Those little five cent pieces add up! Balgownie Public School P&C placed boxes in school classrooms and, in just one term, collected more than $500 worth of 5 cent pieces which the librarian happily spent on new resources.


3. Playground equipment
Sydney’s Crown Street Public School’s recipe book raised a cool $150K (a stellar success aided by high-profile culinary neighbours Kylie Kwong and Alex Herbert being among the recipe contributors). A new playground was the original goal: they attained that and classroom equipment.


4. Sporting equipment
Fun runs are a popular way of promoting active lifestyle and raising money for sports equipment. One fun-run program alone helped schools across Australia raise more than $2.5 million in one year.

Major supermarket chains offer shopper docket point programs from time to time, helping schools acquire, most commonly, sports equipment and computers.


5. School vegetable garden
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program has popularised school gardening; learning about healthy eating and where fruit and veg come from. Wild Cherry Kindergarten and Tambo Upper Primary School in Victoria ran a simultaneous fundraiser, selling herbs and vegies to further develop their vegetable garden and healthy food culture.


6. School camps/trips
An Ashgrove school chose a chocolate drive to help defray the hefty cost of its Year 7s week-long excursion to Canberra while a remote West Australian school organised a raffle.

A group of children from Bremer State High School in Queensland will be the first team from a public school in Ipswich to participate in a World Challenge Program. The team will travel to Cambodia & Laos to help orphans, experience a new culture, and build as a team! As you can imagine this will cost a lot of money, so they have conducted a cake auction, drive-in night, and will soon have a trivia night to help raise the much needed funds. When you sign up with the World Challenge Program you get a free copy of the Fundraising Directory!


7. Music equipment
Rose Bay Secondary College Music Ensemble Program hosts two major showcase concerts and a sausage sizzle to help supplement its musical needs.

The Gap State High School in Brisbane hosts an annual trivia night, specifically supporting its performing arts programs.


8. Chaplaincy
Sandgate District Chaplaincy Committee in Queensland chose to offer an accredited first aid certificate with $50 from each participant’s fees going to its outreach program. The Christmas Carols at Jindalee State School is run by the Chaplain (with the help of the P&C) with all profits going towards the Chaplaincy programs.


9. Landscaping
Some schools literally sell the bricks and pavers to create impressive landscaping and a lasting engraved tribute to supporters.


10. Helping others
Learning to give back to the community is an important lesson that needs to be learnt early. Whether the cause is to find a cure (like Pink Ribbon or Red Nose days) or raise awareness (such as wearing red on Day for Daniel), free dress days are an easy and popular way to collect funds: a gold coin donation for the privilege of not wearing school uniform; and this is one fundraising venture the kids can do entirely themselves.

We spoke to Toby Griffin from Pictureproducts and he said “What makes a Pictureplate unique is that due to the great longevity of our melamine and inks, a child’s flimsy paper drawing can be turned into something that lasts well into the next generation. Because melamine Pictureplates are so durable, they aren’t just for show, and most children will eat off them right away. They’ll still survive to be put away as keepsakes later.”

The drawings are sent to Pictureproducts and transformed—usually in between six to nine weeks—into Pictureplates using durable food-safe melamine.

Pictureplates are pre-ordered and paid for before delivery.

Why Pictureplates are a fundraising success
First, there’s the sentimental value of capturing a lasting childhood moment.

“A child’s drawing is a window into that child’s life at one moment in time. How did she draw her family? Who were his friends? For the younger children, it captures their own work, made by their own hands, sometimes with help from Mummy and Daddy. Particularly when it’s paired with a photograph, it’s a perfect little piece of that child’s life history,” says Toby of this generational keepsake fundraiser.

For grandparents, the pictureplate keepsake is an extension of the photo brag book.

Toby says “Almost everybody either has one or knows someone who does which means that when schools offer a Pictureproducts fundraiser there’s very little convincing required to get parents excited and involved. How wonderful is it to share your Pictureplate from twenty or thirty years ago with your children as they are doing their own drawings?”.

There’s the practical aspect too: being produced on durable food-safe melamine means the plates can be eaten off. And there’s no danger of breakage if little ones have the dropsies.

Top tip: Decorating dash
Create colourful, fun informal table settings using pictureplates for all family members or a set for children’s parties.

Plate collecting has been fashionable since the late 1800s. Begin your own collection by grouping pictureplates as a decorative feature in your kitchen or family room.


Commemorative pictureplates
If your school or kindy is coming up to a significant milestone, Pictureproducts can arrange to pre-print the school or centre’s name and logo on the template.


Ordering more?
Love them and want more? That won’t be a problem. Pictureproducts has kept digital copies of all its Pictureplates since 2009.

Plush Bears

Beanie Kids has been the number 1 collectable product in its category in Australia for over 15 years, with over 1200 designs in the market and over 15 million units sold! Send your completed Booking Form to Skansen Brands head office and they will send your free fundraiser pack (includes order forms and promotional materials) to arrive well before the start date of your fundraiser. Make $4.99 profit for every Beanie Kid you sell!



Please click here for more information on Beanie Kids…..

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Family Portrait Sessions

Aver & Line Photography offer each family in your organisation the opportunity to book a 15-20 minute professional portrait session, including a complimentary 8×12″ print, fully retouched, for just $12. Every cent of the sitting fee goes straight to your organisation.. PLUS 10% of additional purchases! Most groups raise hundreds of dollars! (only available in Sydney and Melbourne).

Click here for more information on Aver and Line Photography…..

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Paint Drop paint supplies

Using Paint Drop is easier than painting by numbers. Do you need paint? Do you need it delivered? Do you need help in selecting the right paint for your project? Welcome to Paint Drop. We have a compelling offer for eligible fundraising activity. Schools, Clubs, Associations, Government Bodies, Teams, Groups etc. $5 per can excluding sample pots and accessories, commission paid monthly by EFT.

Click here for more information on Paint Drop…

• schools
• sporting clubs
• church congregations

Turning a tea towel into a keepsake
Schools often get their tea towels printed with self-portraits drawn by the students of the school for that year.

Sports clubs regularly get their club logo and the names of players for the season printed, creating a roll of honour.

Tea towels are popular as commemorative items particularly with church groups and community groups that are celebrating significant milestones.

Here’s another example: the Queensland Country Women’s Association produces a tea towel annually for its ‘country of study’. It bears the QCWA logo and year, the name of the country and images that reflect that land.


Tip
Keepsakes are not generally used. So buy extra: for example, one to use daily and smile at now; and one to keep pristine, to bring the memories back in years to come sans food stains.


How successful are tea towels as a fundraiser?
Emma Glynn says Expressions has helped groups across Australia raise millions of dollars over the years, with many clients coming back year after year. Why the success? “Because it’s a quality product that lasts long after the initial purchase,” she says.

“Tea towels are an affordable everyday item that we all need and use, so people ordering often want several, not only to use at homes but as gifts and keepsakes. They’re inexpensive, easy to post and make an enduring memento—so they sell well!”


How much to sell your tea towel for?
Expressions’ Emma Glynn suggests a mark-up of $3 to $6 per item on  the base cost.


As a Mother’s Day gift
Let’s be honest: mothers receiving a tea towel for Mother’s Day may smile sweetly —because it is the thought that counts—but deep inside, a tea towel alone is not likely to top Mum’s gift wish list. School students could make computer-generated ‘I OWE YOU’ drying up vouchers from the youngsters and the smile will be more genuine.

1.  Let families get over the summer holiday/Christmas/back to school credit card shock before hitting them with the first fundraiser!

2.  Take a leaf out of the books of retailers and think calendar events when people are spending money: events like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter and Christmas. By selecting a product with appeal for that particular event, you change where your supporters spend their money, rather than asking them to dig deeper at times when they may be strapped for cash anyway.

• For example, family photo portraits are popular Mother’s Day (or Father’s Day) gifts. Some food suppliers provide Christmas fare like fruit mince tarts, rum balls and White Christmas which make up nicely into gift baskets.

3.  Think ahead. We’re all too busy towards the end of the year and there can be financial benefits for getting organised early.

• For example, every family needs a calendar. Lisa Wright from Beyond Creative says by placing an order of 100 or more 2013 Family Organiser calendars by June 1, fundraisers get 10 free. That’s a profit of $170 just by planning ahead! Beyond Creative takes a 10% deposit and required final payment by September.

“The best thing about the calendar is it shows your family’s details at a glance for each month and you have plenty of space for up to 5 busy family members.


“We have 368 stickers also which help you mark calendar events and holidays, NRL grand finals and Melbourne cup days, even the recycling nights.”

“We have people who repeatedly use this fundraiser, once they put the calendars into the school and people use them for a year the fundraiser sells itself as they have tried the product and love the way it works.”





4.  Think season. Pie drives may sell better in the cooler months when we all enjoy comfort food. Chocolate drives are better in the cooler months too—no-one wants to buy melted gooey chocolate in summer, no matter how worthy the cause!

5.  Steer clear of fundraisers that bridge the shorter school holiday breaks. Families need time off—and that includes fundraising.

6.  Finally, think about when products will be delivered, right down to the time. Someone will need to sign for the consignment. If delivery is to be made to the school office, make sure the supplier knows when the office closes.

In fact, four of the top 10 non-fiction biggest best sellers in 2011 were cookbooks. We’re not promising blockbuster sales—although you never know!—but why not stir up your fundraising mix and create your own cookbook? With technology, it has never been simpler.


Leading fundraising cookbook publisher Suzanne Wilson from Published Authors has made it super easy with a 3-step process:

1. Recipes are submitted online direct to Published Authors.

1. Your school or group chooses from a range of sizes, design styles and photos, leaving the layout and printing to Published Authors.

1. You see the proof and, once signed off, your cookbook is printed and delivered.

Getting started
Put a bit of thought into why your group wants a cookbook now. Will this link with a commemorative event perhaps? The big book publishers say cookbooks that sales-wise ‘take the cake’ so to speak typically are linked to a celebrity or promise recipes that are ‘fast’, ‘fresh’, ‘easy’ or ‘favourites’. No wonder Jamie Oliver’s 30-Minute Meals was such a hit!
Every family in your school or group has their own undiscovered king or queen of the kitchen with at least one tastebud pleaser.

Put the call-out for families and friends to supply recipes. Companies like Published Authors even supply the promotional material! At the same time, start the sales campaign. You want pre-sales.
Recipes are submitted using a simple online template and Published Authors does all the collating. That frees up volunteer time retyping and organising submissions.


Taking care of design
Graphic designers have developed a range of cookbook templates allowing you to personalise your ‘look’ while ensuring the professional finish that comes with consistent styles and formatting.


Printing on demand
One of the big bugbears of producing a cookbook as a fundraiser was selling it—or rather having boxes of unsold copies stored in a cupboard or garage, eating away at the venture’s profit.

That’s no longer a worry, thanks to the technological advances of on-demand printing. You can, literally, print as few as 20 premium quality cookbooks, fast. But of course, you won’t. You want to make money!


Tip for rising profits
Consider inclusion of local business sponsorship and you could cover the full cost of your cookbooks. That means every dollar earned from the sale is pure profit!

Mother’s Day Fundraising

In my youth, Mother’s and Father’s Day was always preceded by a craft stall at the school, and I and every other child would get all excited to see what our $2 could buy to light up our parent’s face. And my mother’s face did light up – although looking back, I’m not quite certain why.  That plate I got with the cheesy poem on it was a particular winner.  It was completely tacky and spectacularly unsuitable to display anywhere.  I remember being so excited as a 7 year old in the days leading up to Mother’s Day, as though I had discovered the secret gift that would make my mother happy forever.  This excitement in the eyes of our children is the true gift on Mother’s Day.


Mother’s Day stalls are a staple at some schools, but many have abandoned them due to the workload involved.  Most parents simply do not have the time these days to create gifts to donate to the stall. There are ways to bring back the Mother’s Day stall or take-home gifts, and the parents of Australia must unite to bring them back!




Option 1: Class-made gifts
Most primary school or kindergarten students will create a card or small gift for mothers within their classroom.  A fundraising activity that can supplement or replace this is the artwork that is turned into a gift, such as teatowels, aprons or melamine plates [click here for suppliers].

The trick is to get the kids to take the order form to someone other than mum so it stays a surprise, but these can make lovely, personal gifts.

Option 2: Mother’s Day stall
The old-fashioned Mothers Day Stall is still within reach of busy committees.  Small businesses have popped up to fill the gap, and provide a range of small gifts (better quality than when I was at school!) that can be bought with small change.  All the organiser needs to do is estimate the quantity to order and set a day.  Here are some recommendations:

• Order your stock so it arrives at least a week ahead of schedule, preferably two.  Be careful not to over-order as many places will not accept returns.
• Promote the day well ahead of time – get up on assembly, send a note home and also put it in the newsletter.
• Think about holding the stall at lunchtime, but consider bringing the littlies down earlier during class time to avoid the stampede.
• Get the older kids to hold a gift-wrapping stall, and donate the proceeds to a charity (or add it to your fundraising total).  Go to a florist or gift wholesaler to purchase bulk quantities of wrapping paper.  You may wish to offer free gift wrapping, but ask for a donation of, say, 50c.
• Prepare a report card on the activity, so you can have a better idea of how to run it next year.  This will be particularly important with gift quantities.  The Fundraising Directory has a free Handover Report Card template that will make your handover much easier.







Search for Mother’s and Father’s Day stall suppliers by clicking here.


Click here to download the Mother’s and Father’s Day ebook 2012





(c) Mandy Stevens This article is from the Fundraising Directory website, your A-Z guide to Fundraising Products and Services in Australia to assist with school fundraising, and club and charity fundraising.

• Yes, I’ll donate $30 even though I can’t attend.

When a long-established community arts organisation adopted this technique for a recent anniversary dinner, its chair was lost for words by the number of donations that resulted.


Tip

This technique can be used for product drives too. A canny scout group provided an option to selling chocolates, rather than simply accepting the returned box unsold:


Dear Scouting family,

You will have heard that our scout group is raising money to send members to World Jamboree.

This is an opportunity of a lifetime but it is very expensive. That’s why we’re running a chocolate drive, beginning on 1 September.

Every family in our scout group will receive a box with 30 individual chocolates to sell for $2 each. These are quality products and at a great price. We ask that you sell them to friends, neighbours and colleagues.

Please return money and unsold product to Baloo at your scout meeting beginning 15 September.

If you want more than one box, terrific: Baloo can supply.

If you can’t sell the chocolates please do two things for us:

1. 1. Return the box to Baloo as soon as possible. (We have to pay for the unsold boxes.)
2. 2. Consider making a donation of $15 which is the profit we make from selling a box of chocolates.

Remember the more money raised, the more young people we can send on this wonderful adventure. Thank you in anticipation of support.


Akela

Group Leader

1. Key dates
2. Contact details of suppliers
3. Contact details of sponsors
4. Contact details of volunteers/helpers
5. Profit and loss statement
6. Quantities of goods purchased – and what was left over. Remember, leftovers are profit eaters.
7. If there are leftovers products, detail where they are stored.

Adding extra value

Your fundraising handover manual can also include details that may save future fundraising committees time, effort and angst.

• Detail specific tasks that needed to be done.
• Identify skills that could have been useful—bear this need in mind when recruiting volunteers.
• Answer 4 critical questions honestly:

1. What aspects of this fundraiser worked well?
2. What aspects of this fundraiser did not work?
3. Would I use this supplier again? Explain why/why not.
4. Is this fundraiser a ‘goer’ for this group in the future? Would you do it again?

By Nelson




Finding volunteers for any school fundraising effort can be quite a challenge. Although most parents would love to help out and contribute to improving their children’s school, the pressures and stresses of modern life mean that many feel they simply don’t have the time.


This is not to say that wonderfully enthusiastic and skilled volunteers cannot be found. It just means that you need to have approached the recruiting process with sensitivity and understanding, and have an engaging and social approach to creating events.


A perfect example of how to attract, and just as importantly retain good volunteers, is Leife Shallcross, President of the North Ainslie Primary School P&C. For a school of only 120 or so families, the school community has pulled off some spectacularly impressive fundraising efforts including the Big Green Garage Sale, the Multicultural Festival, the Student Canteen and a Student Art Show. Leife and I spoke earlier this week about her impressive fundraising efforts to tease out the best strategies, tactics and approaches to coax fantastic volunteers from the school community.


The first piece of advice Leife offers is to be assertive about recruiting. “Don’t just put a note in the newsletter,” she says “Hanging out in the quadrangle in the morning or afternoon and directly asking parents for help can work better than a hundred words in the newsletter that parents might not even read.”


But it’s important to balance this assertiveness with understanding. “You have to be respectful and understand when parents can’t help out,” Leife was quick to warn. The same goes for fundraising and P&C meetings. “It’s important to keep meetings as painless as possible,” she advises, “sometimes you have to bang on a glass with a spoon if discussions are going too long or getting out of hand”. It’s also important to avoid over-burdening volunteers and avoid burn out. She offers as her final piece of advice on managing volunteers, “You can’t lump people with more work than they can handle.”


Leife also made sure to stress the social side of volunteer work and the sense of community it generates. Keeping this in mind is important when planning events as well. “Parents can be really drawn to the social side of fundraising,” highlighting the fun that can be had by volunteers, “and helping to organise events like the multicultural festival can be a great way for the ethnic communities to come together to engage and build relationships with the wider community.”


It’s important to engage with the children themselves and get their input on events. “Kids get a big kick out of being involved and active. It empowers them when they can see that they are directly involved and are directly influencing their environment.” Being able to really participate and contribute to events like the student run canteen, art show, vegie garden, art sales and side show alley, really got the kids involved and excited. Few things are more motivating for parents than the enthusiasm and excitement their children can have for improving their school.


All theories and strategy aside, the most important piece of advice Leife offers is about maintaining your own motivation. “It’s important to remember why you’re doing it,” was the sentiment Leife left me with “At the end of the day it’s about making your kid’s school a better school.”