The first week of school has already started, the holidays are right around the corner and many organizations are gearing up to raise much needed funds through fundraisers.

Here is an easy guide to get you started and help you reach your organizations goals.

1. Be OrganizedDetermine your why, when and how much?

Why are you trying to raise money?

For example: is the fundraiser to raise money for school equipment, a field trip, or to offset some of the cost for graduation.

When will you hold your fundraiser?

Any upcoming holiday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter, Mothers Day, etc. is an ideal time when people are looking for gift items.

To ensure delivery in time for the chosen holiday you will need to do a little planning.

Keep in mind most fundraisers run for 2 weeks and have a 2 week turn around time for delivery of product. Factor in the time prior to the actual run dates to allow time for set up of the fundraiser.

The contact person from the company you have chosen to use for your fundraiser will be able to help you with this.

How much money do you want to raise?

Determine the amount of money you would like to raise and how decide how many participants will be doing the actual fundraiser.

Let your contact person know this information and they will be able to guide you as to how much each participant would need to sell to achieve your goals.

Consider offering an incentive to the participants in the form of a pizza party, gift certificate, etc.

Local merchants routinely offer discounts for organizations. Be sure to announce the prize at the beginning of the sale.

2. Find the right product and fundraising company.

A successful fundraiser will depend on the product and company you choose.

Try to find a product that is unique and has a universal appeal. To help make your decision about which company to use, compile a list of questions for the contact person.

Some questions you should be asking are:

How much will the product cost?
Do you have a guarantee on your product?
Will we have to pay for shipping?
How much will we make on each item sold?
When will the profits be paid to our organization?
What type of payments will be accepted?
How long after the orders are turned in, will the product be delivered?
How will the orders be sorted and packaged for delivery?

3. Advertise your fundraiser.

Once you have decided on your fundraiser, get the word out. A letter announcing the fundraiser should include the product you are selling, why you are trying to raise funds, the dates the fundraiser will run and when the monies are due.

Send this letter home to the parents as well as posting it on bulletin boards, in the teachers lounge, etc.

Also, if your organization has a website, put the news of the upcoming fundraiser on your site as well as in a newsletter that you can email to all your subscribers.

Most local businesses will be willing to help advertise for you by brochure or flier in their store. Some businesses to consider are beauty and nail salons, neighborhood pharmacy, gas stations and restaurants.

Finally, do not forget the local town paper as another source to promote your fundraiser. Most local newspapers will run community events in their weekly paper.

Wishing you many fun and profitable fundraisers!