We have over 600 students, and we get by with one "big" fundraiser in the fall - a typical catalog sale that brings in about $11,000. That said, we also have other sources of income that we try not to market as fundraisers. We charge $10 dues (our members get the school directory for this), which adds up to about $3300. We also will have at least one pizza sale this year which most parents perceive as a community service, but which will bring in about $4000. The important point is marketing. If your parents understand how the money will be spent, they're more likely to support your PTO money-generating projects.
I personally hate fundraising for the sake of fundraising. We make enough with our current projects to cover our plans, so I cringe when I hear someone with a "great fundraising idea for later in the year!!" I want to know why we would want to raise MORE money. It's unfair to the community to raise money just because you have an enthusiastic volunteer with a pet project.
No doubt every penny we raise can be put to good use, but ask your PTO how much money was carried over last summer. Ask your PTO how much money it is planning to "save" at the end of the year to cover those "just in case" expenses. Do a little research and you might find, like I did, that your PTO is basically sitting on thousands of unspent dollars every year. That's not benefitting anyone. Maybe that sort of fiscal performance is the underlying cause of apathy. Don't know in your case, just a thought to consider.
To answer your initial question: we posted our proposed budget (in detail and pie chart format) on our bulletin board in the lobby for about 2 weeks before our 1st meeting. Our PTO Welcome handout listed over 10 projects that were funded by PTO , and we announced how much PER STUDENT (on average) we spend each year. It's hard to argue with numbers.
We started school on August 8th -very early, I know! We put info in each students' packet about where our money goes and information about the four main fundraisers that we have. Our wrapping paper fundraiser ended on the 10th of September. During this time we have only asked for recipes for our cookbook, which will go on sale in November. It is the 5th year our school has been in operation and our 1st cookbook. We will have the Santa Breakfast the first Sat. in Dec., but will be lucky to make $400. (It is more for the kids) and our last fundraiser is the school carnival held mid-April. I had thought that we were letting parents know about everything, and thought we were spread out in our fundraising efforts. How many fundraisers do other schools do with over 500 students?
We present our annual budget at our first meeting to show all the expenses that need covering. At Back to School Night we share our assemblies for the year, and stress that these programs are paid for by the PTA...we also put up star shaped signs with a blurb about what items we pay for throughout the year. We earmark certain fundraisers for a specific project as well...i.e. we just put in a new Kindergarten playground that we used boxtops funds to pay for. We have several fundraisers a year...but try to space them accordingly so parents are not overwhelmed.
Does anyone have a letter that was sent out to parents explaining why PTO's raise funds? We are starting to get complaints from parents who think their tax money should cover everything. I would really like to get something out to our families so that we can nip this in the bud. We have just had a really successful wrapping paper sale and are in the midst of a cookbook. We still have a Santa Breakfast and spring carnival to go. Is our fundraising calendar too full? How do you know when enough is enough??? Thanks for your help!!
