We are low income and very rural. Last year with about 430 kids we ran about $54,800 through the PTO. We do not make our kids sell anything (we are proud of that).
We start out the year by doing "Spirit Sales". We use the most local business we can find, we have serveral clothing items and things like umbrella's, sippers, etc. Our Fall Festival is our biggest fundraiser. We do the King/Queen-Prince/Princess contest, this alone raises no less than $10,000. We also have a ham super which raises about $300.00 plus games and booths. We also have a Holiday Day Shop. The year we used Fun Services and had Breakfast with Santa we raised $1200.00 we could have doubled that but hey, it's the holidays. One year we had a change drive that raised $1200.00. In March we have our class basketball tourneys, the last couple of years we have sold t-shirts and other things with our logo on it plus concessions. I think we usually clear about $3000.00 on it. I tried to raffle a basketball goal one time, that flopped. Our final fundraiser is the Spring Fling. It is held outside in the daytime only. It usually gets around $1200.00.
We usually have a family picnic at the beginning of the school year. We are charging 3.00 per meal which includes hotdog - chips - drink - dessert item. Parents donate desserts and we get as much donated as possible. We have raffles and sell popcorn and pop. We do not charge for the moon walk (jumpers) or face painting and games - but you could charge .50 or so. We usually bring in $300-$500. It is a fun way to make a little money.
Bingo seems to do well in a situation like yours. It provides entertainment and socialization. You can adjust the cost to fit your community.
My high school had different clubs take turns running it each week. You could do it once a month or once a quarter.
There are a number of national companies listed in the forums who will donate. Most local donations are solicited from retailers. Be more creative. Ask realtors, banks or doctor offices to help out by donating prizes or money for prizes.
We never had a problems getting people to come out for entertaining events. In a small town, far from everything, entertainment is relished.
Just be sure to check out the state laws regards this, it is considered a game of chance.
In Colorado, you get a license that lasts a calendar year. You don't have to sign up each time. You do need to plan in advance to make sure you get a games manager trained and certified. It costs 4 hours and $10.
Fund raising can be very discouraging in that situation. When parents are rolling their pennies to buy new shoes and the PTO wants to charge them $5 for a catalogue item they can buy at the dollar store. It does make a big difference. I would not say that we live in a rural area (although it probably is) but we have found some creative ways to help both the community and our school. If you can find things that the parents will need it will help out alot. Here are some that do really well for us. We have a "swap meet" parents donate used school items (book bags, shoes, cloths, pencil pouches, folders, calculators, rulers etc..) and Walmart donates new items (paper, pens, pencils)these items are then sold just before school opens (2 or 3 days) if families need the items they are provided for free. (check with you state about this we are not allowed to ask if they need the item or ask the school staff to provide us with names of families that need) we use an honor system if they say they need the item we give the item. this not only gives us extra money it frees upo some money for parents to spend on other fund raisers. Community spirit night is fun as well a few restuarants in the surrounding area will donate a persentage of sales to the school (usually 10%) for one evening parents don't have to cook and the restuarant gets some extra business (we do this twice a year). Walk-a-Thon: we do not do this at our school but as a child I did this. It can be a little involved but well worth the effort. the trick is to have the children walk in a viable area where you can have posters and banners that let the community know what is happening. we use to walk form the school to a park along our route were signs that causioned drivers and the community that "St Johns Walk-a-Thon -- Walking for Windows or Walking for a Cafeteria or Walking for books. The children would get sponsors for walking and that did raise money, however by walking out in the community businesses and community member that did not have children in the school would also make large donations during and after the event. Our school had a jump-a-thon one year that did not do very well (it did well enough) but I feel since it was held at the school it limited community involvement. Just some hints I hope can help and work in your area.
Low income school systems typically have certain benefits afforded to them, the trick is to find out where they are.
Do you have a Target or a Walmart in your county?
Places like that give grants to schools who need them.
Also Call your Congress persons office. You would be suprised in what their staff can help you accomplish. They should be able to direct you to anything that is out there that can help you.
With low income families you may be better doing numerous small scale fundraisers. We do a bagel day 1 day a month. The kids pre order their bagel with either cream cheese or butter and we deliver them at snack time. The bagel costs $1.
Our cost is 50 cents. If that works for you, you can do it 1 day a week or twice a month.
In February you can do candy grams. We buy lolipops they have a to/from card on them and again it is a pre order and on valentines day they are delivered to the kids in the classroom. Parents can order them for the kids and the kids can get them for each other. We charge $1 and the lollipops cost us less then 50 cents.
Do you have a local nursery who can give you plants on consignment? We do this for mothers day and sell small plants for the kids to buy for their moms, grandmoms, aunts, etc...We sell them for $1.50 each. You return what you do not sell. We made $600 this year on that.
Our Girl Scout troop also got bigger plants from this nursery on Good Friday. We sold them outside our local market and made a killing. We actually sold out and could have made more if we had more to sell.
How about selling popcorn to students every Friday afternoon?
School carnival.
Deal with your fundraising company. Competition is fierce amoung these companies. Find one who really wants your business and then tell them what its going to take to get it. We got ours to donate games and prizes for our carnival so our carnival profits have really gone up since prizes was one of the big expenses.
Pop Can Drive.
Donation jugs at all PTO events, on the school office counter, counters at local businesses?
