Winter is usually the best time to fundraise. Schools receive much of their donor dollars at this time of the year. There is usually a feel-good buzz in the winter, and most people are in a giving mood, perhaps to cheer themselves up and forget the biting cold.
However, that doesn’t mean fundraising activities take the summer off. At LeanStream, we are obsessed with fundraising all year long and have a host of fundraising solutions for you.
While schools are out and people are traveling on vacations to take a deserved break, fundraising events don’t have to stop.
The summer is an excellent time to plan some events that otherwise wouldn’t be possible in the busier months.
Alternatively, you could be doing other things that are not directly related to fundraisers but will help you hold successful drives in the upcoming year.
Read on as we discuss why fundraising doesn’t take a break in the summer.
A Great Time to Look Back on Your Achievements
It’s been a long year, and summertime is the perfect time to recharge your batteries in preparation for another marathon year.
But as a teacher or PTA/PTO member, it is also a chance to look back on the past year, review your successes and challenges, and determine how best to improve your fundraising drives. This will prepare you for upcoming fundraisers further down the road.
It is fun looking at all that the school achieved. Remember to be systematic in your review. Look at all the factors that contributed to the success and the [inevitable] failures. You will be well positioned to avoid the obstacles and smash next year’s fundraisers.
Perfect Time for Housekeeping
It has been a long year, and some low-priority tasks have been overlooked. The summer provides you with an opportunity to put your house in order. You can organize files, update your school’s website, storage, and other things. These factors are easy to overlook when all your efforts are concentrated on the big events.
Think of the summer as the spring clean time for your school. Do a thorough assessment in preparation for the big year ahead. Don’t forget to take some notes while at it for future reference. You never know when you might need them!
An Opportunity to Make Changes
The only thing that stays constant is change. However, it is difficult to change things during the busy time of the year when there are plenty of fundraising activities.
Maybe you needed to change the look of your school t-shirt or tweak your outdated by-laws. With school being out of session, summer is the ideal time to make changes without worrying about disrupting upcoming drives.
A Time to Cement Relationships
With a slowdown in fundraising activities, you can take this time to hold a party for your PTA/PTO members.
This would be an excellent opportunity to build a bond among members and give new members time to familiarize themselves with the team away from the pressures of planning fundraising activities.
Remember how well your members relate will affect how well they work together and, by extension, the outcomes of future fundraisers.
You can organize a small barbeque party so everyone can get together and enjoy each other’s company, exchange ideas, and hang out. It will also give you time to reflect and create new energy for the upcoming year.
If Covid is at a concerning level, you could also host a virtual meetup using Zoom, Facetime, Google Hangouts, or other web-based services. Don’t be afraid to get creative, and use your contacts and social media to get the word out.
Take the Break to Plan Ahead
The summer allows you to unwind, but who says you can’t look to the future and plan ahead? For instance, this would be the perfect time to plan your upcoming back-to-school fundraiser.
You will have a great head start by planning early. A good plan takes time and thought, but it will provide you with a road map to help you achieve your goals in the upcoming year. You will know exactly what to do and how to reach your fundraising objectives.
Whether you hold an annual back-to-school fundraiser or want to try something new, the summer is always the best time to do the groundwork. Use the break well to plan and create a buzz heading into a new year.
Read LeanStream’s recommendations for the best ways to raise money for your school events and see how many you can use for your back-to-school fundraisers.
There Is No Break For Your PTO/PTA!
Fundraising is an all-year job. Don’t get us wrong. Everyone deserves a break after a long year of hard work, but you can walk and chew gum simultaneously.
While resting, the summer offers your PTO/PTA a chance to catch up on some fundraising tasks that may have been brushed aside during busier times of the year.
Reorganizing yourselves and making plans will make things much easier for you in the fall when fundraising activities start picking up steam.
Fundraising Transcends Seasons
Crowdsourcing and online funding mean any time of the year can be used to fundraise.
Having a fundraising page on your website means people can contribute online no matter the time of the year.
It all comes down to good planning, a solid online presence, and smartly popularizing your fundraising drives.
Check out how you can make headlines for your fundraisers and some other summer fundraising ideas to consider.
Keep Your Donors Updated
Just because there is a slowdown in fundraising activities doesn’t mean you should forget your donors. It is wise to keep them informed about the works behind the scenes on your website and social media pages. You don’t want them to forget about your school and the mission you are trying to accomplish, do you?
Because the school has taken a break from its program for the year, bringing donors behind the scenes would be a great way to show them what the school is up to. This will keep them prepared for the fall.
Final Word
It has been a challenging year, and we are all for you taking time to rest and recharge.
However, there is always something to be done. School fundraising doesn’t take the summer off.
With a busy year ahead, take the break to plan, organize, create a better connection among your PTA/PTO members, and keep your donors updated.
All this is important and will no doubt play a part in the success of your upcoming fundraising activities.
