| While school expenditures are being trimmed thinner | | | | try out. Perhaps this year's goal is to create a school |
| each year, Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTO) are | | | | website that runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year |
| becoming even more important within each school's | | | | and potentially earns money through affiliate marketing |
| community. PTO's are a lifeline when it comes to | | | | and advertising. Again, do some research to determine |
| ensuring that the students have the supplies and | | | | what is a good fit for your organization. For instance a |
| enrichment programs that make for a more complete | | | | barnyard square dance may be a great event in the |
| learning experience. To do this, fundraising is essential | | | | country, but it would be difficult to find a barn in a |
| and PTO's have found themselves working harder to | | | | downtown metropolitan area. |
| balance such an important budget. | | | | Live auctions are another example. An auction can be |
| But PTO's do much more than just raise funds to help | | | | a enormous undertaking for someone that's never |
| pay for school supplies and equipment. They raise | | | | planned one before. PTO Ideas explains exactly how |
| funds for things that do not fall within the realm of a | | | | to implement an auction and what's needed to make |
| typical classroom experience. The funds that are | | | | the event successful. The site provides details on how |
| raised are returned to the teachers as teacher | | | | to obtain sponsorships, advertise, what type of hall to |
| appreciation gifts and luncheons; they are returned to | | | | reserve, how to develop and decorate around a |
| the students as field trips, enrichment programs, and | | | | theme, where to find an auctioneer, how much to |
| graduation gifts to help them experience things outside | | | | charge for tickets, what printed material will be needed, |
| of the classroom curriculum; and they help create a | | | | what food and beverages to serve, how to display |
| sense of community among school families through | | | | your auction items, how to incorporate a silent auction, |
| family fun events, ice cream socials, and school | | | | a raffle, and gift baskets, over 50 auction item ideas |
| performances. | | | | that you can request from parents, teachers, students, |
| PTO's have become a staple within every school | | | | and businesses, and more! |
| system. Their fundraising efforts help alleviate added | | | | Other things to consider when choosing fundraising |
| costs to parents and bring educational supplies and | | | | events are the needs and spending habits within your |
| programs to students for little and, in most cases, no | | | | own community, where will you hold the event, who will |
| cost. The question for many PTO's, however, is how | | | | attend the event, and do you need any up-front cash |
| do they raise the funds needed to support the school | | | | to host the event. Larger events like auctions and golf |
| community and what are some of the ways to give | | | | tournaments will require some cash on-hand during the |
| these funds back? | | | | planning stages to pay for supplies, advertising, |
| This question should actually be answered in reverse. | | | | caterers, and other items that are not sponsored |
| Every business should develop a budget and a PTO is | | | | donations. |
| no exception. Prior to the start of the school year, the | | | | Also, when will the event take place? Post a |
| PTO should make a list of the supplies and programs | | | | fundraising and event calendar. Evenly distribute |
| that they would like to provide to the students, | | | | fundraising events throughout the school year and |
| teachers, and the school as a whole. Does the library | | | | ensure that there are no conflicting events taking place |
| need new books? What classroom supplies do the | | | | at the same time. Try not to overwhelm parents with |
| teachers need? How many field trip buses will need to | | | | fundraising requests. Choose a limited number of |
| be subsidized? What enrichment programs will be | | | | quality events and make them work for you. And |
| provided? The list must be in detail and must include | | | | remember, at larger events you can always offer |
| costs. | | | | products for sale that complement your fundraiser. For |
| Diversify what you plan to subsidize. In doing this, | | | | instance, advertise and sell tickets for an Appraisal |
| everyone will feel as though they've been satisfied in | | | | Event, but then at the event offer beverages, lunch |
| some way. Let's assume the PTO offers a few | | | | items, and raffle tickets for sale. Parents will feel less |
| science and art enrichment programs, purchases | | | | inundated with fundraising requests this way than if |
| some new athletic equipment, and contributes to the | | | | you sent out a separate flyer to purchase raffle |
| cost of field trip buses, but fails to assist with the | | | | tickets. |
| purchase of some well-needed classroom supplies. | | | | Finally, understand how you will implement the event. |
| The teachers may feel as though they were | | | | The answer to this actually stems from the PTO |
| overlooked and their participation in the PTO may drop | | | | organizational chart itself. A PTO generally consists of |
| off. Similarly, you don't want parents to feel as though | | | | board members (Presidents, VP, Secretary, Treasurer). |
| the majority of the PTO budget is going to supplies or | | | | Each of these board members is responsible for |
| not being evenly distributed to students at every grade | | | | overseeing committees. A committee is formed for |
| level. | | | | each fundraising event and consists of a board |
| Remember, every member of the school community is | | | | member, a designated committee chairperson, and a |
| important. They may not be a PTO member this year, | | | | number of volunteer PTO members. The number of |
| but you still hope to recruit them next year. Analyze | | | | volunteers on each committee is based on the planning |
| the needs of the school as a whole and then diversify. | | | | workload of the fundraising event. For instance, the |
| The principal or head of school is a great resource | | | | Auction Committee may have twenty volunteers while |
| who generally has a hand in all of the happenings at | | | | the Yard Sale Committee may only require five. |
| the school and can help the PTO ensure that the | | | | Each committee chair should supply the implementation |
| needs of all are being met. | | | | procedures to their volunteers. Print instructions from |
| Once the PTO understands why they are fundraising | | | | the PTO Ideas website or draw them up yourself; but |
| and the anticipated expenses, they can then come up | | | | tell them exactly what you'd like them to do and how |
| with a productive solution to raise the funds. This part | | | | to do it. Then remember to thank them for helping! |
| of the equation is much more complicated, however. | | | | Parent-teacher organizations have become so |
| You must determine what types of fundraisers will | | | | important to schools across the United States. |
| help you achieve your fundraising goal and ensure they | | | | Research several types of fundraising programs, |
| are implemented successfully. Do this by creating a list | | | | in-depth, to choose the ones that best suit your school |
| consisting of reliable fundraisers that have worked well | | | | and that best fill the needs of those to whom you'll be |
| in the past. Perhaps these include bake sales, book | | | | marketing. It's critical that fundraising organizations |
| fairs, pie sales, etc. Do research as to how you can | | | | understand the needs and the spending habits within |
| improve upon these old standbys by going online to | | | | their own community and offer affordable programs. In |
| sites like PTO Ideas where you can find out what | | | | turn, the community will feel as though they are able to |
| other schools are doing and get some fresh ideas. | | | | help and happily support the school. |
| Also include on your list one or two new fundraisers to | | | | |