FUNDRAISING: What's your philosophy?

There are two basic philosophies regarding keeping track of funds for fundraising.  Some like individual accounts and others like group accounts.  Major fundraising is usually done for mission trips, youth gathering trips, or community building trips like campouts, etc.  Minor fundraising is usually something that builds the fund balance for general use such as food or decorations for simple youth events, mission donations, etc.  Some smaller congregations do not have the money to support the youth at all and their fund may be needed for song books, curriculum, sports equipment, etc.  How that money is spent should be based on a vote of the members of the group and adult guidance.

Individual Fundraising "Accounts"
This is basically the philosophy that every youth has their own account within the youth fund and they work for the good of themselves.  Somebody keeps track of what money each individual raises and it can be put toward any event they choose, shared with somebody else, etc.  People like this because it can cause fewer agruments about who attended which fundraising event, how hard they worked, and how much they earned.  This philosophy is good if you have a large group and a lot of different major events kids may choose to attend.  Kids can use their money to go on the mission trip of not go and save their money for another event.  They have a youth group savings account.  When they graduate and leave the group their saved funds transfer into the general youth account.

Group Fundraising Account
This is basically the philosophy that everyone works for the good of the whole and money is equally divided.  This philosophy is good if you have a small group that comes to everything, works well together, and everybody pitches in for each other.  It is about building and supporting the community as a whole.  It may seem much simpler but there may be arguments if there are people who don't pull their weight and still get the same amount of money the others do.  The response to that argument may be the Parable of the Prodigal Son or the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. 

The Combo Plan
Personally, as a church professional, I believe that we do what is right before we do what is popular or convenient.  It is not Biblical to work toward the benefit of ourselves.  Fairness is not a Biblical teaching.  Given that, I understand the problems of money and suggest a combination of both.

Money earned as a group should be divided evenly among the group members and money earned as individuals can be considered individual earnings.  If the group has a garage/yard/rummage sale, the money is distributed evenly.  If kids go out into their community to sell bedding plants and one person sells $4000 worth and another only $250, that should be taken into account. 

Remember that trips and fundraising and everything else done with and for youth is not only about giving them experiences but also teaching them.  If one or two kids aren't pulling their weight in participating in fundraising the answer is not a financial penalty.   It's a conversation.  Adults don't have individual accounts at church and kids shouldn't either.  Families that give more than others do not receive more than others and those that give less are not penalized.  We do not tell people they didn't bring enough food for the potluck so they can't eat dessert.  For Biblical references please turn to Matthew 20:1-16 and Luke 15:11-32.

FUNDRAISING: Some Online Resources

Fundraising is very community dependent.  You have to know what your community will buy.  REMEMBER that when you are soliciting funds from members of your church, depending on local laws, you may not be allowed to sell things at a specific price, but can have a suggested donation. 

There are two ways to raise money:  through the church and through the community.  When I was helping a small congregation raise funds for a trip to the LC-MS National Youth Gathering I had to be very careful about how often I went to the congregation for money because people have limited funds and I didn't want youth fundraising for this event to hurt other ministries of the church.  I had to find ways the kids could reach out to people outside the congregation as much as possible.

I also wanted to make sure we were getting the maximum profit for our output.  You don't want to have to have a lot of fundraisiers that only earn a small amount because people get tired of fundraisers.  You also don't want to sell 1 pizza to a family for a suggested donation that brings a profit of $5 if they'll buy 5 sandwiches with a suggested donation that would bring a profit of $3 each or $15.  Be sure you DO THE MATH!!

That being said, there are a number of online resources you might find helpful.  Here are a few:

This site has ideas of fundraising events you can host at your church:  http://www.grantsfundraising.com/results/34/Fundraising-Events.html

This site has many items or categories of items to sell for fundraising:
http://www.grantsfundraising.com/cats/36/Fundraising-Products.html

This site has a lot of Do-It-Yourself ideas you might be able to adapt to your group:
http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/DIY/

Our best fundraiser was selling bedding plants in the spring because EVERYBODY buys plants, the kids earn individual money for individual sales, and they can sell to people outside the congregation.  Make sure the local nursery you use has good quality plants.  We used Gerten's because they had great quality and many choices:  http://www.gertens.com/fundraising/

Selling fireworks may not be legal in every state but I've heard some groups make a nice profit in a short time.
http://www.fireworks.com/fundraising/fundraising-non-profit-organizations/
http://www.bigthunderfireworks.com/fundraising.php

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Tips for Teaching Sixth Graders

Sixth graders are stunning!  Keep in mind that people grow and develop at different rates so nobody will be in the same place at the same time.  Sixth graders are about to step into the wonderful world of adolescence and may be preoccupied with physical and emotional changes.


Sixth Graders (11 year olds)...

• Have growing and changing bodies.  Females grow more quickly than males.
• Are curious about the opposite sex.
• May be impulsive and/or rude without realizing it.
• May be uncomfortable about people noticing any physical changes.
• Begin to have more of a need for personal hygiene.
• Need to make some choices for themselves.
• Rarely think of the future.
• Are looking for role models.
• Begin to be concerned with their appearance.
• Begin to want more independence without the responsibility.
• Are developing stronger intellectual skills.
• Are very self-absorbed, thinking nobody has ever been through what they are going through.
• Can increasingly think of the world from different perspectives.
• Still enjoy hands-on activities but are developing abstract abilities.

For Sunday School teachers of sixth graders this means students are beginning to develop greater abstract thought and beginning to wonder about their own moral standards.  This is a great time to start talking about why people believe what they do and why they do what they do.  Try some moral or ethical dilemmas and when discussing the Bible, try looking at stories or beliefs from different perspectives and allow them to struggle with them and come up with their own conclusions... with your guidance.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Tips for Teaching Fifth Graders

Fifth graders are fantastic!!  Keep in mind that people don't grow and develop at the same rate so nobody will be in the same place at the same time.  Kids in the fifth grade are generally happy.  They've learned that it pays to be truthful and are able to resolve issues of fairness.  Arguments will occur but students usually resolve them quickly.

Fifth Graders (10 year olds)...

• Enjoy cooperative and competitive games.
• Are good at memorizing facts.
• Like to explain things.
• Enjoy logic.
• Take pride in learning new things.
• Are increasingly able to think abstractly.
• Are expressive.
• Like encouragement.
• Enjoy talking and discussion.
• Enjoy dramatic reading, choral reading, and performing skits/plays.

For Sunday School teachers of fifth graders this means you should encourage them to verbalize their thinking when you talk about life issues, doctrine, and Biblical teachings.  This is the time to start getting them to sort things out in their minds so it's good to provide projects that allow them to develop conflict resolution and logic.  Provide opportunities for them to practice memory skills.  Fifth graders are beginning the move from more concrete to abstract thought and many are involved in classes for Holy Communion.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Tips for Teaching Fourth Graders

Fourth graders are fabulous!  Keep in mind that people don't grow and develop at the same rate so nobody will be at the same place at the same time.  Kids in fourth grade can be very competitive and critical.  Be aware that they may say hurtful things to their peers without thinking.  This is a good time to do team building activities!

Fourth Graders (9 year olds)...

• Still can't sit still for very long.
• May complain about physical aches and pains.
• Are still really concrete but also curious.
• Are beginning to see the world as a bigger place.
• Enjoy jokes, riddles, silly songs, and/or word games.
• Can be wounded by sarcasm.
• May become easily overwhelmed.
• Need lots of encouragement.
• Enjoy language and words.
• Enjoy partner work over groups.
• Now learn from reading.
• Enjoy discussions of right/wrong.
• May say what they think without thinking first.  They enjoy commenting on what's going on.
• Can be playful and have a good sense of humor.

For Sunday School teachers of fourth graders this means you might want to keep direct instruction time short and provide more opportunities for group work, discussion, and projects.  Use lame jokes or puns to cajole the kids into better behavior when necessary.  Let them use dramatic reading when possible.  This is a good time to bring the Bible alive by not only introducing Bible characters but also their personalities.  Fourth grade is the perfect age for the silliness of Veggie Tales.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Tips for Teaching Third Graders

Third graders are terrific!  They're starting to understand teamwork and learning to cope with change and problem solving and will be very enthusiastic about team projects.  Be ready for them to begin challenging fair and unfair behaviors.

Third Graders (8 year olds)...

• Are full of energy and often seem in a hurry.
• Enjoy working in groups, usually within their own gender.
• Adjust well to change.
• Have learned to recover from mistakes.
• Are very concerned with fairness.
• Can focus for short periods but need attention breaks.
• Do better with shorter assignments than longer ones.
• Can use things easier than words to explain themselves.
• Become even more interested in organizing things logically and finding out how they work.
• Enjoy handwriting, drawing, and crafts.
• Listen well.
• Tend to exaggerate.
• Have a lot of ideas.

For Sunday School teachers of third graders this means you should find more ways to let them work with mixed gender groups.  Let them tell each other what they thought of a story or idea.  When reading the Bible, use their developing sense of logic to make sense of the story.  Perhaps break the parts of the story apart in strips and and have them logically put the pieces together.  Allow them to draw pictures or make posters of their thinking.  They find learning about other people interesting so talk not only about the characters of the Bible but also of their cultures.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Tips for Teaching Second Graders

Second graders are super!  Along with a few of the traits of first graders, second graders like routine and want to finish what they start.  If you're going to move from one thing to another, give them a warning before switching.  Keep in mind that kids grow and develop at different rates so they won't all be in the same place at the same time. 

Second Graders (7 year olds)...

• Are more serious and less impulsive than first graders.
• Like to complete their assignments correctly.
• Like security and structure and want to check-in with the teacher.
• May change friendships quickly and enjoy working with a variety of partners.
• Don't like to make mistakes and want their work to be perfect.
• Like to work more slowly and alone or with one partner.
• Like to collect, sort, and organize things.
• Learn better using manipulatives.
• Like to know how things work.
• Like taking things apart and learning how they work.
• Enjoy class projects that include puzzles, games, and manipulatives.
• Are becoming interested in the meanings of words.
• Enjoy being read to.
• Enjoy one-on-one conversations with adults.

What this means for Sunday School teachers of second graders is that assignments or projects where they work individually or with one partner work best.  Having them retell stories using puppets or felt/paper characters as manipulatives might be helpful.  Since they like word meanings, make sure you explain words with which they may not be familiar or use word games or word puzzles into activities.