start looking how the 2 sets of numbers start colliding: https://nrf.com/media/press-releases...holiday-season and specifically here, the line "Spending on traditional items such as decorations and food will remain flat"

      So the average adult American is spending somewhere in the $80 to $90 a day range. during the holidays some 40%+ of all "Shopping" is done online.. so could there be a day to day correlation that say maybe 30% of the $80 of $90 is spent online?

      I am not so sure coupon books are really the answer. when you are talking about reaching ( using the numbers from my school above ) the 1000 parent, and the 4000 Grand Parents and then the 5000 or so that are community based.. that's 10,000 people that with a bit of behavioral manipulation can spend money on the things they already buy AND benefit their school.

      4%+ at that point stands to be a good chunk of change. Selling product.. well you get 1000 books to sell at $10 each.. you raise $10,000. ( and its me the parent that has to buy the 2 they sent home for the kid to sell - and I do so, because that's what i have to do right? )

      an online program has the potential of incremental growth. Not just when you are selling books.. but for the entire year.. every day of every week of every month of every year. And all you really have to do is introduce the idea with bi-weekly fliers that are sent home with the kids. Might even 2 or 4 times a year send EDDM style to the surrounding community.

      The reality is all of these companies that offer these programs to schools make a killing. Like General Mills as an example... they could simply make a donation to each school every year.. but no.. we have to cut stupid little logos off of every box of cereal we buy. It is freakin CAPITALISM at its best... ( and they look good doing this - they care - about their bottom line maybe ) and here we are with the ability to turn it on its ear... and probably produce far more income for our organizations then ever thought possible by tapping into what each and every one of us do already - shop online.

      Candy bars and coupon books.. are past tense methods. Looking forward for the sake of these organization.. and using the same mentality in business is the future. and here it is 2015 and I am going to say "And online is the future!" LOL
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    Anybody want to co-develop online bingo for charity? LOL

    I forgot about them. I can't think of names right now either (it's too early), but there are (or used to
    be) companies that provide an online portal you go through to shop at about any major
    retailer. Some proceeds go to the designated charity. (Maybe this is what FQ1999 is talking
    about in post 9?)
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  • Profile picture of the author Freebiequeen1999
    There are all sorts of online charity programs that offer stuff...practical stuff too...for an affiliate commission

    The problem with using regular affiliate programs is that you can't "incentivize" them in many cases, and might risk commissions

    I think you are should take a look at the fundraiser companies out there already - they too think online is the future. They host online "fundraisers"....they have the "duplication" of websites so that each kid can have one....they have ways they give out cards or emails with the url of "their" fundraiser

    another option is simply one of the many go fundme type sites too
    that makes a good back up for those who want to just donate
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Miss Freebie? do you have kids in school? does your school not try all this crap already? guess what? it doesn't work.. Im still buying crappy coupon books for $10 that I will never use.

      Sure these companies are making it easier and they have a site for every Tom Jane and Mary to have so they can share with their family.. and then there it is again the "obligation" to use something you normally wouldn't.

      Get the hell away from my class is doing better than yours.. or this child sold more stuff all in the name of 'School Spirit" that's a bunch of crap filling our kids with empty feelings of success and every other kid in the class hates them.... Stupid really. maybe a system of team building and being a part of something that is greater than ones self.

      How ever many years ago when I moved to WV my company sponsored a Boy Scout Troop. Part of the sponsorship was the development of a fund raiser. Selling Mulch to be exact. Bought the bags by the container full. And the kids in the troop work 2 locations on weekends and select evenings, as well as help those that need the assistance to lay the mulch in their yards.

      Do you see the difference? Do you see the benefit? not just to the boys, but to the community as well? That troop isn't just making its budget its MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

      Just to clarify.. the whole mulch thing was not my idea.. it was something that my troop did way back in the day.. something that I shared with my oldest sons troop.


      Originally Posted by Freebiequeen1999 View Post

      There are all sorts of online charity programs that offer stuff...practical stuff too...for an affiliate commission

      The problem with using regular affiliate programs is that you can't "incentivize" them in many cases, and might risk commissions

      I think you are should take a look at the fundraiser companies out there already - they too think online is the future. They host online "fundraisers"....they have the "duplication" of websites so that each kid can have one....they have ways they give out cards or emails with the url of "their" fundraiser

      another option is simply one of the many go fundme type sites too
      that makes a good back up for those who want to just donate
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  • Profile picture of the author BrittanyViki
    I am very strange about the schools specially for fund raising I can't understand that why they are asking for 'Annual Charges' colors day, Red Day, Flower Day, Art Day charging for papers money as well I am very disappointed that how they are making very difficult studies for future!!
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