Fundraising For Schools

Need help raising money for your child's school, sports team or club? A Mom's Guide to School Fundraising by Sarah Barrett answers all your questions in a light-hearted, informative and entertaining way.Parents all over the country are taking action and working with their schools to raise money. This book will give you the ideas you need - whether you want to go big or stay small, whether you have a ton of time or need to raise funds quickly - to bring money into your kids' school and make a difference.Sarah Barrett has been fundraising at her daughters' school for over five years. She is a former teacher and small business owner with an MA in Education who has traded in her full-time career to dedicate her time and energy to fundraising for her neighborhood school. In this guide, you will learn how to:* Write solicitation letters that yield donations large and small.* Use email marketing techniques to increase fundraising and participation.* Get kids involved so they understand the importance of giving back.* Produce and promote events tailored for your school community.* Evaluate the Return On Investment (ROI) for each event so you're not investing time and energy into an event that makes only a small fraction of what you need.What parents are saying about this guide:"As co-chair of our local PTSA I can say with absolute conviction that A Mom's Guide to School Fundraising" offers a host of insightful answers to the age-old, but oft overlooked question of 'why do you need to raise money for your school?' It also answers the equally as important 'how'. Packed with practical and easy to follow advice from schools in almost every state in the nation, this guide will leave you with a plethora of 'a-ha' moments. Truly, a must-read for all schools looking for new ideas to raise funds and stay competitive in this economic climate. Its more than an informational guide, its an investment in the future of your school." -Melissa Bolton, mom/PTA co-chair in Rochester, NY "If you're trying to fundraise for your school, this book is a must-read. Sarah's extensive tips and resources will save you tons of time and frustration AND help you raise tons of money!" -Heather McCarron Allard, The Mogul Mom"Sarah Barrett's book is full of great fundraising ideas. The book is set out in an easy to understand format and categorized so that you can easily pick and choose from her menu of ideas. She provides detailed concrete suggestions, scripts, and emails that you can use for contacting families and businesses. A wonderful resource and useful for fundraising newbies and veterans alike." -Rebecca Rabson, Mom, business owner, Massachusetts"If your school needs to fundraise, reading Sarah Barrett's book A Mom's Guide to School Fundraising is a great first step. In addition to detailing a huge range of successful fundraisers from around the country - from raffles to phone-a-thons to auctions to book fairs - it explains the complexities of each. A Mom's Guide to School Fundraising is an idea generator, a brain sparker, a realistic look at the hard work involved, and a significant time-saver for your planning team." -Ellen Zimmerman, President, Jewish Holidays In A Box

Being a head of school is both challenging and rewarding work. Heads of school and those who aspire to the role are expected to engage alumni and parents and raise money effectively; yet, most have received little or no training or support in advancement. In Fundraising for Schools: 8 Keys to Success Every Head of School Should Know, veteran fundraising consultant Linda Wise McNay demystifies fundraising for school leaders. This innovative book will guide school leaders on: How heads of school should manage their time in every stage of their fundraising and stewardship efforts The importance of board leadership The critical relationship between the head of school and, if there is one, the chief development officer Detailed instruction on "how to ask" McNay offers lessons that she routinely shares with her independent school clients. Some schools do not have a chief development officer or experienced advancement staff. She shares detailed explanations of which fundraising tasks are the most important and which should be undertaken first by school leadership. She explains annual giving, major giving, capital campaigns, and the school's endowment. This book is organized into eight chapters: Chapter One: Three Secrets to Successful Fundraising. Schools cannot be supported by tuition alone. Therefore, the head of school needs to devote significant time and attention to fundraising. A school leader must be able to present the case for support and lead the board and staff in a team effort to ask for funds, all while following a coordinated plan of action. Chapter Two: Fundraising Methods by Rate of Return. A school fundraising plan should include scheduled direct mail, telephone, event, sponsorship, email, and personal solicitations. Effectiveness of all solicitations is enhanced with an accurate database and appropriate stewardship. Chapter Three: The Big Ask. The head of school needs to be able to talk about money-a lot. The greatest reason people give money is because they are asked in person! Chapter Four: Forge a Lasting Partnership with the Chief Development Officer. Development is the process of building long-term, positive, and mutually beneficial relationships between donors and the school. This is best achieved by the combined efforts of the head of school and the development staff member(s) and volunteers. It is definitely not a one-person job. Chapter Five: A Primary Responsibility of the Board Is to Raise Money. One hundred percent of board members should participate in fundraising both as donors and in soliciting others to all campaigns at your school. Chapter Six: Operational Funds Have Less Donor Appeal, but They Are Essential. Most schools begin their fundraising efforts with the annual fund. You must create a case for annual operating needs and train your volunteers on the importance of unrestricted giving. Chapter Seven: Capital Campaigns Occur Every Three to Five Years, so Prepare Yourself. Everyone is an annual fund prospect. Some donors are also capital gift prospects. The top 10 donors are critical to your campaign success. Chapter Eight: Endowment Building for the Future. The best way to build an endowment for your school is to initiate a planned giving program.

Written by Lindsey Marsh, The School Fundraising Handbook: How to maximise your income from grants, sponsorship and many other sources of finance is a carefully compiled treasury of tips, tools and key contacts to help schools in the UK save money, boost their income and manage their fundraising projects. It's exciting to know that there are hundreds of grants available to schools whether they're for funds needed to raise attainment levels, purchase new equipment, run school clubs or improve buildings and outdoor spaces and these grants can range from a few pounds to thousands of pounds! Plus, in addition to financial grants, there are also lots of other means of support out there too, such as business sponsorship and employee volunteers. The School Fundraising Handbook aims to help schools become better informed about such opportunities, and to raise awareness of all the wonderful charities and organisations that are willing to support schools and other educational establishments such as nurseries, colleges, special schools and pupil referral units. Covering grants, crowdfunding, event planning, recycling schemes, corporate support and much more, this indispensable guide throws schools a lifeline by revealing the abundance of fundraising streams available to them and sharing shrewd advice on how to coordinate specific projects and initiatives successfully. Lindsey also uses her fundraising expertise to guide readers through the grant application process from start to finish, so that even the most inexperienced fundraiser can feel confident about seeing their projects through to fruition. Furthermore, she offers ideas and insights on how to fundraise through wider community involvement, reach out to business links and benefit from various other opportunities available to schools (e.g. hire schemes, guest speakers, free gifts and free site visits). An invaluable resource for school leaders, school business managers and anyone involved in fundraising in the education sector.

Presents 50 fun, creative, and cost-effective fundraising strategies from schools across the country and includes savvy organizing tips, guidance on ethical issues, and advice for avoiding mishaps.

2016 SIBA AWARD WINNER 3RD PLACE IN BEST REFERENCE CATEGORY VOLUNTEERING SHOULD BE FUN! FUNDRAISING SHOULD BE FUN! If you've ever sat around the table with a group of parents at your child's school or team - wondering how on earth you were going to come up with fundraising ideas that really work, then this is the book for you!

This book provides easy to follow and helpful advice on how to run a fundraising program within your school. It is structured around CIRCLE's fifty top fundraising tips, which have been accumulated during CIRCLE's extensive consultancy work across Australia in the last thirty years. This book is broken into parts and conceptualises fundraising as a giving tree continuum, nurturing the donor using the key techniques of friendraising, coupled with donor research and careful stewardship, to enable a smooth transition from small donor to large.

Publisher description

All the ideas and step-by-step instructions you need to raise thousands of dollars for your school are right here in Beyond the Bake Sale. This comprehensive guide will walk you through: · Setting up a fund-raising team · Finding national organizations that will support your school · Putting on events that leave bake sales in the dust · Finding and keep volunteers · Accounting for and distributing the money you raise With school budgets slashed, parent-driven fund-raising is needed to keep classrooms stocked with computers and supplies, school libraries with books and teams with uniforms and equipment. Complete with school year timelines, Beyond the Bake Sale is the one book you need to start making money for your school this year.