Hi
Our high school band has band fees each year and although our yearly band fees are low compared to many, I know that parents have no clue about the enormity of managing a 250+ student band with all the costs associated with it.
So last year when I became President I made sure we had our budget available at every parent meeting, posted it on the website and at the end of the year last year I gave a "End of Year" Report Card. I included the Report Card in our last mailing of the school year and posted it on our website. This End of Year Report bulleted all the various accomplishments we achieved whether financial or other. It reminds the parents of everything we do throughout the year and I put a blurb at the end how all of those accomplishments were due to our parents giving their financial and volunteer support and we couldn't have done it without them.
Those are just some ideas that might be of help.

Thanks everyone for the incredible messages and support...now that I have things firmly in my mind, it'll be much easier to explain it to the parents. Rose...I will look into those links...thanks!

Thanks for the question and the the answer, we have also heard that question about what do I get for the $5. Well on my Welcome Letter this year I listed all the things we were able to provide to the school last year and what we would like to be able to help with this year. That way everyone knows what we DO and that we aren't just asking for their money for no reason. The simple answer is, you are joining the PTO and paying your dues to support your child and their school. What more reason do you need?

You know....that was an incredible paragraph and has given me so much to work on. I had not thought of it that way before. We actually DO have lot's of ways to earn money including Eat Outs at local restaurants, Invest-A-Kid, and Beads for Buddies and do quite a lot of business through Box Tops. Our principal is very particular about asking parents for money so we're restricted in that aspect. I have tried to explain that as a parent I can pick and choose which events I choose to participate in and which ones I choose to ignore, but that I'm not offended because the school is sponsoring something....that not every event will appeal to every one. And while I don't have a problem with any of the other fundraising events throughout the year, I had hear those comments mentioned from a variety of sources before about the registration fee having no value to it. The thought being that you get a "vote" for your donation and yet everyone votes in the General Assembly anyway so what's the point? However...we DO provide a lot of benefits for the school, the teachers & staff and the students so thank you for your response. I will begin work on that list right away. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me...I feel a lot better now.

Before you start handing out trinkets, ask yourself this question: What DO they get? You should have terrific answers for that question, whether it's school supplies you buy for classrooms, a great party you put on every year, awesome new playground equipment you bought this summer, a free holiday movie, or whatever benefits your group provides to the school and students. That's what you're selling -- and you might actually have to sell it. You might need promotional material, or a short speech at a school open house, describing all the good you do, "and for all this we ask for just $5 a family."

Next, I encourage you to look into other ways your group can raise money. Are therr local businesses that would donate? Can you hold a walkathon, a bake sale, or one of the hundreds of fundraisers companies are always trying to get us to sign up for? Can you collect Box Tops?