How Facebook Helped Moms Raise $463,000 in Eight Weeks for Cash-Strapped Schools

This is a story of one school district, a team of volunteer moms and the power of social media.

Pleasanton Unified School District is a group of schools in California: nine elementary, three middle, two comprehensive high and one alternative high. Like most schools in the economically battered States, Pleasanton’s have had to make swingeing cuts to their budgets.

In an attempt to raise money, the district put forward a parcel tax (a kind of land tax) that would see all taxpayers in the district pay a uniform amount that would go towards improving the schools.

But the ballot did not receive the required two-thirds support, and two weeks later two education foundations, in cooperation with the district, launched an ambitious fund-raising campaign. The goal was to raise $2.8million in eight weeks to fund four key educational programmes.

The problem, however, was that the campaign was launched on the last day of school, leaving parents and supporters without access to school newsletters, flyers and other means of communicating with their core constituency.

Plan B kicked into place: a volunteer committee decided to communicate with Pleasanton residents via Facebook, Twitter, email, two websites and a weekly e-newsletter. Elizabeth Rajs set up the Facebook page and Twitter account and managed both through the entire campaign. Denise Watkins also set up a Facebook page focusing specifically on saving the Elementary Band and Strings programme.  The goal was to raise as much money as possible in eight weeks: the campaign had to end by August 15th so that the district could implement any raised funds by the start of term of August 25th.

Volunteer Rajs, a freelance writer, explains how she built support for the cause through social media. “Once I established the Facebook page, I suggested it to every Pleasanton friend in my own network and asked them to do the same,” she says.

“The web master immediately installed a Facebook and Twitter link on both websites and every email sent by the education foundation – Pleasanton Partnerships in Education – as well as the weekly newsletter had links to the Facebook page. For whatever reason, the Twitter following never picked up steam, but by the time the eight-week campaign ended, there were 905 fans on the Facebook page.”

“Very quickly, local businesses jumped on board in support of the campaign. We heavily promoted patronage of their fund-raising activities via Facebook, the website and email.

“We all learned quickly that word was getting out when a local pizza take-out offered for two days in July to donate 35% of every sale with a flyer back to the school campaign. On the second day, they were so swamped, they literally ran out of pizza! Two weeks later, a family-style brew pub offered 20% on every table to the schools and were woefully unprepared for the crowds that showed up all day. Clearly the message was getting out!”

As well as help from local businesses, Rajs and her small team of fellow volunteers needed local residents to donate. Facebook proved invaluable.

“We installed links for online donations on the two websites and the Facebook page,” she adds. “We sent frequent reminders via Facebook and email that everyone in Pleasanton should donate some amount of money as everyone benefits from top ranked schools.

“The suggested donation amount was $189 per child in the district for families with school-age kids, and $233 (the amount of the failed parcel tax) for homeowners without kids in the district. Flyers were also handed out to local businesses and a couple of volunteers handed them out at the Saturday morning Farmer’s market.

“We kept our audience updated on the campaign with weekly announcements via Facebook and email about the current tally and always reminded them to send in their donations at the same time.”

Why does she think Facebook worked so well as a fundraising tool? “The important part about Facebook is that it allows two-way communication,” she says. “This page was set up to allow fans to post fund-raising ideas, reminders and encouragement. Because people opt in as fans, there is a different level of participation and energy than other, traditional means allow.”

The Facebook page also promoted an auction site set up by a fellow parent that raised almost $15,000 for the campaign, selling everything from jewellery to gift certificates and holidays.

By August 15th, the eight-week campaign, run by a handful of local moms, had raised a staggering $463,000. The money was instantly used to re-hire reading specialists and counsellors and restore the elementary band and strings program for 5th grade for the 2009-10 school year.

“I’ve been involved in lots and lots of school fund-raisers in the last 12 years (dinner auctions, carnivals, relays, etc.) and the amount raised in this two-month campaign far surpassed anything I’ve been a part of in the past,” adds Rajs.

Well done to Elizabeth and the rest of the volunteer team behind the Pleasanton campaign – an inspirational tale.

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