WWYD? Suggest new ideas for PTA?

[mylilnikita]

Hi
I am a PTA member at DD9's school and volunteer when I can for the school. I don't know what has come over me, but I have been brain storming new PTA fundraiser ideas. I am SO SICK of wrapping paper sales and junk that are over priced. So I have been searching other sections of the Dis to get ideas.
Here is my question: How would you go or write the PTA president suggesting new things? Would you email or write the Principal to pass on the suggestions since the Principal would have to know about the events? Thanks in advance. I just don't know how to go about appoaching the ideas.

 

[Katy Belle]

First of all....be careful unless you are willing to be the one "in charge" of these new ideas! Now, assuming you are willing to take it on...is there someone on the PTA that is in charge of fundraising? It seems like there is a position for that on ours. If so, e-mail or phone them. If not, start with the PTA President or maybe all of the PTA officers, to get a broader view. I don't think I would send it straight to the Principal, the PTA can do that when they make their final decisions.

Good luck!
Katy

 

[mylilnikita]

Thank you for quick reply. There is someone for the fundraising. It is usually the same people every year, if not in the same titles. I am just so bored with wrapping paper ,peanuts and cashews, etc.

 

[JennaTX]

I think many parents (myself included) would much rather have the option of just writing a check to the school PTA instead of doing fund raising.

This would benefit both the school and the parent.

The school would get 100% of the money and the parent would not feel obligated to buy stuff that they don't really want or is so over priced.

 

[CPM]

I've been a PTA board member for more years than I care to say.
Anyway, fundraising is always an issue.

Jenna, I know in our Public Schools, you cannot ask for direct money. I would love that also. We do it on Little Leaque now, it's called a buy out for whatever they sell. I always do it.
I know that just our fall fundraiser, which is the Readers Digest booklet of merchandise, raises close to $70,000. We would never get that kind of money through direct donations.

I would go to the board. We are always appreciative of new ideas. Do be warned, if it were me, I would ask you to help with a new idea.

The principal really doesn't have any say in what the PTA executes. They do need to approve it but they can't impliment it.

We have a general meeting every other month after our board meetings. This gives the parents a chance to express and ideas they may have and us a chance to say what we are doing with the money raised and grab new volunteers

 

[CPM]

BTW, can you share some of your ideas?

 

[JennaTX]

I've been a PTA board member for more years than I care to say.
Anyway, fundraising is always an issue.

Jenna, I know in our Public Schools, you cannot ask for direct money. I would love that also. We do it on Little Leaque now, it's called a buy out for whatever they sell. I always do it.
I know that just our fall fundraiser, which is the Readers Digest booklet of merchandise, raises close to $70,000. We would never get that kind of money through direct donations.

I would go to the board. We are always appreciative of new ideas. Do be warned, if it were me, I would ask you to help with a new idea.

The principal really doesn't have any say in what the PTA executes. They do need to approve it but they can't impliment it.

We have a general meeting every other month after our board meetings. This gives the parents a chance to express and ideas they may have and us a chance to say what we are doing with the money raised and grab new volunteers

I didn't realize that you could not ask directly for money.

This week my DD came home with two fundraisers which I didn't like, I think two at one time is to much.

One was for the Entertainment Book, which usually does pretty well.

The other was for the gift wrap, which doesn't usually do too good because it is so over priced.

In the Spring my DD sells the frozen cookie dough (and they also have frozen kolaches, pizza, and other items) this sell usually does really great.

We also have a Carnival Day that includes a silent auction where all proceeds go directly to the school. This includes lots of different things like:

(4) spots for front of the line to pick up your children from school

Each grade does some sort of craft (a plate, a tote bag, etc) that is signed by all the students and the teacher.

Gift Bags from different area businesses who donate. (Anything from theaters, putt putt golf ,etc.)

And other items that parents might donate. For instance, last year we bidded on a beach house in the silent auction and won it, so all of what we bid went directly to the school.

 

[CPM]

I didn't realize that you could not ask directly for money.

Jenna, It could be different at your school. I just know our county does not allow it.

I hate the wrapping paper also. Even though I'm in charge of a lot of the fundraising and events, I don't always buy stuff I don't need or want.

We also do the Carnival, the parent pick up spaces bring us a lot of money!!

Here's a new one we auctioned off this past spring and we made big bucks on them
The front seats at the 5th grade graduation ceremony!
Also, we named the PE pavillion for this school year and the cafe.

Okay, since I can't sleep I'll just think of PTA stuff. lol

 

[aprilgail2]

Our Chinese Auction and our supermarket bingo are two of the best fundraisers. Smencils are also a good one. I HATE the wrapping paper one, that came home yesterday and I just toss it and send a donation check instead. We also do the art cards where your kids draw a picture and they are put on greeting cards for you to send out. I like the Pizza and cookie dough fundraisers since I can give them out as gifts to the neighbors for christmas and kill two birds with one stone, gifts for christmas and supporting the school.

 

[snowball22]

Fundraising ideas:

Krispy Kremes(info on their site)

Walk a thon(keeps everyone fit, takes one day, money is given to walker for distance walked)

Entertainment Book

Frozen Pizza Sale

 

[CEDmom]

We have a Mardi Gras casino night every year that is a huge fundraiser. The basic idea is to buy chips and play a variety of table games and then trade in the winning for tickets that you use to bid on prizes. They also have a seperate silent auction thing going as well with sporting event tickets, restaurant gift certificates etc. The casino prizes are all big themed gift packages made up of items donated by families and local businesses.

It's a fun night for the adults and virtually 100% profit for the PTO since even food and drinks(non alcoholic) are donated.

 

[MomofKatie]

I think many parents (myself included) would much rather have the option of just writing a check to the school PTA instead of doing fund raising.

This would benefit both the school and the parent.

The school would get 100% of the money and the parent would not feel obligated to buy stuff that they don't really want or is so over priced.

That's what we do in Union Co, NC!

Our annual fundraiser is called Invest-In-A-Kid, and it is a straight donation event. Each year, the PTO picks a specific item or items to purchase and sets a $$ goal. Last year, we bought several new pieces of outdoor play equipment- this year, we want to purchase 10 ActivBoards (a really neat teaching tool that is kind of like a screen projected touchscreen computer).

We raised over $60,000 last year, and the kids didn't have to walk around the neighborhood hawking overpriced stuff that nobody really wants to buy, anyway. The kids get small prizes for participating, and there are some nice prizes that we have a drawing for (the more a child raises, the more entries he gets).

We do a lot of soliciting corporate donations (local companies and companies that parents work for) and asking for matching funds, etc. The donations are fully tax deductible. Works out great for our school!!

 

[Disney Doll]

Not for PTA, but for another organization I belong to, we have used a fundraiser called a "Cakeless Bake Sale" or "Bakeless Bake Sale". Basically, you make up a cute little poem about how everyone is so busy, and to add baking to the list just means more busy-ness, so just send in the money you would have spent baking something.

Of course, if you can't directly ask for money, this won't work, but it is always a big hit witht he organization I belong to. People usually send at least $10.

Here's a link with some ideas for the poem:

http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/DIY/bakelessbakesale.htm

 

[sharlon]

Another former PTA President here. We are going back to our old fundraiser after 2 years of selling wrapping paper. It's a Read-A-Thon. (and guess who is chairing). Kids get sponsors based on how many minutes outside of school that they read. This year our PTA President developed a whole plan including a mascot for the Read-A-Thon to help create more excitement. We are not starting it until Accelerated Reader is in full swing, so the kids can use their reading time for AR also.
BTW, our PTA would love to ask for donations, but our principal won't let us. The middle school does it, so next year I'll be writing a check.

 

[grlpwrd]

Hi
I am a PTA member at DD9's school and volunteer when I can for the school. I don't know what has come over me, but I have been brain storming new PTA fundraiser ideas. I am SO SICK of wrapping paper sales and junk that are over priced. So I have been searching other sections of the Dis to get ideas.
Here is my question: How would you go or write the PTA president suggesting new things? Would you email or write the Principal to pass on the suggestions since the Principal would have to know about the events? Thanks in advance. I just don't know how to go about appoaching the ideas.

Hey, T.!

I think they'd love it if you got involved. I personally hate all that wrapping paper junk so I end up sending in $10 or so. lol

I have worked with those gals and they really are a great group to work with. Seriously.

You know what I would like to see? More "restaurant nights." I work with a gal through Girl Scouts that has made contacts for our restaurant nights at various places, not just CiCi's Pizza. lol

We make a lof of money doing those and I think if you spearhead it, the school could really profit. I can hook you two up if you want ... I can give you her email and phone.

Also, my dd went to another school and they have a carnival every year. I liked it, but it takes a lot of planning and manpower. They even had a silent auction for gift baskets.

Anyway, I knew you had it in you. Wanna be a Girl Scout leader, too?

 

[Pigeon]

I think many parents (myself included) would much rather have the option of just writing a check to the school PTA instead of doing fund raising.

This would benefit both the school and the parent.

The school would get 100% of the money and the parent would not feel obligated to buy stuff that they don't really want or is so over priced.

Amen. In fact, I just finished sending in a decent-sized check and an explanation of why I don't do fundraisers.

 

[solferino]

the parents group at DD's school only does one fundraiser that is ongoing- that's coffee orders from a little, independent coffee roaster in a nearby town. Orders are placed once or twice a month and parents and friends can order coffee by the pound (beans or ground) organic sugar; assorted teas and hot chocolate. The hallway smells like heaven on coffee days! A parent who lives in the town the coffee is roasted at does the pickups and brings it to the school.

In the fall every couple of years they do a fundraiser which parents can order daffodil bulbs and daylilies, again had from a local farm that sells them.

A number of years back they also published a cookbook with favorite family recipes, that was really popular but A LOT of work.

 

[MissMinnie]

I went to the first of the year PTA meeting at my kids' school last night, and the fundraising chair said if you don't want to sell stuff or buy it, just write a donation check if you wish to help. A lot of people looked pleased by that. I know I am. I just wish I could get my kids to stop pestering me to buy lots of stuff so that they can win prizes. BTW, it is a public school. When I lived in FL, there was a dad who had $$, and would buy several thousand dollars worth of crap a year just so junior could get all the prizes. I still don't know what on earth he did with all that stuff!!

 

[Pigeon]

I just wish I could get my kids to stop pestering me to buy lots of stuff so that they can win prizes. BTW, it is a public school.

What really frosts me is that my kids' public school actually has a school wide assembly to get the kids hyped up about selling overpriced crap in exchange for a plastic trinket. My dds were all upset yesterday when I had to explain to them that no, the Sally Foster people could not use them as an unpaid sales force.

We get notes home from the school about the importance of not scheduling doctor's appointments during school hours because teaching time is so precious. I guess it's not really all that precious if we can have Sally Foster marketing assemblies during school hours.

 

[mylilnikita]

Grlpwrd- You are so crazy, but I dig that about you! I know most of the ones there, but I truly am tired of the junk that is over priced and you can only use once.


Except I do love the Krispy Kremes fundraiser

Thanks to everyone for their ideas and how I should go about it.