Few jobs that demand a person to wear as many hats as a youth worker. Often times you’re a one-person pastor, preacher, teammate, counselor, worship leader – the list goes on and on. And at Passport we know that with summer camps and mission trips marked on the calendar, means that you put on yet another hat – fundraiser. So where does a time-strapped pastor start? With a plan, of course!
Much like any event, the secret to a successful fundraiser is thoughtful planning. To help you achieve fundraising success, here are the six things you need to do before you launch your fundraiser.
1) Define Specific Goals.
Determine your fundraiser’s main goal but figuring out how much money your youth group must have to consider the fundraiser a success. Then create secondary goals by asking yourself, “What could be do with an an extra $100? $200? $500?” These secondary goals are helpful when promoting the fundraiser after the main goal has been met.
2) Set a Deadline.
Resist the inclination to shrug off creating hard-and-fast deadline and let the fundraiser drag on. Establishing an end date creates a sense of urgency for givers and helps your key players understand exactly what they are committing to.
3) Establish a Budget.
How much can you afford to spend on overhead? Determining your budget ahead of time minimizes unforeseen costs and allows you to create a budget-conscious fundraiser.
4) Choose a Method (Wisely).
Fundraising methods are not all created equally. You might have raised $500 though last year’s Valentine’s Day dance at the church, but how much did the decorations, food etc cost? With $500 in your hand, the event could feel like a success without really being one. Before you follow last year’s fundraising footsteps, it is important to evaluate the true effectiveness of each campaign.
Write down the fundraising methods you are considering and then ask yourself these important questions to determine what is best for youth youth group.
- What upfront costs does this require? Does it fit within my budget.?
- How much time am I asking of students? parents? myself?
5) Create a Checklist and Timeline.
Create a checklist of everything that must be done being as detailed as possible. Some example checklist items might be:
- Recruiting students and parents
- Event Logistics
- Creating signs & promotional materials
- Food & beverage etc
Group the tasks by when they should be done – for example Day-Of Tasks, Week-Of Tasks, Month Prior etc. Then create your timeline by using your deadline to assign completion dates for each group.
6) Clearly Define Roles & Responsibilities
Identify who your key players will be – students, parents, volunteers etc. Then using your checklist, assign roles and responsibilities to each key player.
Have any fundraising planning tips? Share them in the comments!