How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Just curious - we haven't even had a full week of school yet and we're on fundraiser number 3 (on top of the checks I've written to the PTA to join, for the school BBQ and for school pictures).

We've done so far in September:

Kid Stuff Coupon Book
Spirit Wear
Wrapping Paper and other items

Just want to get an idea what the norm is.

ETA - this is just for September... My son is in kindergarten and I know there are other items but, I just wanted to know if I should continue to anticipate 3 fundraisers a month.

Message edited 9/30/2015 1:34:47 PM.

How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

I feel there's one a month..those you mentioned plus others.

Message edited 9/30/2015 12:58:08 PM.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

School calendar $5
School directory (print and on line access) given with PTA dues
Kid stuff book $25
Write a check campaign, if you saw the face book thing that was passed around a few weeks ago, our school district does this already.
Pizza dinner $15 for pizza pie, drinks are $1 each
Bowling night
Zillion bubbles show, which is brought to the school. $10 per family
Movie nights for 1/2 days (last year it was the lego movie and minions) $5 per kid
International night
School spirit wear $10-15
Parking space raffle
They also collect $50 per child for the PTA dues. That alone raises $20,000 per year. They use it for chrome books, smart boards, field trips, and bringing events like penguins from the aquarium to the school.

Last year they also sold reusable bags.

Message edited 9/30/2015 1:32:07 PM.

How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Thanks - those three were just for September- along with dues ($10pp) and BBQ, ($25 per family).


I know we also have Bingo (in Feb), a big tricky tray (in Nov), Flower Sale (spring) and other items but, I guess I was caught off guard by the frequency of the take home fundraising efforts.

I bought the coupon book because it pays for itself, and my mom and MIL are buying wrapping paper (I may buy a roll or two since it is good paper)...

ETA - and every kid in the school has an iPad and the older kids have Chrome Books.

Message edited 9/30/2015 1:37:50 PM.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

They have sent home a lot of stuff so far but most goes in the garbage.
I paid for my membership dues, I did the book fair only beause I wanted to get DD some new books, and that's it.

I'm not here to fund them in addition to all my tax dollars.

They sent home that coupon book and wanted $25 for it. It went right back in her backpack. I have no use for those coupons.

And I will NOT sell any wrapping paper or other assorted, overpriced garbage either.
That goes right in the trash!

How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

PTAs do a ton of fundraisers. No one expects anyone to do them all. If you can do one then it is considered a plus. But please remember that any money you give to these fundraisers all go back to the kids so you are not funding the PTA you are funding programs for your kids.

I am the PTA president of our school and also the special needs PTA. The beginning of the year is always the most busiest with fundraisers o we have the money for the rest of the year. Our list this year is:

Membership, Back to School Movie Night (free), Spiritwear (yearlong), Square One Art, Holiday Pies, Mixed Bags, Halloween Dances, Gingerbread University, Mini Golf Night, Disney Raffle, Talent Show, Wingo, School Pictures, Book Fair, PARP, Milk and Cookies Night (free), Field Day (Free), end of year bbq, Basket Dinner.

With all the money we raise we paid for over $20,000 in assemblies that come into school for the kids and various other little things we do for them throughout the year.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

I feel the first few months are the busiest with fundraising and then it bottoms out by January.

So far we had:
Kid stuff book
School pictures
Fit walk
Ice cream night
A local restaurant night
Book club
Every 3rd Tuesday is a daddy and kid breakfast (my DH and kids love it)

Next week is
School wear stuff


I know they also do chocolate for Easter time, and they do subway and dominos night a bunch of times and a bunch of others that I don't remember from last year. Oh we also have a carnival in May that is supposedly our biggest fundraiser, it's $15 a wristband and then food and stuff.

We do as many as we can bc our pta is wonderful and has done so much for the kids.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Welcome to Elementary school. lol. Once the kids get to middle school, it slows down.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

I say at least once a month with the first month being the busiest. We had dues, coupon books and spirit wear and chocolate sale so far in September. I pick and choose what I do. I definitely don't do them all. I did 3 of the 4 I mentioned so far. And I do different ones every year. I don't mind them coming home for the PTA has provided wonderful programs to our kids to enrich their school programs.

How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Thanks for your feedback. I'm definitely not planning on doing them all and know how beneficial the PTA is - just trying to gauge if this is normal or excessive compared to others since I've heard our PTA does more than others in our district. But, it seems to be the norm.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

3 already, just like you listed. Pictures also.

Message edited 10/2/2015 10:23:36 AM.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Some schools get several fundraisers off the ground very quickly at the beginning of the year but then they die down.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

.

Message edited 10/10/2015 4:55:06 PM.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Wow that seems like ALOT to me! Aside from PTA dues our school really doesn't do many at all! Really only a luncheon.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

So far this year, we have had:

Coupon Book
Spirit Wear
Family Night Fun Fundraiser
Haunted Halls Fundraiser coming up
Rise of the Jack-O-Laterns ticket fundraiser

Message edited 10/11/2015 12:19:45 PM.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

Message edited 10/11/2015 8:50:19 PM.

Re: How often does your PTA do fundraisers?

I'm on the PTA board, and we do quite a few upfront (in line with what you are saying).

I think it's a couple of issues - one, getting funding in upfront helps us finance other free things for the kids that come up early in the year (e.g., we do a Halloween carnival).

But also, a lot of items are seasonal. So things like gift wrap and gift items need to be in well in advance of the holidays, we do a fall plant sale with basket of mums that people want to display in the fall.

Also, there may be more than one organization fundraising. For example, we do our school PTA fundraisers, but there is a district wide SEPTA that ran a fall candle fundraiser early on, simultaneously with some of the others (the Yankee Candles seem to also be geared toward fall/winter scents).

We do a push for spirit wear in the fall and then again the spring... but lots of people like to purchase in the fall because the kids wear the gear to assemblies or parents give stuff as holiday gifts.

I think it's pretty normal (I have friends in other districts), and also I agree that there's no expectation/pressure to participate in all/any fundraising efforts.

But yes, it is A LOT of info/papers/etc going home at once. That's for sure!