Benjamin Franklin said that there are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. Perhaps if Ben had been living in the 21st century and had school-aged children, he might have added school fundraisers to his list of certainties. Every year it’s a sure bet that your children will be bringing home some kind of catalog of products to sell.
In a day of shrinking school budgets, school fundraisers are becoming more important as a means of raising extra dollars to pay for trips, athletic uniforms, school supplies and other extracurricular activities that school budgets can’t afford.
If you’re like a lot of parents you probably cringe when you see those catalogs come home with your kids. But in reality, parents play just as important a role as the children in making a fundraiser a success. The key to any successful school fundraising effort is to have the parents on board.
It is important to understand that many parents are balancing work with home life and don’t have a lot of time to help out with fundraising, but the majority of parents enjoy getting involved in their children’s education and will gladly volunteer to help.
Here are a few suggestions for getting parents involved with fundraising activities:
Set a clear objective
Let parents know what it is you’re raising money for, ahead of time. If they know the purpose of the fundraiser, they may be more likely to volunteer.
Reach out to parentsDon’t overlook new parents who haven’t been involved in the past. Ask questions to find out ways they would be comfortable contributing, and keep in mind that some people are just more willing or able to help out than others.
Make it easy
The easier you make it to help, the more likely you are to get parents’ participation. It’s best to offer a lot of different jobs, that way parents will volunteer to do tasks they can do. Parents bring different skills to each event. Some may be good at sales while others may like to bake. Try to find a good match for each participant.
Ask for suggestions and feedback
Seeing things from a different perspective and listening to new ideas is always helpful. Parents are a creative bunch and can bring lots of ideas to the table.
Don’t forget to say thank you!
Make a point of thanking everyone for their help. Don’t forget this step because it could make parents less willing to help in the future.
It’s easy to get kids excited about fundraising, but it can be tougher to get parents motivated. Remember that parents are your secret weapon and can bring a wealth of experience and creativity to your next fundraiser.