Just received the results of our Spring Fundraiser and they are even more disappointing than our Fall Fundraiser. (Fall=gift wrap/holiday catalogs & Spring=edibles catalogs)

I am thinking we need more direct activities (we already have the spring carnival, pancake breakfast/raffle and a jog-a-thon) and don't feel right just asking for more money from our families. (We do have a donation drive at the beginning of the school year for PTO sponsorship).

Is anyone else having disappointing selling fundraiser? What are you doing in place of those "one-time popular" fundraisers?

I would appreciate your comments and ideas.

Thanks

Sorry, what do you mean by edibles catalogs? Is that cookie dough?

If you don't miind me asking, which comanies did you use for your fundraisers? Were you happy with your rep? What did YOUR PTO do, to make these successful, on YOUR end?

I'm just curious....maybe then, we can help with your needs!!!! Sorry they didn't go so well.

I agree, I am so sick of cookie dough, gift wrap, see's candy, entertainment books. It gets to be way too much time effort and energy, and nobody wants to volunteer anymore. The money we are making insn't worth it. We just signed up for Screamin coupons, I hope it brings in the money we lost from Albertsons canceling their program, because I just can't take shoving another "thing" for sale down parents throats. It gets to be way too much.

Yes, cookie dough and pastries are the edibles I was referring too.

We were satisfied with the reps, selections and customer services.

This year we've done a sample tasting and assemblies. We also send out fliers, put it in the newsletter, make banners/posters, recorded message home from our Principal and talking to parents ourselves. Unfortunately, the parents tell us (and most of the board members agree) that they just can't pay those kind of prices for items they can purchase much cheaper elsewhere.

I know direct activities are so much work but maybe just taking away one fundraiser and adding two activities in it's place may produce better profits for the school.

But then there are those who don't have the volunteer base and shouldn't work themselves silly planning activities all year long!

Personally, I just want the economy to recover so that we can buy $15 wrapping paper to benefit our school!

I hear you loud and clear! The best advice I can give would be to really put a limit on the "fundraisers" you do do, during the year. There was a report on here somewhere that I saw that says, from a survey, that schools should do two fundraisers a year. One, the fall (catalog/cookie dough) sale and one community event/fundraiser (walk athon, read athon, art fair) in the spring and forget about the other fundraising noise that we all tend to throw at our parents.

Event the box tops, ink cartridge, soup labels, blah blah blah is all NOISE and people just don't want to hear it!

OUr school finally realized this and what we do it this....we do our same Innisbrook fall sale, combined with a letter for parents to make a one time donation (I think we ask for $50 or something) if they choose not to participate in the catalog. Then, we do a spring event and that's really it. We have done consistenly well,told our parents that we will give them an option to NOT participate and they really appreciate that.

Hope that helps....hang in there.