School Fundraiser - Our First Time - Your Experience, Tips?

Just ask politely, post on FB. Accept a no with grace.

I must be an oddball - I wish we had schools selling stuff - Some of the best gift wrap I ever bought came from a school fundraiser. No schools by me seem to do this anymore. Most just do script, boring!

My daughter sends an group e-mail with the catalog address to her co-workers, friends, and family about her daughter's school's fundraisers. She just tells them it's a fund raiser and gives them the info in case they're interested.

I am surprised how many people are down on school fundraisers! As someone who works in a school and runs that annual fundraiser, they are a necessary evil! They make A LOT of money for the kids. And notice that I say "the kids". The fundraising is a different pot of money than the PTA, booster, foundation, school supplies donations, whatever else you may have. When the kids are doing the selling, it goes to the stuff directly benefitting the kids. And its often the stuff that breaks up the drudgery of school (the special activities- dances, assemblies, special programs, extras like student planners, t-shirts and other freebies that lift the kids' spirits throughout the year).

Also, I believe it is good training for the kids. Through fundraising they get a little glimpse into what it takes to run an organization. They get rewarded the more they sell (fun for the kids and true to real life, most of the time). Some kids are totally turned on by this ( the prizes and recognition) others are not. If yours are not, I'd say go the donation route and just throw a little into the pot. Its for the kids. If your kid is into it, I say Sell Away!

*school fundraisers DO NOT require the kids sell to strangers or door to door. Just sell to family and friends or buy a few things yourself.
*I'll be writing a check for gift wrap for my own kids school this week (might as well get something for that $$$ I would've just donated) and kicking off my own schools 3 week magazine drive this Thursday... I'll be spending a big chunk of my work time pumping the kids up and rewarding them, with some of parent volunteers, so it disheartens me to see some of these parents so down on the student fundraisers!

I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate these "fundraisers". Don't get me started. I'll be picking up my Girl Scout order forms this evening. Anyway here are a few tips...

1. If you are in a public school you are NOT required to participate. I'm not saying you shouldn't, I'm just saying it's your choice and you should not be made to feel guilty if you opt out.

2. Do not sell anything that you would not purchase yourself. I refuse to sell $15 pies, when I can purchase one just as good at the local store for $4.

3. If I buy from you, I'll expect you to buy from my kids.

4. On-line ordering is great. Just send friends and family a quick e-mail saying "Susie is selling xxxx to raise funds for her school. They plan on usring the funds for xxxx. I hope you'll be able to help us out. All you need to do is xxxx. Thanks for your consideration."

5. A thank you goes a long way.

6. Never be offended if someone says no thank you.

Good luck.

Bleeeccchhhh!
Don't forget another option--wrote the PTA a check for a $20-25 donation & be done with it! Lol
Win-win... Easy for you & they get 100% of your effort.
Seriously, most times the products are such a rip off. I had people buy candy O. year for $12/box and they were the size of a box of Raisinettes
I'm sorry, I just can't do that to people I know!

I went to a pto meeting and while everyone agreed they didn't enjoy selling the stuff, someone must be because it's their biggest fundraiser.

So I guess my tip is not to put any pressure on yourself. sell what you can, and as long as your family either makes a purchase or makes a donation. then that's fine. tell your son right up front that he can have $5 to go buyhimself a little something but DO NOT expect to get a PRize from the fundraising.

keep good records, Let people know when moneyis due and when product will be delivered.

and help out your school by picking things up promptly on the day you are supposed to.

good luck and I think your attitude is great! I love when people support their children and their schools. for those that don't like to sell it, send in a donation or get on the board and find something else to raise money for fieldtrips and fun things.

I only purchased what I was actually going to use. I then only shared the catalog with our family, and told them very clearly, they were not obligated to purchase if they did not want or need anything.

Sometimes they purchased and other times, some of them would just donate $20. to the PTA as a contribution..

This was one of our largest fundraisers each year.. FYI, the years we also slipped in the magazine subscription form (it was an option with the gift wrap company) we were shocked how much money we made off of that little flyer..

Lots of parents take the form to work and post it outside their office. Just remember that what you sell, you have to deliver. Be sure to keep a copy of the order form and the booklets so that you can easily put the orders together when they arrive. The items will most likely be in one big bag or box.

People also post it on their facebook, notes at church, after school clubs/activities...

post on FB and the website they can access to do an online order most have them where it can be sent directly to them after the fundraiser closes that way you don't need to contact them again with a delivery.I'm t responsible for our schools PTO fundraising going on year 4 it is hard and a huge disappointment trying to raise money for our students to provide them for the school year with different educational needs that fall short with the budget cuts.If you send me the companies name and website i'd like to look into it see if i'm familiar with it or not always looking to scedule our next one.I try really hard to stary away from overly priced junk.

my son's school is starting their annual fundraiser this week....and being part of the pto i do know where the money goes from this....our pto bought 5 teachers white boards this last year. and we earned a free over night stay at a waterpark. you are not required to sell anything but go to a pto meeting and find out where the money goes before you just write out a check for $20!!!

I think whether or not the items are affordable and practical has a big part in how I would go about selling it, or who I would sell it to.

Sounds like your fundraiser items aren't super dreadful :-) !! So, for your situation, I would probably just do a FB post, or email/text/call my friends that I would want to support the cause.

I am not a big fan of these fundraisers and find that most of the items are overpriced & impractical - this year they did the magazine/gift wrap/jewelry & we honestly didn't bother. They barely gave a week to sell the stuff. Last year they did the cookie dough in a tub and other food items, and they seemed to be really good sellers. It's still over priced, though. I just hate asking people for their money when the economy is the way it is.

To be honest, I'd rather just write a check directly to the PTO and call it good. Maybe if I didn't have a full time job and wasn't already strapped for time, I'd feel differently.

I am just glad that the school my daughter attends does not make fundraising a requirement. I detest fundraisers even if they say it helps the school because I'm never going to be the one that helps my daughter be the top seller in her class/school. I will post notices at work, ask once or twice on facebook, and ask the family. That's it! The school actually frowns upon door to door sales so that's about all I can do. If she doesn't get any sales I don;t push either because everyone I know has kids also and I have a hard time buying from them personally although I will try if I can.

Can you just make a post on Facebook? Hey, my son's sellling XYZ, let me know if interested.

I don't really like doing fundraisers but I'll buy at least one thing whenever he has one going on. I would e-mail a family member telling them about it and ask them if they know of anyone else that would like to see it.

Good luck!!!!

Do they have a buyout option? That is what we do because I never let my daughter to go door to door selling things we don't want and are pricey.

I have neighbor children that come to me all the time and I will never turn a child who I know and lives in my neighborhood away, even though it is a form of extortion. I have turned children away who are brought to my neighborhood by the van loads just because our neighborhood is a target for that as well as the vanload drop off for Halloween.

I hate the fundraisers that promote selling things like candy, gift wrap, entertainment books, etc. I know the school gets a profit from it.

Bottom line, the best fundraisers for the PTA were write a check campaign.

Now it is completely different with athletics and the fundraising that ging into these programs. I am involved with that heavily but it is not catalog selling.

Good luck on your new venture!

PS: I hope you like your new home. I miss seeing P. G from RIchardson!

Post it on your Facebook wall. If you want, you can send one email, saying what you have and posting a link to the website. Keep it low key and don't send any reminders unless someone writes back and asks for more info.

I hate fundraisers. I am a sahm and my husband works in an office where it is not possible to sell items. If we ask friends to buy stuff, then we feel obligated to buy their kids stuff. So we all just agreed to fund ourselves. My family will buy something out of obligation, but usually the stuff they sell is overpriced or not anything we really need or want. I am very active in the PTA and do understand how helpful this money is to the school, but I hate the whole process. Several years ago I came to the conclusion that it was better for us to just make a donation. If my child sold $100 worth of junk, then the school would get half that or even less. So, if I donate $100, then the school actually gets $100 and we don't have to deal with it. My biggest problem was that my kids would be so hyped about getting the prizes, so I would offer to buy them the junky prize. Now that they are older, they don't care about the prizes and understand. In some cases, like my son's band fundraiser, the teacher recognizes the donation the same as selling stuff and so my son gets rewarded. I just tell myself, that my donation is part of the cost of "free" public school. Much cheaper than private school.

In the current economy, schools are in desperate need of additional funds, especially for the "extras" that make a school really great. Our school has begun to look at other options and more creative ways to raise money.