4 Types of Marketing Content to Promote School Fundraisers

When your school announces an upcoming fundraiser, does it feel like you’re speaking to an empty room? Are you actually drumming up excitement, or are your messages fading into the background? One of the major challenges of reaching out to your entire school community is finding ways to capture their attention.

At the heart of every successful school fundraiser lies a strong marketing strategy. By preparing a variety of promotional materials in advance, you maximize the chances that students, their families, and other community members will take notice and get involved.

Ready to ignite the interest you need to power your fundraising results? Let’s explore four types of marketing content your school can create today.

1. Social Media Posts

According to recent research, more than 94% of the world’s internet users use social media each month. It’s likely that many people in your school’s community fall into this percentage, making social media platforms a promising place to start spreading the word about your upcoming fundraiser.

Beyond posting basic event details, turn your audience’s engagement from passive to active by launching a social media challenge for students and families to participate in. For example, if you’re raising money during Read Across America Week, Read-A-Thon recommends creating themed reading challenge days with specific hashtags, such as #FairytaleFriday. Students can post the stories they read for each theme, helping you boost awareness and maintain momentum leading up to your fundraiser.

Additionally, you can produce and share a fundraising video that illustrates how donations will change your school for the better. For instance, if you’re trying to cover the cost of new equipment and uniforms for your lacrosse team, you might film the players during practice and ask them to share how they will perform better with updated gear. Doing so helps your school’s community see why fundraising is necessary and not an arbitrary event you decided to throw on the calendar.

2. Email Newsletters

Many schools send out email newsletters featuring PTA announcements, sports updates, and more to help those who are interested stay up to date on relevant happenings and changes. Reach more diverse groups by coordinating with newsletter teams to feature your fundraiser in applicable segments. For example, you could:

• Announce it in the newsletter’s subject line.
• Add a line or paragraph description in “Upcoming Events” segments.
• Tie it to a “Student Spotlight” story to illustrate how donations will benefit students.
• Include a call to action (CTA) to register for the event or donate in the footer.
• Attach a digital handout explaining the fundraiser’s purpose and how people can contribute.

When possible, personalize each newsletter with the recipient’s name. Try to share a new and engaging detail each time you mention the fundraiser—for instance, the first email could simply provide an overview of the event, while subsequent emails might tease exciting incentives for students and shout out the classes that have raised the most money so far.

3. Text Messages

According to Tatango, 90% of text messages are opened within the first three minutes they’re received. By using texts to promote your school’s fundraiser, you can reach audience members no matter where they are, whether they’re lounging on a couch or waiting for a meal at a restaurant.

If your school doesn’t have a text contact list, start building one by partnering with a texting platform and asking people to opt in. Typically, you’ll have a keyword, such as [SCHOOLNAME], that people will text to your school to subscribe to text updates and reminders. From there, you can generate enthusiasm for your fundraiser by sending:

• Countdown reminders, such as “Only 12 hours left! ⏰ [Subscriber’s Name], our fundraiser is ending soon! If you haven’t supported us yet, there’s still time to make an impact. Give now to show your school spirit: [link to donation page]!”
• Milestone updates, such as “Woo-hoo! 🎉 We’ve reached 50% of our fundraising goal, [Subscriber’s Name]! Can we count on you to help us hit 100%? Donate now to help us reach the finish line: [link to donation page]!”
• Impact messages, such as “[Subscriber’s Name], did you know that a $50 donation is all it takes to send one debate team member to compete at Nationals? 🏆 Help our talented students represent [School’s Name] in [State]. Give now: [link to donation page]!”
• Matching gift instructions, such as “[Subscriber’s Name], did you know that your company could match every dollar you give to our school? Your donation could have double the impact! 🙌 Check with your employer to see if you’re eligible for matching gifts!”

To maximize the visibility of your texts, wait for the afternoon when students are home, and adults are more likely to have some downtime. Incorporate relevant emojis, GIFs, and images to make your messages more immediately engaging. For example, if you’re hosting a popcorn sale or another type of product fundraiser, include eye-catching images of the products to entice potential donors.

4. Blog Posts

Your school’s website is a comprehensive resource containing everything from classroom policies to upcoming events to extracurricular activities. While some students and family members may not always open your school’s emails or follow your social media accounts, chances are, they’ll turn to your website if they’re ever looking for information.

Your school’s blog allows you to create longer-form content about your fundraiser, including its purpose and how donations will benefit students. By discussing your fundraiser from various angles, you give readers the freedom to dive deeper into the aspects that resonate with them most.

Let’s say your middle school is hosting a Read-A-Thon at the beginning of the year to raise funds and get students back into a learning mindset. To build excitement, create blog posts about:

• The importance of student literacy and its connection to academic success.
• Book recommendations for students covering a variety of genres.
• Tips for family members who want to support a student’s Read-A-Thon participation.
• Success stories and testimonials illustrating the impact of past Read-A-Thons.
• Class celebrations or prizes that students can earn.
• Interviews with top readers when the fundraiser is in progress.

Highlight these blog articles in your social media posts, email newsletters, and text messages to drive more interest and engagement within your community. You can even enlist teachers and students to contribute their own articles to add a more personal touch to your marketing content.

When outlining your school’s marketing plan, focus on variety—not quantity. You want to appeal to as many interests and communication preferences as possible without completely overwhelming your audience with back-to-back fundraising messages.

Once you’ve decided on which types of content to focus on, look for free nonprofit marketing tools, like Grammarly and Pexels, to streamline your creative process. By creating a thoughtful strategy and focusing on how students will benefit, you can spark fresh enthusiasm for each new fundraiser your school hosts.