It’s sad, but over the past 10 years we have taught our kids that they don’t have to worry about helping with the groups fundraiser because someone else will take care of it, right?
Why have we done this?
Truth be known it’s because we as parents have become very busy and somehow forgot that all important lesson our parents taught us which was” hard work is the key to any success”. That the team is only as good as its weakest player and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and that what we do individually adds to the sum of the collective.
There is no easier way to demonstrate this long-lost philosophy than to evaluate an average fundraiser, but let’s get back to that in a minute.
What if we take a look at the idea of voting as an example. If our kids don’t feel like their small contribution matters in a group fundraiser, why would they believe their one vote among millions of others would make a difference in how an election turns out?
How about this, have you ever been in a room of 100 people all singing a song and then had them stop singing one by one? What happens?
Well, first the volume and intensity doesn’t seem affected, but as time goes by you suddenly notice the song starts fading and eventually the room is quiet…the song is lost, the goal is missed because someone else wasn’t taking care of it.
Ok, now back to our fundraising example.
I recently met with a PTO representing a student body of 350 kids. They have struggled year after year to reach even minuscule monetary goals and why? They have an average of 60 students participate in their fundraiser. Why do the other 290 kids feel like it’s OK they don’t help?
Let’s look at just how much each child does matter. If this school was selling a Discount Card for say $20 each and the school made $15 profit on each card sold and they had 65 students each sell just five cards the school would make $ 4875 which is half of their goal. Not good right, looks like the school is in trouble.
What would happen if EVERY child did their small part and sold only five cards? The school would make $26,050 dollars which is over TWICE their goal for the entire year. Doing your small part makes a HUGE difference and our kids need to know this.
Now that I have shared all the modern day problems facing fundraising, let me offer a solution because “Life is digital” now and your fundraising need to be too.
Digital Fundraising helps bring back personal accountability by offering:
- Increased participation because it’s easy – You already use your phone for EVERYTHING else in life right
- Immediate Gratification, many times you will see supporter’s donations within minutes
- Real time reporting so kids see the difference their effort makes
- The ability to offer prizes and have competitions
- Safe..no more door to door
- Best of all, the kids probably don’t need their parents to help, although it’s really cool if they do.
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