Choose a Theme for Your Next Fundraiser
A theme is a unifying subject or idea. It will provide a basis to plan all of your event details under one umbrella. For instance, all advertising, printed promotional pieces, decorations, activities, gifts, and sponsors should reflect the overall theme.
In order to choose an appropriate theme, you must first understand the purpose of your fundraiser. Are you raising funds for enrichment programs, a new computer lab, a new playground facility, or new books?
Once you've established the purpose, choose a theme that reflects that purpose and make a list of the key aspects that surround it. For example, if your school is planning an event to raise funds for a new playground, your list would include: children playing on the playground, growing, monkey bars, swings, slides, playground mulch, and plants and shrubs surrounding the playground. From these ideas may develop the themes, Slide into Spring or A Year of Growth.
The theme, A Year of Growth, reflects the idea that you hope to 'grow the playground', 'grow plants and shrubs around the playground', and 'watch the children grow as they use the playground through their years at the school'. Further reflect this theme in printed promotional material, decorations, activities, prizes, and sponsorships. Develop a logo of three children, flowers, or trees in a row each one larger than the next. Run a raffle sponsored by a local nursery. Decorate tables with potted flowers to be later planted at the playground site. These are like building blocks that all together support your overall theme.
A theme provides a planning guide for your volunteer committee members to follow. If they understand that all details must relate back to the theme, their planning and ideas will be more focussed, efficient, and effective.
The details of any event can be planned based on a simple theme and both parents and children will enjoy the storyline you've made come alive!
Published by Vicki Blaze, School Event Planning Specialist
Vicki Blaze is the editor & publisher of PTO Ideas, the site dedicated to helping schools build better parent-teacher organizations. Visit http://www.ptoideas.com View profile
- How to Plant Trees and Shrubs; A Gardening TutorialRead this simple step-by-step tutorial on planting trees and shrubs.
- How to Plant Trees and Shrubs The way you plant something is important to it's survival. These few steps will almost always ensure a great start to your trees and shrubs.
- Top 5 Fertilizers for Trees and ShrubsThese five methods will help your trees and shrubs to grow without harsh chemicals.
- Heat and Drought May Damage Trees and ShrubsThe heat and drought can cause some trees and shrubs to show marginal leaf scorch, leaf drop, wilting and in some cases abrupt death.
- Mulching During the Summer Makes Healthier Trees and ShrubsDid you know that by mulching you can keep your trees and shrubs healthier. Everything in your garden, from a strawberry plant to a Maple tree should be mulched.
- Planning a Social Event at Work
- Plants and Shrubs that Bloom Outdoors in Winter
- Propagate Your Own Decorative Plants and Shrubs
- Dwarf Shrubs and Plants
- How to Transplant Trees and Shrubs
- Preparing Plants and Trees for the Cold, Winter Months
- 10 Best Trees and Shrubs for Arborsculpture