Question: Donation & Auction Late in Year

Our annual Fall Festival is in November and by the time we are ready to request from businesses, everyone has given out their alloted donations for the year. Does anyone know how to get around this?

Asked by AUNTJEN4

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
It may not entirely be the time of year. We've heard from a lot of groups that it's getting harder and harder to get donations these days. It's the economy, and it may also be that companies that do donate are getting more and more requests. You can widen your net and be more persistent -- sending out more letters will yield more results, just not the kind of results that you may have gotten in the past. You might supplement by adding experiential items to your auction, like a supervised overnight in the gym, a swim birthday party at the high school pool, a craft party with the art teacher, or a day with a member of the community (dinner and tour at the fire station). Sorry I don't have more to suggest.

Community Advice

AUNTJEN4 writes:
Thank you Craig. I just wonder if sending letters out earlier in the year would be more productive even though the event is not til November.

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
I think it's worth a try. You can always follow up later if you don't get a positive response. Even groups with spring auctions are running into some difficulty, though.