Marching band is one of the activities that commonly finds itself on our doorstep at FansRaise. And it makes perfect sense on many levels:
(1) Competitive Marching Ensembles are STARVED for funding
There is pressure to go BIGGER, FASTER, and MORE DRAMATIC as is evident in uniforms and costuming, props, and just about every single thing about fall field show productions.
Anytime the activity is judged and evaluated, there will be internal and external pressure to do more. Whether or not this is a positive thing is debatable, however the unavoidable result is that marching ensembles are spending WAY more money on these types of shows than 5-10 years ago.
What’s more, funding in many areas of the arts is on the decline, and performing arts organizations need to roll up the sleeves and get creative to make ends meet.
(2) Most groups have tried just about EVERY possible fundraiser
The list of potential fundraising activities for your group is seemingly endless:
Recently we put together a comprehensive list of 90+ performing arts fundraising ideas right here.
There are SO MANY ways to raise money, but some groups are limited by volunteer help, limited space or facilities in which to host an event, or even rules against what they can/can’t do for fundraising.
Most groups that we work with are finding success by limiting the overall number of fundraisers they undertake in favor of focusing on a KEY set of larger fundraisers. Too many campaigns leads to confusion and fatigue, and your families will just “tune out”.
A large capital campaign, on the other hand, can be a tremendous rallying point for your group, and students are likely to get excited about it. When was the last time you saw kids excited about a bake sale? ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz..
(3) Your ensemble is – by definition – a large group of individuals working towards a goal
…and isn’t that what a crowdfunding campaign should be, at its core?
When everyone contributes a little bit of effort, the results can be huge.
We’ve seen small groups of kids do amazing things, like subsidize trips, purchase new trucks for their music program, new instruments, uniforms, and just about anything else you can think of.
Goals and targets that will universally affect the ENTIRE ensemble make for fantastic campaigns. The equipment truck/trailer is needed to get down the road to the next performance. The uniforms/costuming directly influences the effect of this season’s production.
Doesn’t it make sense to organize a fundraiser that will leverage your Biggest asset?
YOUR STUDENTS?
