Fundraising Dos and Don’ts for the Second Half of the School Year

The second half of the school year is an exciting time. Winter sports enter the playoff season, spring programs are kicking off, and planning begins for summer activities! Many schools and groups organize trips or host numerous events, and along with all this excitement comes the need for funds! Keep up the momentum to make your fundraisers a success during the second semester by using this helpful list of fundraising dos and don’ts to avoid common mistakes!  

Don’t: Be Too Aggressive 

If the first thing your community hears from you is a sales pitch, it could make people uncomfortable and uninterested in what else you have to say. Instead, build interest and create connections in your community by sharing non-fundraising related messages like major wins in your program or just regular happenings. 

Finding the right way to ask is an important part of the fundraising process, and it takes balance to get it right. Check out this blog for some of our effective donor email templates, or let Snap! Raise do the work for you with our pre-written donor emails that are proven to make fundraising a breeze!  

Do: Manage Donor Relationships 

Take the time to build meaningful relationships with potential or first-time donors. Let them know specifically how their involvement helps and invite them to follow your program on social media or sign up for your newsletter if you have one. 

For returning donors, let them know you appreciate their consistent support of your program! Keep them posted on how the funds raised have helped in previous years and how you’re able to use the funds during this season. Be sure to also share non-fundraising updates with them and invite them to attend various events.

Don’t: Use a Complicated Donation Process 

Make it easy for your donors to support your program. If your process for collecting donations has too many steps or any weird quirks that are hard to navigate, you risk losing your donor’s attention and potentially frustrating them. 

Keep your process simple and straightforward, whether that be with a dedicated P.O. box or web page, or by adopting a secure, online fundraising platform like Snap! Raise. 

Do: Emphasize Financial Transparency 

Donors like to know where their money is going and what issue it’s helping to address. Be open and honest with your community about your program’s financials and share data that shows how their donations make a real impact. 

For transparent money management, consider a platform like Snap! Spend. The Snap! Spend platform allows you to see your program’s expenses, budget, and pending payments, as well as share this information with your community in an easy-to-understand layout. If people can see exactly how they are helping you reach your goals, it builds trust and will incentivize them to keep offering their support down the line. 

Don’t: Set Unrealistic Expectations 

Fundraisers are exciting, but it’s important to keep everyone’s expectations in check, including your own. Asking for too much can turn donors off of your program and set everyone else up for disappointment when those goals aren’t met. Be realistic about what your program can raise.  

At Snap! Raise, our reps are fundraising experts who can provide you with support and help you set an attainable goal that meets your team’s needs! Fill out the form at the bottom of this article to connect with one and learn more about goal setting for your program. 

Do: Acknowledge Donations and Complaints 

Use timely thank you emails during and after your fundraiser to show your donors how much you appreciate their contributions. This also extends to members who volunteer to help your program or donate materials instead of money. 

Likewise, if you get any comments or criticisms about your fundraiser, be sure you respond in a thoughtful way. If your donors feel ignored, don’t count on them to support you the next time around. Keep track of the critique, who brought it up, and take action to make sure any issues are resolved. 

Do: Let Snap! Mobile Help 

We offer tools that can help you build a thriving program for yourself and your participants, like Snap! Spend, Snap! Raise, Snap! Store, and more. In addition to the tools themselves, we also have a team of representatives that can provide personal support and advice. Sign up here to learn more about how Snap! Mobile can support you today. Start a fundraiser with Snap! Raise this winter and you’ll be entered to win a $1,500 gift card! Want to learn more? Fill out this form and connect with a rep today! 

—

Snap! Raise has worked with over 125,000 teams, groups, and programs since 2014, and raised over $900M. We’re proud to be the safest, easiest, and most effective fundraising platform for youth athletics and activities. Want to learn more about starting a fundraiser with us? Fill out the form below to connect to a Snap! Raise Rep!