Case Study – Glenore Grove’s Glowtastic Disco Party
Challenge
In the past, the school had fundraised through various methods such as Bunnings Barbecues, Sports Days, Sausage Sizzles, hosting morning teas, and stalls on Mother’s and Father’s Day. However, these events were labour-intensive and not always as financially rewarding as they hoped. They needed a fundraising solution that was less strenuous for their volunteers and more impactful in terms of revenue.
Solution
The school decided to try something different. Having been an Australian Fundraising customer since 2012, they decided to try the Glowtastic Disco Party, our new and fun fundraising program that they had seen frequently popping up on social media. The Glowtastic Disco Party fit perfectly with their existing plan of hosting a disco to welcome new families. They used the provided banners, black lights, face paint, and added a disco ball and a few extra little lights around their community hall for the event. ‘It just tied in really well with what we had planned. The banners were great when they glowed, and the parents said it was the best fundraiser they’ve been to in a long time,’ said Kym.
The event was easily promoted through school assemblies, social media platforms such as Facebook, and the newsletter app. Volunteers dressed up in fluorescent outfits to hype the kids up. Classes were incentivised with pizza parties for those who raised the most money or had the most students sign up to the fundraising portal.
Results
The Glowtastic Disco Party fundraiser was a resounding success. Not only did it surpass their initial goal of $3,000, but it also raised an astonishing $15,230 – more than five times their target! The school community, especially the junior students, thoroughly enjoyed the event. According to Michelle, the Glowtastic Disco Party provided ‘much better value’ than their previous fundraising attempts.
Kym commented that ‘on one occasion we did two barbecue fundraisers in the one day at different locations, and we’re never doing that again. It was hectic, and didn’t end up raising much money in the end. Some fundraisers can be a big drain on volunteers, but this one was easy.’
Michelle and Kym found the event surprisingly easy to organise, thanks to the support provided by Australian Fundraising. Their Account Manager, Cindy, was always available to answer questions and provide support, making the process even smoother. ‘Everything was provided for us to promote it,’ said Michelle. ‘It was all on the online platform, which can be easily downloaded, copied and sent out.’
Creating the fundraising link for the children through their online profile was simple, and so easy to share across social media. ‘Having three children, I set up three profiles, uploaded them to social, and let people select who they wanted to donate to. It was very easy to send it out far and wide to friends and family to help my children fundraise,’ said Kym.
Conclusion
In the end, despite initial hesitations regarding the 40% fee, the committee realised the value they received was well worth the cost, given the high return on investment and the ease of running the event. Michelle’s advice to other schools considering the Glowtastic Disco Party – “Don’t hesitate. Lock it in, and do it! It will be great for your school, and it’s so easy, and fun.”
The Glowtastic Disco Party from Australian Fundraising proved to be a fun, simple, and highly effective way for Glenore Grove State School to achieve their fundraising goal. This case demonstrates the power of a well-organized, engaging and stress-free fundraising program, and the potential it has to exceed expectations when backed by a supportive fundraising partner.
