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One of my favorite websites is the PTO Today Message Board. Every once in a while, you come across a fantastic post that is incredibly useful. Just today, I found an excellent post that lists nine tips for holding a school garage sale. I’ve included the first three in this article, but please click here to read the remaining six tips.

Our PTO does one every year. For us, it works this way:

1. We do it the first weekend in March annually. People around here have come to expect it. Because it’s the first weekend, people have money to spend. March is a time when we at least want to think about spring/summer, even though there is typically cold weather for another few weeks, so clothing for all seasons sells (for now or later).

2. We have set prices for as many things as possible. Jeans for adults are $4, kids jeans are $2, hardcover books are $2, paperbacks are $1, clothing (unless otherwise marked) is $.50, etc. Pricing exceptions only saves a lot of time.

3. Have one person in charge per work shift. That person should be comfortable with garage sales in general and understand that this is a fundraiser.

For tips four to nine, click here.  As always, I highly recommend that you become a regular visitor over on the PTO Today message boards!

Photo by: Eastlaketimes

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One of the most popular posts on this blog over the past two years has consistently been “You’ve Been Flocked by the Famous Flamingo Fundraiser”.

In case you haven’t read this article or you are unfamiliar with what a flamingo fundraiser is, the concept is this: a non-profit, many times a school group, will purchase several pink plastic flamingo lawn ornaments. (By several, I mean, like, well over 100.)

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Then the members of the group will place these flamingos in the front yard belonging to a family in their organization. This is usually done under the cover of darkness, so that when the family wakes up the next morning, they are surprised to see the new flock on their lawn.

The group will also leave the family a “ransom” note, which makes clear the details of the fundraiser once again. The letter also explains that the birds will be removed for a fee/donation of $20 (or whatever affordable amount the group chooses). This money will be passed along to the school or the charitable organization. Along with the ransom note, the group includes a donation envelope that can be picked up when they return to collect the flamingos.

This process is repeated for several nights in a row. All of this is done in good fun, and if a family really doesn’t want to pay up, the group will remove the flamingos without charge, but with frowns on their faces, of course.

Many non-profit groups have tried this novel fundraising event with terrific success. Not only do they raise a lot of money, but they also have a great time planting the flamingos, which builds up a wonderful community spirit.

So, if your school would like to try Flamingo Fundraising, here are ten helpful hints to make it safe, enjoyable, and profitable. continue reading

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Yesterday, I wrote about a teacher in San Diego who has taken to selling advertising space on his tests and quizzes in order to pay for all the printing he needs done during the school year. A few days before that, I wrote about the idea of setting up a passive fundraising system in your school, one that operates 365 days per year. I am going to continue this theme of extreme fundraising measures today by writing about a school in Stamford, Connecticut, that is not passively raising money, but rather actively doing so.

According to The Advocate (Stamford newspaper), the students at Stamford High School have taken to operating a bake sale every single day. It takes place in the time before school starts each morning. There are over 70 different student groups that sign up for the time slot on different days. An average morning of bake selling can bring in upward of $200.

The article is quick to point out that in addition to all the sweet morning treats, there are often healthier options, such as bottled water and mandarin oranges. Some groups even bypass food altogether and collect money in other creative ways. continue reading

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I am not a gambler. Never have been. I don’t have anything against it, but I’m just too scared that I’d be a bad gambler and lose all my money.

Sometimes, I wish I weren’t so terrified. I see people have all sorts of fun putting their cash on the line. From the high stakes poker tables in Vegas to lottery tickets at the gas station, it looks like I’m really missing out on something.

But, no longer! Now, I get to experience the massive endorphin rush that gambling offers without any of the risk. And, everybody’s a winner!

“How’s that even possible?” you ask with shock and disbelief.

Well, there’s great news! The wonderful folks over at FastTrack Fundraising have two styles of discount scratchcards and these looks like fun way to raise money for your school.

Honestly, I never used scratchcards as a fundraising tool when I was an elementary principal, only because I was unaware of this great opportunity. However, now that I have learned all about them, I would definitely have added this nifty little trick to my bag.

For those of you who haven’t ever traveled down the scratchcard path, here’s what you need to do:
1. Read this article from top to bottom
2. Go to the FastTrack Fundraising and read all the details
3. Order a FREE sample scratchcard from them by calling 1-888-778-2580

Really, it’s that easy. 1-2-3. continue reading

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When you are developing an investment portfolio, it is wise to diversify. It’s good to have a little of this and a little of that, so that if one industry falls down, your entire portfolio won’t be negatively affected.

I think that you should approach your school fundraisers in a similar fashion. You’ll have one or two major events that are time intensive, like a golf outing or auction, but you’ll also have the comparatively less intensive ones, like selling cookie dough or chocolate.

I want to draw your attention, however, to one fundraiser that is so easy, all you have to do is tell people about it and then deposit the checks.

eFundraising, which is a division of Readers Digest, has an amazing program for magazine sales. The concept is very simple.

The first thing you have to do is sign up for your own online magazine shop. The “wizard” on the eFundraising site helps you with this very simple process.

The next thing you do is email all of the people in your community with the link to the online magazine store. There are over 700 magazines available, with many of the most famous periodicals available today. Prices are up to 85% off the cover prices, so your families will get a great deal on something they would have bought on their own anyway.

And that’s it! Once the families purchase the magazines, your school will get a check for 40% of the subscription price.

In the past, I’ve written that non-profits should strive for at least 50% of the profits from a product sale, but I will make this exception, because the process is so simple and automatic. The requirement of time and effort on your part is so minimal that 40% is actually incredibly generous.

The other advantage to this magazine sale is that it can run all year long! You aren’t confined to a two week sale, for instance. You can start this magazine fundraiser at the beginning of the year, and it can run all the way until June. Whenever a family orders a subscription, you get a check. Not a bad set up, huh?

And, it gets better. eFundraising is giving away incredible incentive prizes for top sellers each month. For the months of July to December of 2008, they are giving away an Apple iPhone ($400 cash equivalent) to the person who sells the most subscriptions of all participating groups! Click here to learn how to enter the contests.

Having been the principal of an elementary school, I know how exhausting fundraising can be. The amount of labor that can go into raising money is astronomical. Therefore, I absolutely love any method of fundraising that requires so little from me, yet the money keeps rolling in. I strongly urge you to take a closer look at the magazine program through eFundraising. It is well worth your time and effort!

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