If it weren't for the occasional (okay, frequent) fundraiser, we probably couldn't afford to have our children participle in many of the activities and sports they enjoy. Of course, we all want our children to have as many different experiences as possible. Most groups have no other choice but to raise funds. Many budgets have been cut, and the cost and demand of most groups to perform and participate at the highest level means having to spend money – sometimes, lots of it!
In this day and age, teams and groups want to participate in events that often require traveling and intense training. Most groups also want the best equipment and uniforms. Sadly, most school districts simply do not have enough money for every group or activity.
As with everything else, successful fundraising starts with a positive attitude. Most families are tired of the same old boring fundraisers. Nothing is worse than being handed a $50 box of candy to sell, when you know that your family will end up eating most of it. Choose your fundraisers wisely. Make sure you choose only the most reputable products from the fundraising professionals, who should not only give you good results but also make the fundraiser fun. "We do everything we can to make sure our coaches, PTO groups and leagues reach their fundraising goals and make them enjoyable and fun at the same time," said John Trageser, Black Bear Fundraising's director of fundraising.
The key is choosing the right products and programs for the right group. It is very important to work with a company that listens to your needs. "We make sure we match the program with the group," added Trageser. "We listen to each group's individual needs."
No two groups are the same and neither are their needs. The demands of every group within a school or community make it a constant challenge to come up with a fundraiser that is practical. "Many companies only work with football teams or larger groups," said Trageser. "We take great pride at Black Bear Fundraising in working with every group that needs to raise much-needed funds for their programs."
Little leagues are a great place for children to learn life skills and spend their time. By participating in sports, children are able to stay active and learn skills such as discipline, sportsmanship, physical fitness and how to win.
In many circumstances, the fees that parents pay for their children to participate are not enough to cover the expense of playing in the league. This not only is for sports but just about every activity that your child participates in. For many groups and organizations, it is more a matter of survival.
In order for a program to be successful, there are many functions that take place behind the scenes that require time and money. This is where the right fundraiser can help alleviate a lot of the pressures involved in running the team, group or organization. "Like anything else, we ask our partnering coaches and groups to do what they do best and leave the organization of the fundraiser to us. Spend your time doing what you love to do, which is coaching or teaching," says Trageser.
If you are going to try to start a fundraiser for the first time, realize that it can be easier than you think. Many group or organization leaders feel they do not want to put a burden on the parents for raising funds. If you give them a program that they are proud of and excited about, it will not be a problem. Start with only the highest quality products that just about everyone will use or eat.
Many are not sure where to start. Begin by calling your fundraising professional. They can help you avoid making mistakes and can help lead the way to a successful fundraiser. A true professional fundraising consultant can give you suggestions on what to do and how to make the most profit for your group with minimal effort and investment of time.
"We had a group that insisted on doing it their way," said Trageser, "so we let them. They did not reach their fundraising goal that year. The following year they didn't want to do the program. We guaranteed that if they let us do it the way that was proven to work, we'd guarantee they'd earn a profit of $10,000, which was double what they made the year before. We raised the $10,000 for that team and they've done it the suggested way ever since."
Black Bear Fundraising's Suggestions for Groups
Bands
Most school bands have to raise a lot of money to travel to Disney or to perform in various parades or sporting events in other states. The key is to develop a consistent program that will keep the band members enthusiastic. Take our Fresh Hoagie program for example. We not only provide a variety of five different hoagies, we teach the participants how to build their client base for future success. Avoid having a shopping list of what fundraisers the band members can participate in. Try having all participants doing the same fundraiser for a designated time period. This is usually much more successful.
Little Leagues
We have a proven program that will help your group (football, baseball, wrestling, basketball, soccer or cheerleading) raise additional funds during your registration. Give you parents products that are popular and have a perceived value, and they will not only have a positive attitude but be successful with selling as well.
Grade Schools
Who wants to participate in a fundraiser and have to choose from a bunch of junk? Another stuffed animal or something electric that looks nice in the catalog but doesn't work once you're home is not our idea of a successful fundraising item. We add excitement to the program like no other company you've ever seen! Give us the opportunity to show you how to make your fundraiser both exciting and profitable.
Middle Schools
Tired of having a program that doesn't match the age of your students? We can relate! We've designed a program that matches the age of your students and determines what gets them excited and motivated.
Cheerleading
By far, this is one of our most successful individual groups to work with. Our cheerleaders average close to 20 units sold per participant. Most of the groups we work with easily reach their fundraising goals.
Football Teams
We take great pride in our football program. We proudly worked with two of Pennsylvania's state champions last year. We currently service the needs of over 150 football programs. We make sure that we have a signed agreement with every merchant we work with. If you're not using Black Bear Fundraising, please make sure the company you are using is permitted to use the offers they are representing on your card. You'd be surprised how many companies do not have the required permissions.
Youth Groups
We love working with youth groups and creating a program at sign-up that immediately helps raise much-needed funds before the season starts. We usually have a second fundraiser later in the season to raise additional needed funds.
Volleyball, Wrestling and Basketball
Often these groups are ignored. We gladly work with all groups to help everyone reach their goals. Our frozen food products work well for these groups.
Baseball and Softball
We work with a lot of baseball and softball groups. Equipment, tournament, uniform and travel expenses keep increasing with these groups. We are here to assist.
Choirs and Chorus Groups
Often all it takes is a suggestion to this group to get them thinking about raising funds. These groups do very well and are self-motivated.
Soccer and Track and Field
Our soccer and track-and-field teams do as well as our football teams. They are well coached, and the players are motivated to reach their fundraising goals.
Lacrosse
This is one of our newest groups that desperately need to raise funds. Just like almost every other group we work with, they aren't receiving enough funding from the school district to meet all of their needs.
Note for all PTAs:
Needing something extra this year? Or are you seeking only to reach your annual goal? Maybe you'd like to exceed your expectations this year? It's possible...and we can help with less effort than ever before! We understand that fundraising for your school's PTA is not your primary focus in life, but it's ours, and we're proud to offer you our expert fundraising services.
|
