Fundraise with Limited Support: 5 Smart Strategies for Big Results

No surprise here–it’s the classic 80/20 rule. If you’re a parent leading your child’s school fundraising program, you know that volunteerism is down and so is support for conducting your fundraisers. According to Americorp, volunteer rates across the US dropped from 30% in 2019 to 23% in 2021.

Sure, the COVID-19 pandemic threw us some curveballs with lockdowns and social distancing, but the bigger trends speak to a changing landscape. Mark Snyder, the director of the Center for the Study of the Individual and Society at the University of Minnesota, says 

“Younger generations today are much more likely to work multiple jobs, and many continue sharing living spaces long after their college days. These are real barriers to getting involved. Not everyone has the luxury of ample free time for volunteering.”

So, if you find yourself leading a fundraiser in the midst of this downward trend, but need to get things done to raise some money, here are 5 ways to fundraise with limited support.

Opt for a Catalog Sale

Consider the simplicity of catalog sales programs like Classic Cookies’ Indulgence Collection. Here’s how easy it is: 

• You’ll pass out packets containing catalogs and order forms that the fundraising company puts together for you. 
• Your group members sell the products, taking orders on the order form and collecting money at the time of the sale. 
• Your role? 
  • Collect orders and money when the sales period wraps up. 
  • Deposit money in the bank account, and place the orders as one large order. 
  • Once that’s done, pay the bill and receive the orders. 
• Then, all that’s left is for your members to pick up their orders when they deliver, which come organized and labeled by group member’s name for easy distribution. 

You leave that afternoon happily to go on your merry way, having made a positive impact without needing a lot of people to help.

View King Fundraising’s Classic Cookie dough and other catalog sales here. 

Schedule Smaller Sales Around Volunteers’ Schedules

Efficiency is key when you have to fundraise with limited support. For example, let’s say you’re eager to run a World’s Finest Chocolate bar sale, but you’ve got time constraints that complicate when parents can check out a box of chocolate bars. You are only available on Monday mornings from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and your volunteer can only help on Tuesday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. In this situation, 

• Opt for placing smaller orders and scheduling your chocolate bar checkout and money collection for those times only. 
• Then make sure everyone knows these days and times by sending home letters, posting on social media, and displaying signs that highlight the days and times that you can checkout the chocolate and collect money. 

This way, you will make the most of your valuable time while still filling your organization’s bank account with more money.

Learn more about conducting a World’s Finest Chocolate sale here. 

Go Online to Fundraise with Limited Support

Have your King Fundraising specialist set up an online store like ForFundsOnline.com. This approach will allow you to market your products seamlessly through social media and send emails to friends and family.

You can further promote the program by sending notes home multiple times (even daily) for a few weeks or throughout the semester. 

In the end, the online fundraising program company mails you a profit check for your group’s portion of the revenue. Orders are shipped directly to your customers. It’s that easy! 

While online fundraisers might not raise as much as catalog sales, these fundraising programs are growing in popularity and are an excellent option when you have to fundraise with limited support. It doesn’t get any easier than this online sale.

Check out our online fundraising program here. 

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple silly. Simplicity can be your best friend, especially when volunteer support is limited. Consider something like a coupon book that offers 50% profit. This approach can help you raise funds without having to deal with multiple products. 

Though food sales typically outperform hard goods like a coupon book, it’s worth noting that few products offer margins higher than 40% and many of your supporters will see value in selling discount coupons. 

To see if King Fundraising offers a coupon book in your area, click here.

Sell In-House

When volunteer support is limited, it may be easiest to consider an in-house approach. Simplify the process by setting up shop on campus. In this case, you will want to show up a few days a week throughout the semester. Provide products like snack bags of popcorn from our Poppin Popcorn fundraising program. The popcorn snack bags can sell for $2 to $3 each and provide delicious flavors students and teachers will return for time and again when they have the munchies. 

For more on our popcorn program, click here. 

You Can Fundraise with Limited Support

Not all fundraisers have to be over-the-top, especially when you are trying to fundraise with limited support. Instead, you can make the most of your resources and still raise a lot of money with the suggestions above. 

And remember, having a dependable ally like King Fundraising by your side can make a world of difference in ensuring your fundraising success.

For more on recruiting strategies that keep volunteers coming back to help, click here.