[ptopres913]

Wanted to get some ideas from everyone out there. I am the new president of the PTO this year. I have been in the PTO for 9 years now , not in an officer capacity. We just came upon our first problem. We had a fundraiser in the school with prizes that was awarded by the company selling the cookie dough. We also arranged to pay for "spirit wear" prizes from the PTO budget in order for the sellers to have more prizes. We had worked with this company the last few years. This year they offered to provide to each student a " magic show" if the sold a minimum of 5 tubs of cookie dough. This seemed very reasonable to us as last year, the students were required to sell 30 tubs to go on a lime ride and have lunch out at a local restaurant. Last year it was paid for completely by the PTO. There were no issues last year. Now, the cookie sale is over and everyone is complaining that their children didn't sell 5, or didn't sell any , and they want them to attend the magic show. What has other PTO's done in the past when an issues like this has come up? Of course, We think that it should stay as it is , since things should not be changed at this late a time. Principal doesn't want to make anyone mad- and wants the company to open it up to everyone in the school, even if they did not sell, since people are complaining. I feel that the students/parents who made the 5 tubs will be upset since they met the number and the other children are going to attend too. Any ideas or past experiences would help us with this issue....thanks in advance.

[OneandOnly]

I agree with you. The magic show is the reward for the students that worked hard and sold the 5 tubs. If the magic show was going to be opened up to everyone, those families may not have sold any.

You need to stand firm and by the rules of the fundraiser. Simply state to the parents that it was clearly indicated here, here and here that the magic show was a reward to those students that sold 5 tubs. You are sorry that their child cannot attend, but it would not be fair to those students who worked hard to earn this reward. You'll be happy to see them at one of the planned PTO events later in the year.
You should also point out that the company is the sponsor of the magic show and they have the names and the number of students they expect to attend based on the sales and the show is based on that number.

Don't let those parents railroad you into rewarding a child for not participating.

[dlf]

That's exactly why we don't do individual rewards for selling products during fundraisers. It is either all or nothing. I think that if a fundraising company is getting the benefit of their product being marketed it to your school as a family then the rewards should be opened to all the school members. Some children simply do not have the ways and means to sell things and in other families the folks can buy the goods themselves and never put their children in a position to fail to "win the prize".
Having said that--if you posted the incentive, then I think you are perfectly within your rights to keep the standard of "only those that sold". Personally--I'd open it up. A bit of honey to soothe everyone swallowing this will lead toward good will in future fundraisers. Anytime you can make an event inclusive vice exclusive your PTO will win.

Just my 2 cents--and again--that is part of the reason why we don't do those sort of incentives.

d

[ohmomof2]

This year was the first year we did incentives in addition to the trinket prizes. The company we went with also gave 3 ipods to be raffled off ---turning your orders in on time (even if you only sold one thing), selling ten items or more, returning money on time. We had a few orders, less than a dozen, that were a couple days late. I'll throw everybody's name into the raffle. Most times it's the parents who don't send the orders/money in on time (our school is PK-2) and I don't want to penalize the kid. The past couple of years our profit was less than $5000, this year it was almost
$8000,don't know if the additional incentives helped with that or not.

[JHB]

I'm in agreement with OneandOnly. You can take these concerns into account for how you plan next year, but it's not fair to change the "rules of the game" after the fact. Politely, but firmly, stick to your guns.

[pzettler]

I'm with OneandOnly.

On the lighter side...You should demand the paycheck of the offending parents. You didn't work for it, so you definitely deserve it.

This might be better for next year....The fundraising company makes x dollars for 5 tubs of dough. The PTO makes y dollars for that same 5 tubs of dough. Could you propose to the fundraising company that parents that with wish to attend send in $x+$y+$1 to have their child attend?

[dlf]

So--PTO Pres--what did you do?
d

I also agree with One and Only..stick to your guns.,rules are rules..children who did sell 5 tubs of icecream will get demotivated if all other children who didnt sell get to attend the magic show..and thats definitely unfair to them..
so in the future make things clear at the outset...

[involvedMom]

I'd like to know the outcome also. I usually would agree to stick to my rules are rules philosophy, but times being what they are-I am sure it is mostly parents doing the selling and not children going door to door. So I have to say I like the idea of pzettler, if it is possible, let those that want to see the show that were unable to sell the required 5 tubs - contribute the "profits" that would have been made had they sold the 5 tubs in the beginning. It is a win-win for all, your group gets the extra $$'s and you have opened up the event for others to attend

[ramblinrose]

Just my 2 cents.......I feel if the rules were posted...you should stick with them. Our school doesn't allow incentive fundraisers for this reason
as well as...we we try to discourage door-to-door sales. If your Pricipal will not allow magic show to take place at school...perhaps you could hold it an evening or Sat. someplace else (at local library)....