Begin Planning Early

Begin planning your holiday fundraiser from start to finish early.  This of course could apply to any school fundraiser, scouting fundraiser, church fundraiser or other nonprofit organization fundraiser.  Map out each step so you can be sure you are covering all the bases.  When you do this, you can be sure the dates of your wreath fundraiser coincide easily with other events on your nonprofit group calendar.  You can also be sure to plot each step of the holiday fundraiser in a logical fashion, which will give you a chance to feel organized throughout the sale.  This helps your sellers and volunteers feel secure in the wreath fundraising mechanics.  It also give you a chance to be sure that your wreath fundraiser does not run too long or too short.  You don't want to shortchange your sellers' sales opportunities by cutting their sales window short, but you also don't want to draw out the wreath fundraiser for so long that you have lost the interest of all involved.  Optimum timing can run anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the attention span and motivation of your members.

Here are some steps to help you begin to implement a succinct timeline and cohesion to your nonprofit organization calendar.  Add in any steps you feel are necessary for your groups' timeline.

1.  Start with a planning session

2.  Line up volunteers

3.  Meet with your sellers and volunteers

4.  Implement advertising

5.  Wreath fundraiser start date

6.  Reminders to sellers about ongoing sales drive and end date (some groups have a meeting to

      check in with sellers)

7.  Wreath fundraiser end date

8.  Final Order is due (giving yourself a couple days wiggle room for straggling orders from sellers

      is helpful)

9.  Delivery of your fresh wreaths and evergreens

10.  Distribution of fresh wreaths and evergreens to customers (we recommend that you collect money at    the time of sale to make distribution of the fresh wreaths and evergreens easier)

11.  Payment is due (remember that your customers are paying your group, and then your group

        pays Sherwood Forest Farms)

If you can plan all this out in a succinct timeline, your chances of running an effective holiday fundraiser are much higher.  And we all know a successful fundraiser is the goal!  We hope this helps you.  See you next time!