It’s no secret that your students need a strong community to succeed—from teachers who guide them on their educational journeys to family members who encourage them to pursue their interests. Your school is no different. You can’t create enriching academic experiences and resources for your students without help.
To raise the funds your school needs to maintain its facilities, purchase educational materials, and support extracurricular activities, you must learn how to tap into the power of your whole community. Let’s explore how your school can turn family-friendly fundraisers into powerful opportunities to rally students, families, volunteers, and businesses around your goals.
Students
Your school’s fundraising directly benefits students, so why not involve them in the process? The funds they help raise will go toward their educational experience. Plus, they’ll get to exercise their communication skills and build confidence. One of the easiest ways to maximize student engagement is through peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising, where students reach out to their personal networks and collect donations from friends and family.
Alt Text: An illustration of a standard fundraiser vs. a peer-to-peer fundraiser
Some students may need an added incentive to give fundraising their all. Award school fundraiser prizes to the top-performing students or classes to spark enthusiasm and participation. Some of the most popular ideas include:
- School supplies, including special notebooks, pens, and pencil sharpeners
- Accessories, such as charm bracelets, stickers, and temporary tattoos
- Homework passes or extended recesses
- Class pizza party or pajama day
- Zoo, aquarium, or amusement park visits
When choosing prizes, consider your school’s budget, fundraising goal, and student body. For example, while elementary school students might be highly motivated by novelty accessories they can wear in class, high school students will likely prefer more experiential rewards, such as a class field trip. If you’re not sure what appeals to your students, ask for their input through an optional survey.
Once you’ve determined your prizes, highlight them in your marketing materials to build excitement. Throughout the fundraiser, shout out high-performing students in morning announcements and social media posts to inspire friendly competition and keep the momentum going.
Families
Many students have family members who are deeply invested in their academic success and are eager to contribute to your fundraising goals. While a well-written fundraising email can convey the importance of donating and encourage families to take action, don’t stop there.
By providing opportunities for families to actively participate in your fundraising efforts, you keep them invested and engaged for the long term. Your school can do so by hosting events such as:
- Read-A-Thons. During a Read-A-Thon, students log as many reading minutes as they can while collecting donations from friends and family for support. Encourage families of younger students to host read-alouds at home. Families of older students can start a home book club, where they read and discuss the same books together.
- Talent shows. Your students all have their special interests, hobbies, and skills. Give families a chance to celebrate their students by cheering them on in a talent show. To raise more funds and boost engagement, you can even allow attendees to pay a small fee to vote for their favorite performance.
- Auctions. Invite students and their families to participate in a memorable evening of browsing and bidding on enticing items, from a vacation getaway package to sports event tickets. They’ll appreciate the chance to win appealing items and support your school’s fundraising success.
If your school wants to engage family members located out of the state or country, prioritize online fundraisers like Read-A-Thons. Whether they live near or far, families will appreciate the convenience of donating to your school from anywhere, at any time.
Volunteers
Successful school fundraising requires more than simply asking people to give. Planning an event, spreading the word, and following up with donors takes time and energy. That’s why recruiting and retaining dedicated volunteers is so important. Beyond asking families to lend a hand, contact service organizations like your local Lions Club or colleges in your area.
After recruiting volunteers, implement a training plan to prepare both new and long-time volunteers for their roles. Read-A-Thon recommends creating a shared document outlining each person’s duties and responsibilities. Doing so keeps everyone on the same page throughout the fundraising process.
While managing all of your volunteers can seem overwhelming, there are plenty of tools that can lighten the load. Look for a comprehensive platform that facilitates recruiting, screening, scheduling, and communicating with volunteers. Ideally, it should also be mobile-friendly so you can coordinate volunteers on the go.
According to Double the Donation, the top volunteer management systems even integrate with tools that make it easy for volunteers to identify whether they’re eligible for volunteer time off (VTO) or volunteer grant opportunities with their employers. With easy access to this knowledge, volunteers may be able to find more time to get involved in your fundraisers or even secure extra revenue for your school through a volunteer grant.
Businesses
School education is all about preparing students to become productive and successful community members. By involving local businesses in your school’s fundraising efforts, you can demonstrate the power of community partnerships and generate more revenue. Often, businesses can support your fundraising by:
- Marketing your fundraiser. Businesses can promote your school fundraiser to their audiences through social media posts, email newsletters, and in-store flyers.
- Sponsoring an event. Businesses can donate money to cover all or a portion of your fundraising event costs.
- Giving in-kind donations. Businesses can donate items or services, such as gift baskets for an auction or catering for a formal gala.
When looking for businesses to partner with, focus on those that align with your school’s mission and values. This alignment paves the way for long-term partnerships that you can rely on year after year. For example, a Jewish day school might co-host a fundraising gala with a local synagogue and contact kosher restaurants for catering services.
Remember, however, that the strongest corporate partnerships are mutually beneficial. When discussing a partnership, focus on how the business will benefit. For instance, your school can help the business increase its brand exposure and reputation by recognizing it publicly in event materials, newsletters, and social media posts.
Engaging your school’s community in fundraising involves many moving parts. Hone your strategy over time by tracking metrics such as the average amount raised per student, event attendance, volunteer retention, and return on investment (ROI). By adopting an improvement mindset, your school will be able to cultivate a vibrant, passionate community and collectively raise more than ever before.
