NEWS
Schools scramble for PTA fundraising ideas in the new economy
As PTA parents and members get ready for the new school year many are scrambling for fundraiser ideas. “Fundraising is on our minds all year long.” Said Mary of the Ridgewood PTA. She continues, “ either we raise the funds or the kids do without.”
This sentimentality is expressed by parent teachers and coaches nationwide. But who is to blame? There is no bad guy in the situation. The facts are that Schools don’t have the funding. Budget cuts across the board and unfortunately, it is the art, music and sports programs usually are negatively affected.
What does this mean?
- Without proper funding, school playgrounds won’t be maintained and equipment won’t be upgraded a needed.
- New library books will not be purchased.
- Student computers may not be repaired and replaced.
Simply put without these funds there will be a lot of disappointed students.
So what’s a parent to do?
Joe Wolpin of fundraisingzone.com tells us, “Parents do whatever it takes to help their kids have the best school experience possible. In fact, We work with great parents from all walks of life that refuse to quit. Whether it’s School band or local softball team, it doesn’t really matter. These PTA moms and dads don’t want their kids to do without. So they Find ways to raise money in the community.”
So what is working right now?
There is no end to fundraising ideas for PTA organizations. From car washes to popcorn sales – and everything in between.
Barbara from the home school PTA in Bloomingburg NY shares this tip. “ You want to make sure your fundraising count. There are a limited number of people you can ask to make a donation. And there is a limit to how often they will donate. So choose your fundraiser wisely.”
This is only common sense. Veteran school fundraisers like Barbara know the importance of holding fundraising campaigns that are affordable and profitable. With higher inflation in this new economy people are tightening their belts. There is less money at the end of the month. This means they may not be able to donate as much money as they used to. This is something that PTA parents need to keep in mind.
Here is a checklist to help you make your decision on what fundraiser to run this year.
- Is it affordable for most of the families in our community?
- Is it fun so people want to participate?
- Is there a track record of success with this event? In other words has the school successfully done this already ready? Or has another school or team had success with this idea?
- Is it profitable? The higher the profit margin the less you have to sell.
Amanda from the Maple PTA club shares this valuable tip. “Don’t fall into the trap of getting bored with a proven fundraiser event. The PTA forums are Full of parents that are tired of doing the same fundraisers each year… Even though they were successful.”
There is a pop culture phrase for this. It is called “Shiny Object syndrome”. In other words they’re always looking for the next best thing that is new in exciting. Sadly many we’ve proven school fundraisers to try something new that is not as profitable.
The lesson? Stick with proven winners! It Will be interesting to see how the new economy affects schools and their fundraising efforts
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
