SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING
Professional Advice in a Changing World by F&EG Staff -5/2005-
Successful Fundraising Professional advice in a changing world by EF&EG Staff If you are going to be involved in organizing a school fundraiser, then most likely you’ll want it to be a success. For all of you new volunteers out there, you are in luck if you’re reading this article. We asked fundraising professionals from dozens of companies who work with schools to share with us their secrets of a successful school fundraiser. Following is advice on what to do from some of the seasoned professionals we spoke with.
What does a “successful fundraiser” mean?
Simply put, “A successful campaign is one that fulfills the need originally set by the school,” states, Nick Kukta, president of Great Western Reserve, in Akron, Ohio who’s company offers a variety of products. “If a certain goal is set and that goal is achieved or exceeded that campaign has been successful,” he adds. So, how then, do you conduct the fundraiser in such a way that it will achieve the goal you set?
Let’s start with the responses from Jim Pike, president of 3-Js, a national fundraising distributor from Lakewood, New Jersey. Like many of today’s companies in this business, 3-Js offers a long list of options to use for school fundraising. They include: dollar chocolate bars, gift catalogs, boxed chocolates, candles, frozen cookie dough, cheesecake, pretzels, churros, funnel cakes, pizza kits, magazines, safety and first aid kits, and holiday greenery. They also offer spirit wear, field day tee shirts, school supply kits, graduation caps & gowns, class rings, and kids holiday shop supplies.
When asked, “What is the ideal amount of time for a school fundraiser?” 3-Js response was consistent with that of most all of the fundraising companies we spoke with: “Two weeks, but many successful campaigns have lasted as little as 7-10 days. There is very little evidence that would suggest the longer the campaign, the more successful the drive. In fact, extending the sale often frustrates volunteers and participants, as the sale seems to “drag on” and customers unnecessarily wait a longer time for delivery.”
What are the key factors for success?
First, he says, “communicate the cause. Parents and volunteers are more likely to pitch in if they understand why the school is raising money in the first place.” Let the students know how they will benefit during the kick-off and be sure to tell the parents where the money goes. If the school needs a new playground or computer lab, let them know and they’ll be able to focus their efforts.
“Second,” says Pike, “set a clear goal.” Let them know how much money is required to achieve their goal and how each individual can do their part. For example, he says, “if the new playground costs $20,000, let them know that every student could sell just 10 items to get the new playground.”
Behind every successful fund drive is a real “spark plug” that keeps it going strong the entire two weeks, adds Pike. “Many sales start out great, but in a few days the enthusiasm fades.” If there’s a person to report on the progress during the sale, to let the group know how close they are to achieving the goal, it keeps them excited and focused on the goal. “Those that haven’t begun yet,” Pike says, are then “strongly encouraged to do their part.” Recognize the outstanding sellers and thank everyone for their efforts when the sale is over, he says. “A little gratitude and recognition goes a long way, especially when next years fundraising event rolls around.”
Is there a best time of year to do school fundraising?
Pike answered, “Generally about 1-2 weeks after school begins in the early fall. The first drive of the year is traditionally the largest sale, so be sure to include a strong product line for your biggest and most important event.” Most of the other companies agreed with that.
“Fall fundraisers seem to have the best sales partially due to the fact that people are doing their holiday shopping,” said Nick Kukta. “Schools can supplement their fundraising efforts with a smaller sale for delivery before Christmas or Easter. Running too many can bring on ‘fundraising burn-out,'” Pike cautions.
“Our largest and most successful fundraising campaigns all have several things in common. They are launched in early September, usually with a kick-off rally that the students attend to learn about the sale.”
“You can have all of the components of a successful campaign, but without certain factors included, it will never achieve its maximum potential,” Pikes explains.
Child obesity affects fundraising
We asked about significant changes and trends happening in school fundraising. Pike’s response: “The ‘tried and true’ products in helping schools reach their goal have always been food and chocolate combined with gift ideas and gift wrap and accessories in a price range of $5 to $15.” However, newly introduced laws and regulations may prevent schools from selling food and chocolate with their fundraiser. “These laws are targeted at addressing the child obesity issue and law makers are attempting to get foods and soft drinks of minimal nutritional value out of the schools, completely.” He adds, “Taking foods and soft drinks of minimal nutritional value out of the cafeterias and vending machines will help, but we’d also like to see more efforts focused on healthy eating habits combined with regular exercise.”
Look for win-win programs
An important consideration for decision-makers of school fundraising projects, Pike advises, is to look for win-win programs – for the school and for the consumer. “A ‘win’ for the school is a fairly priced product with a fair profit percentage. A ‘win’ for the consumer is a quality product at a reasonable price.”
And here lies the trade-off. The higher the percentage of profit for the school, the higher the price of the product, which lowers the value to the consumer. The lower the price of the product, the better the value to the consumer, but it also means a lower percentage of profit to the school.
“Schools depend on their parents to support their fundraising efforts year, after year, after year. It’s important that we give them something to look forward to so the school will be able to count on their support.”
Be prepared to deal with apathy
Joseph DeHaan, president of DeHaan Enterprises of Sandy, Utah who sells a variety of fundraising items from candles to flower bulbs, cautions the volunteers to be prepared for more apathy and less participation of students in fundraisers. “I think it is society in general,” DeHaan said. “Many people seem to think students should be given things and not earn it themselves, and that is the reason for the apparent apathy,” he said.
Pete Hoekstra, President of America’s Fundraising Express in Souix City, Iowa, does not belong to the “society in general” that DeHaan refers to. “We see it is very healthy for kids to earn their own way and be involved in fundraising.” He added, “We strongly encourage them to work together.”
Hoekstra cites a successful fundraiser in an Arizona high school that raised over $10,000 from the sale of holiday greenery. One of the reasons for success, he said, is the quality of the product. “They look forward to buying again because they are so pleased with the product.” Another key to success, he says, is on-time delivery. “If customers are given a date, don’t disappoint them.”
Offer a variety of excellent products
Mario Fidanzi of Kidzluv Fundraising Inc., of Apopka, Fla whose company does business in 10 states, says schools are raising more money from fundraisers.
“One elementary school in the Southeast that had only 250 students raised $17,000 and another school with just 120 students raised $19,000 which is a lot of money raised in two small schools.”
He said key factors in successful fundraising campaigns include setting fundraising goals and “having a broad variety of excellent products.”
Fidanzi says in Florida, schools are increasing their number of fundraisers to raise money for more school projects.
Food sells
Kevin Fraizer of Big Yummy Foods in North Carolina claims many success stories for school fundraisers. He said food programs are selling better than catalogues and brochures.
“Nationwide catalog sales are down but food items are up. Parents want to participate. But instead of getting a trinket or a high-priced candle they are actually getting a product they can enjoy and feed their families with.”
Fraizer notes that 60% of their business is in cookie dough. “Cookie dough,” he said, is very durable, and it is easy to distribute.” He adds that parents want an item priced well for the community.
Lead the way to some fun
Christie Pedder, president of Community Service Book of Charlotte, N.C. gives an example of a small school that reached its fundraising goal “where the students were really involved and motivated,” they raised $5,000 selling coupon books for 50 percent profit. She notes that the big change in fundraising over the years is that door-to-door selling is either discouraged or prohibited. “Parents are more and more cautious, because there were some cases of tragedies in the news involving door-to-door selling.” Pedder said 90% of the success in fundraising is in the leadership. And, she adds, “the fundraising goal has to be fun to attain.”
Motivation equals success
John Janek, president of John’s Fundraising Services of Granite City, Illinois, cited one example of a school that raised $22,000 over a two-week period, and another who’s school’s wrestling team raised $2,000 on one weekend.
Janek, like most everyone else we spoke with, believes success is dependent on the motivation of the people running the fundraiser. He also thinks having an incentive is important, such as having a pizza party.
As for trends, Janek sees a decline of candy fundraising, and commented that “the federal government is trying to blame the obesity factor in children on candy fundraisers.”
While Janek said that he believes candy is a contributing factor to obesity, he says children will still get candy in other ways, through vending machines or from the stores.
Make it attractive
Bill Henley, president of Appletree Associates in Wooster, Ohio, sells a wide variety of items from frozen foods to flower bulbs and recently helped a school earn $35,000. One factor in their successful fundraiser, he says, included “an attractive product line with products people want.”
Be sensitive to the cycle
Elena Mildenberger, president of CD Resources USA in St. Augustine, Florida, said they just completed a fundraiser for an after school program which sold over $30,000 in cookie dough with a net profit exceeding $15,000. Mildenberger, who’s company also sells educational CD-roms, noted that the ideal time of the year for a fundraiser depends on the school’s schedule and cycle. “Schools will do better to be cognizant of other area school’s fundraisers so they don’t conflict with each other.” She says the keys to her successful fundraiser were “an active and engaged director and picking a time that melded well with other after school activities.” Although Mildenberger has only been in the industry for four years she reports seeing a trend toward more value per dollar spent. “I would like to see a decision-maker for the fundraiser insist on value for their supporters,” she said. “Customers are tired of over paying for low value items in fundraising catalogues.” Mildenberger said she likes working with groups who run fewer fundraisers “thus avoiding the law of diminishing returns.”
Walk for money
Nick Burns, president of A2Z Fundraising of Amelia, Ohio recommends avoiding doing a school fundraiser too close to Christmas. He said he helped the Fairfax Elementary School in Cincinnati raise $20,000 for playground equipment with a brochure sale in the fall. Burns said factors in a successful campaign include the quality of the item being sold and “especially customer service.”
Burns sees a trend developing. “Schools are turning away from traditional fundraisers and using walk-a-thons to raise money.”
Dough leads to dough
Chris Reynolds, president of Beacon Fundraising Inc., cited an example of a successful campaign where a school in Virginia Beach raised the funds they were looking for.
“I set them up with cookie dough and they exceeded their goals,” he said. Reynolds says he has seen changes in school fundraising over the years. “Because of these very busy times we are living in, schools are looking for companies to provide flyers, packets, and pre-packaged orders because they don’t have the manpower in the schools.”
Eye on the goal
Patrick Weyers, president of GBI Marketing told us about two key factors that lead to successful fundraising campaigns: the enthusiasm of the chairperson chosen for the school’s fundraising committee and focus on the goal.
“These two factors work together in order to make it a successful fundraising campaign,” Weyers said. “If the members of the fundraising committee are focused on reaching their goal or exceeding their goal they will succeed.”
Get the staff to back it up
Al Klinger, president of Professional Fund of North Ridgeville, Ohio, has helped many schools successfully increase their fundraising results from one year to the next. Key factors in their success he says, were “having very good participation, and especially having teachers and school principals getting behind their fundraising drive to back it up.”
Offer value, but beware
Winston Mayhew of Mayhew Distributing Co., Inc., a full service fundraising company, emphasizes that “all sales are successful when there is an active PTA/PTO/Team moms situation.” He adds that, “Sales bomb when no volunteers or coordinators want to take an interest in the sale.” Parental support of the sale is key in its success.
Mayhew cites some changes in the business over the years. “The overall retail of the sales has been driven much higher. Good sales once were in the $12,000 to $20,000 range, now a good sale is in the $50,000+ range.”
Like Pike, Mayhew sees a viscous circle: “End consumers (parents, friends and neighbors) complain because the items are too high priced, yet it’s difficult to get the prices back down because that will mean overall decreased sales and the group will feel like the sale failed if they did not make as much money as they have in the past. Our industry must strive to get the cost-to-value of the products back in line.” He also sees part of the solution in educating the parents to understand that the benefit of the sale is an end result for their child.
Fundraising from the Heart
Lynne Twist, a global activist fundraiser and author, has raised millions of dollars for non-profits. She conducts a workshop called Fundraising from the Heart to empower people to see their work of asking for money as “a sacred privilege . . .in alignment with our highest values and deepest commitments.” She sees fundraising as a form of energy with which we can perform miracles. See www.soulofmoney.org to explore a new plateau for fundraising success.
