It’s the million dollar question… how to improve your school’s fundraising. Yes, fundraising can be tricky! But we know it’s rewarding to see how much a successful fundraising campaign has helped your students and school. Whether you are selling tickets to a gala or rolling out a pledge drive, here are our favorite tips to improve your fundraising efforts across the board!
Set a goal… and raise it – Step one in getting started is setting a goal! However, don’t be afraid of setting an ambitious goal. Setting lofty goals often inspires you to succeed… and for your donors to step up to the challenge! Soon donations will start coming in. At this point, you may even want to raise the goal if it appears you will easily meet it.
Use online fundraising tools – Those who cannot purchase a ticket or attend your event can still contribute to your school’s cause with an online donation (or an additional donation after their ticket purchase.) Create an online link for giving and/or ticket sales allows. This allows your school families to easily share the information with their friends, networks, and on social media. Donors also enjoy periodically checking the fundraising progress as donations roll in! Plus, organizations are often surprised at how much total giving can increase with online giving.
Accept payments on the go – If you set up physical presence in your school lobby or outside of a sporting event, you can reach more people. However, not everyone will be carrying cash with them. A portable, mobile credit card reader offers customers three easy ways to pay with their credit card or NFC-enabled mobile device. These credit card readers usually connect to your mobile device via Bluetooth for ultimate portability. Additionally, you’ll have the donor data stored in the cloud for receipts, transaction reports, and inventory management.
Be personal in your fundraising – Of course you will want to post your event or fundraising campaign to the school’s website. In addition, be sure to post it to your personal social media pages. Many people are happy to donate to a cause that you are passionate about… even if they are not affiliated with your organization. Don’t be afraid to talk to people in person about your organization and the good it is doing. Finally, don’t forget that pictures equal a thousand words!
We want your school to have an enjoyable and stress-free fundraising experience! And of course, don’t forget to give a big thank you to everyone involved! This includes your donors, fundraising team, students, and their families. It is truly a team effort!