Hosting a community fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your cause.  Community fundraising is usually more effective when a people focused approach is taken. Relationship building is a key part of such an approach. Building relationships communicates the benefits that the organization offers to the local community. Let’s talk about some specific ways to plan community fundraising activities that incorporate relationship building.

Host an open house

• Schedule an open house at your community center or at a central location inviting the public to attend.
• Advertise your community fundraising event with a fundraising website.
• Post flyers about your event with a link to your website in public places, make announcements on community calendars, and email all of your contacts.
• Incorporate special activities to educate your guests about your cause such as lectures, tours, and games. This is a great way to encourage participation and interaction amongst your guests while informing them of the need and benefit of their donations.
• A silent auction could be easily incorporated as part of your event with online auction software. Community members can browse auction items online, easily place bids and make safe payments through your charity auction website.  Announcing the winners at the open house is a great way to entice them to attend and learn about your cause.

Walk-a-thons or pledge events

• Holding a walk-a-thon is a great way to build relationships through community fundraising.  An opportunity to walk or hike together can generate friendships that will grow with each year that your community fundraising event is held.
• Utilizing walk-a-thon software will help organizers manage event details, be a great source for promoting your walk-a-thon, and allow participants to easily register, collect and track pledge donations. Members of your community will appreciate the ability to make online donations from the convenience of their desktops.
• A pledge event is not limited to a walk-a-thon.  Other community fundraising activities can be incorporated such as bowling, jogging, bicycling and anything else that would engage your community.
• Celebrating your pledge event with a luncheon or dinner afterward is another opportunity to build relationships that will strengthen your community fundraising efforts.  Online fundraising software can help you to spread the word about your fundraiser, register participants, sell tickets for your event, and process online donations. Community members can learn more about your cause and make contributions regardless if they choose to participate in your walk-a-thon and post-events.

Presentations to local businesses

• Contact local business leaders and ask them for 15 minutes during their next staff meeting to make a presentation about sponsoring your cause.
• Present information about your cause and the need for funding.  Show how your fundraising website works to engage participants, community members, donors and sponsors.  Show them your online sponsorship page so that they can see the great exposure your website will offer, and include a detailed list of the specific benefits they would receive by sponsoring your event (i.e. logo presence on event website, on-site exposure to event attendees, inclusion in press and promotional materials, tickets for VIP events, etc.)
• You may want to show a video of your community fundraising activities at your presentation. This will give your audience a hands-on feel of your work and will reach them emotionally.
• Strategic planning between presentations to local businesses and your community fundraising events is wise. Think about the type of business you are presenting to and try to tie in specific themes and ideas that are relevant to their business. Bring your enthusiasm to the table and get them excited about your upcoming event!
• Business leaders are often happy to sponsor your event as a tax-deductible donation.

There are many ways to involve your constituents in community fundraising campaigns.  Presenting a variety of ways for them to make donations is important.  Building relationships for each unique fundraising activity, whether it’s a pledge event or an online donations drive, will add to the success your community fundraising efforts.

Is your nonprofit or community organization interested in providing low-cost travel incentives which can be used as participant or donor incentives to enhance your fundraising efforts?  Or maybe you are looking for special gifts to give to volunteers who’ve dedicated their time and energy to make your fundraising event go off without a hitch.   Whatever the reason…travel incentives provide organizations with a unique way to motivate, reward and thank constituents.

Need a new fundraising idea? Most non-profit organizations are always looking for fresh ideas to keep their online fundraising fun and their organization’s constituents engaged.

While fundraising merchandise sales are hardly new, they have just been revolutionized! Remember when you had to purchase a large quantity of a product up front and then resell it to make a profit. Unsold items and missing sales envelopes meant headache and loss of revenue for your organization. Not to mention lugging around all of those boxes of chocolates.

Now imagine your own online store which features custom fundraising merchandise designed specifically for your organization and/or fundraising events. Each of your constituents or event participants can personalize their fundraising merchandise purchases with their name, the name of a loved one, a photo or a personalized message. At the same time, your organization maintains control of the branded aspects of the merchandise including color, logo placement, and references to sponsors, which ensures increased awareness about the cause…And the best part is that a portion of each sale goes to your nonprofit organization with no money up front and no minimum sales commitments.

Fundraising merchandise sales are a great fundraising option for:

• Schools
• Churches & youth or community organizations
• Walk-a-thons, bowl-a-thons and all types of participant driven fundraising events

Your merchandise options can include: t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, water bottles, key chains and much more. Your organization can choose from a catalog of items that fit your constituency’s needs and budgets.

Read more and check out a demo of DoJiggy’s fundraising merchandise store here. If your organization is interested in finding out more about earning funds by selling fundraising merchandise, please sign up and a knowledgeable fundraising merchandise representative will call you promptly.

Read more about creative fundraising ideas here.

Social media encompasses a myriad of online technology tools. The first names that come to mind are usually social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, however, email, blogs, and podcasts are all considered to be social media tools. There are some important aspects for nonprofit organizations to recognize about these tools, principally, that they are interactive. In addition, the basis of social media is that it is a user-generated engine that instigates a communication system essential to the fundraising possibilities of an organization. It is also the preferred method of communication for an emerging generation of donors and volunteers, and embracing it allows nonprofit organizations to tap into that source when managing their fundraising campaigns.

Social Media Toolbox for Fundraising Strategies

It is not enough to simply create a Facebook page, or “tweet” information from time to time. The interactive nature of social media requires that nonprofit organizations enter into an honest and stimulating conversation with their supporters during their fundraising campaigns. This relationship must be maintained with the publication of results and updates on current activities. If managed well an organization can greatly increase its fundraising capacity in addition to extending its member base.

Social media aids fundraising efforts with its autonomy for individuals in promoting the causes they believe in. This method is often called “distributed fundraising” and DoJiggy has capitalized on this strength with its Pledge edition software service. Using DoJiggy’s online fundraising software, participants invent their own personal fundraising pages where they receive donations for their participation in a cause-oriented event. They can easily email friends and family and link to their Facebook and Twitter accounts to solicit support. The independence of the individual in managing their fundraising effort fosters empowerment and takes the burden of centralized responsibility from the event administrators. This type of distributed fundraising has been most common in events like walk-a-thons or bike-a-thons.

Check out a few fun and engaging events highlighted here:
http://febuhairy.dojiggy.com/
http://spikeoutsepsis.dojiggy.com/
http://birdathon.dojiggy.com/

Only about half of nonprofit organizations actively use social media. If you’d like more information on how to run an effective fundraising campaign using social media click here to visit our fundraising resource center.

Well Father’s Day is just around the corner, and therefore we thought we ‘d share some great Father’s day fundraising ideas.

Father’s day is a great time to host a themed fundraising event that creates an opportunity to spend time together as a family and appreciate “Dad”.  Depending on what you are trying to raise funds for, here are a few ideas to spark your interest.

• Organize a fundraiser that provides a great way for the family to spend time together on Father’s day such as a family kite-flying contest in park, or a tour of a local museum.
• How about a Father’s day walk-a-thon? Gathering family, friends and community members to walk for a worthy cause is not only a great way to raise a lot of donations, but also a great way to promote health and wellness throughout the community.
• Since often families are looking for fun things to do on Father’s day, perhaps you wish to organize a fundraising block party.  Sell tickets to the event and provide food, drinks, games, entertainment.  If the event is well marketed throughout the community, you may be able to find local businesses to sponsor the event by donating money, food, beverages or various prizes for contests.
• A great idea for a church fundraiser would be a pancake breakfast.  First and foremost, you’ve already got attendees if the breakfast fundraiser is hosted following Sunday services.  Since Father’s day always falls on a Sunday, this is a great way for families to celebrate after church.  But don’t limit attendees and donations to your congregation alone, invite members from the community to attend as well.  Charge a small fee for the breakfast, and add a fundraising raffle as an additional way to raise more funds.
• Hosting a father-daughter dance could be a great school fundraising event or perhaps an event put-on by a cheerleading squad, dance team, softball team, etc.  Similarly a sports team or boy scouts troupe could host a father-son mini golf fundraiser, bowl-a-thon or other fun fundraising event perfect for bonding with Dad.

Since it may be too late to plan an event this year, don’t think there’s nothing you can do.  In honor of Dad, perhaps your family can choose a worthy charity to donate to this Father’s day, and maybe make it annual tradition!  After all, fathers are role models for their children and why not set a great example for your children “giving back” to a worthy cause.

Happy Father’s Day!

Summer camp fundraising for girls and boys is essential in making their experience a lasting and positive memory.  Fundraising is important in helping families cover the cost for their children to attend camp, and for the development of an enriching camp experience. Activities such as riding horses, traveling to a unique landscape for hiking and exploring, paying for a tennis instructor or hiring an excellent storyteller and writer are made possible with an online fundraising campaign.

Getting kids involved in the effort of fundraising for their summer camp can be an additionally fun and educational experience.  Hosting a summer camp fundraiser not only teaches children to become fundraisers, but it also helps them learn to set goals and strive to accomplish them which is a lifelong pursuit.  And it is another way to get them jazzed up about summer camp!

Hosting a walk-a-thon is an adventurous summer camp fundraising idea in which kids could walk to raise funds for developmental activities at their camp.  Children may receive help setting up a personal pledge website from their parents, camp counselors and alumni.  They may also gain experience requesting pledges, promoting the fundraiser, and sending Thank You’s to donors.

Instill education as part of your walk-a-thon event by planning resting spots along the route such as a mock wilderness area featuring the habitat which their camp will be held within. Other ideas may include an art museum in which the budding artists could sell their paintings and drawings, and charge and admission fee.  A music tent offering performances by the children for an admission fee would be an opportunity for them to practice their musical instruments ahead and perform live at the event. The dollars raised could go towards your fundraising goal, with the creative ideas being endless based upon the many skills and talents of your children.

An example of an awesome summer camp fundraising idea is the Kieve-Wavus Education online auction website shown here: http://kievewavus.dojiggy.com/ Their extensive list of auction items is impressive, including mini vacations, jewelry, sporting event tickets, ice cream and pizza that kept their auction fun for kids and adults alike. Even their camp counselors engaged in their fundraising efforts by offering their time to cook and babysit as an auction item. The background photo image of their camp site is a nice website design touch and was easy to do with customized templates available with DoJiggy Auction Software.

In Summary

There are many different types of fundraising events to consider when planning a summer camp fundraising campaign.  Camp fundraising ideas can be virtually anything including charity golf tournaments, online and live auctions, donations websites, pledge drives and general events. To find more information on how to be successful in meeting your fundraising goal you’re welcome to visit our Fundraising Resource Center.

The work of our beloved Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America speaks for itself. They are of our most successful and enthusiastic fundraising entities. Effective, online fundraising software designed to help with their continued and incredible success is welcomed.

“Be Prepared” is the motto of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. This is an excellent point in undertaking any project and making it a success, and valid when managing an online fundraising campaign. Consider the planning needed for a pledge drive in which Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts create personal fundraising pages, create teams and send emails to friends and family. Starting several months ahead of the event day with flyers, marketing and contacting potential sponsors is central in meeting their fundraising goal. The inventive themes for a pledge drive include a walk-a-thon, bike-a-thon or serve-a-thon. Finding a user-friendly website template which offers support is important in assisting our scouts, their many volunteers and each pledge participant.

Conservation is a central aspect of the program of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, and a live event offering educational and entertaining presentations by the scouts can raise money in several ways. Consider the fun of a mini play in which the kids are cast in the roles of our trees, grasslands, clouds and stars telling their guests and donors what they’d like in order to survive. And the good time that could be had by all during an online to live auction promoting conservation products and volunteer time in cleaning up the environment. All of this can be accomplished with one event fundraising website template which offers donors the ability to register, donate, purchase tickets and join in with the online bidding and auction fun. A hike-a-thon is also a way of honoring their important conversation mission, with environmental science resting spots that offer education about our water, lands and the animals that inhabit them.

Fundraising ideas for boy scout and girl scout troops also include charity golf tournaments. Alumna, volunteers and parents of the GSA and BSA have a rich supply of contacts and may consider a golf-a-thon or golf tournament. This can be a multifaceted event with an online auction and used for advertising, marketing, budgeting and payment processing. The enclosed website is a nice golf tournament example and has used an online video appeal which is a nice touch: http://ulhrgolf.golfregistrations.com/

Charity pledge drives, fundraising events and golf tournaments involving our cherished Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are rewarding for everyone, as we all benefit from their superb work. These essential organizations offer so much education to our children in arts and crafts, and a myriad of social and biological sciences, making the discovery of fundraising themes an open canvas awaiting your creativity. To learn more about online fundraising toolkits, planning, budgeting and more you may visit our Fundraising Resource Center.

While schools across the nation differ in their educational missions and tactics, one common value is the desire for schools to  integrate with their local communities. Many studies on school-community partnerships outline the symbiotic and mutually beneficial nature of their relationship. Collaboration, instilling the notion of service among students and hosting creative school fundraising events are some significant factors that contribute to a vibrant school – community partnership.

DoJiggy interviewed two schools that implemented this concept with great success. The outcome was not only achieving financial success by raising donations, but also providing a fulfilling learning experience for the students and an inspiring recognition of the community. The schools also proved an important point; that fundraising goals for school initiatives can still be met with a percentage of the fundraising income also infused into the community.

The Woods Academy is an independent Catholic school in Maryland whose mission is to “provide a learning environment and school community that promotes personal integrity, respect for the uniqueness of each individual, a spirit of equality, and a commitment to service.” Last Spring, for their annual Owlathon fundraiser, the parent teacher organization along with the school identified a specific need: the purchase of a bus for field trips, sports events and service learning. They also decided that choosing two organizations to support with a percentage of the fundraising, would really drive home the service oriented emphasis on giving back to community while focusing on a very tangible goal for the school.

The student council began to research possibilities and selected a local organization close to the school, The Greentree Shelter, as well as the global organization World Central Kitchen. The organizations shared clear information on their initiatives with the school and the shelter actually met with the students directly. The students not only felt individually involved in creating awareness and making a difference, but with the use of online fundraising software they created autonomy and empowerment in their fundraising as well. The school raised over $30,000, giving 25% of the earnings to the organizations.

When principal, Joseph Powers, spoke with the students afterwards he found that their favorite part of the event, second to dunking the principal in the dunk tank of course, was that the Owlathon helped people. The students really understood the “why” behind their fundraising efforts, and they had fun in the meantime. Woods Academy was able to purchase the bus they determined to fund as well as investing in both the local and global community. It was a multi-faceted success.

St. Timothy’s Lutheran School is another trend-setter in the ideology of giving back. Their spiritually motivated core values indicate an inherent component of service that is implemented in the curriculum. The spring fundraiser, “Go For The Green” walk-a-thon, couldn’t have been a better example of this trait. The fundraiser was billed as a community and school event, organized in tandem with the local organization, Our City Forest. The funds were directed to new school curriculum, technology, and scholarships with 10% of the proceeds going to Our City Forest for support in teaching the greater community of students about conservation in urban ecosystems. The entire event was geared towards raising awareness, and their logo was “every tree counts”.

Through this collaboration, citizens both within the school and in the community learned important information about their surrounding environment while raising over $15,000 for the schools specific needs. It also highlighted the conscious efforts of the students to raise money for a local cause rather than merely accruing donations. By utilizing an online fundraising website the school was able to broaden the net of potential donors and facilitate easier communication both from the students and their parents in raising awareness for the community.

The essence of citizenship is a core concept in virtually any school creed. These schools have funneled that essence into action by proving the existence of abundance in collaborative efforts. We commend them on their example.

Visit our resource center for more school fundraising ideas and useful fundraising resources.

Gymnastics has evolved since the time of the Ancient Greeks to become one of the most popular sports in the world. There are countless gymnastics teams in schools, community centers, and private training centers across the globe. It is a sport that can support agility in development, and many children start classes at a young age. However, once the intent to seriously train in gymnastics is presented, a strict regimen can ensue. Gymnasts need to think about uniforms, competition travel, and outside training tactics and clubs need to invest in state of the art equipment and expert coaching. One way teams can offset these mounting costs is by organizing fundraising events. Gymnastics fundraising events are a fulfilling experience that can bond team members and acknowledge individual achievement.

With the popularity of gymnastics, teams can appeal to a broad public for support. With so many children and young people fascinated by the gymnastic arena, older and more serious students could consider organizing summer gymnastic camps.  School gymnastics teams can promote their abilities by hosting a school fundraising event where dollars are earned through tickets sales, and the team entertains parents and peers with performances.  Seasons often provide the motivation for fundraising and events hosted around the holidays, like a banquet or gala fundraising event, are also common tactics. With any event, additional revenue can be earned by hosting a silent charity auction or offering door prizes through a fundraising raffle.
Perhaps the best type of fundraiser for gymnastic teams, however, are events in which individual members generate donations but the team still realizes a collective goal.  By using online fundraising software, teams can create a fundraising event for just that purpose.  Pledge fundraising software allows each team member to create a personal fundraising page. Individuals can cast a net out to family and friends to pull in donations and the pledges are tallied on a homepage fundraising thermometer. The use of social media accelerates and expands the fundraising efforts to exponential proportions.

Remember, creativity is the key to fundraising success.  If your gymnastics team is interested in hosting a team fundraising event where pledges are collected, consider creating a customized “a-thon” fundraising event. Here are a few examples:

• Tumble-a-thon: Gymnasts have one minute to do as many forward rolls across the floor mat  as possible. Donors can pledge a designated amount or an amount per roll. It’s a great event that involves both the coaches and the team.
• Flip-a-thon: Gymnasts do as many flips as possible within a set time frame. Individuals can set their goal on their personal fundraising page and report their success after the event.
• Cartwheel-a-thon: Coaches can allow gymnasts to take time out of regular practice to do as many cart wheels as they can in a determined amount of minutes. The activity not only serves as a creative and fun event, but it is exercise as well!

Not all fundraising events need to be directed toward the team members as the sole participants. Gymnastics teams may want to include friends and families to participate in their fundraising event as well. Walk-a-thons, Run-a-thons, Hike-a-thons and Bike-a-thons are popular events that bond the community to support the team while promoting health and fitness for all.

Whether a gymnastics team is compiled of Olympic hopefuls, or students interested in the sport, gymnastics fundraising events are an integral part of team success and individual possibilities.

Fundraising is an important part of every nonprofit organization’s mission.  Yet, there are so many different types of nonprofit fundraising campaigns, it can be difficult to figure out which type of fundraiser is right for your organization.  Here are some helpful fundraising tips to help you create a successful nonprofit fundraising campaign.

1. Fundraising Theme: Be sure your nonprofit fundraising theme is in-line with your mission and resonates with your audience.  For example, if your cause is to raise money to benefit at-risk children, consider hosting a fundraising event that engages children and families within your community.  Ideas include: community walk-a-thon, fundraising carnival, mini golf fundraiser or golf-a-thon, etc. Read more creative fundraising ideas to see if you can find the perfect fundraising theme for your cause.
2. Fundraising Plan: Once you’ve determined the type of fundraiser you’ll host, be sure to create a thorough fundraising plan that clearly explains your cause, outlines your goals, identifies financial resources and constraints, etc.  You’ll want to build a strong team and create specific roles and responsibilities to ensure you accomplish the objectives you’ve outlined in your fundraising plan.  (Our partner and friend, Joe Garecht from the Fundraising Authority offers a class to help you create a successful fundraising plan)
3. Recruitment:  To be successful with your nonprofit fundraising campaign, you’ll need to recruit dedicated participants, volunteers, sponsors and other funding sources.  Create a list of local businesses that may be interested in sponsoring the event. Identify potential donors and participants (colleagues, co-workers, friends and family) who may be willing to make financial contributions, donate prizes, or participate in the fundraiser.  Remember participants are also funding sources as they help spread awareness of your cause and raise money on the behalf of your organization. Volunteers are also important as they help spread the word, and keep your costs low.
4. Organization: The success of your fundraiser not only lies in the planning of your event, but also in the execution.  You need strong project management to monitor goals and achieve your objectives. Create a timeline and checklist to be sure you are staying on top of deadlines.  Use online fundraising software to help you manage the details for your fundraiser easily and accurately.  With online software, you can register participants, sell tickets, manage sponsorships, and safely collect online donations with your preferred payment processor.  Your administrative team can also create numerous reports to help you monitor on-going progress and evaluate the success of your fundraiser following the event.

For more useful information, free fundraising templates, planning guidelines and ideas to help you organize a successful nonprofit fundraiser, we invite you to browse our fundraising resources.

University fundraising in December during Christmas break is a fantastic time of year to manage a successful campaign. And having the event on your school campus draws donors to the very place you need funds. There are so many opportunities to show off your school and bring its special qualities and offerings to light and inspire donors to give.

One prestigious university in particular, Hofstra University, happens to be holding a crowdfunding event on December 10. They are not simply showcasing their beautiful campus, but are displaying their brilliance, school programming and community service efforts. They are combining their event with another nonprofit they work in partnership with, Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), who is committed to providing flexible and innovative services that meet the changing needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Their on campus fun run event this December is an opportunity for the university educators and CMA staff to meet donors personally, and inform them of successful past and upcoming programming. This fall Hofstra Univerity Continuing Education in collaboration with Community Mainstreaming Associates (CMA), provided a half-day of classes for young adults with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities on the Hofstra campus which was open to the community. It was held in 6 sessions and taught the art of communication through several creative pathways. Sharing the specific details of what these nonprofits actually did with the funding of their donors is a big step in the direction of procuring new top donors at the fun run.

The rich fabrics of partnerships is working for Hofstra University and Community Mainstreaming Associates during their fundraising campaign and provides an opportunity for them to show donors what each nonprofit organization is doing for their community, and share the fruits of their collaboration. The National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University in partnership with the Disability Opportunity Fund, a NY nonprofit, are endeavoring to uncover gaps and identify creative solutions for housing and related services for people with disabilities and their families. “In an effort to explore both the gaps, as well as potential solutions, we are speaking with a range of stakeholders in a series of focus groups, and conducting a population-based survey to assess need and demand, and to give all consumers an opportunity to have their voice heard.

Our goal is to use the data from the Wait No More Survey to spark creative collaborations among policymakers, providers, developers and funders to find a range of safe, affordable, accessible, preferable and sustainable housing options for this underserved, at-risk population.”

University fundraising at Hofstra is also unique because of their beautiful New York campus. While showing their donors with great pride the grounds and buildings of their impressive school, they have a chance to share their one of a kind mission statement. Donors who give to universities are not solely those who are integrated with the school itself, but with society. Education is the future, so sharing with their entire community the primary mission, in person is powerful …”providing quality its students in an environment that encourages, nurtures, and supports learning through the free and open exchange of ideas, for the betterment of humankind. Hofstra University is fully committed to academic freedom and to the transmission, advancement, and preservation of knowledge for its own academic community and for the community at large. Hofstra University offers undergraduate and graduate programs taught by a research-active and professionally engaged faculty.”

The university fundraising team has chosen the easiest way to get the maximum amount of funds raised during the campaign. As donors receive emails about the campaign they are simply a click away from making an online donation. Online fundraising reaches a broader audience than solely the day of the event will draw. They know it is essential to have an online option for donors to give, rather than miss those who may want to donate but can’t take time out of their busy schedules, or travel a long distance to attend the event. The Hofstra crowdfunding website gives donors the option of making a donation in honor of a teacher or student, or someone instrumental to their education.

There are many different types of fundraising initiatives available to universities such as collecting online donations, organizing a sales-drive or planning an exciting event such as the fun run / 5K race crowdfunding event at Hofstra University. Free online resources are dedicated to helping you choose which type of fundraiser is right for your team, as well as providing guidelines to help you create a successful university fundraising campaign. An alumni fundraising initiative is another popular university direction and may be designed to bring in dollars to support the development of school projects for the University itself, or to help fund programs for school groups they were involved in such as fraternities, sororities, poetry clubs, political groups and sport teams, Targeting alumni for fundraising efforts is an excellent idea.

Fundraising software by DoJiggy is dedicated to helping university students, faculty, teams and nonprofit organizations to better plan, manage and execute fundraising campaigns. With our university fundraising resource center, we strive to provide the best collection of resources to make university fundraising events and initiatives more successful. Whether the fundraiser is sponsored by the university or conducted by a group within, there is often a need to raise dollars for school developmental projects, new technology and materials, as well as to fund extracurricular activities and social organizations. We provide a complete line of online fundraising solutions to help you plan and manage whatever fundraising event or initiative you choose…helping you save time and money, while executing a successful university fundraiser. Our goal is that these fundraising resources, used with our online software tools will save your organization valuable time and allow you to raise more money for your cause.

Bring more donors to your fundraising website through social media fundraising channels. Draw people to your Donote Now button by sharing the personality of your organization in more depth than your website does. Engage in a day to day communication with your global audience. Be consistent with who you are and be an inspiration, and use your posts as a way to connect more intimately with your audience.

Social media fundraising it not about the platforms – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google + and Instagram. These channels are simply vehicles for you to communicate with donors and volunteers in establishing relationships with them. Social media sites set the stage for you to share your work and build a global network of supporters. Let´s discuss 15 ways to help you in doing so.

1. Add a new photo on Instagram every day of a story you wish to tell about your non-profit. It may be of an individual your organization has helped, or several. Or it may be sharing pictures of a project such as the stages of designing a new school library or embarking upon a school fundraising campaign. Add a few sentences or a caption to each photo and keep your audience captivated with something new every day in building upon each story.
2. Sharing more about the details of your work is what social media in essence can do for you in creating a strong, global donor base. Post the results of your fundraising events on social media pages. This offers donors a chance to celebrate the success that they are a part of. It gives potential donors a concrete example of your successful fundraising. Post on Facebook (and more) not only the money you have raised through an event, but how much fun everyone had and how much networking occurred.
3. Linking social media channels to each of your posts, for example on Facebook, encourages your donors to click and find out what you´re saying on Instagram and Twitter. This method may be used to save time in a pinch if you only post on one channel on a hectic day.
4. Another way to use links to bring more information to donors is to place a link to a video which leads back to your website from your YouTube channel or your Instagram page, and add expanded content around the video. Drive donors on Instagram back to longer content version on your YouTube channel by asking them to click the link in the description of your Instagram page.
5. Brand your non-profit with the photos and graphics you choose to post on social media pages. What will reach your audience and speak to your image and charity work? Customizing your SM pages with the same images across channels is a way to brand your organization. Your about us tab should be brief and quickly describe who you are and what you do for the world articulately.
6. Crowdfunding events are a grand opportunity to encourage participants to re-post and share event information that you have shared. In turn, re-posting their photos, videos, event information and each success along the way is an easy way for you to promote your non-profit by sharing personalized information about your efforts.
7. Add a LinkedIn Company Page and upload the most current information about your non-profit. Your LinkedIn non-profit page should share your mission, current news and stories of success. Make it informational and add heart rendering photos. Keep your associates engaged so they’ll be your ambassadors as well.
8. How can you woo more donors and volunteers? Add hyperlinks to your fundraising appeals for volunteers, event sponsors and donors that lead to the exact page where they can sign up to participate and donate. Make it easy for them to get involved with clear pathways and easy to use fundraising software. Put yourself in their shoes and think of the times you have left a website because it too much work…offer a rewarding experience for your donors from the very beginning.
9. Upload YouTube videos of your fundraising events – show the funny costumes of your themed walk-a-thon or fun run. Create short videos of the families and individuals in the crowd asking them why they contribute and participate in your crowdfunding event. Any fundraising campaign type is a playground for such social media videos; dinners, luncheons, wine tastings and golf tournaments are all opportunities to capture the candid words of donors as to why they are giving to your non-profit.
10. Ask your volunteers to tell everyone why they give of their time to your non-profit through impromptu videos at the office; 20 volunteers make for 20 video posts on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. This strategy shares the very core of your work by those who do it out of sheer commitment to your cause.
11. Video fundraising appeals are perfect for Youtube as well, yet there´s a lot of day to day work to publicize as well. Short videos of the projects you are starting will teach your social media audience about your work, and motivate you to take creative steps each day on projects. Such a process shares your voice and face, tells donors what you do, and helps you to shape and define your projects.
12. On the flip side, your website content or any text you publish such as blog articles can be converted to snippets into images. Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram are image centric, and this method allows to you to gain exposure through the power of such social media networks.
13. Twitter empowers you to send a link across the web with tremendous speed. Ask your followers to join you on Twitter and ask them to retweet your posts. This gets the message out quickly regarding an event or a fundraising campaign roll out.
14. Create a Google + page for your fundraiser to raise awareness. Google + pages work similarly to Facebook and allow you to communicate with people who are interested in your cause, share updates, photos and videos to attract donors. If you ask, what can Google + do that Facebook cannot, the answer is that the more social media exposure you have the more people you´ll reach.
15. Thank your top donors on all social media platforms. Tell a short story them or add brief points about their bio and let your followers know who is contributing to your organization. When people see on Facebook which donors are passionate about a cause, they may want to join a great team in a concerted effort to make an impact. The same is true about thanking your volunteers individually, giving them recognition for their gift of time and brilliance – tell their story too!

Crowdfunding for schools has surpassed projected goals and become a top fundraising method to raise money for projects and programs. With great fundraising tips and a little direction specific to crowdfunding fundraisers for schools, your school can join in the success of others.

Perhaps it is because students, PTA members, teachers, parents, the community and local businesses all join together that make crowdfunding fundraisers for schools such a success. Many dynamic ingredients meld together, and crowdfunding for schools is working.

Fundraising tips for crowdfunding for schools:

One important reason for the success of crowdfunding fundraisers for schools is to focus on specific school projects to share with donors and participants exactly how their money will be of benefit. Donors feel a greater sense of involvement and motivation when they contribute to a project that is actual.

March Mania at the Mill is a basketball-themed school fundraising event on February 29, 2017 and culminates with a teacher free-throw shooting contest on March 31st at the school. Last year this crowdfunding fundraiser for schools event was able to raise over $61,000 which helped them provide Lego enrichment, grade level field trips, professional development and build upon their STEM program. This year March Mania will focus on helping students prepare for their futures with a specific goal of raising $50,000 to support STEM initiatives.

The competitive aspect of this crowdfunding event lies only with the teachers on March 31 during their free throw contest. The unique fundraising idea of a basketball themed crowdfunding event draws in donors because it is fun and out of the ordinary. The students will have a non-competitive time while they watch their teachers compete! The elementary school fundraising event is a chance for the entire community to celebrate and and raise funds for Henderson Elementary. Crowdfunding fundraisers for schools are designed for fun first and raise funds for schools.

Crowdfunding and walk-a-thons are almost synonymous terms given how popular and successful walk-a-thon crowdfunding fundraisers for schools are. Clever themes are what make this school fundraising idea more appealing. Whether donors come to walk in support of your school or for the after-party fun, the annual Summit for the Planet Walk-a-thon and Earth Day Celebration in April each year has something for all ages. The celebration features live animals including birds, lizards, and snakes; community networking, green businesses and more. Their theme even involves a wild time with frogs and turtles and the Bay Area Amphibian and Reptile Society. And great fun is featured with solar car races, live music, kids eco-carnival games and organic foods.

Nestled among the redwoods on 355 mountaintop acres, Mount Madonna is a safe and nurturing college-preparatory school that supports students in becoming caring, self-aware and articulate critical thinkers, who are prepared to meet challenges with perseverance, creativity and integrity. Their annual school fundraising event enables them to keep their high emphasizing academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development.

Providing students with leadership roles in crowdfunding fundraisers for schools offers a great learning opportunity for them. Many valuable life skills may be taught through hands-on learning regarding marketing, advertising, and finance. Communication and public relations skills are among them, along with problem solving skills and a chance for them to be creative. Crowdfunding fundraisers are an opportunity for students to learn about global issues and feel the reward of being a part of the force of change. Teach your children students what crowdfunding is during class time and after school sessions.

Marketing in and of itself is an area of study for students to learn and make contributions in crowdfunding for schools events. Teaching your students how to prepare newsletters, email lists and blogs may be done in groups with strong leaders while assigning tasks to each member. Social media marketing is second nature to many students, and giving them strategic ideas for a school crowdfunding campaign by getting PTA members involved with students in targeting certain audiences works well. The PTA teaching students some insights to meet with their young tech savvy minds involves learning on both sides of the table.

When it comes time to recruit participants and volunteers, nothing will be more important than your network and your team of PTA members, students, teachers and parents working together. Reach out to folks who are well established in the community who will not only to participate, but ask associates, friends and family members to participate as well – encourage this. Don’t forget about finding Sponsors by reaching out to companies who value opportunities to engage their workforce in community activities. Therefore, it is important to ask companies not only for sponsorship to help offset the event costs, but also for their participation. Team registrations offer a fun and easy way for companies to participate in crowdfunding fundraisers for schools.

With crowdfunding platforms like Dojiggy and others designed for crowdfunding, schools are increasingly turning to this engaging method of fundraising. Choose the fundraising software solution that manages your school fundraising events or elementary school fundraisers seamlessly within a comprehensive website. Your school will have the convenience of adding student registrations, products and sponsor packages with user-friendly, shopping cart. Creating and selling custom products such as fundraising t-shirts, hats, and water bottles are included in your state-of-the-art software.

• Easy participant registrations with few required fields
• Personal fundraising pages for each student and classroom, including pictures and videos, a personal mission statement and goal achievement progress
• Secure pledge (ie per lap or other unit of effort) and donation payments
• Sponsorship sales & sponsor recognition
• Detailed financial & participant reporting
• Online dashboard for students to send emails, update their webpage, manage and track incoming donations
• Included online technical support

DoJiggy Crowdfunding for schools fundraising websites offer your school a cutting-edge, responsive website for crowdfunding fundraisers for school, such as a walk-a-thon, fun run and community service events. Our crowdfunding websites provide a complete management experience with the ability to customize your website with ease of design for all platforms – desktop, tablets and mobile. Try a free trial for a full two weeks and experience our customer support and crowdfunding websites before you make a purchase.

Taking a few steps beyond booster club fundraising 101, let’s expand on the fundraising ideas and plethora of options to raise money for your booster club. Here are 25 great booster club fundraising ideas that you may discuss with your club and take to new heights.

Host an Event or Tournament

A couple of fun booster club fundraising ideas are events and tournaments. They raise money successfully and involve a bit more planning to execute from start to finish. The greatest aspects that require planning for this type of fundraiser are often the event logistics themselves, and sponsorship acquisition to make participation more appealing.

Sports Events

1. Golf Tournaments

Golf tournaments can be a lot easier to set-up than other tournaments, where the sweat work really is in recruiting golfers to get on board to play. The amount raised from a golf event can be amplified greatly by getting tournament sponsors on board. In addition to managing the golf tournament, keep in mind that inventory can be an extra point of income when selling t-shirts, caps and other accessories, which can all be easily managed with great golf tournament software.

2. Bocci Tournaments

A bocci tournament is a great fundraising idea for booster club fundraising, bringing in net proceeds that may surprise you. If your school can offer the space for the tournament and you can figure out ways to rent the bocci balls, you’ll be coming in at minimal costs. Event management software allows you to register players, promote sponsors and take the tournament to a higher level of professionalism.

3. Basketball Tournaments

Basketball tournaments can be fun and familiar fundraising events to host that can be done with three to a team and double elimination to manage the time. You can get a helping hand from your school’s basketball coach with the tournament logistics and referee assistance. Here are some extra fundraising tips to help successfully organize your event.

4. Crowdfunding of All Kinds (Bike-a-thons, Walk-a-thons, Swim-a-thons)

A-thons are great events, as you turn your students into fundraisers for your club. With peer-to-peer software and a long open road to handle a 5K or 10K, it’s hard to hit a limit of attendees or donors. The only snag is that it can require more logistics and volunteers than prior events. Thus you’ll need someone to be at challenging turns of the run to direct the participants, you´ll need a little equipment to allow spectators to partake from a roped area along the road. Also consider if you’ll need to apply for permits with your city or town to host a crowdfunding event if it’s outside of school premises, as well as potential costs of event insurance.

Fun Competitions

5. Karaoke Competition

This can be a fun and versatile event for booster club fundraising, in that you can split the competition by music genre and other themes. Get some mics, have a projector in your school auditorium or gym and let your community sing their hearts out for a good cause and raise money.

6. Dance Competition

Why let the students in school fundraising be the only ones that have fun with school dances and proms? If there are dance schools in the area or notable instructors, you can even upgrade this fundraising event to be a formal dinner and organize something similar to “Dancing with the Community Stars,” which can increase the event proceeds to $10,000 or more.

7. Bingo

The good ol’ bingo game is an easy and classic way of raising funds. Bingo cards can also be creatively customized to your event and sponsors. Make it a bigger affair with food, drinks, and raffle tickets ready to purchase in this fun booster club fundraising game.

8. Battles of the Band/Cover Band Concert/Lip Sync Battle

This is something that is genuinely fun to watch and creates memories to be spoken of for months if not years to come. Gather your students, teachers and parents in school fundraising to perform oldies but goodies or bring a bit of competition to the stage and have battles of the band or lip sync battles. Battles of the band must be given consideration for set-up of the instruments and rehearsing with sound checks of much equipment, whereas lip sync battles may involve organization of stage props and decoration. The donations come from ticket sales. The fun of this makes this one of the best fundraising ideas.

Just for Fun Events for Your Booster Club Fundraising

9. Paint Night

Paint nights are increasing in popularity around the globe with have a BYOB concept to cut costs (and permit needs). If your school fundraising campaign is willing to donate some supplies or help provide a discount for the supplies, and provide the space and the instructor for booster club fundraising event, a paint night can be a fun and creative event to host.

10. Movie Night

For something more lax in logistics and effort throughout the actual fundraiser itself, a movie night is a nice consideration. Sell tickets to the show and advertise in advance at all sports events. You can even get creative and allow people to set-up camp, tents and fold-out chairs under the starry night in the football field and come through the rows with concessions.

11. Comedy Show

Does your town have a funny bone for humor? Gather up some teachers, parents, community members and student comedians to host a comedy show night, which can take place in the school auditorium. Asking a professional comedian to donate their time is another option, as giving of their talent for school fundraising may be right up their alley.

12. BBQ/Tailgate Event

If you’ve got some mean grill masters in your booster club, take it to the next level and have them do their due diligence behind the grill at a tailgate/BBQ fundraiser. Although this will involve a bit of effort behind planning (consider the amount of meat, chips and drinks you must have to handle the hungry crowd before a football game), if done right, you can make over a couple of thousands of dollars with the right support, planning and promotion.

13. School Carnival

One of the more complex booster club fundraising events to host, a carnival has many aspects that can be integrated for a fun night out. Rides are more expensive, but consider something low-key such as bounce castles and trampolines to minimize the liability and the costs. Games for prizes can be easily engineered with some ingenuity (such as milk bottle and basket tosses). Here are some helpful tips on planning for such a big event.

14. Duct Tape Your Coach/Teacher/Principal to the Wall

Something that’s fun to do for some small proceeds or in conjunction with a crowdfunding event is to charge a small fee to duct take a coach, teacher or principal to the wall. Someone that is a student favorite would bring in some donations, simply charge for the strips of duct tape ($1 to a few dollars), let people stick them on and hilarity is bound to ensue.

15. Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is omething that many families do around spring holidays and family gatherings, so why not make it into something bigger for the students, teachers and parents to participate in. Funds can be raised in the form of registration fees and upgrades to give better hunting advantages.

16. Spirit Nights at Local Businesses

Reach out to your town’s favorite hang-out spots or restaurants to host a spirit night, where any proceeds for the evening will have a percentage donated to the school. Booster club fundraising happens where your community has fun and shares stories of the day.

Sell from Within Your Booster Club

If your booster club fundraising team is working with a tight budget, one of the best booster club fundraising ideas to pursue is selling goods or services from within (instead of selling with third party companies).

17. Art Sale

If you have a strong art program or a strong creative community, consider reaching out to everyone for donated pieces for a good cause to sell auction-style or display gallery-style with admission and pieces ready to buy in this classy school fundraising campaign.

18. Car Wash

The good ol’ car wash is a frequently visited fundraising idea. On a nice summer day, you can even consider adding another idea, like the BBQ event, to satisfy the patrons appetite during their wait.

19. Snow Shoveling Service

Although this event comes with the risk for getting a cold, it definitely teaches students about a strong work ethic. This is much more of an ideal concept for fundraising with communities that have smaller yards and a climate of predictable chances of snow.

20. Bake Sale/Breakfast Sale

Get your apron and cooking mitts on and let the chocolate brownie goodness begin! This can take place during school hours and requires much less organizing to achieve a smaller fundraising goal.

21. Garage Sale

Another concept to reach smaller fundraising goals, this is also fantastic way for homes to get rid of their junk to finally see the end of their garage.

Selling Something Everyone Loves

By going the path of affiliate fundraising, you just focus on selling another company’s goods or gift cards. One thing to consider when choosing booster club fundraising ideas is the profit margin and how much you have to sell to reach your fundraising goals. Here are some options with an approximate pricing and profit margin to consider.

22. Gift certificates to favorite community restaurants, book stores and theaters is something everybody likes.

Most vendors would be glad to be included as a sponsor to your worthy cause and donate gift certificates.

23. Choose gift certificates and in-kind donations that are apropos to you your charity.

If you raise money for the environment then choose green products.

24. Travel vouchers are a great consideration.

Trips can be just for the weekend or a week long getaway.

25. Team Paraphernalia

When it comes to great booster club fundraising ideas, nothing beats team spirit. Sell team paraphernalia to garner donations. These can range from selling phone covers with the team mascot, t-shirts, pennants, team colored pom-poms and more.

Once you choose the right booster club fundraising ideas for your booster club, you can also check out our article on how to choose the perfect fundraising software for your cause.

One elementary school has more than 10 fundraising events each year, so dive in and learn by example. Their inspiring school fundraising campaign and concepts make taking new steps in fundraising a real pleasure. The joyful spirit they impart is sure to make you smile.

1. Family Fun Night

Booksin’s Family Fun Night is on May 19 year. This good old-fashioned school fundraising event provides its community with the chance to have fun on a Friday night and enjoy dinner, games and prizes for all ages.  Each classroom sponsors a game or an activity booth, and the night is focused on community spirit and the pure enjoyment of each other.

Tickets are sold on their Family Fun Night Website where they were easily able to manage event details on all platforms and process secure payments.

2. Walkathon Fundraiser

Booksin’s Annual Walkathon has been around for 30 years. Their successful crowdfunding event raised nearly $200,000 in 2015 in support of student activities, teachers and programs including arts, music, science and technology, library books, school assemblies, field trips, and classroom materials. Activities held throughout the walkathon include a Silent Auction, Marketplace, Food Court, Teacher Fun Drawing, and Crazy Hair.

3. Dining Night Out

On May 10 this year from 3 to 9 p.m. a scrumptious school fundraising event was held at The Crepevine Restaurant. Everyone was invited to have dinner, eat well and help raise money for Booksin through the restaurant donating 20% of its pretax sales to the school. They even included takeout orders.

Dining nights out is a yearlong fundraising program occurring as often as every other month. The whole school is invited to a specific local restaurant, and occasionally there is a shopping component for added satisfaction and fundraising.

4. Student Council Fundraisers

“Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade students participate in Student Council.  Representatives from each classroom in these intermediate grades help make decisions about campus life, choose a Lifeskill for the school to focus on each month, and plan special events such as Spirit Days, Fuzzy Grams, and Smencil sales.  Through fundraising organized by the Student Council, Booksin students contribute to charitable organizations.  Charitible activities change annually and are unique based upon a theme chosen for the year.”

5. eScrip

eScrip is another easy way the school fundraising team makes available to help fund the children’s education at Booksin Elementary School.  Donors simply register the credit or debit cards already in their wallet, and when they shop with select merchants a percentage of each purchase goes to the school.

6. Booksin Garden Fundraising

Booksin’s garden has plots for each classroom to create the garden of their choosing with a mixture of seasonal flowers and vegetables. Children learn how to plant and care for a garden in an outdoor classroom. Families may adopt plots during the summer months for continued learning and added fundraising.

A grant from the Michael Lee Foundation gave the school garden a fresh new look. They were able to use the grant funds to replace the garden beds and remove Bermuda grass. New pathways were created with decomposed granite to keep the garden and tidy. Families are invited to lend a hand in maintaining and enjoying the beautiful and fruitful garden.

7. Red, White, and Blue Week

“Each year, the second week in February is set aside as “Red, White, and Blue Week”.  Students are encouraged to wear patriotic colors all week, and the daily announcements include patriotic songs.  In addition, a special fundraising event is held to benefit a charity.  In 2008, Booksin students Jumped Rope for Heart to raise money for the American Heart Association.  Pennies for Patients, a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and JW House, a residence for families with children in treatment for life-threatening illnesses, have also been projects featured during “Red White and Blue Week”.

A popular school fundraising idea to consider is a student serve-a-thon. It is a crowdfunding event similar to a walkathon theme that is not only intended to raise money for your school, but generate a positive impact on your community. During a serve-a-thon students and classrooms raise money by committing to a service project in the local community or partner with nonprofit organization such as Red, White and Blue Week does.

8. Food and Clothing Drives

Fall and spring food drives happen in November and March benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank. One year children donated their Halloween candy to the Red Cross Operation Care and Comfort serving American soldiers in the Middle East.  Each year the school classrooms adopt families in December through the district’s Healthy Start Program to give and bring cheer to the holiday season. The staff adopts a needy family as well. A spring clothing drive provides donations to San Jose Unified School District’s Healthy Start Program.

9. BIG Week

BIG stands for Booksin Is Generous.  BIG Week focuses on kindness, being inclusive, being healthy, and giving to others.  PTO members can get involved by volunteering to help any day during lunch hour.

• Kindness is Contagious is Monday’s theme. Kids write down their wish on a paper heart, and are encouraged to do Acts of Random Kindness.
• Everyone Belongs is Tuesday’s theme…a scavenger hunt in which students look for a variety of students per their scavenger hunt list.
• Healthy-Get Moving Exercises & Music on the playground are Wednesday’s theme.
• Giving Feels Good is Thursday’s theme. Kids assemble Activity Kits for the patients at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.  Students can bring in personal care items for patients and families such as shampoo and soap.
• Friday is the BIG Party with Music-Limbo, parachutes, and bubbles!

The partnership formed with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital is of tremendous value to their school fundraising campaign. By working together, the school forms a potential alliance with the Lucile Packard Foundation as well. The strength of partnerships opens doors to sharing donors, grants, contacts and resources.

10. Volunteer Leadership Program

“The Cornerstone Leadership Program at Booksin is based on the forty-one developmental assets that support children and youth so they can thrive. It is the intention to build these assets with young children, with the focus on sustaining and increasing their optimum relationships/interactions with peers and adults. Booksin students volunteer their time before and after school and at lunch as Big Buddies, Garden Guardians, Library Helpers, Parking Lot Greeters, Peace Monitors, and Safety Patrol Officers to ensure that students have opportunities to serve their school community in meaningful and beneficial ways.”

Planting the seed during elementary education as to the value of volunteerism in the hearts and minds of children benefits all of society. School fundraising campaigns benefit from teaching the joys of this important activity as is clear with Booksin Elementary School. The best fundraising ideas are born from the creative minds of those who are taught that giving is receiving.

Our last article, Ten Charity Events One School, covered the fabulous school fundraising of Booksin Elementary School, yet it doesn’t end there. The school’s PTA fundraising and PTA newsletter add a whole new layer to their school fundraising campaign. PTA fundraising is at its best at with this prolific school fundraising team.

BESCA stands for Booksin Elementary School Community Association and is the School Connected Organization (SCO) that supports Booksin Elementary. An SCO serves to enrich the educational and/or extracurricular programs within the school and is comprised of 5 elected parents, 3 teachers and the principal. It is the hub for PTA fundraising. Each effort is shared on the PTA newsletter, the Booksin Beat.

The PTA fundraising committee benefits every Booksin student. They fund art, music, science, technology, the garden, the library, class field trips and more.  The PTA fundraising events, particularly the crowdfunding walkathon which we discussed in our first article, provide funds to teachers for use within their classrooms, and assist students with fees related to science camp.

The PTA support to Booksin Elementary is more than financial. Known for its culture of parent involvement and volunteerism, members of the PTA community are active on and off campus every day. The PTA team is both in the classroom providing assistance to teachers and outside the classroom working on initiatives and events such as the Book Fair, Safe Side program, the Student Book Exchange and Yearbook.

To define exactly what they do and how your school PTA fundraising committee can grow, we detail each effort:

PTA Newsletter

The Booksin Beat is central to keeping parents and the entire community informed and involved in school fundraising and volunteerism. One way they have done this recently on their bi-monthly PTA newsletter is to ask for volunteers: “Booksin Robotics Club needs adult volunteers for next year! Are you interested in Robotics? Could you donate an hour of time per week? We need help preparing for next year’s season and putting in place some volunteers for leadership roles.”

Yearbook

The Booksin yearbook, organized by the PTA, is a photo memory book that highlights students, staff and important PTA fundraising events that show the positive attitude and liveliness of the school. They sold 640 yearbooks last year at $20 per book.

They specifically asked for these parent and volunteers on their nonprofit website and PTA newsletter:

1. Photographers – class candid’s, WAT, Halloween, after school programs, 5th grade event photographers (science camp, revolution enactment, etc.)
2. Photo page upload designer – this is a role for the volunteer that has less access on campus and enjoys placing photos on the page…several of you did more than 1 page this year and your work was awesome! Having a volunteer that is able to collect, take some photos, and do the page layout really makes the page layout pop.
3. Public relations – assist with copying/distribution of flyers, monthly email blasts requesting/reminding Booksin community to share/upload photos
4. End of year Yearbook distribution (assist with label application and delivering books to classes)

Book Fair

Their PTA event fundraising team holds The Book Fair is a week-long event where the local children’s bookstore, Hicklebee’s, provides an opportunity to sell books and other items to raise money for the Booksin school library.  In 2014 they earned $4,922 donated in books. Collaboration with community businesses by PTAs is called smart school fundraising.

Safe Side Program

“Monday, October 19, at 6:30PM is Parent Education Night in the Booksin Cafeteria, where you’ll learn the skills to help keep your kids on the Safe Side, both on the Internet and in the real world.Remember, this is for parents only. Wednesday, October 21, at 6:30PM is Super Safety Night, where kids will watch The Safe Side Stranger Safety video, followed by the Internet Safety video for kids in grades 3 through 5. We will meet in the Booksin cafeteria.”

 PTA Recognition

On their PTA fundraising website they share individual contributions of parents, recognizing them for their dedication and specifically which program they helped. Sharing “the countless hours and an amazing amount of thought into our new art program” was shared recently of two parents.  “The Art room is very well organized and the docents will have better access to lesson plans and materials. All of the Booksin students will benefit from their hard work.  Please be sure to ask your kids about their monthly art lessons and if you see Tara or Chelsea on campus, maybe give them a shout out for all their hard work!”

PTA Fundraising Considerations

Parents and school administrators work together to determine goals, set budgets, manage timelines, and organize various details of a fundraising campaign. Consideration of these factors in your planning efforts will help make your fundraiser a greater success:

• What age are the students? Consider what students are interested in and capable of doing prior to selecting your fundraising events. You want to spark your children’s interest with a fundraising campaign. See Fundraising Through The Years for more ideas.
• Financial Planning: What is your budget for producing the fundraiser? What are the upfront costs and how will your organization cover these? What are your fundraising goals? How will funds be used?
• What resources do you have to work with, including: Parents, volunteers, local business & media relationships that can assist with sponsorships, advertising and marketing of your PTO/PTA fundraising efforts?
• What tools and resources (i.e. online fundraising software) will you use to collect donations and manage all the planning details of your PTA fundraising campaign? Take advantage of a free trial of PTA fundraising software.
• What are your plans for promoting your PTA fundraising events? Networking, social media, community relationships, local businesses, event calendars, email blasts, website links, school gatherings, etc.
• What message and skills are you teaching students through your fundraiser? Are you choosing healthy options such a walkathon or book fair?
• How will you motivate participants? Will there be prizes or awards for top performers and classrooms?

PTA Fundraising Ideas

Creative school fundraising & PTA fundraising ideas are needed to set your school fundraising team apart from the crowd. That’s why we’ve created a whole page loaded with 50 fun and unique fundraising ideas to help get organizations started with planning your fundraiser. Scope out all of the colorful details of a color run fundraiser for a PTA fundraising event loaded with creativity.

Find 40 great fundraisers for schools on our new DoJiggy web page detailing each one. Our Favorites top the list, and next comes High School Fundraising, Middle School Fundraising and Elementary School Fundraising lists. New school fundraising ideas are included so your school or PTO are seen as a leader.

Our Favorite Fundraisers for Schools

This section includes 10 fundraisers for schools with a Literary Festival, Color Run, Farm to Table Events, Adults Night Only, Yoga Classes and more.

Literacy Festival

Host a Literary Festival and read aloud short stories, poetry and novels. Enjoy a fun afternoon and raise money to buy new books for school and update the library computers. Begin with a fundraising website which offers a writing competition; one for adults and one for each grade level for the best short stories and poems. Embrace literacy and educate at the event by reading classic literature and poetry above the grade levels of students to stimulate their minds. Award prizes to the writing contest winners.

Elementary School Fundraisers for Schools

Our elementary school fundraising category appeals to kids and adults. Find new fundraisers that you may not have heard of. Educating through fundraisers and having fun are great bi-products of raising money for your school.

Zoo Walk

Walk participants and donors enjoy the entire day at the zoo while they learn about your school science projects. Walking around the zoo with family and friends, seeing lions, tigers and bears, oh my! shall be enjoyable for everyone. Take this as an opportunity to talk specifically about why you need to raise money to keep high educational standards projects. Have an information table for science and other subjects outlaying the great work you’re doing in math, English and science. Create a school fundraising peer-to-peer fundraising website with a Zoo theme.

Middle School Fundraisers for Schools

Next up are middle school fundraisers for schools that inspire budding teenagers to step into a new phase. The fun and nurturing for students continues for this age group while keeping the focus on attracting donors. Parents, teachers and the PTA are important to middle school fundraisers.

Lip Sync Competition

Bring out the stars with a lip sync competition. A fabulous voice is not needed, so everyone can compete. A planning committee to help middle school students pick their songs and costumes can be tracked on your fundraising event website. What fun this would be while giving students a chance to build their confidence on stage. Award great prizes for best costume, best female performance and best male performance. Add a few teacher performances to truly entertain the kids. Imagine what a fun after party it would be in costume…let the performances continue.

High School Fundraisers for Schools

Unique fundraising ideas for high school abound with a little less restriction in age. The opportunity to teach students about fundraising itself is great. Topics and themes for high school fundraisers for schools take on more complexity.

Green Week

Bring the entire community and those outlying your town for a lecture series on conservation and the environment. Providing students with leadership roles in fundraisers for schools offers a great learning opportunity with many valuable life skills taught through hands-on experience in marketing, advertising, managing a fundraising campaign and a fundraising website. Invite guest speakers and give your students experience in public speaking.

Overall, find many free school fundraising resources and fundraising ideas for all ages.  Advance your school and keep students interested by reaching ahead creatively and staying current in fundraising. DoJiggy is here to be a part of your success through fundraising websites, fresh fundraising ideas and customer service.

The best school websites manage detailed organization and implementation of many moving parts. They manage the flow of activities and information including fundraising, teacher directories and contact information, school calendars, the PTA, school programs, special activities and social media. The integration of these resources as they talk to each other on a school website will enhance your path to success.

School Calendar

Exactly how central and key your school calendar is cannot be stressed enough. It is central hub for listing everything of interest and importance. How interesting, appealing and inclusive of the personality of your school the newsletter reflects is key to its effectiveness. The heart beat of a newsletter creates the best school websites.

Each newsletter feature we suggest below may be used as an opportunity on your homepage too. Changing a small segment of your homepage will keep parents, donors and students intrigued and draw them to current events.  Add hyperlinks to each program and special event you highlight on your newsletter to create connectivity within your website and easy navigation.

• Select a monthly theme as a way to draw more interest to your school fundraising activities; endangered animals, earth day, nutrition, music, math and poetry are a few ideas
• List special activities and include who to contact to get involved
• List school fundraising events and key milestones; registration dates, contact info, and info regarding fun parties before and after events
• Add schedule changes
• Include a message from the principal or PTO
• Invite parent involvement
• Add photos of events and programs
• Include goal markers and progress
• Honor student achievements and include photos
• Recognize volunteers
• Include testing dates and details
• Spotlight teachers and students
• Recognize donors and community partners
• Include student writing and art
• Add safety tips
• Include parenting tips

School Donations

How concise you are in asking for donations truly matters. Create a clear call to action.

Social Media

We know the basics on social media. It’s time to find some new ways to create your strategy. All roads lead back to creating one of the best school websites as you draw traffic through social media platforms.

Creating different social media accounts for all areas is an effective strategy; athletics, girl’s/women’s athletics, language department and more. These accounts share stories, and celebrate each other’s success.

Many of the known strategies and tactics work too:

• Use a unique and recognizable photo/school logo on profile pages
• Write descriptions and stories that are interesting but also include keywords
• Link back to your website
• Encourage participation from your leaders – principal, PTO president
• Stories and posts from students and teachers are encouraged
• Share between social media accounts
• Share between your school website and social media
• Posting less with higher quality will broaden your reach
• Your school is unique – how often you post and what response you receive is a matter of experimentation

The best school websites reflect the personality of its students, portrays a clear call to action and is easy to navigate. Creating a great newsletter and using it to its full advantage acts as a central hub to your school. Let social media do its job of further spreading the word and driving traffic to your website.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated internationally each October. Nonprofit fundraising for breast cancer is placed in the spotlight to increase awareness and raise funds for research, prevention and treatment. The Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign also features information and support for individuals and families during October.

Fundraising and creative awareness campaigns are held across the globe. This is a time to celebrate each breast cancer fundraising effort and honor their work. Connecting through shared experiences and offering support through fundraising for breast cancer is important every day, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month creates a special season for giving.

Fundraising ideas for medical expenses and research for breast cancer and all forms of cancer are found through the heroes of this field. They’ve created a Breast Cancer Awareness Month theme with many types of fundraising events. Donation websites, crowdfunding or peer-to-peer fundraising, golf tournaments and charity galas are popular fundraisers for cancer. Below we share some DoJiggy client campaigns to highlight exactly how their fundraising websites work.

Spin for Heroes

Raise money for breast cancer one pedal at a time through a crowdfunding event on spinning bikes. Spin4Heroes involves crowdfunding team captains registering the team and recruiting team members. Together they raise funds for the Heroes Foundation. Anyone can participate in Spin4Heroes. It doesn’t matter if you have never been on a spinning bike – work out as hard (or as easy) as you want.

“The mission of the Heroes Foundation is to provide meaningful support to cancer patients, education to promote cancer prevention and resources to advance research for a cure. Our heroes in the cancer fight are just like you — individuals who have a desire to make change and never give in to cancer.”

Breast Cancer Campout

Campout Against Cancer raises support for Kern County patients – 100% of the net proceeds are distributed locally. Generous contributions and fundraising efforts assist with medical costs associated with cancer care, such as prescriptions, insurance premiums, Cobra, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance.

In 2017 the Campout Against Cancer raised close to $400,000. Their 2018 goal is to raise $500,000 which translates to assisting 100 local patients with an average of $5,000 per person.  Currently over 420 local patients have depended on their support to pay for life saving treatment of breast cancer and other forms of cancer.

In Your Corner

In Your Corner is a golf tournament to raise funds for breast cancer. Each year they hold a fundraising golf tournament for breast cancer. The pink ribbon on their homepage honors the international symbol of breast cancer awareness. They create a fun day of golf and include a raffle to fund cancer research and support.

Allegacy Federal Credit Union holds its 18th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament on Thursday, October 12, 2017. To date, the tournament has provided over $825,000 to Cancer Services, Inc., a local United Way agency established “to enhance the quality of life for those living with cancer, and to provide the gift of life through education.” The agency serves cancer survivors with any type of cancer and offers services and programs at no cost to cancer survivors and their families.

Breast Cancer Walkathons

October is a time to bring breast cancer into the public eye as well as all forms of cancer. Creating a breast cancer awareness walkathon theme transforms this method of fundraising. Silent no more is hosted by the Rhode Island Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Their annual 5K run and walkathon is held to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. They celebrate survivors and remember those lost to the disease. All of the event’s proceeds will help fund ovarian cancer education and awareness and provide support services to ovarian cancer survivors and their families.

Susan G. Komen Walks are some of the biggest walkathon fundraisers each year. How about hosting your own breast cancer walkathon where members of your community can gather together, exercise and raise funds for a great cause? You’re not limited to just walking – make it a color run fundraiser or pink themed walk to add to the fun.

Breast Cancer Products

Many fundraisers show support for breast cancer and raise money for research with a product fundraising website. They sell t-shirts, jewelry, ribbons, and anything pink. Jewelry is a unique product to add since there are many forms and materials to choose from. Consider partnering with local jewelers to create pink leather bracelets and necklaces with silver charms. Partnerships with artists of all forms presents many opportunities for breast cancer fundraising.

Partner with local retailers by advertising a day or weekend “Shop for the Cure” event. During your campaign a small percentage of sales made at participating retailers will go towards breast cancer research. Make sure to promote the event through local media, especially outlets who target women. Consumers may decide to make a special shopping trip the weekend of your event. It’s a great excuse to spend money while contributing to a good cause. Consider adding prizes such as a Mall Shopping Spree and retail gift certificates. Anyone making a purchase during the Shop for a Cure event can be entered into a chance to win, adding a fun twist and added incentive to the fundraising event.

Spread the Word

Regardless of the breast cancer fundraising ideas your organization decides to undertake, the key to any successful fundraising event is getting the word out. A press release announcing the fundraising initiative and follow up with local media is important to see if they might want to be involved. Work with local businesses for sponsorship opportunities, donations, and helping to spread the word. Encourage community members to volunteer their time, to participate in the event or support participants by making a donation.

Making the donation process easy for contributors is essential. Provide a way for people to contribute online through a fundraising website, and make the steps for making donations and pledges seamless. Offering easy online fundraising software tools from DoJiggy creates a stress free experience for donors.

Find more resources for Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

• Breast Cancer Fundraising Ideas
• Free Trial Website
• Fundraising Software Solutions
• Fundraising Event Ideas
• Walkathon Resources for Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers
• Fundraising Resources: Tips, Templates & How-to Guidelines

Did you know that charitable gifts made in the final days of the year may generate up to 50 percent of an organization’s annual donations? Year-end gifts are made for several reasons including the last chance in the year for an income tax deduction. They are charitable holiday gift tributes made in the name of a loved one. And because charitable organizations so wonderfully make us aware of their needs during this time.

That’s why it’s so important to consider the significance of your year-end and holiday season fundraising campaign in all of its aspects. Question if your strategies are stale, or if you are grabbing the attention of your audience. Pay attention to the look and feel of your holiday fundraising theme in branding your nonprofit with your year-end appeal, social media or other digital marketing materials and your donation website. Call special attention to this important fundraising campaign with its own colors and graphics.

Your message and how you address your donors and potential supports is key to your year-end fundraising appeal success. How donors feel about your approach is everything when they have so many choices of organizations and events to support during the holiday season. Find our 9 tips that celebrate a most successful year end giving campaign below.

1. Ask for More

Unless you ask for more with a strong year-end appeal, donors are likely to give the same amount each year. Whether it is by email, in person at a holiday or fundraising event or on the phone, always begin your ask with thanks. Before you ask for a larger charitable gift this year, let supporters know how their past donation was used, and invite them to visit your programs or become a volunteer.

Donors will feel rewarded by giving you what you ask for during a fundraising campaign. Give them the opportunity to work with you as opposed to treating them like a generic donor. If you say what you need from them and they give it, there is a reward involved for you both creating a bond. A relationship is started which opens the door to greater participation in your organization’s nonprofit fundraising and participation throughout the year.

2. Speak to Donors

Donors like you are magic words to donors. Speak to donors directly by using the word ‘you’. Give them credit directly for what they make possible through donations and year-end gifts. Remind them of your gratitude for last years’ gift. Thank potential donors in advance.

Speak to donors about one problem they can fix through their donation specifically. If you broadly speak of finding a cure for a disease or ending homelessness, donors tend to feel it is more than they can do. They are more likely to set down your appeal or walk away from your donation website. Yet if you tell them what a gift of $1,000 dollars will do for a family in your community, donors are more likely to feel rewarded and donate.

3. Keep Hope Alive

Keep your audience attentive by portraying your cause in a creative context, unveiling a new program or a dazzling result due to your work. Let your donors know know their contributions have greater results than anticipated. Keep them tuned into the hope for something more than what you’ve already promised. Belief in the miracles of people working together and what can happen is real.

4. Think Matching Gifts

Donors are empowered by matching gift opportunities. They, of course, feel their year-end gift has a greater impact if it is matched.

Finding matching opportunities with current donors and board members can often be accomplished, and best pursued in person. It is best not to rely on mailing lists, online fundraising or social media in pursuing major gifts such as matching. Look closer to home for matching donors as opposed to relying on large corporations.

If two or three donors match donations for just one day this creates tremendous opportunity. Feature these champions throughout your fundraising campaign in emails, on your donation website and social media pages.

5. Create Fundraising Videos

Storytelling is the force behind successful fundraising videos, as donors relate to a hero. Tell a story about a donor or a volunteer – make donors a part of the story. If your fundraising videos are about facts, donors statistically give less. If your fundraising videos are about people and matters of the heart, your year-end or holiday fundraising campaign is likely to be more successful.

Adding images to your fundraising videos has an even greater affect. The pictures will stay in the minds of donors and accompany the story. Add an urgent deadline to your fundraising appeal. Tell them why time is of the essence, weather it is keeping your program open or providing a tax deduction.

6. Bring Fresh Content

Nonprofits relying on the same fundraising appeal or social media campaign year after year is boring for donors. Bring new fundraising appeals and digital marketing for nonprofits to wake up your audience. Staying in touch with current trends in your community and writing new stories will attract more donors and help with donor retention.

The opportunity social media platforms present are powerful, with each post being a venue for bonding with your donors. As such, social media appeals deserve the same attention as all other aspects of your fundraising campaign. Always include your donation website link in your posts. Post the fundraising letter you’re mailing here, asking for a charitable donation. New photos and language during each fundraising campaign is vital.

7. Mobile Optimized Year-End Giving is a Must

Year-end fundraising campaigns optimized for mobile giving will surely increase your charitable gifts. Mobile phones are the access point to your fundraising campaign forms for many donors. If they cannot easily read your year end fundraising letter or make a secure donation with a credit card, less are your chances for getting their donation.

Mobile giving allows you to reach constituents more frequently by engaging with them while they are on the go. Donors can check the status of their donations and engage on your social media pages during your year end fundraising appeal, all while waiting in line to buy presents.

8. Make the Most of Your Year-End Fundraising Letter

Create a year-end appeal letter for anyone and everyone associated with your charity or non-profit organization, but be sure to segment your letters. Groups to include on your mailing list for a year-end appeal may include: past and current donors and supporters, business sponsors, volunteers, staff, those effected by your organization, and any other individuals who have expressed interest in your charity or organization. Send a slightly different year-end letter to different groups. For example, past donors should receive a different letter than prospects or volunteers, as you’ll want to thank them (again) for their previous donations. It means a lot to remember they’ve contributed in the past and falls flat when new supporters are thanked before making an actual gift. Also, major donors need to be treated as such or they may turn into $50 donors.

You may also want to offer supporters the option of fundraising for your organization, as part of your holiday or annual campaign. Peer-to-peer fundraising is a nice option to create an even greater impact and lessens the financial burden on your donors. Setting up a crowdfunding website makes it easy for your supporters to create a personal fundraising page and solicit donations on your charity’s behalf.

We’ve made it easy for you by sharing an example of a year-end fundraising letter:

December 24, 2017
Rudolph Drive #1

Dear Ms. Crocker,
Exciting things are happening at Bremer School!

New records in year-end giving have been set this year with 32 of you, 
our incredible donors, becoming Champions of Bremer School. Champions 
are those recognized for giving charitable contributions of $10,000 or 
more. Since the campus’s founding, 360 of you have become Champions of 
Bremer School.

The tremendous success of our crowdfunding event this past April raised 
$300,000 dollars towards our new science wing. Be a part of our Bremer 
School Walkathon in 2018. Become an event sponsor or create a team on 
our crowdfunding website to raise money for our innovative new language 
facility.

We are grateful to those donors whose generosity this past fiscal year 
continues to renew the tradition of excellence at Bremer School. 
Philanthropic support is bringing to life our shared aspirations, 
whether through new facilities or expanding our programs and 
educational excellence.

Become a fundraising leader of Bremer School today and donate now to 
support the education excellence we all so cherish.

Sincerely,

Charles Nottingham, Bremer School President

9. Fundraise Without Limits

You are certainly not limited to one year end fundraising letter. Send more than one fundraising letter during this special season of giving. Create a fundraising campaign that’s outside of the box and put your heart into it. It is a time donors are already filled with emotion, so tap into it. Use humor and be social on your social media pages. Gather your team in writing great stories and write as many chapters as you wish. Keep your donors excited to find out what happened in the next chapter, see the next matching gift opportunity and your latest video.

In closing, enjoy this special season of giving and joy and raise money for your important charitable cause. Create a fundraising campaign for year-end and holiday giving which exceeds your expectations. Think of your donors first, always, and thank them.