When I sat down and counted how many fundraisers I headed up and participated in I realized it was 16 in the last year!!! CRAZY...
All of them were at a low. I honestly think that the economy has been tapping everyone out! Also, Katrina was in such need that many people gave to the greater cause last year. The cost of oil and gas is overwhelming!
I started looking for items of need for fundraising instead of another catalog full of novelty items.
We had that problem last year. This year, three days before the end of the sale, we sent a packet with a blank envelope and pie charts for our budget with a cover letter that said ...
"We need your help!"
*Didn't have time?
*Still want to help?
*Want 100% to go to the kids?
Here's how...
You can help us reach our Fall Fundraising goals by enclosing a cash or check donation.
Would you like to see where your money is going?
See attached charts that clearly show how much money is raised AND how it is spent!"
We had a great response and parents appreciated us showing them the budget and keeping them informed. Even though your sale is over, you could still send something like that. Some people just don't realize how much money PTO needs and why.
We went through this the last 2 year, but last year was especially painful. We made some budget cuts and ran one more fundraiser before Winter break. It was a cookie dough sale and it was huge. It didn't make all of what we needed but because we changed gears and worked towards giving people something they could use instead of "stuff" it worked in our favor.
Honestly, send out a post-sale flyer letting staff and parents know the situation. You may want to take suggestions or have a special meeting to discuss what this means for your group. Either way, it's not the end of the world, just means a little more work and maybe you can get your school to pull together to support you more.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
Last year our big fundraiser only netted half what we had planned for. Luckily we had a cushion carried over from the previous year and a Family Night with a restaurant that netted more than we expected, so we were okay.
After the flop fundraiser we did take a good look at our budget and figured out where we could make cuts if needed. We also communicated the shortfall to our parents and teachers, so they would know how it could change things. That may have sparked some of the pick up in the other things we did.
Instead of adding more fundraisers maybe look for matching grants, regular grants and donations that may cover some of your programs.
I know it was a depressing thing for us last year, but hang in there.
We only made half of what we expected to. We have other small fundraisers planned throughout the year, but the catalog sale was supposed to be our big buoy. We don't want people to feel like we are overloading them with fundraisers. Anyone have a similar experience or advice?
