Are you looking for summer fundraising ideas? If so, look no further than the PTA Summer Ball! It’s an evening of dancing, food, drinks, games and prizes! This event is sure to be a hit with parents, staff, volunteers, and grandparents alike. It is the perfect chance to raise some much-needed funds while having a blast! Here are our top tips on how to plan an epic PTA Summer Ball fundraiser.
Decide on date, time, location, and ticket price
To avoid disappointment, it's important to plan ahead and get your venue and ticket pricing right. You want to start planning at least 6 months in advance in order to secure your venue for the date and time that suits your school community. When deciding on the venue you should visit the place beforehand and get a feel for how your event will be if held there. Discuss what type of catering service they offer as their pricing per head will have a direct impact on your ticket price.
It's important that you choose a ticket price which reflects the type of occasion you are hosting. Black-tie affairs can be found exclusively at luxury venues while smaller events might take place elsewhere (e.g. public spaces). A good tip is to work out your expenses first before setting your ticket price, this way you can ensure that you will make a profit. After all, this is a fundraising event.
Choose a theme for your PTA Summer Ball
You could go with anything from traditional black tie or add a fun twist with a more specific theme like “Under the Sea” or “The Great Gatsby”. The theme you choose for your event can have a lot of influence on the kind of venue and atmosphere that will be right.
Create a budget
When you plan an event, it's important to have a clear budget in mind. You may consider making lists or a spreadsheet and reviewing them weekly so that any costs can be monitored as they come up throughout preparation for the big day. This will help you avoid surprises in regards for how much money has been spent or saved throughout your budgeted time period.
Make sure you have enough volunteers
You want to ensure that you have enough help on board to make this night successful. You will need to designate responsibilities to committees such as decorations. The right decorations make all the difference when creating ambiance - so take some time figuring out what looks best before getting started.
Be sure to create a schedule for the actual night of the PTA Summer Ball that includes what volunteers will be looking after throughout the night to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Find entertainment that will be appropriate for all attendees
Consider the type of entertainment that you will want on the night and make sure to get them booked in advance. Consider adding entertainers such as a DJ, a live band or even a comedian to add some humour to the night.
Holding a raffle or auction? Book a high quality MC to bring in the punters. Just bear in mind that the more popular a performer, the more likely they will be booked up so give yourself enough time when searching. Alternatively, is your school lucky enough to have any celebrity parents (or just somebody with a big personality who is ready to step up!)
Get sponsorship for your PTA Summer Ball
Contacting businesses is a great way to fundraise for your event. Some companies are willing to donate prizes for raffles or auctions (e.g. restaurant gift certificates) or may even book tables at the event, so it's important that you start contacting them icurates resources and educational materials for school parents and their families, focusing on everything from educational support for your children, self-development and career re-entry, to home improvement, family well-being and even where to find the best family holidays mediately. Check out our blog for help with creating sponsorship packages that attract.
Promote your event
Design a lovely flyer that reflects the theme you have chosen for the night. These flyers can be printed and sent home through the children’s backpacks and/or distributed at school meetings (e.g. coffee mornings, parents evenings, and PTA meetings). Use a digital version to promote the PTA Summer Ball on the school and PTA social media platforms and sent out via email to parents.
Be sure to hire a photographer to capture special moments of the evening and take a few photos of the event on the night yourself to post on social media (with consent). This will be perfect for promotion for next year’s ball!
In a blink of an eye, it will be the end of summer term, so get started on planning your PTA Summer Ball ASAP. As the time draws nearer make sure you consider all of the finer details that will contribute to a successful night.
- Complete an event risk assessment to identify areas that could go wrong, and your solution for mitigating this risk.
- Provide any attendee dietary requirements to your venue/caterers and confirm the menu.
- Provide final ticket number to the venue/caterers
- Check the laws and regulations with regards to running raffles or auctions if you plan on having one.
- Send out event confirmation to all attendees with any information they need for the night.
We know that planning the perfect event is no easy task. That’s why we created this blog post with all of our best tips and tricks to get your brain gears turning on how to plan the most amazing PTA summer ball ever!
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PlanSocial curates resources and educational materials for school parents and their families, focusing on everything from educational support for your children, self-development and career re-entry, to home improvement, family well-being and even where to find the best family holidays.