Get Movin' Blog

Prep for Your Winter School Fundraiser: A Guide to Starting the New Year with a Bang!

A successful winter fundraising event not only brings the school community together but also plays a vital role in enhancing student experiences. Imagine being able to afford new technology, playground upgrades, more field trips, and updated classroom resources before the end of the school year. That’s what a well-executed Winter Fundraiser can achieve!

1. Pick the Right Type of Winter Event

Winter is ideal for indoor fundraising events. Our top recommendation? The Read-Athon. It's versatile and engaging. Consider transforming your library into a snug reading haven or tracking reading as a journey around the world. You can even host a masked reader event, where staff members dress up and read live online, with families guessing their identities. Other creative indoor events include Math-Athons, Spell-Athons, Code-Athons, Bake-Athons, or Paint-Athons.

2. Create a Winter Fundraising Plan Before the Holiday Break

Once you've chosen a winter fundraising event, it's time to take some actionable steps!

• Set Clear Objectives: What are your financial targets? More importantly, what do these funds aim to achieve? Whether it's new sports equipment, updated technology for classrooms, or enriching field trips, having clear objectives will guide your planning process.
• Style and Theme: What theme will resonate with your audience? Whether it's a winter wonderland, a literary escape, or a tech-savvy adventure, a compelling theme can significantly boost engagement and excitement.

• Promotional Calendar: To ensure a consistent and effective promotion of your fundraiser, create a detailed promotional calendar. This calendar should outline when and how you will communicate with potential donors and participants. Include key dates for sending out newsletters, updating social media, distributing flyers, and other promotional activities. The calendar should start well before the event and continue through to the conclusion of the fundraiser, ensuring sustained engagement. Teamed up with Get Movin' for your winter fundraiser? You've got access to tons of templates and even digital, dynamic flyers on FundHub!

• Organizing Incentives: Incentives can be a powerful tool to encourage participation and donations. Plan a variety of incentives - especially experience incentives like having lunch with the principal or turning the gym teacher into a human sundae. Ensure that these incentives are well-publicized and tied into your promotional calendar for maximum impact.

• Volunteer Coordination: Fundraisers thrive on volunteer support. Determine how many volunteers you'll need for various tasks like organizing, promoting, and running the event. Consider creating committees for different aspects of the fundraiser for better management. The good news - with FundHub you don't need many volunteers to raise big donations. The online tools do the work of a much larger team! Plus, we've got an easy-to-use Volunteer Organizer to make sign-ups for volunteers on event day a breeze.

• Third-Party Services and Partnerships: Assess if services are needed for your event. This could be for catering, entertainment, or online fundraising platforms (Like us!). Partnerships with local businesses can also be beneficial as you can often get items donated for your event!

By following these detailed steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a Winter Fundraiser that is not only successful but also memorable for all those involved. Remember, the key is in the details, and the earlier you start planning, the smoother your event will go!

3. Prepare for Success With a Teaser Promotion

Start with a teaser promotion before the holiday break. This could be a special newsletter, FB Live, or a fun video.

Important information to include:

• Event name (e.g., "Seasons Readings Read-Athon!")
• Kick-off date
• Major fundraising goals
• Incentives for participation
• Early promotion ensures higher engagement and participation!

Additional Pre-Break Tasks:

• Plan the fundraiser kick-off.
• Make necessary reservations for event spaces.
• Meet your fundraising coach if you're teamed up with Get Movin'!

4. Promote Your Fundraiser Online After the Holiday Break

Once the holiday break concludes, it's time to ramp up your promotional efforts with a winter-specific twist:

• Inform and Engage Teachers: Provide teachers with detailed guides on how they can contribute to and participate in the fundraiser. Consider winter-themed classroom activities or challenges that align with the fundraising goals.
• Leverage Online Platforms: Utilize the power of digital media. Regularly update your school’s website, send out online newsletters, and post on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Use engaging graphics and videos that highlight the winter theme of your fundraiser. For instance, create a snowy, festive atmosphere in your visuals to capture the essence of winter.
• Update Community Regularly: Keep the school community engaged with frequent updates. Share progress towards goals, upcoming events, and highlight participants’ efforts. Consider live-streaming parts of the fundraiser or sharing photo updates to maintain interest.
• Highlight Winter-specific Incentives: If your fundraiser includes incentives or prizes, make sure they’re winter-themed. For example, offer hot chocolate parties, winter gear, or tickets to local winter events as rewards for participation or reaching certain donation levels.

Organizing a Winter Fundraiser is an exciting opportunity to bring together creativity, community spirit, and effective strategy. By focusing on winter-themed activities and promotions, you can create an engaging and memorable experience that resonates with your audience. With careful planning, innovative ideas, and robust online promotion, your Winter Fundraiser is set to be not just a successful event, but also a delightful celebration that significantly contributes to the betterment of your school and students. Let’s embrace the winter spirit and make this year's fundraiser a remarkable success!