Category: School

How to Choose School Fundraising Companies

Finding school fundraising companies is indeed a daunting task; however, if you put in a little extra effort, it is not impossible to find one. There are numerous companies that are ready to extend their help and support to the school fundraising campaigns. But, there is a need to consider a couple of factors before making the final selection.

All the companies are operating business to earn profits. They are always willing to lend help to the school fundraising programs, as they also get a benefit in return. When a sales fundraising campaign is organized, these companies usually come ahead to sponsor them. In such a deal, not only the school is able to raise money, but also the company is able to earn huge amounts of profits. The school fundraising campaigns provide a great platform to these companies to enhance their reputation.

If you choose a reputed company that already has a good name in the market, the chances of selling their products with some kind of an attraction are pretty high. Also, you can rely more on the reputed companies as compared to the unknown ones. Thus, fundraising campaigns are beneficial for both, the sponsor as well as the organizer. To make the school fundraising program a success, it is necessary that you make the right choice of company.

There are certain companies that require you to buy their products in advance, as in ahead of time. If you are launching the campaign on a small scale as in at a low budget, then going in for such kind of a fundraiser is not a very wise option. It is better to look for companies that are willing to work with you and provide you with plenty of good offers. The companies sponsoring your school fundraising program will provide you with the order booklets that can be used by your volunteers to sell the product. Once the money is collected from the people, you can place the orders.

Whichever company you choose to work with, to generate money for the school fund, make sure their product is of high quality that people are likely to purchase. An inferior quality product can defeat the very purpose and the buyers of the product might have a feeling that they have been cheated by you by making false claims. Some can even go to the extent of filing a case against you on the allegation of providing a cheap quality product by misrepresentation.

When you go about selling a particular product, it is vital on your part to have adequate information about the product. The company must provide you with a properly prepared brochure, sales material and order kit. Do not go in for companies that are not very clear about operating a business. Each time you plan to organize a school fundraising program, choose to go in for a company that deals in an entirely different range of products. Trying something new might serve as a great avenue to earn more profits. A certain percentage of the company profits goes to the school fund. To conclude, when you choose the school fundraising companies next time, do consider the above mentioned factors.

School Fundraising: How You Can Help

A school fundraising project is just about as old as school itself. It is quite possible that Socrates sent his students out to raise money for various school activities. For modern day students, there are a number of tried and true moneymakers.

First off, of course, is the question of scale, just how big and fancy a fundraiser can a PTA or individual class do? They certainly are not in the same league as something like First Book or the Red Cross. No, they have to shoot for something smaller. But then, they generally need smaller sums. One excellent method of raising some cash is the bake sale. Each parent and/or student gets a simple cake mix (the Jiffy brand is usually quite inexpensive) for a couple dollars, bakes it up, ices it, and brings it to school. Even selling each slice for only a quarter or fifty cents will bring in a return on their investment. For a class trying to raise money for a field trip, it is a splendid idea. As is having the children do some kind of arts and crafts and then selling them. Again, the initial cash outlay can be minimal and the children have great fun doing it. Also, very often the parents will buy the items (no matter what their appearance, just because their child made it).

Now, if it is the whole school that is getting involved, something larger can be done. There are many companies that sell nuts candies, fruits, candles etc. specifically as a way for schools to raise money. Normally, this requires the children to go door to door and solicit orders. Some parents tend to shy away from that, these days they don’t like the idea of their little ones knocking on strangers’ doors. So, there is the rummage sale. All the families donate any unwanted items from their home, the children run off fliers, and then they set the stuff out on tables – usually in the gym or cafeteria, any large multi-purpose room the school has.

Finally, every school has some kinds of clubs, and they too often need to do some kind of fundraising. With them, often the method is tied to what they do. Cheerleader squads and football teams will sometimes work together on a car wash. If the school has a JROTC unit, they will do a turkey shoot. A chess club might hold a contest; let the parents try their hand at beating the best students. Very often, a local trophy store will even donate the awards given out to the winners. So, it’s easy to see that there is a wide variety of school fundraising ideas to select from.

Find School Fundraising Ideas

School fundraising ideas offer a variety of money-making options for school activities, equipment, and team uniforms. Too often, schools need to raise extra money in addition to their regular budget for extracurricular activities and events. When they do, schools can choose between some of the following options:

 

  • Discount Cards: cards offering local merchant discounts are popular fundraisers. You can either arrange contracts with merchants yourself or have the discount card companies handle it. You can make up to 90 percent profits by using this fundraiser.

 

 

  • School Items: put your logo or mascot on items like t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, banners, and magnets. Customize gift items or things you use every day. School supporters will love showing off team colors.

 

 

  • Magazines: individuals from every walk of life subscribe to magazines. Your school can sell magazine subscriptions to family and friends to earn the school money. Generally, you’ll make more profit per magazine the more subscriptions you sell and most popular magazines will be available.

 

 

  • Food: many companies offer school fundraising ideas that revolve around selling food. You can choose to sell everything from frozen pizzas to cookie dough to gourmet coffee. Everyone needs to eat and you’ll be providing easy to prepare options.

 

 

  • Car Washes: sports teams often put together car washes in the school parking lot or at another popular location. Kids and teens will love playing around in the water and there’s not a lot of overhead cost to make this fundraising idea work.

 

 

  • Auctions: get local businesses and parents to donate items for an auction to benefit the school. You can do a regular auction or go the silent route. Either way, people will enjoy bidding on items that they want.

 

 

  • Bake Sales: parents or other family members bake deserts, breads, and other goodies for this event. You can combine this activity with others or have it alone. With little overhead, you can make a lot of money.

 

 

  • Rubber Duck Derby: individuals buy a duck and on the given day, ducks are released into a local pond, lake or river. The first duck to cross the finish line wins and the individual with the duck’s number gets a prize.

 

 

  • Other Events: other school fundraising ideas include dances, potlucks, carnivals, and other activities. These events generally require advance planning, but they can be fun for the whole family.

 

There are a host of school fundraising ideas out there. You just need to decide which ones will work best for your school. Consider how much money your school needs to earn, how many volunteers you’ll have, and what will work best in your community.

Make Money for Your Organization with Candy Fundraising

Candy fundraising is a popular way for schools and other organizations to raise money for their activities, equipment, and uniforms. Everyone likes candy and fundraising companies offer a variety of products. You’ll make money in no time at all for your group.

Some organizations sell candy at particular events, like sports games or school concerts. The advantage of this is that only a few volunteers are needed at each event to handle the selling. Events also offer an instant group of potential customers. Just place a booth or table near where people will be walking or sitting.

Other organizations have all members sell candy. Many school groups and athletic teams use this route and have kids sell the candy to family members and neighbors. This involves many more people selling and thus, has the potential to reach more customers. Organizations should take care, however, to encourage parents to oversee children when they are selling.

Companies that sell candy for fundraising often offer a variety of products. Hershey’s and M&M Mars dominate the industry for candy fundraising. In many cases, your organization can choose to sell one brand of candy or a variety of candy. With some companies, you’ll be selling name brand candy, generally for around a dollar. Candy includes chocolate bars, lollipops, fruit treats, or other bars. Potential profits often depend on the number of candy cases that your organization buys.

When you are buying for your organization, it is important to remember that companies often sell by the case and the organization then distributes the candy by the carrier. Confusing the two can result in buying much more candy than what you wanted. Most companies ship four carriers per case.

You also need to consider the weather when you are planning a sale. Chocolate bars can only be shipped in the temperature stays below 82 degrees. Some companies may have temperature controlled trucks, but most do not serve all areas. If you are planning a warm weather sale, you should contact the candy company for more information on how to handle this issue.

Candy fundraising is a great way for schools and athletic teams to earn money for their programs. Many organizations choose this fundraising idea because it works and its popularity tells you that it will more than likely work for your organization too. Be sure to find a reputable fundraising company to help you with your sale and do what planning you can ahead of time.

Sports Fundraising Made Easy

Many schools, athletic teams, and organizations need sports fundraising to purchase equipment, uniforms, and league spots. Some companies focus specifically on doing sports fundraising and using one of their programs can make it easy to raise money for your team. Sports teams often have a dedicated base of parents, other family members, friends, and general supporters to draw on for fundraising.

Here are some sports fundraising programs that might work for your team:

 

  • Team Sportswear: with today’s technology, it’s easy to put your team’s logo or mascot onto a wide variety of items. Sell t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats or coats. You can also put the logo onto items like coffee mugs, magnets, and flags. Parents and grandparents will love showing school and team support by purchasing and wearing these items.
  • Candy, cookies, and other food items: there are a host of companies out there that enable you to sell food products in order to raise money for your team. Candy is a perennial favorite and it sells well. Also consider items like pizzas, subs, cookie dough or other items that make people’s lives easier by not having to make the item themselves.
  • Discount Coupons or Cards: team up with local businesses to sell coupon books or cards. You can offer different percentages off items or other deals and you can make the discount a one time thing with coupons or something that lasts for several months with a card. Either way, people will want to buy the coupons or cards to save them money off the things that they normally buy.
  • Golf Scramble: host a golf tournament or scramble as part of your sports fundraising. Golf is a popular sport and many people like to participate in tournaments. Ask local businesses to donate prizes.
  • Car Wash: kids love playing in the water and this fundraising idea will give them plenty of time to do so. Set up in the school’s parking lot or in another area in town and put out flyers and signs. This is a great summer time fundraiser.

 

These sports fundraising ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many options out there for sports teams to raise money with. Keep in mind the age of the children involved and the safety of the event whenever you are choosing a fundraising idea. If children are selling items, be sure to remind them never to sell door to door without the company of a parent or guardian.

With a little work and creativity, you can come up with some great sports fundraising ideas. Sports fundraisers will earn you money for uniforms, equipment, and other needs.