Fundraising for Small Groups Newsletter

Creating and Using Fundraising Flyers by Deane Brengle

It doesn't matter if you're selling candy bars as a fundraiser or holding a fundraising auction. Most nonprofit groups will find that using a flyer as a promotional tool for your fundraiser will significantly boost your bottom line. The use of fundraising flyers can play an important roll in reaching your fundraiser's goal.

A fundraising flyer will increase your community's awareness about your fundraiser and help pre-sell it. It's advertising pure and simple. And everyone knows, "If you don't advertise a terrible thing happens - Nothing!"

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Survey Confirms Product Sales Out Perform Other School Fundraisers by the AFRDS

From carnivals and car washes to auctions and catalog sales, there seems to be no limit to the different ways schools attempt to raise money. But, according to a survey of school parent groups, sales of popular consumer items (e.g., gift wrap, cookie dough, books, magazines, gift items, candy, etc.) consistently yield the best results compared to other types of fundraising drives. Conducted by the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors and Suppliers (AFRDS) in cooperation with PTOtoday and Time Direct Ventures, the survey shows 8 out of 10 parent-teacher organizations at public elementary schools conducted a product sale to raise money during the 2006-2007 school year. Among parent-groups that conducted at least one product sale, 8 out of 10 said it was their most profitable fundraising project, out-performing all other fundraising efforts.

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Discount Card Fundraiser by Deane Brengle

Discount cards may be the perfect fundraiser.

Sounds like a salesman talking doesn't it? But if you'll hang with me for a minute I'll make you a believer, I promise.

Just to be sure, I'm talking discount cards, as in those little plastic cards (the size of a credit card) that have discounts and deals at merchants in your local area. You may even have purchased one from a local fundraiser before.

Now that we're all on the same page here's why they may be the perfect fundraiser:

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Training Tomorrow’s Leaders Today by the AFRDS

As an outgoing PTA or PTO president, it’s important to get your successor up to speed. Smooth leadership transitions are critical to the continued success of your group. Unfortunately, not every group properly prepares its future leaders. Celeste Tienken, who helped with fundraising at her children’s middle school, remembers taking over a position once when her predecessor, who was moving, met her at a nursery to hand off the materials.

“That’s all I had,” Tienken said. “It’s more ideal to work with someone for a year before taking over.”

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Top 5 Fundraisers for 2007 by Deane Brengle

Ever since I began writing and publishing online about fundraising for small groups in 1996 the most asked question I get is "What's the hottest fundraiser right now?"

And the best answer that I've been able to come up with is "You're asking the wrong question".

Believe it or not, I'm not being a smart ass when I say that. Because just relying on the latest fundraising fad isn't going to get your group ahead in the long run.

The question I think everyone should be asking is "What mix of fundraisers is best for my group?"

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Seasonal Fundraising Ideas by Deane Brengle

The calendar can provide some great inspiration when looking for fundraising ideas for your group. The changing seasons, holidays and other calendar related events can create good opportunities for fundraisers that can be repeated year after year. The momentum from a fundraiser that is held every year can be a real boost to your bottom line.

Make sure you're not duplicating the efforts of another group in your area before you proceed with planning your own seasonal fundraiser.

Here's a starting point to get you going. Don't be afraid to modify or improvise using these ideas.

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Easy Fundraisers by Kimberly Reynolds

An easy fundraiser shouldn't take a lot of effort, but let's be honest. It is going to take SOME effort.

The level of effort is often directly proportional to the size of your group's monetary goal, but not always. That's why you are considering an easy fundraiser in the first place - you're looking for less effort, not more.

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Green Fundraising: An Eco-friendly Fundraiser by Deane Brengle

Ten years ago if you told someone that you were doing a green fundraiser they would have given you a vacant look. "Green Awareness" and the "Green Movement" had yet to be coined as everyday terms.

Today, pretty much everyone knows what going green means. Most corporations, manufacturers, and businesses are racing to produce earth friendly products, use recycled materials, or develop production methods that don't harm the environment. So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that pretty soon it would trickle down to school fundraising.

Ron Brandow, of EZFund.com, says, "Many of our current fundraisers and groups were expressing an interest in renewable products and green fundraisers. We could see the market need".

Green fundraising isn’t as difficult as you might imagine, there are a number of things that you can do and sell to make your fundraising environmentally friendly.