Fundraising 101: Reducing Fundraising Fatigue

Though organizing a fundraiser is a large undertaking, it should also be an enjoyable experience! To reduce the stress and fatigue often associated with running a fundraiser, just keep a few simple strategies in mind before beginning your fundraiser and the rest will be smooth sailing!

First, start researching programs at least 1 month before you want to begin running your fundraiser. Check to make sure that your fundraiser doesn’t overlap with any fundraisers that may be running, especially if you plan on selling the same product. You don’t want to bombard your target audience with too many fundraisers at once, particularly because it can become expensive, so scheduling becomes important.

Also, have a set beginning and end date for your fundraiser so that your participants know when they need to turn in their orders, money, or any other information. To make the most of your fundraiser without exhausting everyone involved, try running for fundraiser for about 2 to 3 weeks. During this time, contact local businesses for donations or support, as they could be great sponsors. Just be sure to give them enough time!

Next, try to space out the fundraisers you’re involved with or that you organize. Trying to juggle too many fundraisers at once or trying to run one right after another is a guaranteed way to exhaust yourself, your participants and your customers. Quality over quantity is important in fundraising, and if you’re using the right product that will appeal to your audience, you can be successful without going overboard.

Finally, before beginning the fundraiser, determine how many volunteers you will need to assist you throughout the fundraiser and who will be helping. While family, friends and fellow parents are always a great place to start, you may find that you need more recruits or assistants with specific skills or knowledge. First, consider which jobs you need help with, such tallying orders, keeping track of money, delivering or sorting purchases, supervising participants, etc. Give people jobs based upon their interests and abilities. If you’re short on helpers or are looking to explore options, there are some simple resources that you could try, such as:

• Local high schools - students often need community service hours for programs, such as the National Honors Society

• Local newspapers – advertising locally is a great way to get the community involved

• Facebook and Twitter – posting an inquiry on your personal page may be a call to action for your acquaintances

• Organizations such as the Boy Scouts – many need to perform a service project in order to move to the next level

• Website resources – volunteermatch.org or boardnet.usa are just a few examples of websites that pair volunteers with causes