Fundraising Guide : Director/Coach

Your Role: Inspirational Leader & Daily Motivator

As the program director, you are the most influential person in determining fundraising success. Your engagement and enthusiasm directly impact student participation and results.

Key Truth: The most successful programs have directors who are deeply involved in fundraising. Your daily engagement is the #1 factor in campaign success.

Pre-Campaign Preparation

Master the Engagement Best Practices

Understand that participation is the largest component of success
Be 100% committed to doing the prep work to get the fundraiser off the ground
Partner with Fundraising Leader and ensure they are supported
- Talk to Fundraising Leader and ensure what part of their role you are responsible for
- Read the Fundraiser Leader Guide to ensure you understand the process
Engage parents and broader community on this fundraiser and explain clear purpose of why money is needed
Inspire participants to participate in the fundraiser
Clearly communicate to participants why this fundraiser is needed and how money raised impacts them
Clearly communicate the fundraising overall goal and individual participant goal
Partner with boosters to design fun/memorable incentives that are cost effective
Dedicate rehearsal time to have participants create campaigns before kickoff event
Provide simple examples of how easy it is to reach fundraising goals:
- “If 10 of your 25 contacts donate $25, you have met your goal!”
- If you get 1 monthly donation of $25 per month, that will be $300 towards your goal”

Partner with Boosters and Communicate the “Why” to Students

Translate program needs into student language:

Fundraising helps us buy new instruments that sound better and are easier to play
More funds mean we can afford better music arrangements that showcase your talents
Successful fundraising allows us to upgrade our props and create more impressive shows
Additional funding means we can invest in new technology that enhances our performances (Give examples of the technology you want to purchase)
More beautiful costumes and additional costume changes make our shows more spectacular
Better funding allows us to bring in expert clinicians who help you improve faster

For Parents and Community Members Translate program needs into parent/guardian language:

Excellence Requires Investment: The most successful programs in competitions are those with the resources to invest in quality. Top-tier equipment, experienced staff, and comprehensive programming directly correlate with competitive success and student achievement.

Transparency Builds Trust: We want you to know where every dollar goes. Here’s our breakdown of costs and how fundraising directly reduces your family’s financial responsibility.

Shared Success: When our fundraising is successful, everyone benefits. Lower fees for families, better equipment for students, and stronger programs for our community.

More Competitive: When our fundraising succeeds, everyone benefits. Lower fees for families, performance-ready equipment that helps students earn superior ratings, and resources to build a program that consistently places among the top at competitions. Strong fundraising is what separates programs that just participate from those that advance to regionals and state.

Design Incentive Structure

Work with boosters to design three-phase incentive plan:
- Kickoff Phase: Immediate participation rewards and team competitions
- Weekly Momentum: Ongoing recognition that sustains energy
- Grand Finale: Major celebrations and director punishments
Get all directors buy-in first: Agree to all punishments before announcing them
- Feel free to customize punishment by director to create flexibility
Balance free incentive options with meaningful rewards students actually want
Use the Fundraiser Incentive Builder to get ideas and design your “Fun Torture”
Ask student leadership to get ideas for torture

Partner with Boosters and Design Monthly Donor Club Strategy

Monthly donations boost fundraising earnings & are simple incentives for students

Create compelling monthly donor “club” with unique benefits and exclusive access
Design special recognition for monthly supporters
Plan exclusive experiences for club members (backstage access, special performances, etc.)
Train students to invite donors to join for 11x impact vs one-time gifts

Talk About the Fundraiser Often (Critical!)

Before the fundraiser starts: Inspire participants to create healthy contact lists & inspire parents to inform contacts when participants will be contacting them
During kickoff: Be with your group, interacting and having fun time with them the entire kickoff
Participate in incentives that are most fun for participants (director torture!)
During momentum phase (post kickoff): Interact with participants DAILY regarding fundraiser:
- Start each rehearsal recognizing the group: “Thank you for already raising $X”
- Look at reporting daily and recognize teams while rallying others
After kickoff: Dedicate time each week to reward participants (weekly incentives)
At campaign close: End fundraiser by giving away final incentives and hosting community event

End-of-Campaign Excellence

Dedicate time to end the fundraiser by distributing final incentives
Host community event if part of your plan
Give away end-of-fundraiser incentives with enthusiasm and celebration

🚀 Campaign Launch

Set Clear Expectations (Critical for Success!)

Communicate that 90%+ participation is the goal
Explain how more participants = more money for everyone
Show how more contacts per student = more incentives and rewards
Make success feel achievable and exciting
- Some simple examples are:
  - 10 donors giving $25 = $250 towards incentives
  - A single $25 “Monthly Club Donation” = $300 towards incentives
  - Explain “Corporate Donations” will go towards the student’s campaign
  - Hype UP! Corporate matching. Participants will get credit for the match

Kickoff Event Leadership

Have Fun!
Be present and engaged during the entire kickoff event
Participate actively with students rather than observing from sidelines
Create excitement and energy about the campaign
Model enthusiasm and positive attitude
Dedicate time before the kickoff for participants to create accounts

Establish Team Competition

Create friendly competition between sections/teams/directors
Engage with participants throughout the kickoff
Set up visible tracking of progress and standings
- Use the reporting tracker and reporter to make this fun & easy
Celebrate early achievements and milestones
Use team spirit to motivate individual participation
MOST OF ALL! Have fun with torture rewards with entire team

📈 Daily During Campaign

Recognize Daily

Always begin by recognizing current fundraising totals
Thank the group for money already raised
Acknowledge top-performing teams and individuals
- include top earners and those with the highest donation counts
Rally teams that need encouragement
Share exciting updates and momentum

Maintain Daily Interaction

Look at reporting daily and know your numbers
Recognize teams and rally those who need support
- Ask non-participating students if they need help to better understand the lack of participation.
Participate in incentives that are fun for students (director torture!)
Show genuine excitement about progress and achievements

Weekly Incentive Coordination

Dedicate time each week to reward participant efforts
Deliver on promised incentives promptly and enthusiastically
Use weekly rewards to maintain momentum between kickoff and finale
Make incentive delivery a celebration, not just a transaction

Promote Ongoing Strategies

Encourage students to ask about company matching programs
Promote monthly donor club throughout campaign for sustained support
Share success stories and breakthrough moments
Keep energy high even during slower periods

🎯 Campaign Close

Grand Finale Events

Host final incentive events with energy and celebration
Execute director punishments with good humor and enthusiasm
Recognize ALL participants for their efforts, not just top performers
Make the ending feel like a victory regardless of total raised

Program Impact Communication

Share specifically how fundraising success impacts the program
Connect dollars raised to program improvements students will see
Thank students for their effort and community for their support
Build momentum for future fundraising efforts

Critical Success Factors

Your Engagement Level Determines Results

Research shows: Programs with highly engaged directors raise significantly more money because:

Students mirror your enthusiasm
Daily recognition builds momentum
Consistent communication keeps energy high
Your participation validates the importance

Daily Non-Negotiables:

Start rehearsal with fundraising recognition
Know your numbers and share progress
Participate in student incentives
Maintain positive energy about the campaign

Focus on Participation Over Perfection:

Celebrate students who try, not just those who succeed
- Some students receive more donations than those with a few large ones.
Recognize effort and improvement
Make multiple pathways for students to win
- raffles, tortures, weekly incentives, create new incentives as you go
Keep the focus on team success and program benefits

Working with Data

Daily Reporting Review:

Check total funds raised
Monitor participation rates by section/team and per participant
Identify participants who need encouragement
- The best question to ask participants who are not participating is “Do you need help?”
Track progress toward campaign goals
Note monthly donor conversions

Use Data for Motivation:

Share exciting milestones and achievements
Create friendly competition with visible standings
- Bring up reporting by section/team and by individual
Recognize improvement and effort
Adjust strategy based on what’s working

🤝 Collaboration with Other Roles

Support Booster Leaders:

Attend planning meetings and provide input
Clearly establish which tasks the booster leader expects you to handle
Help communicate with families about campaign importance
Be available for questions and problem-solving
Promote booster efforts and volunteer appreciation

Partner with Parents:

Help them understand their critical role in student success
Provide talking points for family fundraising conversations
Recognize parent support and involvement
Connect families who need additional help or encouragement

Empower Students:

Give them ownership and agency in the process
Provide tools and training for success
Celebrate their achievements publicly
Help them see connection between effort and program benefits

💡 Pro Tips for Maximum Impact

Before Campaign:

Survey students about incentives they actually want
Get leadership team buy-in and enthusiasm
Practice your “why” message until it’s compelling
- The easiest “why” for parents is X money raised = y student fees (Create a table)
- Use Fundraising Calculator
Plan specific time allocations for fundraising activities

During Campaign:

Be visible and engaged every single day
Use social media to amplify student efforts
Share behind-the-scenes moments and fun interactions
Keep focus on program benefits and community building

After Campaign:

Follow through on all promises and incentives
Document successful strategies for next year
Create or update entire process for future fundraising leads
Send feedback for improvements to RapidFundraising

🏆 The Bottom Line

Your engagement is everything. Students will match your energy level. If you’re excited about fundraising, they will be too. If you treat it as an obligation, so will they.

Remember: The most successful programs consistently have directors who are deeply engaged in fundraising because they understand it’s not separate from their program – it IS their program’s sustainability and growth strategy.

Your daily leadership during the campaign determines whether your program just raises money or builds a community of lifelong supporters!