One for the Money: Fundraising Tips for the PRSSA 2013 National Conference
The PRSSA 2013 National Conference is just a few months away. Philadelphia is waiting to show you all that it has to offer. Past Conference attendees will attest that the key to making the most out of your Conference attendance is to take time and effort to plan beforehand – which includes fundraising.
Starting to fundraise over the summer and early in the semester can make attending Conference easier on your wallet. Not sure where to start? The National Conference Committee rounded up a few fundraising ideas to help you and your Chapter hit the ground running.
Fun Run
Have you ever walked or ran in a race for a good cause? If executed correctly, fun runs can be an extremely lucrative – not to mention healthy! – way to raise money for Conference. With fellow Chapter members, choose a date and time (preferably a weekend), theme, race distance, location, registration fee and budget. Sponsorships with local businesses can reduce your Chapter’s initial costs of hosting the run. The registration fees can benefit your Chapter’s Conference attendee costs – this is also a great opportunity to support a local organization with some of the proceeds, as well. Promote your event as much as possible on campus and in the community with event fliers or posters and social media tactics.
Restaurant Fundraisers
A popular fundraising method, especially for student organizations, are held at restaurants. Connect with a local restaurant – many offer similar fundraiser programs – to work out a certain day and time. During that specific time period, your Chapter receives a percentage of the restaurant’s revenue. Your job is to get as many people to go during that time to raise as much money as possible. Restaurants that have participated in fundraiser programs such as this include Arby’s, Chipotle, Outback Steakhouse, Red Robin, Subway and many more.
Sponsorships and Donations
Many businesses and companies are willing to provide sponsorships to student organizations and individuals because it is a great way to support the local community and often serves as form of promotion for the company. Write letters or talk face-to-face with the owners of local businesses and explain why you are asking for the donation and why attending Conference is important to you. These sponsorships and donations can vary in size – remember, even small donations can add up quickly and make a difference.
These are just a few fundraising opportunities for your Chapter to explore. Be sure to check out The FUNdraising Bowl Playbook and other fundraising ideas on the PRSSA website. The opportunities are endless, so be creative and raise that money!
What fundraising ideas do you or your Chapter plan to do?
From past experiences, what methods are the most effective?
Keep up with the latest Conference news by liking the PRSSA 2013 National Conference page on Facebook and following @prssanc on Twitter.
Jessica Howard is a sophomore at Drexel University. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in communication as well as a minor in fine arts. Howard is the communications director for the PRSSA 2013 National Conference.
