Just Kate Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 My kids attend a tiny Christian school, and by tiny, I mean less than 200 kids in K-12. This is my kids' fourth year at the school and I just (finally) attended my first PTO (or PTA) meeting. The spring fundraiser came up during the meeting and I got a little excited. I really dislike fundraisers where the kids peddle junk to family and friends (that is our fall fundraiser going on now). So when the topic was brought up I was glad that it went in a different direction. We are talking about hosting a 5k, as our goal is not to just earn money for the school, but also to get our school name out to the community. After coming home and googling a few things, it appears that a 5k may be too big of an undertaking for us (not sure though). Anyone know much about hosting a 5k? Or if you have any ideas of GOOD fundraisers, that might help get our school's name out to the community a bit, if love to hear them. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 No ideas here, but I will be keeping an eye on this thread. I am the default leader of this year's fundraising for dd's dance studio, and we are having our first meeting tonight. If any brilliant ideas emerge at tonight's meeting, I will be sure to report back! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 After years of preschool, school, church, and other fundraisers, the only one I really liked was Christmas wreaths. They were plain, evergreen wreaths with real branches, and were priced reasonably ($25). I would avoid at all costs (ha!) popcorn and gift wrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Two of our local schools (one private and one public) do 5K fundraisers. I think they both do well and are a good community building activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Well, so far my favorite was this 'cash instead of cupcakes' fundraiser with a sense of humor! http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/27/living/pta-fundraiser-bake-sale-alternative-feat/ Dd's Montessori school sold Poinsettia plants at Christmas, which was a success. They also did an auction, a golf tournament, Tupperware sales, a Scholastic book fair, and A raffle:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewber Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 5k fundraisers are successful here but are usually organized through our local runners club. They bring a lot of runners and have courses that are already 5k certified. Mum sales in the fall are good. We buy ours from a local greenhouse who are a big help to us. Poinsettia sales are good too. I don't know how it works, but I've heard of Krispy Kreme donut sales at coffee hour after church. They bought them from the factory? Sunday morning and drove them to church in time for coffee hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Do you live near a major league ballpark? The most lucrative fundraiser I've ever seen involves parents working concessions at a ball field. They get a percentage plus tips and the money is great. My second favorite is restaurant nights. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 You can get race managers to run your 5K for you. They do everything but provide volunteers, so they would handle registration, timing systems, etc. The downside, of course, is that they take a cut of your proceeds, but it might be worth it if you have a strong running community around you. It also helps to have a hook to get people in, such as a fun location (a trail run, perhaps), a Thanksgiving morning date (this one is hugely popular here), a New Year's midnight run or a tie-in with another local event. It all depends on what's already taken where you live, of course, and how many runners are looking for something to do on your Saturday morning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 You can get race managers to run your 5K for you. They do everything but provide volunteers, so they would handle registration, timing systems, etc. The downside, of course, is that they take a cut of your proceeds, but it might be worth it if you have a strong running community around you. It also helps to have a hook to get people in, such as a fun location (a trail run, perhaps), a Thanksgiving morning date (this one is hugely popular here), a New Year's midnight run or a tie-in with another local event. It all depends on what's already taken where you live, of course, and how many runners are looking for something to do on your Saturday morning. Some other popular runs--Christmas through lights displays if your town has a bug drive through lights display, over the time change in the spring and fall, over a cool bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Someone I talked to told me their one and only fundraiser was to work in the concession stand at the local minor baseball team. The team donates money that the workers earned to the group. They said it was well worth the time to do. Might be worth checking out in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 One of the local high school dance teams does a dance clinic for kids where they spend a day learning a routine, eating pizza, and playing games with the dance team members (with some parents and coaches there), then perform at halftime at a high school sports event. They do this during Christmas shopping season. My DD loves it. They usually have a pretty big bunch of girls, and it's pretty much all profit-they get local sponsors to pay for the t-shirts and pizza (they get their name on the shirts, which the girls wear to perform and you see around town afterwards). They pay a lot of their travel for national competition with one fundraiser. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 I've seen a group of teens have a Parents' Night Out. The parents bring all the kids to one place to play for the evening, and adults supervise the group of teens entertaining the kids. Usually it is just toddlers and elementary age, not babies, unless there is adult nursery support. I'd like one of those, myself, and would pay! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Our group does the citrus sale fundraiser, and we make a lot of money there. People like the fresh fruit, and we have it delivered a few weeks before Christmas so people can give it as gifts. We've also done very well with bake sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Read the book: Beyond the Bake Sale by Jean Joachim. It discusses the culture and infrastructure needed for a solid school fundraising plan. Without that, there's not much point to getting your name out there. Also, do not forget your main base of donors are going to be: Board members Parents Alumni Former parents Other student family members Neighhors of the school Neighbors of the students Merchants who either want to market to your school population or rely on the school's business The general public is not, as a general rule, inclined to support your private school because they are busy supporting the school they are connected to. The lowest cost (time and money) for the highest return fundraisers I have seen work for schools: -Annual ask -Selling services and things people want anyways that no one else is doing in the area. Wreaths ams plants instead of wrapping paper and donuts. -educational lecture series -concerts -twists on the walk a thon. Skating, swimming, juggling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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