What are your favorite (and easy) school fundraisers?

[Cindyluwho]

This time of year we're all so inundated with school fundraisers. Wrapping paper, chocolate bars, etc. But what are your favorite fundraisers. Does anybody have some ideas about easy and quick money makers for schools? My favorite is the Penny Drive. We usually do it in March and call it the Penny March. It's easily doable with just one or two parent volunteers. I have a large clear plastic tub from Target. 1 gallon of pennies = approx $50, so they're easy to measure. I have the side of the tub marked with lines and dollar amounts so the kids can see how much they've collected. Every day the classes collect their money, pour it in the tub and see how much they've got. Silver is counted seperately. Some teachers of the lower grades like to use it as a counting/measuring exercise. You can do it over a couple of days or a week. Either way, the parent volunteer picks up the pennies at the end of the drive and takes them to the local bank for final counting. Our bank does this for no charge. The best thing for me is: We're not asking anybody to buy an overinflated product, we're just asking for their spare change!

Let's hear your favorite ideas!!

 

[grinningghost]

Candy bars. Those are the only thing that ever go easily.

 

[bananiem]

Wendy's Community Night. Stick a sticker on each kid as they leave for the day. Families go out to dinner at Wendy's that night. Wendy's sends a check to the PTA with a portion of the night's (5-8pm) profits. We do one night a month which ends up being about $900-1000 for the school year.

 

[mainewmn]

Candy bars. Those are the only thing that ever go easily.

Ditto!

 

[disykat]

We do those horrible catalogs - however, we make at least 12,000 and it's our ONLY fundraiser. I just give a cash donation instead of buying unless I see something that is worth 50% of what they're charging - then I buy, knowing that the other 50% is going to the school.

 

[asta]

After trying many ideas at my daughter's elementary school, we decided to just ask for money and we have had great success with this. At the beginning of the school year we ask each family to donate $100 to the parent's association. This is entirely voluntary, nothing is every published reporting on who has contributed. In exchange, the parent association promises that there will be absolutely no other fund raising that will take place. We have about 75% participation. Most parents jump at this opportunity. They like that their children are not asked to go door to door raising money. In the end, a lot of parents end up buying most of what their children are selling, or they try to sell it at work or to other family members. Also, there is no pressure put on the children to sell a certain amount in order to be included in reward levels.

The only major complaints we have received actually came from the fund raising companies who also make money on those school fund raisers. Just asking for the money is so much more efficient. It lets the children focus on learning,

 

[mickeyboat]

Wendy's Community Night. Stick a sticker on each kid as they leave for the day. Families go out to dinner at Wendy's that night. Wendy's sends a check to the PTA with a portion of the night's (5-8pm) profits. We do one night a month which ends up being about $900-1000 for the school year.

Our PTA has done these in the past with McDonald's, but is wondering whether or not they should do them anymore. Some people are complaining that McDonald's is not a healthy food choice, so we shouldn't be encouraging the school's families to go there. Personally, I think that's a load of crap. Why aren't they complaining about the candy/cookie dough fundraiser? There are healthy choices on the menu. And people have another choice, just don't participate.

Denae

 

[piratesmate]

DD's Jr Hi is doing "Penny Wars" right now for Katrina/Rita relief. Because they're older, they've added a twist. Any silver added to the bucket reduces the value of the pennies in the buck by 25. They are permitted to go to other homerooms to put the silver in. The winning homeroom gets an ice cream party. DD said that right now there's far more silver going into competing homerooms than actual pennies, but no one is getting angry because it's just better for the relief effort and they can all get ice cream at home.

The easiest to sell for us has been a Kids' Entertainment book. $25 with $12.50 going to the organization. They're filled with kids activity coupons (local amusement parks, museums, mini golf, etc), places kids like to eat (McD's, Applebee's, Aunt Annie's pretzels) and still have things for the adults. Unfortunately, one of the elem schools nearby went against district policy (each building level/organization has its own fund raisers & the others cannot duplicate them) & sent a book home with each child in the building. It made it almost impossible for the choir kids to sell in that area.

The student gov't in all buildings does things like pay 50 cents to wear a hat to school, or PJs or some other weird/not allowed item...they've also had 50 cents to chew gum in the elem schools. The janitors weren't happy.

 

[jennyl772003]

My son's school goes crazy with fundraisers. So far this year he has had 3. The only one we ever participate in is the Entertainment books. We end up getting our moneys worth out of those books.

The dumbest he had was the 2nd grade "walk a thon" or rather "send us $40 and we will have your child walk on the high school track" That one kind of ticked me off.

 

[VickiVM]

After trying many ideas at my daughter's elementary school, we decided to just ask for money and we have had great success with this. At the beginning of the school year we ask each family to donate $100 to the parent's association. This is entirely voluntary, nothing is every published reporting on who has contributed. In exchange, the parent association promises that there will be absolutely no other fund raising that will take place. We have about 75% participation. Most parents jump at this opportunity. They like that their children are not asked to go door to door raising money. In the end, a lot of parents end up buying most of what their children are selling, or they try to sell it at work or to other family members. Also, there is no pressure put on the children to sell a certain amount in order to be included in reward levels.

The only major complaints we have received actually came from the fund raising companies who also make money on those school fund raisers. Just asking for the money is so much more efficient. It lets the children focus on learning,

Wow - what a concept - Just asking for money. So much preferable to selling all that junk to our friends and relatives who are fund-raised too death.

BTW - I'm really over the whole school fund raising thing. I think a lot of PTA's abuse this and we the parents are caught in the middle. We live in an area that truly lacks for nothing. I find it almost shameful that our children are 'begging' for money for the school so it can become even more affluent. I wouldn't mind supporting financially for a specific program that is truly beneficial and not within school's normal budget. I would give a set amount if I knew I would be done with it. And I would support our kids raising money for oh...I don't know...maybe other schools that truly are disadvanted. Now that would be a great concept for our children to live and learn at school!

 

[disykat]

We have WAY too many parents who would have fits if we asked for money. Believe it or not, they want the fundraisers. The rest of us just send money and toss the catalogs out - you ALWAYS have that option! I figure it's the best of both worlds.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I've always thought I'd rather send them a check each other. But our PTA doesn't like to do that.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Our small private school has a jogathon, that is really only the big fundraiser we have. This year they want to do something at the end of the year since we know the budget will be in the red. We are still hitting around ideas. We have very strict rules about fundraising, example letting kids go door to door, a no no for sure, no gambling or betting type things, no bingo and I am guessing a silent basket auction wont go over etc. I am kind of in charge of the 8th grade tag sale which is this sat. We use the money to fund the 8th graders class trip, its just a day trip somewhere. We use to have monthly bake sales, but that will be cut down thanks to the principal who has not one business bone in his body and we had a christmas store for 3 days where the parents donate items and the kids purchase them. The principal wants to get rid of that too. I am writing him a letter asking him to reconsider having it and will volunteer to be in charge of it. We also have a pizza day once a month since our school does not have a cafeteria. I am also looking into a bowl a thon or another way to raise funds at the local bowling alley.

 

[VickiVM]

We have WAY too many parents who would have fits if we asked for money. Believe it or not, they want the fundraisers. The rest of us just send money and toss the catalogs out - you ALWAYS have that option! I figure it's the best of both worlds.

Here's why I take issue with that - my kids (2 in elem and one in middle) get caught up in the incentives these companies offer. Give me a break - a rubber ball if you sell 10 items. I can't seem to rationalize to the kids that I'll buy them the dang rubber ball at the dollar store if that's the reason why they want to pursue the fundraising. But that doesn't satisfy them. They want to go into school having earned the highest coveted prize. It's really hard to explain to a 2nd grader that there's no way she'll be able to earn the boom box - we just don't know enough people who'll buy 50 buckets of $12 cookie dough. She just looks at us and say "You can sell it at work". Yeah, me and 20 other moms/dads can sell all that cookie dough at work.

 

[mrs4ensic]

There is a company Original Works that has a great fundraising program. The kids color a picture that is sent to the company. They in turn send back a sample of the picture as a magnet or keychain with other items--calendars,
t shirts, note cards-- that can be ordered. It is really a lot of fun and something unique!! Good luck!!

 

[lap3]

Our PTA has done these in the past with McDonald's, but is wondering whether or not they should do them anymore. Some people are complaining that McDonald's is not a healthy food choice, so we shouldn't be encouraging the school's families to go there. Personally, I think that's a load of crap. Why aren't they complaining about the candy/cookie dough fundraiser? There are healthy choices on the menu. And people have another choice, just don't participate.

Denae

I don't know what it's like where you live but you don't have to have just McDonald's. My DS's elementary school has a dining out fundraiser once a month as well but it's always different every month. In September, it was held at Topper's Pizza, this month it was at Sharky's Grill, next month it'll be Red's BBQ, etc... So, you can always mix it up so it's not always the same place. Your PTA should contact some of the local businesses to see if they can do something like this for you...

 

[Laurajean1014]

Ug, fund raisers......

 

[720L]

"Here's why I take issue with that - my kids (2 in elem and one in middle) get caught up in the incentives these companies offer. Give me a break - a rubber ball if you sell 10 items."

ITA!! They should offer better incentives or none at all. I hated trying to sell the entertainment books. I think subs sell the best. Almost everybody likes subs, and they aren't overpriced.

 

[disykat]

I dislike the incentives as well, but I've always been able to convince my children it's junky stuff that would break, so it hasn't been a huge issue. I never sell anything - not to grandparents, nothing. If they want to ask close friends and family, they can, but it's up to them. My kids know that's my policy, regardless of the fact that I've spent years running the fundraiser. Our current fundraising company also provides prizes to kids who bring in just donations, see if that is an option with your company. If not, I'd rather live with them thinking I'm mean than with their disappointment when they get the junk.

My older son is in jr high now and the donation option is not listed. I did it anyway. I know how these fundraisers work - I've run them for many years. Donation is always as option. The PTA collects and deposits all the money, then they pay the bill to the fundraising company - a % of what they sell, usually 50%. It all comes itemized and if you collect extra money just stays in the bank - the fundraising company doesn't even know about it. Just write "donation only" on the order form and on the check so they aren't trying to figure out if your check got seperated from an order.