Boost Fundraising by Going Beyond the Banner

Fundraising is a never-ending challenge that most schools face, and a critical component to the success of the school and its students. One source of funding that many schools rely on is support from education-minded local businesses. But while the donation may be invaluable to the school, what value is the booster business receiving in return? Often it’s only a banner with their logo on it hung in the gym, or perhaps their logo amidst many others on the back of a t-shirt, which leads to an important question – how many local businesses aren’t donating to your school, not because they don’t care about education, but because they don’t feel they have anything to gain?

Is a Banner Enough?

As you enter any school gymnasium, find your seat in the bleachers or walk along the track, you’ll find banners strung from end to end along the outfield fence. The goal of these banners is to provide an advertisement on behalf of the businesses who so generously support the school and maybe for a brief moment, as an athlete races by or attempts the winning shot, the banner will catch your attention and taste buds, leading you to a post game treat. That’s the goal, at least. But how often does it work? Many businesses find that banners rarely lead to increased sales, which lessens the incentive they have to continue donating.

While a simple banner advertisement may be a common practice, in this age where digital advertising is paramount it’s time schools rethink their fundraising strategies. This leads us to an even more important question, especially if you want your fundraising to be successful – how can we go beyond the banner to provide a better value to the businesses who support your school?