Fundraising Committee Timeline

As Early as Possible

• Decide how funds will be raised (tickets, grants, fund-raisers, donations).
• Determine the amount you wish to target from each of these areas and begin to collect the necessary materials and information.
• Divide the various areas into sub-committees and begin making plans to obtain the funds.
• If tickets are to be sold, meet with the ticket committee to determine the number of tickets that need to be sold to meet the budget.
• If one or more fund-raisers will be used, be sure to obtain approval from the school administration and Your ANP sponsor (if any) before making any firm plans.
• Determine exactly what kinds of donations this committee is seeking. Will other committees look for their own donations (food, decorations, activities, etc.) or will everything be solicited through donations?
• Set up some guidelines so no business or organization is solicited by more than one committee or person.
• Begin to formulate a list of businesses and organizations. Ensure to obtain the name of the person to be contacted along with the address and phone number.
• Request free publicity in the local newspaper as its contribution to the event and to thank all contributors.
• Assign someone the task of keeping track of every donation received. Record the name, address, and phone number of donor, item donated, value, and date of donation. Also keep track of the distribution of donations so it can be determined how the donation was used.
• Make sure you do a direct appeal to the junior and senior parents, as they are direct beneficiaries of this event.

About Six Months Before ANP

• Send a letter to local businesses, civic organizations, and community groups asking for their support and a donation, giving details and a list of specific items needed. Follow up with a personal visit or phone call.
• Determine how donations will be acknowledged. Have an acknowledgment item printed (e.g. poster, card, thank you note, thank you letter, etc.).
• Be sure any grant applications have been sent to the proper authorities.
• If a fund-raiser is to be held and plans have not been formulated, begin to do so immediately.

About Three Months Before ANP

• Send a letter to professionals in the community asking for support, door prizes, and/or cash contributions.
• Make personal or phone contact with all businesses in the area that have not responded to your earlier letter.
• Begin picking up donations from businesses, organizations, and individuals.
• Be sure all items are recorded by the person keeping the donations records.
• Send acknowledgments for any donations received to date. Be sure acknowledgments meet the requirements of the IRS.
• Keep other committee chairpersons fully updated concerning expected donations that can be used by various committees.
• Check with prize committee to determine the number of door and grand prizes needed.
• Check on the status of any grants for which applications were made.
• If tickets are to be sold, determine that the ticket committee is proceeding as planned.

About Two Months Before ANP

• Continue early collection of donations.
• Continue to record all donations.

About One Months Before ANP

• Continue early collection of donations.
• Coordinate prize donations with prize committee; determine number of door prizes still needed and how they will be obtained.
• Contact local newspapers regarding the thank you ad deadlines, format, and proofing. Reconfirm that the ad will run in the edition immediately following the event. This could be their donation to the event.
• Compile list of all donors-including names, addresses, donation, value, and date of donation.
• Continue to send acknowledgments for items received to date.

Two Weeks Before ANP

• Continue picking up donations and sending acknowledgments.
• Continue detailed record keeping.

Week of ANP

• Pick up remainder of donations.
• Continue detailed record keeping.
• Finalize list of all donors.
• Disburse donations to appropriate Committees.

Day of ANP

• Pick up any last minute donations.
• Be sure all donations have been distributed to appropriate committees.
• Help wherever needed.

AT All-Night Party

• Help wherever needed.
• Have a good time and enjoy Grad Nite!

Week Following ANP

• Put thank-you notes in mail.
• Be sure ALL donations received were properly acknowledged.
• Submit a report to the ANP Treasurer of cash, items, and services donated. Include donors' name, address, donation, date, item, value, and how it was used (party food, prize, decoration, equipment, etc.).
• Submit written report to the Steering Committee chairperson
  
  

Modified: Friday, September 30, 2005