My tip this week is to always be mindful that it pays to have a very specific reason for your fundraising. "Help our PTO" is OK. But "help us replace the 47-year-old risers in the auditorium" is way better.

Even for your fairly mundane, everyday fundraisers, don't forget the discipline of always connecting the help to the good work it supports. Asking for help with Labels for Education? Be sure to remind your parents that your collecting allows you to replace all of your recess equipment every year.

It's easy to fall into the trap of continuing to ask for help and then assuming everyone knows what the dollars support. Avoid that trap. You can't talk too much about the good stuff.

We have lots of additional content on fundraising best practices:

9 Tips To Increase Fundraising Sales

How To Choose a Fundraiser