The Dangers of Asking Too Much

Sep 19, 2021

Hi friends, 

As Annual Giving season is right around the corner, today I'm here to tell you one of the major fundraising mistakes that I see in small and independent schools. 

In addition, making this key mistake can also negatively impact your retention efforts. So, let's dive in!

I'll start by asking you a few questions about your expectations of parents and your routine asks throughout the year, such as: 

Do you ask parents for an activity fee in addition to the contract?
What about a parent's association fee?
A classroom fee?
End of the year gifts?
 
What about asking to contribute food or baked goods?

And, the list goes on!

While it may seem routine for you, from a parent's perspective, and especially for parents with multiple children, these contributions really add up. Even if it's an optional fee, parents may feel obligated.

As a result of frequent asks, particularly before the Annual Giving season, the fundraising participation can decrease significantly, as well as a decrease in their satisfaction. 

So, I'm going to encourage you to take a look at what you're asking of parents right now, and really be mindful of how this can impact your fundraising and retention. 

Whether it's combining some of these fees with the contract, or limiting the number of asks before Annual Giving, there are so many simple changes you can make to improve retention and fundraising participation. 

If you're looking for more fundraising strategies this season, unlock our free Marketing Resource Vault, tailored to small & independent schools!

Aubrey