Organizing School Fundraising

IDEAS FOR FUNRAISING EVENTS

Ideas for fundraising events might include:

 cake sale
 handicraft sale
 film show
 music, dance and drama show (e.g. you might try ‘selling’ performances of requested popular songs
 sponsored walk
 a raffle (a lucky draw for prizes from the sale of numbered tickets)
 selling vegetables grown by the school
 hiring out school buildings

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PLANNING A COMMUNITY-BASED FUNDRAISING EVENT

When planning any event consider the following points:

 Plan your event to address a clearly identified need by consulting with the community

 If possible, link your event to realizing an aspect of your School Improvement Plan

 Form a committee with clearly defined leadership and responsibilities which reports to the SMC
which approves plans

 Brainstorm ideas for fundraising events with the SMC, staff, pupils and community members

 Consider the resources that you have available – human as well as physical

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PLANNING A COMMUNITY-BASED FUNDRAISING EVENT
 Plan carefully- ask the following questions:
 What are the objectives that you are raising money for?
o What is your target amount?
o Who will be involved?
o How will they be involved?
o What are your timeframes?
o What possible problems can you anticipate

 Publicize your event well, using posters and any other media available

 Monitor implementation closely

 Think about safety and security

 Follow up on pledges made but not yet received

 Make the amount raised and how it will be used public

 Evaluate the event afterwards and learn the lessons from your experience
 How profitable was the event?
 Did it run smoothly? Why? Why not?
 What has been the impact on the relationship between the school and community?

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BUDGETING FUNDRAISING EVENTS

It usually takes the investment of some money before you can make money. Therefore, fundraising events must
also be budgeted.

Please note that funds from the UPE capitation grant may not be used to make such initial expenditure. The
SMC or PTA will need to find alternative sources for such ‘seed’ money.

FINANCE AND BUDGET

 Venue, food and beverage

 Sponsorships
 Speakers and entertainment
 Ticket sales and registration at the event
 Drawing or raffle
 Silent auction
 Live auction
 Other donations and follow-up

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VENUE, FOOD AND DRINK

 The biggest expense and one of the most strategic aspects of a gala is the venue. Typically, the venue will
require you to use their kitchen—and perhaps bar. Do not make this decision lightly.

Reggie suggests, “Someone from the organization who is experienced and possesses strong negotiation skills should be
involved in finalizing arrangements with the venue. There is always room for negotiation - nothing is ever set in stone.
Also, have two or three options whenever possible.

Javits says the choice of venue should be guided by proximity and convenience to the “highest value attendees.” This
includes adequate parking. She adds that it should also be accessible to disabled individuals.

Levy argues for choosing a place that is elegant already. “The less you have to "transform" the space, the lower your
overhead will be.”

Durbin notes that the hotel that hosts his event has agreed to do it at cost!
 It is also important for the venue to be the right size for the event, including staging for the program and
tables for all the participants, along with displays related to the mission, the auction and raffle items. Having
the event in too large a space can make a successful event feel like a failure because you didn’t fill the room.

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SPONSORSHIPS

 Finding sponsors is an important step. The more costs that can be funded by sponsors, the fewer costs to be
funded by your donors—you want their money to go straight to impact.

 Your board should be a great source of contacts for sponsorships, according to Javits.

 Reggie breaks his sponsorship planning into four categories. Look for sponsors in all these places:
 Past sponsors: if you haven’t had a gala before, look at those who sponsored similar events.
 Affinity sponsors: look for companies that have aligned with your mission.
 Activation sponsors: there may be organizations willing to pay, in addition to an upfront fee, an
additional fee after the event for leads or conversions generated from the event.
 Prize/auction sponsors: many charities look to have all their auction items and raffle items donated.
You can then recognize those who do donate those items appropriately when their item is auctioned or
raffled.

 Sponsorships vary dramatically in size, from a company donating a gift basket for a drawing up to
organizations that can write six-figure checks to sponsor an event with 1,000 of New York’s power elite.

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SPEAKERS AND ENTERTAINMENT

 Putting on a program that is as fun and memorable as it is inspirational is a key to getting the right people at
the event and for getting them to open their wallets once there.

 JDRF’s Rapp says, “Our Galas are a great party for an extremely worthy cause. From the start of the
evening, we consider the guest experience for all donors. We respect their time, have auctions filled with
items that appeal to their tastes, provide a well-timed program and post-event entertainment.”

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DRAWING OR RAFFLE
 The drawing or raffle may be one of the most exciting parts of the evening if done well but can ruin the
entire event if rules are not followed and someone is upset, or authorities catch wind.

SILENT AUCTION
 A silent auction, unlike the live auction with an auctioneer calling out prices and pointing at bidders who
may bid silently, is traditionally managed with a clipboard and a pen.

 Items available in the auction are displayed or described and a nearby sheet allows bidders to write in their
bids throughout the evening.

DONATIONS
 After all the fun and games that are used to raise money, there is one final opportunity to raise money simply
by asking for donations.

 “On the night, the key is to make your pitch relatable,” says Ubuntu’s Levy. “People need to connect to your
cause on a personal level. You need to create a story about your work that shows them that this relates to
their life. For example, if you are helping children, it needs to be clear that children all over the world need
the same things. This gets everyone thinking about what they would want for their children if they were in
the same situation.”

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FINAL THOUGHTS

 The senior leaders of the organization need to have a full roster of all those who contributed to planning the
gala and the roles played. Some of them will be working entirely out of sight of those senior leaders; they
too will want to be recognized.

 Make time during the gala to thank the volunteers and staff who organized the gala. You may even want to
consider a relaxed social—a pizza and root beer sort of affair—following the gala to recognize the
volunteers and their families who supported them.

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 End of Slides

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