A school calendar is a popular choice for a school fundraiser and for good reason! Calendars are easy to create, popular and profitable. This article explores the benefits and processes of creating a school calendar.
School Calendar Benefits
Practical & Affordable
Everyone needs to keep track of their schedule, so why not use a calendar that is truly personalised? Include important school dates, events and holidays so that your school community can keep track of what’s on. Compared to other school publications, calendars are often more affordable, making them easier to sell.
Giftable
Due to their practical nature, calendars make for great gifts. They are also a great way for students to connect with family who live far away, who can see what school events are on and when holidays are coming up. Consider including student art or photos from events to increase the personal touch.
Promote Your School
A calendar is a great way to bring focus to a school department, sports team, or even an important message. If your school is well known for its theatre, sport or academics, a calendar can help to highlight this.
Year-Round Exposure
Raising money in the short-term may be the purpose of your calendar, but it’s not the only benefit! What other product is proudly displayed in hundreds of houses for an entire year? A calendar is a great marketing tool, so make sure it highlights your school well and is both beautiful and practical!
Things to Consider
Calendar Sponsors
A successful fundraiser relies on great sponsors who can donate services or funds. Offer ad space in the calendar to businesses in your community. Parents of students are a great place to start when looking for sponsors, as the personal connection means they are more likely to help out. Don’t forget to remind them that the calendar will be on show to thousands for an entire year! Just ensure that the ads don’t detract from, or overpower, the contents of the calendar.
Distribution & Marketing
It is a good idea to have the calendar ready for print by mid-November. This way, you still have ample time before the New Year to sort out any issues or deal with delays. An early delivery also gives people the option to buy the calendar as a Christmas gift!
The way you go about selling the calendars will largely depend on your community and what you feel is appropriate. A lot of schools find that using an opt-out method is the most effective. Send a letter or email to everyone in your school community to notify them about the calendar ahead of time. Make sure to include all fundraising information and the intentions of the proceeds. Parents can then request to not receive it and subsequently will not be charged. Everyone else will be sent a finished calendar and be charged accordingly. Make it clear to your community where they can buy extra copies if they desire! If this method doesn’t feel right for your school, an opt-in approach may be the right choice.
The calendar could also be promoted on the school website or social media to reach a wider audience. If you have local sponsors, you could even ask if they would like to offer the calendar in their place of business.
School Calendar Services
We have created our fair share of school calendars and are here to make the process easy for you. We understand that calendars should not only look like art but also be functional. Learn more about the process or enquire for an estimate!
If you are interested in other fundraiser ideas, check out our article on school cookbooks!
