Should High School Fundraising Be Optional?

Should high school students be required to participate in their group’s school fundraiser? Because most high school groups need money, many sponsors require it. They make it clear from the beginning that to be a part of the group all students must support it financially. Fundraising with these groups is therefore:

• expected not optional
• a demonstration of commitment

Many youth sports leagues require parents to pay up front for things like uniforms and equipment. Included in their registration packet are a set of 5-10 discount cards, for instance. If the parents choose to sell the cards they can keep the money and pay themselves back for the upfront cost. The initial expense is the fundraiser.

On the other hand, some sponsors leave it up to their students to decide whether or not to participate. They feel that ultimately the students must make the choice to fundraiser on their own. These sponsors feel that if they are committed to the group and its goals then they’ll be willing to participate. These sponsors may make every attempt to persuade their students to sell by explaining how the money that is raised will benefit them directly, or they may simply offer incentives for selling. The ability of the group to successfully fundraise is therefore largely based on how unified the students are and how well the sponsor can motivate their members to participate.

One interesting side note is that some parents can afford to simply write a check and not have their students fundraise at all. Should sponsors allow it? Should it matter that many of these students end up not fundraising at all and does it say something about their commitment level?

So, should fundraising be a choice or should it be a requirement? Some may answer that question by asking which approach gets the best fundraising results. Regardless of the chosen method, successful group fundraising will come down to how strong the sponsor is. What’s most important is how much respect does the sponsor command? Does he follow through with what he says he will do, fundraiser or otherwise? Do the students trust him? In actuality both methods can be viable. In the end it really depends on what the sponsor feels most comfortable with and what they feel will work best for their group.