If you are relatively new to fundraising, at least in a managing role, then you've very likely been asking yourself, "how do I get started on my school fundraiser?"

What may have seemed like an easy task at first is actually a bit tricky during the organizational stages, and it's important that you get the basics right with your school fundraiser before you move on the more practical aspects. The answers to your questions can be easily be found online. Take a deep breathe and then start your research.

"What are the first things I need to know for my fundraiser?"

The initial assessment stage is an important step that many people skim over when planning their school fundraiser, but this is something you should take great care with. Arrange a meeting with all the relevant people and discuss exactly what you hope to achieve in terms of dollar amount. Try to be as specific as possible, so that you have a clear goal to aim for. Being fuzzy about your goal is the easiest way to start being lazy about your school fundraising campaign. Count up how many people are going to be on your sales team (presumably mostly students), and figure out exactly what each person needs to accomplish to make the effort a success.

"How do I choose a product for my school fundraiser?"

Once you understand the magnitude of your goal, you can start choosing a product. There are a wide range of school fundraising products that can suit any group with any kind of financial goal. If you have a large group that needs to raise a lot of money you can go with something like pretzels, which wouldn't work so well with smaller groups and goals. If you are organizing a smaller group with a more moderate target. things like scratch cards can work particularly well because they're easy to implement, and the profits are the highest available.

You'll quickly see that there are many school fundraiser ideas out there that can work for you.