Connecting Schools With Great Fundraising Ideas.

Maybe my thumbs are too slow. Or too big. But, for the life of me, I have never been able to become proficient at text-messaging on a cell phone. It takes me a half an hour just to enter in a new contact.

I realize that this makes me incredibly lame, but even though I’m pretty awful at this activity, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it. Because I do. I’m quite impressed by the folks who excel at this. Back in April of 2007, a 13 year-old girl named Morgan Pozgar became the first-ever National Texting Champion and won $25,000 for being able to send a 151 character message in 42 seconds. Amazing. After winning the prize, Morgan reported that she sends over 4,000 text messages per month! That works out to over eight messages every waking hour of the month.

Anyway, the point is, texting has arrived.

So, I was understandably intrigued when I recently learned about an upcoming fundraiser to be held in New Jersey that was using cell phone text messaging as the main hook for raising $100,000. The one-day event is scheduled for February 28, 2008. (There is a great article on the plan here.) The beneficiary for this event is a brain trauma center, not a school, but I think the steps could easily be transferred to a school setting. continue reading

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Funding Factory supplies schools and organizations a way to help the environment while raising money for their cause through a laser and ink jet printer cartridge and cell phone battery recycling program.

We were able to catch up with a participant in the program to get some feedback. Sue, a member of the West Corner Campus Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in Endicott, New York, has raised over $100 since she signed up with Funding Factory, recently. She provided some great feedback on how to use this fundraiser in your organization.

Signup

To sign up for the service, just go to the Funding Factory website. There, you will fill out a simple form to get started. They then send you a starter kit for collection of ink cartridges and cell phone batteries. “The signup process was very easy, and if you ever have questions, you just email your representative,” Sue says. “They get back to you ASAP!”

Getting Participation

Sue says she has a hard time getting people to participate initially, but once they do cartridges come in on a regular basis. Right now, they have about a 10 percent participation rate from the PTA members.

To increase participation, Sue has advertised in the PTA newsletter, and reminders go home with students on a regular basis. She also sends reminders to the teachers and staff at the school to bring their cartridges.

The struggle for participation among so many other activities and fundraisers can be hard, but Sue says you must be persistent. She recommends consistent advertising at meetings, frequent reminder notices and hanging posters.

“Also, ask parents to ask their places of employment for cell phones, laser cartridges and ink cartridges,” Sue says. “I am getting the word out for that, too, and am having success!”
Other Advice

Have a support group. “I have a great group of PTA members who help me when I need it,” she says. “Keep track of donations on a spreadsheet [for simplicity].”

“I will continue to do Funding Factory,” Sue says. “What money I raise for our PTA may not be a lot, but every little bit helps. These cartridges are trash, and to see it turn into cash amazes me! It’s a lot of work, sometimes, but the kids are worth it.”

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FundingFactory is a nontraditional fundraising program for schools and nonprofits which helps groups earn cash when they recycle used printer cartridges and cell phones. FundingFactory provides free boxes, online accounting, flyers, posters and other promotional tools. There is never a cost for participation and shipping is free!

Now when you register your group for FundingFactory you are automatically entered to win an iPod Shuffle 512!

To win you need to register with the recycling program before March 31, 2007. The contest is only open to new registrants. One winner will be chosen at random from entries from Step by Step Fundraising Inc websites (including TopSchoolFundraisers.com).

Funding Factory is a great program that lets your group earn funds from just collecting old printer cartridges. Instead of throwing them in the trash (read: landfill) why not toss them in a recycle box?

Computers and printers are everywhere - offices, schools, retail, and at home - there’s no reason not to add them to a recycle collection box and earn funds for your designated school or charity.

This contest is just one more incentive for you to try the Funding Factory program. Your group could even use the iPod as a prize for the person or group who collects the most cartridges within a set period of time.

Register now for the recycle fundraising program and enter for a chance to win

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Mobile phone owners get new phones at least every two years, some more often. What happens to all of those old phones?

A cell phone donation collection can be a good additional fundraiser for your school. continue reading

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