Working with students can almost guarantee that you have participated in fundraising. If you have worked with students for several years, then you have also seen how successful or miserable fundraising can be for both seller and buyer. In fundraising though, no one has a harder job than the facilitator.
Those in charge of putting together fundraisers with students are a brave breed. You must be on your toes - ready to answer any questions (multiple times), deal with parents, and keeping track of everyone's money. If that is your role: Congratulations... and good luck!
There are several things you can do to help your students with their fundraiser:
1. Pick something they would be willing to buy themselves. If you choose a fundraiser that offers products that your students are uninterested in, then they will lose interest in selling them as well. Find something that the majority considers valuable.
2. Make information clear and available. Post any important date or deadline in an obvious place; make it part of your daily announcements. Remind students of upcoming deadlines often, and in a positive manner.
3. Keep tabs on the selling process. Create a check in point for students to give you an update of how well the products are selling. About halfway through your fundraising period let students give you a report - encourage them the rest of the way!
4. Give yourself a a different deadline. It doesn't matter how often they hear the date, someone will always turn their orders and money in late. Make your own deadline a few days after the students deadline. Allow yourself 2-3 days to calculate the totals, tally the orders together, and get the money settled into the correct account. While you are taking your time with the final process you will have a few late turn-ins.
5. Make it fun! Offer an incentive to the student with the most sold items. Have a prize for students that sell 5 or more items, or those that sell a certain amount by your first check-in point.