Ages 7-10: Fundraising Basics

By Michele Blandino

Whether your child is enrolled in public or private school, participates in team sports or is involved in activities such as scouting or drama club, there's a good chance they - and you - will be involved in fundraising.

For many organizations, fundraising helps bridge the gap between the group's annual budget and their actual expenses. As a result, many place a relatively strong emphasis on the ability to generate funds through their fundraising efforts and have established fundraising programs that enable them to meet these goals year after year.

For other organizations, fundraising may become necessary because of unplanned budget cuts or other loss of funding. And, because there is usually a sense of urgency associated with scenarios such as these, those in charge of the fundraising effort may not take the time needed to thoroughly evaluate their needs before becoming involved in a fundraising program.

Evaluating Your Needs

The first step, then, to developing an effective fundraising program is to evaluate your group's fundraising needs, specifically, how much money do you wish to raise? This is important because it will help you select the appropriate fundraising tool. Say, for instance, your group of 50 people needs to raise $10,000. Chances are, they won't be able to do it selling items with a profit margin of $1 or less. You will need to look at other higher profiting programs.

As you go through the process of evaluating your fundraising goals, be sure to account for any recurring costs your group may need to cover such as rental fees for your meeting place, association dues, or payments for services provided by another party. You should also identify any long term goals your group may have and estimate the costs of meeting those goals.

Along those lines, be sure to have a good idea of when you will need the money. If you have an immediate need for cash, then you will want to consider programs with quick payoffs such as candy sales or 50/50 raffles. If, on the other hand, you are hoping to raise money for future use, you can be more creative with your fundraising efforts.

Look for Help

The final step to developing a good fundraising program is to evaluate the amount of help you can expect. If your group is active and supportive, then a large event such as a penny social or charity dinner may be appropriate for your group. If, however, you know you will only be able to rely on the services of a few individuals, you may want to consider something less cumbersome such as a raffle.

Set Goals

The goal setting process is critical to the success of every fundraising program. Without first going through this process it will be difficult, if not impossible, to select the right program. However, once you have a clear view of your fundraising goals and objectives, you will be better equipped to put together a program to help meet those goals.