With the school year getting underway, many schools will be thinking about their next fundraiser. And with shrinking school budgets, oftentimes schools depend heavily on having a successful fundraising campaign. These volunteer-intensive efforts provide money to send students on field trips or to buy those school supplies that have been squeezed out of impossibly tight budgets.
With so many companies and so many products from which to choose, how do you ensure you’ve picked the right one? Start with a list of those pertinent questions to ask when vetting a fundraising consultant.
- How long has the company been in business?
- What is the average amount of product sold per student?
- What percentage of the total sales will your group receive?
- Will they send you product samples?
- Will the company tailor a program to fit your needs?
- What services does the company offer such as incentives or kick off assemblies?
- How is the product distributed?
- How responsive is the vendor should a problem arise?
Service is the top consideration when choosing a fundraising company. Make sure your representative understands your goals and ask them to illustrate the specifics as to how their company will equip your students and staff to reach those crucial fundraising goals.
Keep in mind selecting a fundraising company is similar to making a large purchase. Don’t forget to ask for references to ensure you’ll receive the support you need to pull off a successful campaign. Companies with a long track record often know better how to effectively partner with school districts and private schools to bring in the dough.
Lastly, always make sure you vet a vendor’s products ahead of time. You don’t want to foist bad products off on your friends, family and neighbors as that could seriously hamper next year’s fundraising campaign.