Is Your Fundraising Hurting Your Parent Experience?

Hi friends! 

Today we have a much-needed topic for you: fundraising.

I've been talking A LOT about this recently, not only because it's the start of annual giving, but because the way you approach your asks year-round will truly affect your parents' perception of your school, their overall experience, and ultimately, your retention. 

Let's dive into some common fundraising tactics that I promise are not serving you OR your families, especially in small and independent schools: 

• You're not being mindful of when and how you're asking. If you've already asked for a lot of fees at the beginning of the year, by the time fundraising season rolls around, parents will be burnt out!
  
  
• Your fundraising strategies are not supporting everyone. For instance, does the class that raises the most money get a pizza party? This makes students & families feel left out or like they didn't do enough. Instead, make it a win-win. 
  
  
• Your fundraising season is too long. I'm a huge fan of the shortened giving season from Oct-end of December. This allows parents to feel like you're not asking too much of them. 

So ask yourself this year: what can I do to improve parent satisfaction? I'd love to know what fundraising tactics you're using at your school.

Connect with me & other small school leaders at our next meetup! This is a space where you can air your frustrations, get support for all your schools' challenges, and celebrate your win. Sign-up here, I'd love to see you there!

Aubrey