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Fundraising Resources is full of school fundraising ideas, ideas for sporting clubs and community groups, and rules and regulations for those involved with fundraising. See our State-by-State raffle rules with links to the relevant authorities. Please take the time to comment and contribute, or ask questions of your own! Fundraising Resources is brought to you by the Fundraising Directory.

School fundraising - The top three mistakes to avoid

Raising extra money for your school is difficult in our current economic times. Although most who raise money for schools are volunteers and not paid school employees, the business of raising funds must be treated carefully. Not unlike any profession, there are mistakes to be avoided while fundraising for your school.
1. Having too many fundraisers […]

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Repeating the Same Fundraiser – How to keep it fresh

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s definitely the spice of fundraisers. If you find your group repeating the same fundraiser over and over again, not only is your community going to get bored, your volunteers will probably fade away. Keeping your fundraiser fresh and interesting to all is extremely important to maximizing profits.

In much the same way that you need to vary a fundraiser itself through different product options or sales techniques, you also need to vary the overall organization. Ask different volunteers to oversee the planning and implementation of the fundraiser. You will eliminate the possibility of a volunteer becoming overwhelmed or bored with a certain program, and bring fresh vitality into your planning.

As you ask different people to organize your overall fundraising program, also get a variety of people to create informative flyers or newsletters detailing your current fundraising plan. People have different writing styles, and can make your newsletter fresh and entertaining again.

If your organization involves children, involve them in your fundraising if possible. Children bring fresh life and enthusiasm to everything they do, and can often bring a new perspective. For example, simply ask them what prizes work best – one school discovered that a high bounce ball was motivating all the kids one year, and it turned out to be the least expensive incentive prize – a win-win!

It’s hard to keep volunteers motivated when repeating the same fundraiser, but the key is to mix it up a bit and not to rely on the same people for the same jobs. You’d be surprised at how a little variety can improve your end result.

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This article is from the Fundraising Resources website, a product of The Fundraising Directory, your A-Z guide to Fundraising Products and Services in Australia to assist with school fundraising, and club and charity fundraising.