Oh No, ANOTHER School Fundraiser!

If you have children still attending school, then you probably know all too well the feeling you get when you receive a flyer or email stating the need for yet another fundraising event! That horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach that says you're going to have to contribute in some way, either buying something you really don't need and really can't afford, or by donating hours of your time, hours that you don't have either.

One of the problems I always encountered with fundraising, was that I donated goods to sell or raffle, but then was expected to buy some at the event too, so it seemed like a double hit to me. 

The trick with fundraisers is to find something that people want to buy from you, either a product or a service, and that you want to sell and promote. And of course, if the event is because you are fundraising for your school, ideally it should be something that will inspire as many students as possible to participate.

That rules out the good old favourite cake stall, as it is hard to devote the time to helping primary school children to bake, but with so many food allergies around, and fear of food contamination, I think this fundraiser is getting harder and harder to run. I remember how awful I felt when I baked for the school fundraiser, only to find that my children had bought the goods so they could see what my baking tasted like! I must admit, baking doesn't happen very often because of a shortage of time, but I didn't realise my family felt so deprived!

Then there are car washes, and this one I like because the time involved can be limited to one day, or one weekend, and the kids can take part themselves, under adult supervision of course. Kids love to get wet on a nice hot day, so summer car washes often work well, and aside from advanced advertising, there is not a lot of preparation to do in advance, and very few funds need to be spent on supplies. 

There are school fairs that can be lots of fun and they can raise significant income, but the level of organiation and the risk of disruptions from lockdowns and restrictions means it is not for everyone.

That's why Sockable Fundraising created the 'Do It For Schools' service. It's fundraising with a product that is fun, and that everyone needs - kids, Mums, Dads, Nannas, Pops, Aunties and Uncles all wear socks! Students love participating in sock fundraisers, and with a handy order form, there is no upfront cost, and no goods to donate. 

You can also double down on your fundraising by holding a Loud Sock Day later the same term, where students and teachers can all wear their funky fundraising socks.

Running your school fundraising event well may save you from having to organise a second event if the first one does not raise the funds you need. Get thinking about who you can sell your goods or services to, other than those already involved in your organisation, who will benefit from your product or service, and how you can reach them without huge expense and without a huge commitment of time.

So get a coffee, take a deep breath and re-evaluate your school fundraiser!