Fundraising
There are many places and many ways to obtain funding for the trip to Global Finals. Here are a few suggestions:
School-Related Funding Sources
Board of Education and/or Principal’s Funds
• Some schools and/or school districts have “discretionary funds” to pay for the cost of athletic teams or other academic organizations going to competitions. If you approach your school’s Board (sometimes directly and sometimes through your Principal, depending on your school district), you could potentially receive a donation and/or even full financial support. School systems are usually very proud of academic teams going to Global Finals.
PTA Groups, Service Organizations, Local Businesses
• There are other community groups and organizations that may be willing to help you and your team. PTAs (Parent-Teacher Associations) and PTOs (Parent-Teacher Organizations) often donate funds to groups of students who have earned the right to attend higher-level competitions or conferences. In addition, service organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, and Chamber of Commerce, also have been known to sponsor and/or donate funds to teams attending Global Finals. The important thing is that you approach them with a full presentation of your needs. Explain Destination ImagiNation and how and why it is valuable to you, your teams and the community.
Local Businesses
Local businesses are often potential sources of funds because they often have community funds for which employees can apply. If you know any team parents, grandparents, family friends or acquaintances who work for such businesses, encourage them to apply!
Other Fundraising Options
• Sell Stars Bars, Garage sale, Bike-A-Thon, Car wash, Swim-A-Thon, Run-A-Thon
• Concession stand at an event, Spaghetti dinner, Pancake breakfast
Say Thank You!
Make sure to thank every donor with a thank-you letter and then thank them publicly as much as possible (via newsprint, sign in a public place, etc.). Thank-you notes are very important!Publicity
Getting publicity for your team is a great way to obtain funds. Without publicity, the community will not know of the team’s advancement to Global Finals and, therefore, will not know that there is a financial need. Let them know about your team promptly, and let the community develop a sense of pride in the team. If the general community knows about the team, they will be more willing to contribute.Contact the publicity person from your school district or one of your publicity-minded parents and ask them if they would contact your newspapers/tv stations right away!
- Get publicity out ASAP. Newspapers and TV stations do not like to report on week-old news! If the story is more than one to two days old, they are reluctant to report it. Coming soon you will be able to download a press release template from the Global Finals Web site.
- Write the article for them. Newspaper reporters and TV news people are very busy people. They will be more likely to use (and sometimes edit) pre-written material than something they have to create themselves. They are less likely to do an article or read an announcement on the news if they have to write it themselves. If you have a hard time explaining Destination ImagiNation in 25 words or less, just think what it is like for them.
- Point out in your news release that the team needs contributions and let them know to whom and where they can send donations. Let them know to whom the check should be payable. If your team is going to have a garage sale, car wash or sell their time to raise money, say so in the article (with a person and a phone number to call). Note: Newspapers and TV stations will only pay attention to stories that are presented like proper news releases and have contact persons listed at the bottom.
