There are a few common tendencies we have witnessed when it comes to fundraisers for kid’s activities. For starters, it can feel easier to have the adults take the lead and just direct the kids to call up a few neighbors. However, if you want to take this year’s fundraiser to the next level, we suggest having the kids play a more active role in planning and goal setting.
1. HOLD A PLANNING SESSION WITH THEM
Involving the kids through the whole process has a huge benefit: they’ll feel important and because of that, they’ll be more excited to participate. They don’t have to be at every meeting, but at least kicking off the fundraiser with a brainstorm session where you ask them for ideas can both get them to take pride in their work and help bring up fresh ideas.
This is especially beneficial when it comes to goal setting. If you help talk them through the importance of goals and they feel like they’re choosing these numbers themselves, they will feel more responsible for their work through the entire fundraiser process.
“Goal-setting is important in sports and fundraising isn’t any different. By giving players goals, you’ll tap into their competitive spirit” – theSeason
2. CREATE A BETTER ATMOSPHERE FOR FRIENDLY COMPETITION
Maybe last year you avoided manifesting competition between participants, as you didn’t want things to get dicey. However, the competitive spirit is only natural. Instead of pretending your participants aren’t competing, embrace this tendency and work with it. Explain how the main goal is to do well as a group, so they should encourage each other first and foremost. Use the analogy of a sport’s team or a construction crew—everyone depends on the other for success.
Once they seem to understand this, you can show fundraising progress on poster boards at your meetings or give a shout-out to the top performer each week. Then, to go back to emphasizing collaboration, at the end of the fundraiser point out how all the participants formed the whole.
- OFFER TEAM-BASED INCENTIVES
Many fundraiser blogs point to individual prizes for top performers. This is a great tactic in some situations, but if you really want to see changes in your fundraising success this year, offer prizes for when the entire team meets their goals. Announce it at the initial kick-off meeting—if you reach $__ amount as a team, we will go on a group outing. That way, each week, team members are not only eager to meet their own goals, but they want to encourage other teammates to meet theirs.
A strong team, who’s willing to try new things and pull their own weight, is key to any successful fundraiser. Try these new tactics to see how they help take your fundraiser to the next level.
Now, all you need are people willing to support your mission and purchase your fundraising product. On to part 3: Optimizing Donor Relationships
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