Looking Ahead: Getting Organized for the 2019 Fundraising Season

If this winter was your first foray into school fundraising and you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, you’re not alone. The start of the school year brings changes and challenges for both kids and parents, and football season concession food  stands can be intense. To make yourself feel better prepared for the spring semester, use these tips to get organized and help your PTO best use its resources.

Set Realistic Goals and Document Them

Never go into fundraising with the aim of just raising as much money as possible. Know what your group needs funds for and exactly how much is needed. That way you can make a goal that’s realistic and attainable, and you can make a reasonable plan for how to reach it.

When everyone involved knows the pound amount required, and can see the breakdown of how much each person should contribute to hit the goal, it makes things seem much easier and more doable. Concrete goals provide a sense of urgency and accomplishment, while asking someone to help you raise an indeterminate amount can actually add more stress.

Form a Team Early

In the weeks leading up to the next season, get in contact with your group and set up meeting times, or at the very least, a text or email chain for discussion. When everyone knows each other relatively well and feels a sense of camaraderie, working together when things get tougher and come down to the wire will be simpler.

Keep your team informed of any new developments and remind everyone of the goals you’re all working toward together.

Create a Master Calendar

Whether it’s in a central physical location at the school or online, make sure there is one calendar that includes every event and every task leading up to it, along with each person’s designated responsibilities. Everyone should have access to it and understand at a glance what they should be doing and when.

This includes games and meets; setup, manning concession stands, and tear down; purchasing supplies; depositing funds; and any other tasks, large or small, associated with the fundraiser. There should be no question about who does what when. A shared calendar also allows anyone to reach out to someone who may have forgotten or missed their task.

Rely on Trusted Vendors

If fall season in the concession stand felt like you were always one step behind, it’s time to rethink your supplier. Did you know there’s another option besides big box stores that’s still affordable? Concession suppliers like Gold Medal not only sell equipment and food products to theatres and stadiums – they also specialize in Ready Made Popcorn

Working with a vendor like this gives you access to their expertise, service department, and even scheduling deliveries of products. Imagine how much more organized you could be if you could plan on receiving all your inventory at a set time, stocking it, and then not wasting time making trips to purchase more. Use the downtime before spring season starts up to contact a representative and learn about how they can help your school.

Above all, make sure you’re constantly communicating with your team and everyone understands what’s expected of them. And remember: you’re all in this together, to benefit your children’s school, so try to stay as relaxed as possible and have some fun!