Four Fundraising Pitfalls Every Newbie Organiser Must Avoid

Organising a fundraiser can be overwhelming when you lack experience running fundraisers and you're having to learn everything on the fly. The good news is, you can hold a successful fundraiser and and boost your school's financial resources even though you're new to the task. How? By researching the tried and tested formulas for fundraising, and by steering clear of the things that cause fundraisers to flop. Here are some common mistakes you should try to avoid when setting up your very first fundraising project.

1. Lack of planning - Planning for a fundraiser has to be done a year in advance because it entails a lot of work. Create a list of all the tasks that must be done from day one right up to the actual date of your event. Assign volunteers to accomplish each of these tasks so that you won't get tempted to do everything. Stick with your plan but be ready to make changes to it when needed.

2. Poor communication - Problems arise when you're unable to communicate well with your team members and other important people outside your team. Make an effort to update everyone and have them all on the same page as you carry out your fundraising game plan. Apart from sending daily or weekly updates via email, create social media accounts where you can post every detail of the progress made on your project.

3. Lack of volunteers - Gather a core volunteer group to head up your project. Then, define the less important, but necessary positions and all the other roles and responsibilities that are needed in order for the fundraiser to be a success. Filling in these less important positions with able and interested people lightens the load of your core volunteers. But how can you find extra volunteers for your team? Circulate flyers or post a sign up ad on your social media accounts, then move on to the selection process from there. Good people who are willing to support your fundraiser without pay are hard to find, so don't overwork them.

4. Insufficient promotion - Contrary to popular belief, communities don't support fundraisers automatically, despite the fact that they're held to support a good cause. Get the attention of your target audience by giving out flyers, letters and posters in your area. Send emails and post the details of your fundraiser on your social media wall. Create a countdown type of ad on your wall to entice more people to sign up for your fundraiser.

Familiarise yourself with these fundraising mistakes and these solutions. This will help increase your chances of meeting your financial goals and building good relationships with your volunteers and the community.

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Best Mobile Apps Moms Should Download (Continued)

BigOven - Learning how to cook these days is as easy as ABC because of the useful mobile apps that provide step-by-step tutorials. They are great for both beginners and veterans in cooking. The same goes for baking. The BigOven is one of the apps under this category. You may choose others that may interest you.

Shapes - When alone with your little ones, you can turn this time to something educational. With this app, you can teach them identify the basic shapes around them.

My Days - Do you always lose track of your red days? My Days can help you updated with that. This can also provide important information about your fertility cycle. These are significant if you and your partner are trying to be pregnant.

Doodle Kids - This app can be more enjoyed by kids who are borrowing your phone. By simply touching the screen of your smartphone, they can draw with lines and shapes of varied colors. This is not just enjoyable but also beneficial for kids who are yet to develop their learning faculties.

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Best Mobile Apps Moms Should Download

Since we moms can now practically do everything with smartphones, it is important that they are loaded with helpful apps. We can take these mobile apps wherever we go and make use of them whenever we need too. A good example for this is the use of coupons when you are out of cash in the grocery store.

OurGroceries app - Groceries lists written in paper can get lost any time. With this app, you can compose many copies for one grocery list. If a friend is doing the grocery as you stay at home, you can simply send the list directly to the phone of your friend.

Mom 2 Be -  This is great for expecting moms. It provides weekly statistics of you and your baby. Along with the stats, there are tips on keeping yourself healthy and prepared for the big D day.

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Must-Have Gadgets For Moms

Mobile gadgets can be called moms' best friends' these days. They are helpful in connecting moms and their homes. They too also aid moms in the quick accomplishment of their tasks both at home and at work.
Smartphones - This can do a lot of things for moms -  communication through call, text and email; documentation - taking photos, videos, make sound recording; and provide entertainment - music, games, etc.

Tablet PCs - They are just bigger versions of smartphones. They are more appropriate to use if you have a great deal of work to finish in between house chores and caring for the kids. When you are out with the kids, they can be a source of enjoyment if they are bored waiting for you.

Kindle - So the kids already got your tablet to play games. If you have got a Kindle, you can fight boredom and let time pass by reading your favorite book beside your kids.

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