In our case, we provide volunteers for the fundraisers that belong to the school. It's just like any other activity - field trips, programs, lunchroom help, parties. The school needs volunteers and we help organize them. That's the primary reason our PTO exists.
Note - since the district made the decision to have the schools own the sales fundraisers, they do not ask the PTO for major funds. We focus on volunteerism, teacher appreciation, school spirit, and family activities. None of us joined PTO to be part of a massive fundraising machine. Why should we care that that PTO function has been set as a lower priority?
Ego aside, what's the difference? The funds are still being raised for the benefit of the school. Is it really so important that the PTO can no longer claim credit for writing the check?
If your parent group has an issue with fundraisers, the best advice is to open discussion with your principal or whoever the person in charge of the school happens to be. Our parent group gave Box Tops, which amounted to $500+ each year, to our student council to help them with an annual scholarship that they were struggling to raise the funds for each year.
Our group, also, turned over all responsibility to them once it was agreed that they would receive the proceeds from Box Tops; promoting, collecting, trimming and shipping. If the school needs funds or stipends for programs, they usually come to our parent group, so, in our case, we do run all of the fundraisers and budget the money accordingly. If we choose to hand over an "easy" fundraiser to help the student council, for instance, then we also turn over all responsibility, as well, to them for that program.
kmamom is right. events are the way to go. We are down to one fundraiser now (fall gift wrap catalog) and the rest of our budget is basically from events. We do an ice cream social, back-to-school bbq/cookout, fall festival/carnival, cookies with santa and gift shop, movie nights, valentines dance, easter breakfast, adult events (bowling, golfing), mothers day and fathers day event, and a couple more I am sure I missed. Make a little profit at each one and it adds up to more than $10,000.
Is the school is running all these fundraisers or is the PTO? If the PTO is, is ANY money going to the PTO? If not I'd tell them you were going to stop running those fundraisers so you could concentrate on your own. In our case "selling" fundraisers just don't generate enough cash--events are the way to go. You mentioned they do a walk-a-thon--has your group given any though to a math-a-thon, or "Tricky Tray" (Chinese Auction)? The tricky tray is a ton of work, but the profits can be wonderful.
Every time I hear of situations like this I'm so glad my group is separate. Working to raise money for someone else then being shown the door would not fly with me or my members.
