Any teacher who’s headed up extra-curricular clubs and sports teams will know how difficult it can be to raise funds to keep the club going.
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Band Fundraising & Ideas
Any teacher who’s headed up extra-curricular clubs and sports teams will know how difficult it can be to raise funds to keep the club going.
The band comes with many financial responsibilities, including covering the cost of instruments and travel between venues, as well as the occasional costs of overnight stays.
If you need funds for your school band, it’s time to start getting creative about fundraising. From classic fundraising activities like car washing to more innovative ideas, let’s look at some great fundraising ideas that can help you raise the cash to keep your band going for the next academic year.
Education resources
Choose your fundraiser
The first thing you’ll need to do is choose the kind of fundraising event you’d like to hold. It’s worth brainstorming with your band to get ideas for this because the more people you can get on board for the fundraiser, the more successful it’ll likely be. When choosing a fundraising event, consider the time of year – is the weather good enough to host an outdoor event? – as well as the logistics of organizing such an event.
Concerts
One of the most obvious choices for a fundraising event for a school band is hosting a concert. You can charge for tickets in advance or at the door, and it’s an event that your attendees will get something out of too. Most concerts can take place on school premises, and the set-up isn’t too complicated either.
Yard sales
Between a whole band, you’d be surprised how much-unwanted stuff can be sold off in a yard sale to raise money. This isn’t something you can rely on too often – or you’ll all run out of possessions to sell off – but in a squeeze, a yard sale can be a fun event that parents and other students will enjoy.
Benefit picnic
Hosting a benefit picnic or potluck meal can be a fun way to get everyone in the school involved in your fundraising attempts. Ask attendees to bring along something for the picnic, with donations accepted before, during, and after the event for those who want to help raise money for the band. You could even pencil in a mini-recital during the picnic to convince people to part with their cash.
Be unique
Concerts and yard sales are classic fundraising activities, but the world is your oyster when it comes to raising money for the school band. Why not be creative and organize something entirely new? If Halloween is approaching, you could throw your own Halloween movie night with the price of tickets going towards the band, or even – if you’ve got the time to organize it – host a community sports event or a dance.
Marketing & sponsorship
Once you’ve decided what kind of an event you’d like to host, it’s time to turn your mind to the important matters of maximizing the funds you raise. Too often, organizers are busy trying to ensure their fundraiser is fun and everyone has a good time. However, without putting equal efforts into marketing and sponsorship, this doesn’t always equal success.
Marketing is about getting the details of your fundraiser out there to increase attendance and donations, while sponsorship is about maximizing donations from every avenue. Don’t be afraid to use multiple methods for both. Traditional marketing techniques like posters and flyers can be combined with digital marketing techniques using social media and other online platforms.
Classful is an online fundraising platform that can raise awareness of your fundraising campaigns and collect donations and sponsorship money in one place. If you’re holding a ticketed event, don’t be afraid to sign up to Classful to collect sponsorship money from people who perhaps don’t want to attend your event but still want to support the band; you might be surprised by how much more you can make by doubling your donation streams in this way.
Fundraising with Classful
By advertising your event on Classful, you can market it to a wider audience and gain a new revenue stream via online sponsorships. It’s also quick and easy to donate via Classful, which means donors who more convoluted donation routes might put off can quickly sign up and pay whatever they want to your cause.
Fundraisers can be organized by anyone using Classful; a school can raise funds on behalf of the band, or the band can fundraise for themselves. It’s quick, convenient, and the perfect way to bring your fundraising event online, no matter whether you’re hosting a yard sale, a sports event, or organizing a band concert.
Sign up for Classful today to raise money for your high school band.
