Put the ““FUN ” in Fund Raising! by Kimberly Grant Theta Iota/Tau Beta Sigma
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ne of the most important things in chapter operations is fund raising. Fund raising can sometimes be an unhappy topic among chapters, but attention to a few simple points can make the process easier.
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ormulate a yearly budget. This puts all chapter revenue and expenses down on paper so it’s easier to look at your financial standpoint. When new projects arise, you’ll know whether or not you have room in the budget to take on the task. Don’t forget to include a “miscellaneous” amount in your calculations to allow for the unexpected. Consider starting a Ways and Means Committee in your chapter if you do not already have one. Ask for help on your budget if you don’t know where to start. It’s important to have a responsible treasurer that can keep track of all monies and be able to keep everyone informed on the chapter’s financial standing at all times.
whether or not the project will consume precious chapter funds. The chapter should know where the treasury will stand upon the completion of every project.
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efine goals clearly. Establish both long-term and shortterm goals. Many projects fail because there are no clear-cut goals. Make sure everyone understands the goals of every project and keep the chapter updated on the progress. Inform everyone of both the benefits of the success of a project and the consequence of its failure. Delegate responsibility when necessary, and make sure everyone knows they have an important part in all activities. Members that feel unwanted or unneeded may not show up or give their all to a project.
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nderestimate. Always underestimate goals so that you won’t be left out in the cold if a fundraiser does not go exactly as planned. Always have a backup plan. Let’s say you need to raise $500 to complete a project. You have planned to have five car washes and estimate an income of $100 at each one. It sounds like a good plan, but what if you only make $65 at one and another is cancelled because of rain? Be prepared for the worst. You could plan seven car washes instead of five. Be prepared to have a backup fundraiser like a bake sale if the weather is bad. You could estimate making $80 at each one even if you know you could easily make more. At the end of a fundraiser it’s always better to have more than you anticipated than not enough.
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ever go broke. Rethink any project or service that will leave your chapter low on funds. You can postpone it until you generate more funds in your treasury or figure out how you can cut costs. The treasurer should also be able to advise the chapter on its spending and financial standing before and after every proposed chapter project. This is important, because many times members may have great ideas and want to follow through but do not think about
8 – The PODIUM, Spring 2002 8—The PODIUM, Spring 2002
ecycle. Whenever designing items for selling purposes, try to make them as generic as possible. A great fundraiser is selling T-shirts, but try to avoid using any eventspecific slogans or dates that will prevent you from reselling them in the future. If you sell T-shirts to your band, you can always sell them to freshmen the next year in the event that you have leftovers. Don’t be afraid to recycle ideas. There are A LOT of fund raising ideas out there in other chapters that you may be able to utilize. This is sometimes a better way to develop a new fundraiser for your chapter, because you can ask another chapter what worked for them and what didn’t, what problems they encountered, and any suggestions they might have. Not only ask other chapters for successful tips on fund raising, but share yours also.
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lways target a specific consumer. Don’t just assume that everyone will want what you’re selling. Target a particular consumer that will be in the market for what you have. During band camp, the easiest things to sell to a band are anything COLD or WET, such as water, snow cones, or sports beverages. During cold football games sell coffee or hot chocolate. Sell food items on campus on nights when dinner is over early or during final exams.
