BPN Presents: Why Your Fundraiser Flopped with Catholic School Leaders Podcast

This is a special episode of another show on the BE Podcast Network. I recently had John Milhalyo as a guest on Transformative Principal and to I'm sharing one of his best episodes yet on why your fundraiser flopped. 

In this episode, John Mihalyo discusses effective strategies for Catholic school leaders to analyze and improve their advancement, development, and fundraising efforts. 

Drawing from his experience and expertise, John highlights common pitfalls in setting goals that are either too high or too low and emphasizes the importance of realistic planning, communication, sponsorship, budgeting, and offering desirable items or experiences at fundraising events. 

He also stresses the significance of timing, venue selection, and the power of saying 'thank you' to sponsors and donors. 

Throughout the episode, John offers practical advice on creating a culture of giving and forging strong community partnerships to support Catholic education worldwide.

00:00 Introduction to the Catholic School Leaders Podcast

00:34 Reflecting on the School Year and Advancement Efforts

01:06 Analyzing Fundraising Efforts and Identifying Improvement Areas

02:19 Common Reasons for Not Meeting Fundraising Goals

05:01 The Importance of Proper Event Planning and Timing

07:16 Maximizing Communication and Sponsorship Opportunities

16:49 Ensuring Your Fundraising Offers What People Want

20:29 Choosing the Right Venue and Recognizing Sponsors

24:43 Avoiding Donor Fatigue with Strategic Fundraising

27:18 Budgeting and Event Feedback for Future Success

31:05 Conclusion and Invitation to Connect

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.