Hi again,
Thanks for your replies. Wow I didn't think you could raise that much money with candy. Yes it's a business. By the way, I do offer a family fun night as well as assemblies and workshops. I just thought I could also offer a fundraiser as well. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.

[ 02-01-2004, 11:23 PM: Message edited by: Rockne ]

Forgot to say that I know of a school PTA in my district that had a well known performer come in for a family fun night fundraiser. They charged $5.00 a person and ended up not even making enough to cover the cost of the performer. They ended up making up the difference, out of about 600 students they figured they got about 165. When they were having it it was advertised in all of the school newletters in the district. The president tells me it was the worse thing they ever did....

Since our group came to be two and a half years ago we had always said that we would stay away from candy fundraisers . the realistic aspect is those catalog sales bring profits so much higher than anything else we ever did...yes we gave in this last fall. The bottom line how I see it is that when those catalogs go home it is a parents choice whether to take part or not...we seem to get about one third of our families involved.What are we doing with those profits...FREE family fun nights, healthy snack program, sponsoring our schools running club, grandparent luncheon(all at NO COST). Yes it does seem strange but all in all we are a business and the more we make the more our students benifit.I truly believe that fun nights shouldnt come with strings attached and even I would have a problem paying for a "family fun night". If we ever started charging for an event I think we would see a drastic decrease in attendance. Why not push yourself as a assembly type performer not a fundraiser. For that amount of profit I wouldnt ask my volunteers to give up time with their kids to collect tickets,,,,like i said a family fun night should be fun...not costly

Hey magical -

Perosnally, I'd rather not think of an event like you described as a fundraiser.

If we get 250 people (which would be a lot) at $5 a head (again, pretty high for us), then we'd bring in $1250. After paying you $600, we'd be up $650 (less if we have to pay rent for an auditorium). In the grand scheme of things that's not a big fundraiser. With a gift wrap sale or a cookie dough fundraiser -- despite your criticism -- we make $20,000+.

I love events like you're describing, but I don't think of them as fundraisers. I'd rather plan a great family event and make it free or charge $1 or something. Having the ability to provide those kinds of events cheaply or free of charge is a big reason why we fundraise.

I think you'd be better off marketing your services that way, as a great family night.

Tim

I think its becasue of the scale of the fundraiser. With candy bars that is a buck a bar which is nothing costly. As far as brochure sales go yes those are expensive and don't think people don't complain because let me tell you they do. Most of those items bought go towards gifts at a brochure sale (esp if its done in the fall) Something like a family fun night you have to watch the price of, imo, if you charge too much people won't bother to come and it will be a bust. People mostly have 2-3 kids so you are looking at min. 20-25 bucks and granted that might not sound much but depending on the time of the year it can be enought to determine if you are going or not. I think your best bet is to set a flat fee for you services of 500-600 bucks and let the actual PTO's decide how much to charge for tickets.

Hi,
Thanks for your replies. I would like to know why $5-8 would be too much to spend for an evening of fun and positive family values when is it OK to expect the same family to buy candy, chocolate or lollipops or some other unhealthy product for the same price?
Also it could be priced so that a family ticket could be purchased for $15-20 and allow a family of up to 5 attend.
My fee would be a flat fee of $5-600 per show. I would also be open to some type of split of the profits but I would just prefer to keep it simple and get a fee.
I would also like to ask the group how it is that most fundraisers involve unhealthy products. Think about this. I am asked to come in and present a program on healthy living. Yet I am paid for this program from proceeds of candy sales and other unhealthy products. Please explain to me the logic behind this.

[ 02-01-2004, 12:45 PM: Message edited by: Rockne ]