Question: Where to start.

I was recently asked to take over the President position of PTO.. Our school is a low income school, and there is not a lot of parents involved at all! Fundraising has never been stressed and every year PTO gets slipped through the cracks, I'd really love to change this, but not sure where to start with fundraising. Any suggestions for a smooth first time fundraiser? THANKS SO MUCH!

Asked by Xrisnina

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
People power beats dollar power. Instead of focusing on fundraising, concentrate on getting people connected to the school and building parent involvement. There's a pile of research showing that when parents get involved in their children's education, the kids perform better and the school benefits, too. And the great thing is that getting more people involved will actually help you make more money when you do fundraise. As far as choosing a fundraiser, sales fundraisers tend to be easier to organize than events (auction, carnival, fun run), especially if you don't have a lot of volunteers. The sales company should supply you with order forms, brochures, and even help unloading and distributing your products, if needed. Check out the story How To Choose a Fundraiser for some more detailed tips. Good luck!

Community Advice

Chris writes:
That depends on your goal. Does your PTO have a set financial goal that is would like/need to reach? If not, don't forget that you're there for the kids. Keep them in school and get them out of high school (graduation). If there is no set goal and if receiving "x" amount back is plausible, look into supermarket & big box donation programs that allow you to return, usually 1%, of stuff you buy anyways. Also, see if there are any companies that offer a donation program vs. a full blown fundraising program. Something that doesn't take more than 5 or 10 minutes total and will donate a % of sales back to your PTO.