There are three main benefits to using sponsored events to fundraise:
- It engages and empowers the children: Sponsored fundraising events offer children an opportunity to take ownership of the process by allowing them to actively participate and contribute to a cause they care about. Too many in-school fundraising events these days involve parents donating directly to the charity, without the children playing any role whatsoever. Carrying out a sponsored fundraiser on the other hand empowers young people by fostering a sense of responsibility, giving them pride in their achievements and most importantly, creating a sense of agency. It also engages the children more directly with the cause. That could mean a deeper connection with a charity, or for example, a greater sense of pride and ownership in their new school playground. What’s more, research shows that if children are involved in meaningful charitable giving before the age of 10, they are twice as likely to sustain it throughout their lifetime compared to young people who only start at age 16 to 18[i]. So placing the children at the centre of the fundraising not only engages them with this particular event , but it also helps develop a lifelong habit of giving, and later down the line transforms philanthropic alumni! In the academic research into the benefits of involving children in fundraising, this is known as the ‘double benefit’ – to both the cause, and the child themselves.
When children are at the heart of a fundraising campaign, the impact can ripple through the entire school. Fundraisers often bring a real sense of excitement and community spirit—schools have told us that the atmosphere lifts, attendance improves, and even behaviour can benefit. The more the fundraiser becomes a central part of school life while it’s running, the more successful and enjoyable it will be.
- It reaches many more supporters – leading to more money being raised: When a sponsored event is chosen, the reach of the campaign can extend much wider than the immediate school community. Children naturally share their participation with family members, friends, and neighbours, helping to spread awareness and increase the number of potential supporters. And if the fundraiser is online, it’s easy to spread it well beyond the walls of the school. So, unlike traditional pen & paper sponsorship forms, online fundraisers can cast the net to a much wider range of supporters, increasing the average number of donations per household by a factor of four.
- It can be very low effort for your PTA: One of the main benefits of sponsored events is that the work is shared far more equitably than for many other PTA-organised events (e.g. summer fetes). Once the basic structure of the event is in place, much of the responsibility can be passed over to the students and families who are taking part in the fundraiser. For example, for something like a read-a-thon, the PTA’s role is primarily to set the ground rules and spread the word, and then the actual hard work of fundraising is passed over in full to the individual fundraisers!
TOP TIP – Make sure to communicate these with Senior Leadership and get buy in! Their backing helps ensure that assemblies, lessons, and communications all reinforce the fundraiser, making it a shared, school-wide experience rather than a standalone event.
[i] Arthur J, Harrison T, Taylor E (2015) Building Character Through Youth Social Action: Research Report. The Jubilee Centre & University of Birmingham [PDF]. Available at: http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/1967/1/Building_Character_Through_Youth_Social_Action.pdf