Fundraising Tips

Fundraising Tips

While a group trip is a much less expensive option for families than taking their entire family somewhere, the cost can sometimes be an extra burden, especially during difficult economic times. Naturally, you want to be able to take as many young people as possible on your trip. Holding a fundraiser is one way to make that possible. 

Here are some tips for choosing and managing your fundraiser: 

Choosing a Fundraiser
It's no surprise that some fundraisers are more lucrative than others. Ultimately, choosing which fundraiser method is best for you depends on you, your students and your community. What works in a large metropolitan area will not necessarily work in a small midwestern town. There are many ideas for fundraiser out there, get creative and choose something that your group can have fun with: 

• Top product fundraisers include: cookie dough, cheesecakes, wrapping paper, pretzel dough, magazines, gift items, candles, candy, and pizza kits.
• Have your group write letters to businesses in the community. In some areas, especially small towns where everyone is aware of the trip, people are willing to help out.
• Use scratch cards. The cards are filled with low money amounts. Donors are asked to scratch off a circle and pay the amount listed.
• Schedule a fundraising dinner at a local restaurant. This is becoming more popular and you have probably seen it before. - A restaurant will offer around 20% of the receipts from people supporting your group to your fundraiser.

Fundraising Timeline
Creating a timeline that will offer your students the opportunity to generate the maximum amount possible for their trip is one of the most important elements of running a successful fundraiser. As you consider the timing, make sure you are aware of other fundraising activities happening at your school and community, and try to pinpoint a time for your fundraiser that doesn't coincide with others. 

Once you have determined when you would like your fundraiser to occur, work backwards and create a timeline starting six months out. The Association of Fundraising Distributors and Suppliers (www.afrds.org) has created a basic timeline to follow: 

Six Months Before 

• Work with your tour planner to ensure your fundraising deadlines match the trip payment deadlines.
• Write down your purpose and goal for the fundraiser. Why are you raising money and how much money will be required? Be specific when creating your purpose and goal - the more clearly your goal is stated, the likely you'll have etter support from school administrators, parents and even the students.
• Assemble your team. Very often, trip leaders try and do too much when it comes to fundraising. Take advantage of our active parents and assemble a team to help with the project.
• Choose the right fundraising activity for your group. See "Choosing a Fundraiser" above for tips.
• If you are choosing a product fundraiser and are working with a company, don't simply choose the first one you find. Make appointments with 3-4 companies and be prepared to let them know your group's financial goals, the approximate number of participants who will be involved, and your past history with fundraising efforts. From this information, an experienced fundraising company can present you the best options for you.
• Collaboarte with other groups in teh school to make sure you aren't competing with them.

One Month Before 

• Make your final plans.
• Contact your fundraising representative (if you have one) and touch base with your fundraising team to review logistics, create alist of materials needed, and determine how many adult volunteers you will need.
• Set your master schedule for the fundraiser. Include details such as advance promotion, arrival dates for materials, any kick-off activities for students and adults, deadlines for orders and money to be turned in, delivery of products and a meeting to review the entire fundraising event.

One Week Before 

• Reconfirm everything - including: gather sales materials from the fundraising company, working with school administrators and custodians on room needed, locations for product delivery, etc.
• If you need to promote your event, put up posters and send fliers home with students.
• Call your volunteers to remind them of their responsibilities.

During the Sale 

• Be sure your bookkeeper is keeping track of peperwork and payments, that parents know when products will be delivered or need to be picked up, and be ready for any troubleshooting.

One Month After 

• Evaluate your fundraiser. Sit down with your volunteers and review the entire fundraiser, from planning to execution. Identify areas of strengths and weakness for the future.
• Share your results - make public your financial results and share your in-depth evaluation with school administrators and your fundraising company (if applicable).

Student & Youth Travel Association 8400 Westpark Drive, 2nd Floor, McLean, VA 22102-5116 | Phone: (703) 610-1263 | Fax: (703) 610-0270 | info@syta.org