Connecting Schools With Great Fundraising Ideas.

Today I have the pleasure to share some terrific insight into school fundraising from a recognized leader in this field. Tim Sullivan, the President of PTO Today, has spent his entire career in the education world. He has worked as a teacher and administrator at a NYC high school, then as a senior manager for a New England-based fundraising concern; and now as the founder and leader of PTO Today. He has spoken at hundreds of parent group meetings and to tens of thousands of parent group leaders all across the country. He also maintains a role as a senior writer for PTO Today magazine and is a leading voice on best practices in connecting with parent group leaders.

The PTO Today website is a phenomenal resource, full of vital information for anyone involved in education. As I have been working on our own blog, here at Top School Fundraisers, I have learned a great deal from Tim and his staff through their varied articles.

On Monday of this week, I wrote about “12 Ways to Overcome Fundraising Fatigue”. I thought it might be helpful to get Tim’s thoughts on this subject. Tim actually addressed this topic in a regular column he publishes called “Tim’s Turn”. The title of this particular article was “The Fundraising Myth”

First of all, Tim looks at the issue in a broad sense.

“If you’re feeling the negative effects of fundraising fatigue—perhaps your latest sale didn’t go as well as last year’s or you’re having trouble finding volunteers to help out with the counting—then the problem is likely with your group’s fundraising habits. Nine times out of 10, fundraising struggles are self-inflicted.”

To combat the symptoms of fundraising fatigue, Tim suggests two strategies.

First, Tim reminds us not to overload parents with fundraising material. This can often have the exact opposite effect we had desired. According to Tim, “We have to run fewer fundraisers, but run those few more effectively. (Dump a couple—you’ll live!) Two weeks of really hard work and focused fundraising attention is often way better than 12 weeks where some combination of smaller fundraisers are taking place.”

Secondly, we need to keep in mind the very reason we are engaged in fundraising efforts at all. “The reality is that fundraising provides essential funds for the extras that turn schools from piles of bricks with teachers inside into magical places of discovery and learning and community. Playgrounds. Field trips. A child’s first exposure to the theater or music. The family event that cements friendships that last a lifetime. These are the essentials of fundraising.”

To read more about Tim’s thoughts on fundraising fatigue, as well as many other pertinent school issues, please visit the PTO Today website.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Tim Sullivan for his permission to utilize excerpts from his articles, and I look forward to growing a strong relationship with PTO Today. Thanks, Tim!

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