Nurturing academic excellence among students goes beyond the classroom; it involves the whole community. With the support of parents and guardians, teachers, alumni, and other community members, your school can secure funding and pursue the initiatives you need to enhance learning within your institution.
We’d like to highlight how to create dedicated strategies to engage your community during your next school fundraiser, enabling you to maximize your reach and raise more to meet your goals.
There are many ways for your school to get your community involved in fundraising. Here are three effective ways to encourage participation:
There’s a lot that goes into planning and executing a successful fundraiser—from setting goals and organizing events to marketing and collecting donations. However, your school doesn’t have to tackle these challenges alone. By offering a variety of volunteer opportunities, you can allow community members to contribute in ways beyond just donating.
Common volunteer roles schools might need to fill include:
Let’s say that you’re about to launch a fundraiser for your elementary school. It’s very likely that parents and other relatives of your students would be interested in volunteering to support your efforts. Sending home volunteer requests is a solid first step toward putting together an effective volunteer team. Then, set up a brief interview with those who are interested to place each person in a role best suited to their skill set.
Local businesses can support your school fundraiser by sponsoring the event, providing volunteers, giving in-kind donations, and marketing.
To build ideal partnerships, 360MatchPro’s corporate sponsorships guide recommends:
Finding the right fit is crucial for a successful partnership. For example, a school that’s hosting a fundraiser to expand its music education program might reach out to a local music store or venue for a potential partnership. These targeted collaborations ensure that both parties share a common interest and goal, so the partnership is aligned with your fundraiser's objectives.
According to SchoolAuction.net, to maximize engagement, you should promote your fundraiser on multiple channels such as your website, newsletter, email, and social media. Sharing user-generated content (UGC) can be especially beneficial for schools looking to spread the word about their upcoming fundraiser. Don’t forget Peachjar as a channel as well!
UGC refers to any form of content—such as videos, photos, articles, and reviews—that’s created by people instead of companies or brands.
Some popular ideas for gathering UGC for your school include:
At the same time, it's crucial to prioritize student privacy while employing these strategies. When sharing individual photos of students, be sure to obtain permission in advance to respect their privacy and comfort levels. This not only ensures legal compliance but also builds trust among students, parents and guardians, and your broader school community.
Engaging the community in your school’s fundraising efforts not only broadens your support base but also enhances your fundraiser’s impact and relevance. Here are three practical tips to encourage active participation from your school’s community:
Make your community members feel more invested in your fundraising success by actively seeking their input. Involving parents, teachers, and local businesses early on makes them feel valued and part of the decision-making process.
Here are some key areas to collect feedback on:
To gather this valuable community input, you can use a variety of methods such as surveys, social media polls, community meetings, and informal gatherings.
Incentives can be a powerful tool to motivate community members who are on the fence to get involved.
For example, consider these incentive ideas:
These rewards not only make involvement more appealing but also add a personal benefit that can tip the scales for those who are undecided.
Recognition plays an important role in building a strong, committed community of support for your school. It’s not just about saying "thank you" but about creating an environment where community members feel genuinely valued and integral to your school’s success.
Here are a few tips to ensure your recognition practices inspire continued support:
Recognition can take many forms—from thank-you videos to social media shoutouts—each offering a unique way to express gratitude and reinforce the value of community involvement. Recognition tools such as eCards offer a convenient yet sincere way to express your gratitude to community supporters.
Remember that supporting your students and their educational journeys is a team effort With a thoughtful communications and engagement plan, your school will be able to rally more parents, teachers, alumni, and community members to play a role in your fundraising success.