Fundraising with gift fundraisers is a great way to raise the money you need for your school or organization.  Find out what makes gift fundraisers so successful!

Gift catalog fundraisers are ideal for schools (elementary, middle and high schools) and other large groups like girl scouts.  The reason is that a pre-sale fundraising program, like a gift fundraiser, is often best when there are several participants involved, and volunteers to help out.

So why would you choose a fundraiser that seems to require extra work?  Here’s why:

#1 – The products are diverse, and offer something for everyone

Most gift fundraisers feature a wide range of gift items that you can offer to your supporters such as:

- household items
- gadgets
- kitchen accessories
- gift wrap
- toys and books
- bath and body products
- candles
- gift wrap
- candies
- holiday ornaments

Not only are the gift items diverse, they also vary in price, so there’s sure to be something in your gift catalog for every taste and budget.

#2 – They come with built in motivators

Gift fundraisers typically come with gifts for your participants too!  Prize programs provide gift or prize levels to participants for achieving sales.  The more a participant sells, the more prizes he or she receives.

Prize programs are a great way to motivate participants, especially students, and they are a standard feature with most gift fundraisers, often available at no cost.

#3 – They are actually quite simple to organize

You will have to explain the fundraiser to participants, and when working with children, will have to be sure parents are informed as well.  You’ll also have to hand out and collect order forms, and distribute gift orders once received.

However, a good fundraising company will provide you with a professional consultant to help with these steps, and will also provide you with simple to use order forms, and “student/participant sorting” – meaning they pre-sort items by student or fundraiser participant, so that when you receive your orders, you simply have to hand out one package to each participant.

Quick Tip for Gift Fundraising

When choosing a gift fundraiser, call the company.  Candy bars are easy to choose online or from a brochure, but you’re going to want more information for this type of fundraiser.

Here are some questions to ask when you call:

- Are there any upfront costs?
- Is there a minimum order?
- Do you offer a prize program and is it free?
- How long to orders take to ship?
- Is there a shipping fee?
- What is the procedure for broken or damaged items?
- What is the retail price range of the gifts?
- What types of gift fundraisers do you offer?
- Do you offer pre-sorting (“student/participant sorting)”?

Learn more about pre-sale fundraising programs >>

Find a variety of gift fundraisers at eFundraising >>

Get your free fundraising products catalog here!