The Buyout – Pros and Cons
By Angela Pippinger of PaganMomBlog
When fundraising time comes around, you may love picking out fun wrapping paper or delicious chocolates, but you may also see it as a burden on your already busy lives. No matter how you feel about it, it’s hard to argue that fundraising isn’t beneficial to schools everywhere. But did you know that there is a new trend spreading throughout schools across the country? The new Buyout Fundraiser gives you the option to send in money to your school instead of selling wrapping paper or cookie dough. The real question is, is it effective? Read through these pros and cons and decide for yourself!
The Pros
Some families simply dislike the traditional fundraiser and don’t feel
comfortable asking friends and family to participate.
Did you know that there are more and more companies are not allowing fundraising in the workplace? Many moms and dads take their fundraiser packets to work, and their coworkers may be crucial to meeting their fundraising goal. With companies enforcing this policy, many families find it harder to raise the money they once did. With the buyout option, they won’t have to stress about finding new ways to raise funds.
Funds raised from the buyout option go straight to the school. Many of the traditional fundraisers only compensate the school a percentage of the monies raised. The Buyout could mean more money for your school!
No more competing for prizes. Competition can be a great thing. But when children focus too much on raising a certain amount in order to get that amazing skateboard, the purpose of fundraising for their school gets lost. The buyout allows the parent to teach their children WHY it’s so important to support their school.
The Cons
Some people really like the traditional fundraiser. They look forward to their cookie dough and gift wrap purchases each year. These people will likely miss the option to sell and purchase their holiday wrapping paper and chocolate bears. You can turn it into a pro if you can get them to donate to your school without a purchase!
There is always a potential for lost monies due to economic stressors. Depending on how your area is reacting to the economy, schools may see a drop in donated monies as people tighten their belts and have less to give. Some people will be more likely to give if they are receiving cookie dough or wrapping paper in return.
The effectiveness of this sort of fundraising will be based on the reaction by the families at your school. If you want to test the waters, simply use both methods to see how receptive people are to either option. Hopefully this will help you choose the best fundraising option for your school!
