School Wide Fundraising

Those early birds we all love to hate are out and about – doing their Christmas shopping before December even arrives. What a great time to start thinking about a Holiday fundraiser – start planning now, and you’ll be able to cash in on the insane rush that hits mid December! Instead of peddling gift wrap – why not offer a gift wrapping service that makes shopping fun for buyers and keeps them from having to smuggle their gifts in the house – they can carry them directly from the car to under the tree!

Plan for your gift wrapping service fundraiser to run for several weekends, and get permission from local stores to set up a table for a few hours a day. Make posters and hang them in each store announcing what day and time your crew will be on hand, and ask local papers and radio stations to help you spread the word. Next, round up the troops and plan a schedule, then gather your supplies.

You can get wrapping paper from a variety of sources – make sure you have some high quality paper for sturdy or oddly shaped boxes so corners don’t tear through, and thinner paper for wrapping smaller, lightweight items. Gift sacks with tissue and ribbon will work well for small purchases or multiple gifts. Have scissors handy to cut paper and snip off tags, and tape for securing the wrapping.

Ribbons and gift tags will make your table complete, and if there is a handy calligrapher in your group, you can charge extra for a fancy lettered card. Have sample boxes and bags sitting out with prices attached, and always give the customer the benefit of the doubt if their package falls in between sizes. You can also have huge heavy duty lawn bags that you have decorated ahead of time with T-shoirt paint and tie them off with red ribbon for those gargantuan presents that just aren’t wrappable.

You can offer a deluxe package with everything, a simple wrap with just paper, a simple bow and tag, or a bag with tissue paper and ribbon. Offer extra perks such as envelopes for gift receipts in the case of clothing or other returnable items, and even consider providing a holding area and letting customers leave their items while they finish shopping. You could even have several members of your group be available to help ferry multiple purchases out to people’s cars!

Once you have determined the how and when, price out your services – if you can get most of your supplies donated by local stores, you can wrap more cheaply – also take your surroundings into account and charge more at high dollar department stores and boutiques than at smaller, less expensive shops.

A ballpark price could be $10 for a large gift or bag, and $5 for a small one – with special prices quoted for oddly shaped or oversized gifts or special add-ons. Don’t forget to have your booth helpers wear Santa hats or elf ears!

Gift Wrapping Fundraiser Ideas for your School is a post from: Elementary School Fundraising Ideas

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