New Year answer to school fundraising crisis

Fundraising Solutions Limited
Adcard Limited

Media Release

December 23, 2008

New Year answer to school fundraising crisis

Two new initiatives where schools take healthy commissions on goods and services bought by their communities are set to bring in thousands of dollars in 2009 and save them just as other fundraising sources are drying up.

The new programmes are timely as it was revealed late in 2008 that Canterbury schools are struggling after a $42 million slump in locally raised funds.

A local business has developed a system where schools and other groups receive commission from goods bought from a catalogue that the schools send to their communities.

“People have 10 days to place their orders for products in our Sure to Raise catalogue and the schools take between 20 and 40 percent of the purchase price for everything sold,” says Fundraising Solutions Director Rob Ballantyne.

The products available are mainly household necessities. They are all environmentally friendly.

“By encouraging parents to buy some of their goods like laundry powder from the catalogue, they can help their schools without needing to spend extra money,” says Mr Ballantyne.

The second initiative is an affiliate programme offered by local company, Adcard Limited. It provides business card advertising systems in high foot traffic areas.

“Our system is called Autopilot Fundraising. It’s referral-based and requires no selling on behalf of the school,” says Adcard Director, Nic Dale.

“It’s simple and effective. The school introduces us to a business that then hosts or is promoted in an AdCard display. The school in turn gets 10 percent of the ongoing income earned. Autopilot Fundraising provides an income stream for schools by working with businesses rather than putting more pressure on busy families within the school community,” says Mr Dale.

Schools are heavily reliant on fundraising. In 2007 a massive 38 percent of school funding came from charitable goodwill or optional fees.

“If the slump continues, our pupils will ultimately pay the price. The beauty of our systems is that they provide ongoing income for 2009 and beyond and don’t require staff time or parents digging deep into their pockets,” Messrs Ballantyne and Dale conclude.

ENDS

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