Make Sure The PTA or PTO Hears About The Fundraiser And Repeat

PTA and PTO Members Just Don’t Get It The First Time. You can never cover the important things too much. For instance, why you are doing your fundraiser will give your parents a good reason to get behind the effort. If it absolutely needs to be communicated do not be afraid to repeat your message over and over. You would be shocked at how little information actually makes it to your PTA or PTO parents consciousness. Following are some tips and tricks to ensure that “the important stuff” gets noticed.

Give Specific Reasons For Why You Are Doing It. It is much better to give your parents very specific reasons for the PTA or PTO fundraising drive. You should have a specific goal set and a list of what the PTA or PTO is going to do with the money raised. Parents and teachers will be much more willing to help if they know exactly why you are raising the money

Methods: Take Home Flyers, Several things that should always be done in preparation for your fundraising drive. One action to take is to send a letter out to parents early in the year telling them what fundraisers you will be doing and when. Tell them in the letter what you need funds for and how you’re going to accomplish your goal i.e.: catalogs sale, cookie dough sale, car wash, candy sale, smencils etc. They won’t feel as though your hands are constantly in their wallets.

Second, write a letter for your fundraiser that is geared specifically for the parents of your students. In this “cover letter,” you will remind the parents what you are raising the money for. This is one more time that you have to make sure the word gets out about your purpose for raising funds.

Methods: Email If you are fortunate enough to be able to use the school’s e-mail system to announce your sale. This is a one button operation that give you great coverage with the parents of your school children.

Methods: Marquee Announce your fundraiser on the school’s marquee. Many parents drive to school twice a day and are likely to see it if it is left up for several days before the sale begins.

Methods: Reminders via students Sending a note home in the student “take home pack” is another good way to get the word out to parents. I recommend that you send a reminder note on Friday’s.

Methods: Signs You can post signs advertising your fundraiser in various places around the school where parents will likely see them when dropping off or picking up their children.

Inside the school is where you want to do promotions that appeal to the students. The very best promotions will be geared toward the prizes that the students can earn. Things that are “different” will stand out to the students as the walk through the halls.

Methods: Do a live kick off This is much more motivating to students than a video presentation. They can see how the prizes work and it means that something different happened at school today. When parents ask their children about the day, they will remember this much better than sitting at their desk and seeing someone on a TV screen in their classroom.

Methods: PA System Remind students daily via regular morning announcements about the ongoing fundraising drive. This is an excellent opportunity to keep students motivated for the duration of the sale.

Work effectively with your fundraising representative. Organization and planning is key to communicating your fundraiser and your goals to your parents, faculty, and students. If you know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it, running a profitable fundraiser is easier to do. If your goal is to raise the most money possible for your group in the particular sale you are planning, your fundraising professional is your best resource for making that happen. You can achieve your goal by working smarter, not harder.