Top 10 Tips to Ace Your School Fundraiser

1. Make friends

School is more fun with friends! Reach out to other parents, coaches, administrators, and teachers letting them know about your fundraising ambitions. What ideas can they bring to the table? You’ll likely find they know about school events or programs that aren’t on everyone’s radar. Maybe the chess club is trying to get community service hours and can help organize an in-person event, or the 3rd grade teacher is connected with a local cafe owner who’s happy to host. Cue the whiteboard and let the ideas flow!

2. Test Prep

Or maybe we should say, fundraiser prep. While it’s easy to get up-and-running quickly with our Order Taking and Online Store programs, your event will no doubt benefit from the extra time you spend doing pre-fundraising homework. Here are some helpful how-to articles we’ve written that can help you with rounding up volunteers, finding local businesses to partner with, and more.

3. Find power in numbers

How can you join efforts with other clubs or organizations at your school? Raising money together will help broaden your audience and reach more supporters. Enlist the help of the students and educators you’ll be supporting — what are their ideas? Maybe a band-theater collaboration? Or a Spanish-French club culinary event? Expand your reach and impact by thinking big!

4. Do the math

How many football jerseys do you need to purchase? How many band instruments? How many tournament entries? Do the math to determine the kind of impact you can make with your fundraiser, and how much money you’ll need to raise and how many products each student needs to sell to be successful. Then, let your supporters know where their dollars are going. For example:

5. Get specific

Don’t let your supporters’ minds wander. Tell them exactly how they’ll see a difference in your school. It’s easier to imagine the impact of purchasing lumber for a 7th grade woodworking project, for example, than general school funds. Get specific in your goals, your outcomes, and how the students and community will benefit.

6. Fundraise online

An online store is always open! Our Online Store program is the easiest way to sell to your supporters near and far (like grandparents who live across the country and want to pitch in!). A virtual fundraiser can also help address any nut and food allergy concerns that might come along with on-site product selling.

7. Link up with a school event

Go to where the people are. Combine your Terri Lynn fundraiser with your school’s big events, where parents, students, educators and community all come together. Whether it’s a big game, winter festival, homecoming assembly, or science fair — being at an event is a great way to ride the wave of school spirit. Bring a table and start selling easily with our Case and Order Taker programs.

8. Get in the school newsletter

Read all about it! Your school newsletter is a perfect place to spread the news about your fundraiser. It’s a captive audience of parents and educators — the people who care most about your money raising success. Send information to your school’s principal or office administrator ideally 2-3 weeks before your fundraiser, to give them plenty of time. Then remember to reserve a spot in a future newsletter to say thank you!

9. Review your work

When your fundraising is over, take time to recap internally with your team and talk about what worked, what you can expand on, and what to change for next time. Then, let everyone else know how you did! Whether it’s via social media, school newsletter, or thank you notes, tell your supporters that you reached your goal and what you’ll be able to accomplish with the money you raised.

10. Make it easy as 1-2-3

If it feels hard, you’re probably doing it wrong. We know parents, teachers, athletes and students are all busy — that’s why we make fundraising a fun and delicious experience. If fundraising feels overwhelming, contact our team of Fundraising Experts who have decades of experience with meeting and exceeding fundraising goals. They can help you identify your pain points and loads of ways to make your efforts easier.

Start a School Fundraiser with Terri Lynn

We’ve helped school groups successfully raise tens of thousands of dollars for their clubs and programs. Not only is fundraising with Terri Lynn easy and effective — it’s delicious, too! Nowhere else can your supporters find our premium-quality snacks and confections (that are perfect for after-school snacking, by the way!). When you’re ready to get started, contact our support team and help you create a customized plan to reach your goals.

Photo credit: Pexels, Max Fischer; Unsplash, Salvatore Ventura, Anna Samoylova