We know you are busy juggling work, family, running a household, being a good volunteer parent, and helping your kids and their teams raise the funds they depend on for their well-run sports teams and activities. And we know you can’t be an expert at everything. If you are charged with helping with fundraising, read this post to learn the Five Key Steps for running a truly Inspired Fundraiser!

1. Preparation – Nothing great can ever be accomplished without some thoughtful preparation. Make sure you know what the purpose of the fundraiser is. Whether it is purchasing new team uniforms, equipment, or attending an out of town tournament, it is critical to know the purpose and dollar goal of the fundraiser. Then, gather all the necessary materials you need to launch - the who, why, and what. You will also need to think through all of the ways you intend to communicate the fundraiser: flyers in backpacks, email addresses of parents, website, social media, etc. Now you are ready to spread the word.

2. Launch – Agree to your fundraiser launch date with the others on your committee and the coach/teacher and communicate your fundraiser: purpose, what is expected of them, how long it lasts, and ask for their support.

3. Update Regularly – Send updates throughout the fundraising period to let your supporters know how close you are to the dollar goal.

4. Goal Achieved – Communicate and acknowledge the closure of the fundraiser. Congratulations if you’ve you exceeded your goal! If you haven’t achieved it, acknowledge that as well.

5. Thanks! – Thank everyone for their contributions.

An Inspired Fundraiser 

Here is a guide regarding what to expect in a typical fundraiser following the above preparation and launch.

Boosts you can use along the way to encourage donations and spending -- if you are using an online shopping site like Inspire.World offered at no cost to you to achieve your goal:

• Posting to Facebook and other social media sites to involve friends and family far and wide – don’t forget photos or a short video to capture excitement.
• Incorporating contests, or giveaways to the team member who raises the most in a given period of time.
• Weekly drawings for a $20 gift cards to everyone who has turned in large donations or orders that week (or had shoppers on the Inspire.World store site set up at no charge for your fundraiser).
• Sharing the success stories/photos/videos of the team members who have made significant contributions.