We offer local family businesses to advertise with us and also to set up at our holiday craft/vendor show as well. It shows that the PTO is willing to support the local businesses and those owned by our own families. However, if we use one of these businesses for a PTO function, they must submit a proposal or provide a price quote just like any other business. We need to confirm that at least 3 businesses were sought & we weren't just giving them the business due to being one of our parents. We also make sure that they are not involved with the event/activity itself. They are acting as a vendor and not in any PTO volunteer or chairperson capacity. If we get a percentage, we also have the chairperson verify totals with the business owner to validate the gross income. Since the families know they have their business & reputation on the line, those that do a quality job & provide excellent service are the ones that want to put their hat in the ring for consideration. But they are also totally understanding of us needing to make sure that everything is in order. We've done extrememly well with quite a few for years now and parents know we are doing due diligence to make sure the PTO is protected. They are comfortable with it.

We are actually having our first craft/vendor fair next week. We offered any parent in the school a chance to rent a booth before going public with it. We charged $30 for the booth and one raffle prize. A lot of schools are doing this sort of thing around here. Another school that I did a fair at ran it like a fundraiser. Each kid was sent home with fundraiser forms from each business and then on the last day there was a vendor fair and the public was invited to make purchases which also went towards the fundraising. There are many ways you could do this type of thing.

I have to tell you, this exact topic is the reason I made my very first post here a few years back!! We had been doing an "in time for Mother's Day" candle sale every year (before I even joined the school) with a woman who sold H.I., does tons of fundraising work for local schools, and we always worked with her because of her organization and understanding of our school's needs. Our PTO Pres at the time decided she wanted to start selling stuff so she could use her connection with us to build her customer base and get free advertising and it caused huge problems, including her leaving our gorup. I will tell you that our candle sale is very successful but only with H.I. and we only trust this lady-you live and learn. We will never open up to a parent's business because that can of worms is bottomless. Personally, I am part of a direct selling business and though I would love to meet certain goals with my company by turning in the sales from a fundraiser, even if I hand all my profits back over to the school (let me tell you I would love that computer or trip to Hawaii), that is not something I would ever try to push on my group or attempt while I am holding a board position. If you want to know how big that can of worms is, open this month's Oprah magazine for a huge article and watch your can overflow with worms. We haven't done a vendor fair, but I see it in our future!!! You might also consider inviting these parents to donate raffle baskets for your carnival in exchange for an ad spot on your thank you for your support flier, sposoring an ad in your yearbook, or any number of other things that will benefit both of you but does not exclude other parents who sell. You might even consider inviting all of the direct selling parents in for a meeting about how you can all work together to benefit each other.

We have an annual flea market/car wash/bake sale in June. We have 50 booths and attract all sorts of vendors. Last year we had Pampered Chef, Avon, Tupperware, Usborne among those represented alongside everyone else. They actually did better than those with yard sale or handcrafted items in their booths.

This has been an intereseting thread...we've never considered or been asked to offer these items as a schoolwide fundraiser

I agree; the idea of the vendor night is probably the best approach. If it is popular in your school it could lead to something bigger. In the Dallas metroplex area there are several schools that have huge craft / vendor shows on Saturdays. Booth fees are usually around $50. School clubs sponsor the concession stand and there are performances by the school choir and/or band. These do best Sept-Dec. because of the holidays.

We are also having Mom's with home-based businesses offering to do the same for us...someone had the idea to do a home-based business night where the offer went out to all mom's and they could all set up in the gym or something and then from 5-9 pm any one could come and purchase having all the choices and making everyone happy! We all thought it sounded like a good idea...haven't tried it!! It might work and you wouldn't be favoring any mom's! If we try it I'll let you know...if you try it let me know!!