If you’ve had a child in sports, scouts, band or school, you know the routine. A box of candy bars comes home. An order form for cookie dough or wrapping paper goes around the office. Grandma buys three tubs of popcorn she didn’t really want.
We’ve been there too, for more than 40 years. And somewhere along the way, we started asking a simple question: how much of that money actually reaches the kids?
The hidden cost of selling products
When your group sells a product, the money you collect isn’t all yours. Before your team sees a dime, it has to cover:
- The product itself: the candy, dough, popcorn or wrapping paper
- Shipping and handling to get it to you
- The fundraising company’s profit, because running fundraisers is their business
What’s left after all that is what your team keeps. Depending on the company and the product, that can be a surprisingly small share of what your supporters paid.
Here’s an easy test: before you sign up for any product fundraiser, ask the company, “Out of every $20 sold, exactly how much does our group keep?” If the answer makes you wince, you’re not alone.
The hidden cost of time and safety
Money isn’t the only cost. Product fundraisers also come with:
- Kids going door to door or standing outside stores asking strangers for money, which many parents are no longer comfortable with
- Parents chasing payments, tracking orders and handling cash
- Delivery day: sorting boxes, matching orders and driving all over town
- Trips to the bank and someone stuck doing the accounting
That’s a lot of work for a fraction of the money.
How online fundraising is different
With online fundraising, there’s no product in the middle. Your supporters give directly to your cause, from anywhere, in about a minute.
At Achieve Our Goals, here’s how it works:
- 100% of what you raise goes to your cause. A small amount (under 5%) is added at checkout to cover card processing and running the site, and your donors cover it, not your team.
- Nothing to sell, deliver or collect. You share one link by text, email or social media.
- Kids stay safe. No door-to-door, no standing outside the supermarket.
- Supporters can cheer you on. Every donor can leave a shout-out your kids will see right on the page.
- One check at the end, mailed to your coach, booster club or coordinator, with a full accounting of every donation.
A different kind of giving
Here’s the part we love most. When Grandma buys a tub of popcorn, most of her money goes to the popcorn. When she gives online, all of her gift goes to her grandchild’s team, and she gets to send a message of encouragement along with it.
Same generosity, a lot more impact.
Ready to ditch the candy bar sale?
Tell us about your team, school, club or cause, and we’ll build your fundraising page for you, usually the same day. It’s free to organizers.