On the last day of the 1999-2000 school year, parents of Kennesaw Elementary School students in Cobb County, Georgia, received a letter listing more than three dozen enrichment programs, school activities, and classroom purchases funded by the PTA during the past school year. The letter ended with a thank-you: "Your participation in the following programs is what makes us able to provide these enhancements to our children's education." This was followed by a list of all the fundraising activities conducted throughout the year; the amount of money each project raised; and the name of the volunteer responsible for coordinating each project.

Every parent has come to expect the flood of fundraising materials, especially during the first weeks of school. Few expect to receive an "annual report" on the last day of school, as was the case at Kennesaw Elementary. It's a nice opportunity to show-off AND show appreciation to the families whose support the school will need again next year.

This article is from the Spring 2001 issue of the Fundraising Edge, an online publication of the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors and Suppliers, and is reprinted with permission. Visit their web site at http://www.afrds.org/ for more information and a look at the complete issues of the Fundraising Edge.