At Effective Fundraising Solutions, we’re often asked how long fundraisers should last to receive optimal results. While there’s no correct answer, our experience provides us with insight into making the most of your fundraising efforts. In this article, we’re providing you with a pathway to position your organization for success.
Set realistic goals
Before deciding on how long to run a fundraiser, you need to create goals. By deciding on a set goal, you can then realistically determine how long your campaign should last. For example, if your goal is to reach $2,000 for your sports league, you’ll want to consider the following:
- The time of year
- Your projected buyer audience
- A relevant product
Once these elements are decided, you can gauge how quickly items will sell with a projected turnaround profit. Say you receive $5 profit for each item sold. There are 150 kids in the league, that’s roughly 300 parents or guardians or $600 profit based on two items per household. However, players will most likely extend efforts to their closest friends and family as well. Based on these assumptions, a three week fundraiser should get your close to, or exceed, the goal of $2,000.
Choosing the best product
These estimates are based on the assumption that you’re offering a product that people want. Considering you’re a sports league, the popular wrapping paper or candle fundraiser may not be the best option. Instead, you want to select a relevant product, something that people would be excited to purchase.
For instance, custom socks or customized team tumblers are a perfect way to support your players and their team. These are everyday items that people and would be proud to use. Besides, you’re now appealing to a larger audience which increases your opportunity for sales.
Who is your target audience?
Considering your buyers and what they’d like is of the utmost importance when planning a fundraiser. Let’s spin from the sports league for a moment and plan a fundraiser for a local elementary school. Let’s say it’s the beginning of the year and our goal is $1,000.
First, let’s remember the abundance of paperwork generally sent home during the first few months. More than likely, your fundraiser will be pushed aside and forgotten about, so it’s even more important to get it right! With fall themed fundraiser, like mum sales, you’ll appeal to homeowners that would probably be going to the local garden center to purchase the plants anyway. However, who wouldn’t want to help out instead of heading to the store?
- The time of year
- Your projected buyer audience
- A relevant product
All that is left to do is calculate the amount of participation (let’s say 35% of students), add your projected profit (assume 2 plants per household), and figure out how long you need to offer your mum sale to reach your $1,000 goal.
Effective Fundraisers
When planning fundraisers, communication is imperative. Keep parents in the loop on the goal and organization’s progress. People want to help, and they will when they’re in the know!
For more information on how Effective Fundraising Solutions can help your organization hold a successful fundraiser, contact our team today at (855) 888-4337.
