Easiest High School Fundraisers

Easiest High School Fundraisers by James McClinsey

 

The easiest high school fundraisers rely on those who will benefit most, namely the students. Keeping easy in the equation when planning your event is not necessarily the only way to go. But for those of us with a lot on our plates, easy is the only way to go. Fortunately, this does not preclude you from presenting an exciting and successful event.

With young minds often comes a unique skill set. Ask the school Music teacher if she/ he could help you plan a concert featuring popular (but appropriate) music. If there's a computer club at your school, maybe they could lend their talent, as part of a class project, to offering basic computer literacy lessons for older adults. They could put on a Powerpoint presentation on making your computer run faster and charge an entry fee as with a movie.

These days everyone seems to play video games. Even octogenarians in nursing facilities are using the Nintendo Wii for exercise. Why not borrow a video game console and challenge people at your event to try and beat the reigning champ at a particular game, with prizes (which you may be able to have donated) for the top three contestants. Everyone will have fun, people will always remember it and you will have helped raise funds for your cause. When I was a teacher, I used the game Guitar Hero as an incentive that students had to buy into (with behavior points, not cash). The point is, kids will be motivated to plunk down their money if you offer them something they value, some fun and a chance to look good in front of their friends.

If your high school has a Theater or film program, you could raise money by having the class make a film as a collaborative project. Coordinating with the Principal, ask students to write a list of topics they would like to see a film about. Once you've had them submit their suggestions, have them vote on one of the top three choices. Generating a buzz is great for generating funds.

For the ultimate in easy and cheap, try going virtual for one of your next high school fundraisers. Companies will help you set up an account online where people can purchase goods. You may want to consult that computer teacher one more time if you are not comfortable with an online venture.

Mobile Study: Donors Impulsive, Social and Tech-Savvy

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Katya Andresen

Jan 12, 2012 Average: 5   Your rating: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5  A new study on mobile giving in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake has loads of interesting insights for nonprofits seeking to understand mobile donors.

The research, from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Harvard’s Berkman Center for the Internet & Society, in partnership with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the mGive Foundation, shows 9% of people have texted a charitable donation from their phone. While that may seem like a low number, it actually represents a significant percentage when you consider mobile giving only started in 2008 - and in that first year, it yielded more donations that the first year of online giving.

So who are these donors?

 

Impulsive: Surveyed donors who gave in response to Haiti said it was a spur-of the-moment decision - and for most, it was their first time giving with their phone.  Three quarters of these mobile donors (73%) contributed using their phones on the same day they heard about the campaign, and a similar number (76%) say that they typically make text message donations without conducting much in-depth research beforehand.  Six in ten have not followed the ongoing reconstruction efforts closely after making their donation, and just 3% say they have followed these efforts

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