Nobody likes a show-off – unless you’re boasting about a successful fundraiser. Parents, volunteers and other members of the community who contributed to the fundraiser deserve to know how their time and money were spent. Showing off also lets your volunteers know their work was worth it, and they’re more likely to come back next time.

So how do you go about getting that publicity?

Keith Keeney, vice president of an Atlanta-based public relations firm specializing in non-profit organizations, suggests writing a press release.

“A press release is an extremely effective means of informing the local media about news that is relevant to the community,” Keeney said. “It’s important to publicize your group’s success to keep momentum alive.”

To increase the likelihood that the press release will be used, make sure it is timely and has enough detail to spark the interest of others who will be involved in fundraising efforts at schools throughout the area.

In other words, “Don’t just announce success, but explain the how’s and why’s of the success,” Keeney said.

Try crafting your school’s own press release, using the sample here. You can download an electronic version of the sample press release at www.afrds.org.