Ensure your school or parent group picks the right fundraiser – whether it is selling cookie dough or holding a car wash. To make sure your next fundraiser is a success, we thought we would point out some of the most common fundraising mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Lack of Planning: There is a lot of work involved in putting on a fundraiser — everything from picking a product or event, to lining up volunteers and other logisitical details. All of this takes planning. Compose a checklist of those essential tasks and ensure someone in the group is in charge of ensuring every detail is handled properly.
Lack of school support: Let’s face it, teachers already have a lot to do without also being tasked with raising money. But it would be a mistake not to include them in the fundraising process. While they don’t have to be in the trenches, teachers and administrators should take on a cheerleading role. Be sure to provide a dose of encouragement to motivate those half-pint door-ringers.
Lack of promotion: What if you threw a fundraiser and no one showed up? Well, if you don’t properly get out the word, you may not get the sales you need to reach your goal. Use Facebook and Twitter to promote your event. If your students are techno-savvy, they can even make a YouTube video. And don’t overlook traditional avenues like posters, flyers, and letters sent home to parents in a child’s backpack.
Repeating the same fundraiser: You may have achieved good results with your last 
fundraiser, but just because it was successful the first time doesn’t mean you will get the same results the second time around. After all, your community can only buy so many candles, magazines and tubs of cookie dough. Also, try not to duplicate a fundraiser that another school in the area has already planned. Don’t be afraid to try new fundraising ideas.
Don’t forget the kids: It’s great to have adults helping out. But don’t forget to get the students involved. They are a great resource, and it is all about their educational opportunities. Students make great volunteers. Pick a fundraiser that will allow all the students to learn some great life lessons from fundraising such as teamwork and how to work toward achieving a common goal.