Fundraising Ideas for PTAs During Covid-19
Each year, the government allocated funding for schools gets smaller and the burden on Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to raise money increases. To date, PTAs have been responsible and highly commended for putting on the spirited school Christmas and summer fairs, bake sales, auctions, dances, and quiz nights to name just a few.
These PTAs have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help top up school bank accounts and to enable their schools to buy much-needed resources, improve buildings and classrooms, and to help ease the financial strain.
Sadly, it has been impossible for PTAs to host these normal events to raise money in the time of Covid-19. They haven’t stood a chance when bubbles aren’t meant for bursting and the word ‘social’ is only associated with ‘distance’ these days.
Using Tradem to help PTAs raise money for schools during Covid-19
Last year, we launched Tradem, the first online marketplace for children and teens to buy, sell, and trade their pre-loved toys, books, games, sports equipment, etc. Our aim is to teach kids about the value of money and how to use it in the real world, and to empower kids to be responsible for their own things.
And we made it fun!
Children create their own shop, and under their parent’s protective umbrella, sell items that they no longer want or use to others who would now like them. They earn their own money and can then either spend it on other items for sale on the marketplace or add it to a savings account.
Here's our great idea for PTAS…
What if every child in your school sets up a Tradem account at home (it is free to join at the moment) and uploaded one item to sell to raise money for the PTA? How much could the school raise? The children would have lots of fun selling and they might even find items that they wanted to buy for themselves (or siblings, friends, and cousins for Christmas) at the same time? There could even be a reward for the person or class that manages to raise the most money!
We decided to approach a number of schools with this opportunity and the idea has gone down a treat...
One school has decided to hold a Christmas jumper fundraiser on Tradem. They are asking children to open a free account with their parents and to upload their old festive jumpers. They will include the words ‘PTA fundraiser’ in the item title (eg ‘Festive Jumper Age 7-8 PTA fundraiser’) so that others will recognise that they are supporting schools when they choose their jumper for this season!
Another school has said that it will set their pupils the challenge of making Christmas decorations and selling them on Tradem as a ‘Festive decorations PTA fundraiser’. "
"The children have all been inspired to get creative and are enjoying the challenge”, according to their deputy headteacher.
“They are learning about the value of money too when they choose a price for their decorations, so that will inspire our teachers to use the QniQr learning resources again when they teach future classes on money, as part of the national curriculum.”
If you would like to learn how Tradem could help your PTA this Christmas or for future fundraising events, then please contact marcelo@tradem.uk for ideas and information.