How Chapter Fundraising Can Take You All the Way to Boston
Whether it be a budget-slashing session for your Chapter, petitioning more funds from your school’s student government association or pleading with your PRSA sponsor Chapter, we all need to raise funds for our Chapter. How else will you subsidize the costs of those snazzy new Chapter sweatshirts or attend the next National Conference in Boston?
Let’s be honest: PRSSA national events — though worth it — are no small financial burden, and you need to look for ways to fundraise. I can’t help but cringe when I speak with Chapter presidents who are unaware of the fundraising resources available on the PRSSA website. This membership benefit is too often overlooked. From tips and ethical guidelines to communication platforms with fellow presidents, we’ve got you covered. Fundraising can and should be a fun and creative way to earn money to meet your Chapter’s needs.
Need some fundraising examples? We’ve got those too.
Each year, PRSSA updates the FUNdraising Bowl Playbook, a collection of tangible ideas and examples of successful Chapter fundraisers. From large-scale galas to $5 LinkedIn headshots, you’re guaranteed to find a fundraising idea that fits the demands, allotted resources and member size of your Chapter.
Once your Chapter hosts a fundraiser of any kind, briefly describe what happened and how you completed your goal by filling out and submitting a FUNdraising Bowl application. Once you complete this and email it to the vice president of Chapter development, you will be entered into PRSSA’s FUNdraising Bowl, where Chapters are entered into a lottery for two free National Conference registrations. This is an easy and applicable way to develop and challenge your Chapter and its members, while raising funds for your mixers, workshops, swag and other Chapter member perks. Look at some previous submissions for an idea of how to do so. You can submit applications any time throughout March and April, and all Chapters are welcome to submit one application per month within the three month period. See the 2017 National FUNdraising Bowl Guidelines for more information.
So go ahead and create a fundraising committee, assign some underclassmen members this project, send out a group message to your executive board and start brainstorming what fundraiser you can do this month. If you utilize the resources that PRSSA provides, you can bet your bottom dollar that planning and completing a fundraiser is much easier than you thought it could be.
Still feeling lost? Reach out to fellow Chapters over social media, the Chapter Presidents Google Group or Vice President of Chapter Development Victoria Leigh Ward.
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Victoria Leigh Ward serves as the PRSSA vice president of Chapter development, working with Chapter members and professionals worldwide. Ward is currently studying public relations, Spanish and Bible at Biola University and will graduate in December 2017 with the intent to pursue government relations.
