Local community foundations and non-profit groups on a state and national level often fund school projects like the legacy tile wall that we offer at Art To Remember (www.arttoremember.com). You may want to consider a theme for the wall, such as nutrition or health, in order to appeal to a particular group’s objectives. Most organizations require a brief letter with school information, project overview and a detailed explanation of costs. Additional information on grants and other fundraising topics can be found at Tony Poderis' website (www.raise-funds.com/library.html).
These special projects can often dovetail with a more conventional fundraising activity and serve to generate excitement and spur participation.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
What's the Point?
It is easy to get wrapped up in the mechanics and financials of a fundraising project and lose focus. We should never get off track and set the tone that we are fundraising for the sake of raising money. There must always be a theme that sets the tone for what we do.
In school art fundraising, as an example, our purpose should be to encourage participation in the arts, foster interest in the arts, bolster the childrens' self-esteem and create special memory moments that can be enjoyed twenty or thirty years later when the money is long gone and forgotten.
In school art fundraising, as an example, our purpose should be to encourage participation in the arts, foster interest in the arts, bolster the childrens' self-esteem and create special memory moments that can be enjoyed twenty or thirty years later when the money is long gone and forgotten.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Plan your Fundraising
Here is a site where you can see the details of creating a fundraising plan.
http://www.chetaev.com/developing-a-fundraising-plan.php
http://www.chetaev.com/developing-a-fundraising-plan.php
Friday, May 23, 2008
Keep your fundraising fresh
New and Improved !
How many times do you see that on a product at the store? How often can you actually see or feel any difference? Even though change is stressful for most of us we want to be offered new things.
School fundraisers can quickly get stale if a conscious effort is not made to make them look "New and Improved". Often school organizations will switch fundraising partners to achieve this new look and feel. However, if you have a program that is tested and it is working for you, switching partners may not be a good approach. You may want to try a new style presentation instead. For example, try displaying sample products at registration if you haven't done that before.
If your current program is not working or if you are new to this type of fundraising effort, select a partner that offers new products each year. Ask about their history of introducing new designs and products.
Let me know what promotions have worked for you.
How many times do you see that on a product at the store? How often can you actually see or feel any difference? Even though change is stressful for most of us we want to be offered new things.
School fundraisers can quickly get stale if a conscious effort is not made to make them look "New and Improved". Often school organizations will switch fundraising partners to achieve this new look and feel. However, if you have a program that is tested and it is working for you, switching partners may not be a good approach. You may want to try a new style presentation instead. For example, try displaying sample products at registration if you haven't done that before.
If your current program is not working or if you are new to this type of fundraising effort, select a partner that offers new products each year. Ask about their history of introducing new designs and products.
Let me know what promotions have worked for you.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Fundraising Fine Print
"If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is."
Sadly there are those who would prey on the volunteers running school fundraisers. Here are a few things to watch for in order to form realistic expectations for your fundraiser.
1. Will the person who is trying to convince you to work with their organization still be around when the project is running? Will they stick with you until all is done and final settlement is made?
2. Are you required to purchase in advance and risk miscalculating sales volume? Will they take back (at full value) all unsold inventory?
3. Will the children be required to go door-to-door in order to be successful?
4. How many staff and volunteer hours will be required to be successful? These are NOT free; there is an opportunity cost for this time.
5. Don't fall into a profit percentage trap. A smaller percentage with higher volume can net you more dollars. Couple that with fewer hours involved and you can run more frequent fundraisers without burning out your volunteers.
6. Beware of give-aways. You are doing this to make money. If you give away any of the product, you may drastically reduce profits.
Let me know if you have "learned from your experience" about other obstacles to successful and easy school fundraising.
Sadly there are those who would prey on the volunteers running school fundraisers. Here are a few things to watch for in order to form realistic expectations for your fundraiser.
1. Will the person who is trying to convince you to work with their organization still be around when the project is running? Will they stick with you until all is done and final settlement is made?
2. Are you required to purchase in advance and risk miscalculating sales volume? Will they take back (at full value) all unsold inventory?
3. Will the children be required to go door-to-door in order to be successful?
4. How many staff and volunteer hours will be required to be successful? These are NOT free; there is an opportunity cost for this time.
5. Don't fall into a profit percentage trap. A smaller percentage with higher volume can net you more dollars. Couple that with fewer hours involved and you can run more frequent fundraisers without burning out your volunteers.
6. Beware of give-aways. You are doing this to make money. If you give away any of the product, you may drastically reduce profits.
Let me know if you have "learned from your experience" about other obstacles to successful and easy school fundraising.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Artwork optimized for fundraising
There are excellent lesson plans that can create terrific artwork but still produce less than acceptable fundraising results. We have seen some excellent pen-and-ink drawings, for example, but these rarely reproduce well on gift items. Keep in mind the product selection that is available to you and try to imagine the planned artwork on those items. A few pointers follow:
Media: Use bright and bold colors that fill the entire page. Don’t use fluorescents, metallics, glitter, sand, salt, foils, cloth or woven materials as these typically don't withstand the manufacturing process well.
Themes: Choose fun and colorful subject matter that appeals to both students and parents.
Fish, insects, birds, flowers, landscapes, families, animals, self-portraits, and handprints are fun for the kids and their families.
Signatures/Dates: Since most families consider these items keepsakes having the child's name and the year of creation is a good idea; just be sure to keep this information at least 1" from the edge of the paper to avoid having it cropped off of the finished product in the production process.
Media: Use bright and bold colors that fill the entire page. Don’t use fluorescents, metallics, glitter, sand, salt, foils, cloth or woven materials as these typically don't withstand the manufacturing process well.
Themes: Choose fun and colorful subject matter that appeals to both students and parents.
Fish, insects, birds, flowers, landscapes, families, animals, self-portraits, and handprints are fun for the kids and their families.
Signatures/Dates: Since most families consider these items keepsakes having the child's name and the year of creation is a good idea; just be sure to keep this information at least 1" from the edge of the paper to avoid having it cropped off of the finished product in the production process.
Here we go!
This is the first posting in what I hope to be a helpful resource for those exploring school fundraising activities, especially those that involve elementary age students’ artwork. In the name of full disclosure, I am employed by Art To Remember, a company providing fundraising services to schools. Having said that I hope to keep the marketing in this site to a minimum. I plan, with your help, to objectively look at all types of fundraisers.
As budgets are strained and volunteers become harder to recruit, fundraising takes on new challenges. I hope we can share techniques to encourage parental participation.
As budgets are strained and volunteers become harder to recruit, fundraising takes on new challenges. I hope we can share techniques to encourage parental participation.
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