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.

Product Spotlight Demo: Turn Supporters’ Time into Money through Polling and Surveys

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Research for Good’s Shawn Case

May 20, 2011 Average: 5   Your rating: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5  

At Research for Good, we partner with nonprofits just like yours to turn your supporters' time into revenue for your organization. Market researchers constantly need people to fill out online surveys and polls. We connect your supporters with those researches and then donate to your cause every time a supporter completes a survey. This allows supporters to contribute to your nonprofit who may not otherwise be willing or able to donate money to your organization. 

The concept is pretty simple. A company has a question and hires a market research company to design a research plan to get that question answered. The market research company finds the right people to survey and asks for their feedback. That feedback is analyzed and presented to the company who then implements their strategy based on the findings. That is Market Research 101. 

Market research is a $10 billion industry with $1 billion dollars spent every year getting people to participate in online research. Finding people to take those surveys is a big business. 

So, what does this mean for your nonprofit? By partnering with Research for Good, you ask your supporters to take those surveys and we allocate a donation back to you - typically between $1-5. 

Getting started with Research for Good is easy. You'll need to give us some information about your organization (We only accept 501(c)(3)s at this time). Then, we do all the heavy lifting for you. 

You will get a starter package with a unique recruitment URL. Anyone who goes to that URL will take surveys for your cause only. All you have to do is reach out to your supporters and encourage them to take the surveys. 

Supporters will be asked create a Research for Good profile and provide basic demographics so we can make sure they get appropriate targeted surveys. Then, they will be sent a survey opportunity by email.  We track who is taking the surveys then send you a donation through Network for Good who then distributes the money to you monthly. 

Tips and Tricks for promoting your Research for Good Partnership:

Make it personal and tangible ("Each survey earns a vaccination for a child.") Highlight it as an opportunity to give time, instead of asking for money. Again Include alongside your current communications strategy when you need another reason to stay top of mind ("Thanks to your opinions, Research for Good donated $1000 to our cause helping us buy 100 Malaria nets!") Use our polling features on your website. It's a great way to engage people.

For more information on what partnering with Research for Good can do for your nonprofit, check out the recording from this webinar.

If you have questions or would like to make a comment about this webinar, please join the conversation at The Network for Good Online Community. 

Adapted by Kristina Leroux

 

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