I don't think it's a good profit. My honest opinion, things like your carnival or jog-a-thons are the best way to go because you get most of the profit.
If your group insists on using a fundraising company, you should get at least %40-%50 profit (some of them will give %40 and do more work or %50 and you do more work) either way, I think it's still a rip off. You get a few samples, maybe a kick-off assembly and they count the orders but you still have to deliver them and the kids still have to collect on them.
No, 7k is not a good profit margin even for a catalog co. (and for the most part you're trying to sell things that quite frankly most people would rather just give all the money to you instead of having to buy a hummingbird pull chain - I have one from my friend's daughter's fundraiser three years ago...)
I approached our board with the full logistics of running a jog-a-thon. I came with a proposal, donations already secured pending approval, and samples of the sheets we would use and most importantly- willing to run it. My friends from our old school gave me most of the materials. Catalogs got voted down but keep in mind, I talked about a jog all year and got alot of naysayers. I really had to lay it out for them so that they could see the potential...
Get your carnival together and show them what they should have made instead of what they did make. I'll bet they'll give it a chance!
C Brooks I guess it depends on what type of fundraiser it was, if it was a product/catalog sale that means your group only made about 35% profit which seems really low. We generally look only at fundraisers that give 50%.
As far as if it was a carnival or fun night activity it does seem that your profit is low for the costs. Was there much work involved? Please tell us what type of fundraiser it was, in my thinking it seems low either way, of course it also depends on what your group had in mind ahead of time. like our holiday shop we will give out coupons so we dont make hardly anything on it...tell us more
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
I am not a math person at all. Really. The fundraiser the group had last year netted about $7K out of almost $20K. I am not accostumed to selling things but I thought the profit margin lacked. Apparently I am the only one. Everyone seems pleased. Is this the usual turnover for fundraiser? I am used to spending about $500.00 for a fall festival and making about $18K.
