Thursday, March 22, 2012

Using promotional items for schools

Using promotional items for schools by Abraham Sherman

 


Schools like any business need to get the word out. Colleges promote hoping eligible students like what they see and enroll. Public schools such as High Schools also must promote to encourage enrollment. Many cities and towns have adopted policies that offer more flexibility to parents and students. Just because, the is close to home, does not mean the student has to enroll there. Schools must compete to get students, the budget is based on the number of students enrolled. Institutions that provide grant funds to schools may take into consideration the involvement in promoting itself.
Schools hold fundraisers and many times students sell promotional items banners, pens, even replicas of the school mascot. Promotional items will have the school name and possibly a short description of the school on them. Students considering changing will be exposed to the promotional items. Pens are everywhere and are used by everyone. Promotional items can be displayed anywhere. Stickers on notebooks bumpers and banners hung over doorways are continuously promoting the school. Items used daily by students, and parents will garner the most exposure.
Schools public and private alike have functions to raise money. Fundraisers are an excellent promotional tool baked goods or food can be sold at the event. Fundraisers allow the community to get to know the school and its staff. Aside from the traditional promotions, can have their own pens or notebooks, the expenditure on promotional items can show a return in enrollments.
School logos can be imprinted on virtually anything. Schools of course need to be aware of items that may not properly reflect the mission. Deciding on what items to have imprinted with the logo is important. Many schools do not allow tee shirts or shirts with logos on them to be worn in school. Therefore, any clothing with the logo on them would be targeted for sale to other than students. Coffee cups with the logo imprinted on them can be used. Schools might consider asking local diners if they might be willing to incorporate some of the cups into their inventory.
Word of mouth of course is still a promotional tool, but words are forgotten quickly. Items with the school name on them are continually reintroducing the school. Items that are used and are stored in purses and pockets such as pens or key chains are constant reminders. Banners can be hung over doorways where people will pass; the name is always in the back of someone's mind.
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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Online Fundraising for Schools

Online Fundraising for Schools by Corbin Reynolds

 

Our nations school systems have been declining in their excellence over the past few years. Billions of dollars in school budget cuts have caused teachers to lose jobs, class sizes to almost double, and a large overcrowding in schools, all of which affect student's learning experiences. Schools have begun to resort to their traditional fundraising events, such as selling products door to door, but are finding them to be much less successful than in the past. The declining economy has caused many former donors to hold onto their wallets instead of support their favorite charities. Fundraisers for schools must take a different face in order for school to stay on top of their expenses.
This dilemma in school fundraising can only be fixed through very effective fundraising events. While some have found success in the traditional fundraising methods, most have not. Many nonprofit organizations, including churches, are turning their fundraising efforts to the Internet. Over $42 Billion were spent online in ecommerce last year. New school fundraising companies are giving organizations a chance to earn a tiny portion of that large $42 Billion.
This is done through services that offer schools a list of over four hundred merchants their supporters can shop from. Each time someone shops through the school at one of these merchants, the school immediately receives a small percentage of the final sale as a donation. How easy is that for a school fundraiser? School fundraising events have always been short-lived ventures, not lasting more than a week or two. This new online fundraising method can last all year round as a school fundraiser, allowing schools to earn thousands of dollars a year through fundraising.
The great part about these school fundraising programs is that some are free to sign up for. No costs up front or membership fees. Schools can simply sign up and receive benefits immediately. GivingJOE.com was the first online business to offer this school fundraiser, and they remain a free service. While many school fundraisers have failed in the past few years, a small minority has really thrived as spending has transitioned to the online world. Be sure to get involved with these services for your next school fundraising idea and start earning today!
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Equity investment in nonprofits spurs returns

PJ staff report | March 14, 2012

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Equity investment

Equity investment

Providing significant, multi-year investment in the capacity and sustainability of a nonprofit can yield social returns by increasing an organization's services and revenue, a new report says.

In one set of such "philanthropic equity investments," nonprofits' services grew 370 percent, while revenue increased 170 percent, says the report from the Nonprofit Finance Fund's NFF Capital Partners.

NFF Capital defines philanthropic equity investments as "typically significant, multi-year investments that a nonprofit organization uses on the path to sustainable growth or change."

Unlike for-profit investments, the return on such early-stage investment in a nonprofit is social rather than financial.

"At a time when nonprofits are facing an uphill battle to solve our nation's social problems, philanthropic equity allows nonprofits to build the businesses required to implement effective business models, scale impact and create lasting change," Craig Reigel, managing director of NFF Capital, says in a statement.

Since 2006, NFF Capital has supported 18 philanthropic-equity campaigns, which together have raised $326 million in investments.

And among its nine multi-year campaigns, non-philanthropic-equity revenue has increased $63 million over pre-campaign totals, indicating that greater long-term sustainability, the report says.

Revenue for these multi-year campaigns has almost tripled, the report says, with a compound annual growth rate of 32 percent.

The group's longest running campaign began in 2006 on behalf of GlobalGiving and has posted almost 15-fold growth in the programs it delivers.

With the infusion of this type of investment, the report says, "nonprofit can focus on building their organizations to better address the social problems they seek to solve."



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Monday, March 19, 2012

Online giving grows

PJ staff report | March 12, 2012

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Online giving

Online giving

Led by small and medium-sized organizations, online giving grew 13 percent in 2011, excluding online giving to international charities, a new report says.

Including international giving, which surged in 2010 in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, online giving in 2011 grew only 0.3 percent, down from 35 percent in 2010, says the 2011 Online Giving Report from Blackbaud.

Online giving as a share of total fundraising fell to 6.3 percent in 2011 from 7.6 percent a year earlier, a decline also attributed to the outpouring of online giving after the Haiti earthquake, says the report.

The report is based on 24 months of online giving data from 1,895 nonprofits, as well as online major-giving data from 2,387 nonprofits, and both online and offline data representing $5.1 billion in total fundraising from 1,560 nonprofits.

International giving was the only category of online giving that fell in 2011, with every other sector posting double-digit growth since 2009.

And except for international-affairs and public-society/benefit groups, online revenue as a share of total revenue grew.

Driving the growth in online giving was an increase in the number of big online gifts to nonprofits, with 87 percent of organizations receiving at least one online gift of $1,000 or more.

The median online gift of $1,000 or more totaled $1,200, the biggest amount given online in the data analyzed was $260,000, and 43 percent of donations of $1,000 or more ranged from $1,000 to $5,000.

End-of-year giving continued to account for most online donations, with 34.8 percent of online gifts made in October, November and December.

December alone accounted for 20.3 percent of all online giving.

Online fundraising for nonprofits with over $10 million in annual total fundraising grew 8.6 percent in 2011 from 2010, but fell 15.5 percent when international-affairs groups are included.

Online fundraising grew 13.1 percent for nonprofits with annual total fundraising between $1 million and $10 million, and 12.8 percent for nonprofits with annual total fundraising under $1 million.

Nonprofits with annual total fundraising between $1 million and $10 million accounted for over 40 percent of all online giving in 2011.



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