Having worked with thousands of schools over the years, we've assembled our top 10 tips for a fantastic fundraiser:
Draw artwork in a classroom setting. Schools and organizations which choose to have participants draw their art
in a classroom setting — whether during an actual class or something less formal like homeroom — typically
see far better results than those schools and organizations that simply choose to send their KidsArt fundraiser home.
Use good markers. Although this tip seems obvious, it's often overlooked. Washable or non-washable
markers are fine. The quality of the markers your organization uses will dramatically impact the quality of the finished products
your families receive. Take special care to ensure that your markers aren't dried out. When your participants use markers
that are dried out, the lighter strokes don't reproduce well. Try to select markers with bright, bold colors and lots of ink
and avoid markers that are metallic or fluorescent. Don't use pencils or colored pencils. If a child inadvertently uses pencil,
erase it well so that it does not appear in the finished product.
Have a teacher or volunteer(s) work with the children. We've seen the impact that can be made by a teacher or dedicated
volunteers who are passionate about art. Whether you have an art teacher in your school or organization or simply a handful
of parent volunteers, helping the kids draw their artwork can make a difference. When your teachers and volunteers are active
participants in the creative process, it can inspire the children to be active participants as well. If kids see adults caring
about the details of their work, they're more likely to take greater care in creating art that their families will treasure for
years to come!
Apply lessons learned in art class. Fundraising with art is an opportunity to raise money for your school or organization,
but it's also a wonderful way to showcase the value of your art program. You might want to coordinate with your school's art teacher
to incorporate lessons that the kids have learned in art class into your KidsArt program. Whether the children in your school or organization
are studying abstracts, cubism or just about any other art topic, incorporating their studies into your KidsArt fundraising program
helps reinforce the material and can lead to wonderful art that makes your school's art program look good too.
Let kids be creative. While we think there's great value in helping the kids in an organization create their art, we've also
noticed that their artwork is most adorable when they're given creative freedom to explore topics that interest them. Teaching the
kids in your organization about art and letting them have creative freedom don't have to be mutually exclusive. You can even make
it a challenge: ask the children how to best incorporate the art knowledge you want them to demonstrate into the topics they want
to explore.
Provide optional starter ideas. While some kids produce great work when given total freedom, others do better with a little guidance.
You might to give the children some creative starter ideas to help those who don't have a topic in mind. Some popular ideas include:
"thank you", happy birthday wishes, holiday cheer, family portraits, and beloved pets.
Send home completed artwork. Sending home the completed artwork (or a copy of it) can help increase your fundraising results.
We provide you with a pre-drafted letter to send home to your families, but the sketches we've drawn of our products don't compare with the
children's artwork itself.
Send home a blank picture form. In addition to sending home the kids' completed art, you may want to send home a blank KidsArt
Picture Form as well. This blank Picture Form allows families to sit down and create another piece of art with their child if they wish.
Also, many schools and organizations find it helpful to send home a blank Picture Form to give siblings who don't attend the school
or organization a chance to participate in the fundraiser.
As with just about any fundraiser, there's a chance you'll run into timing issues. Whether you encounter a few snow days, early closings,
or simply have trouble fitting time into the kids' busy schedules to have them complete their art, starting early will give you a chance
to recover from any issues you might encounter.
Set an early deadline. You'll want to set an early deadline for your families to return their Picture Forms, order forms and payments.
By setting a deadline for the families that's far in advance of when you need to send your Group Order to us, you'll have extra time to
accommodate any late stragglers.
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