How to Fundraise for School Papers

Keep the school paper in print with fundraising money.

Maintaining a school newspaper requires financial assistance to run efficiently. Regardless of whether the publication is printed in-house or off-campus, the price of paper, print and distribution is costly. Fundraisers will help offset the costs of the newspaper if they are done correctly and efficiently. While there are vast assortments of fundraisers to choose from, selling advertising space to local businesses and students will draw in the most amount of money.

Instructions

1. Create a layout of the empty space within the newspaper. Advertising space can go anywhere within the paper but the back page is typically the hot spot. To get the most money, you may have to rearrange editorial content to fit different ad sizes within specific areas.

2. Draw up a price sheet for the different advertising spaces. When creating a price sheet you will need to factor in the size of the space and the location. These two specifics will be your money-makers when selling advertising. In addition, you will want to create pricing for color print if you will offer the option.

3. Walk business to business to advertise space within the school paper. You may need to carry demographics of the school so the businesses know exactly what type of audience will see their advertisement. Remember to inform potential clients that staff and administration will view the paper also.

4. Sell the ad and get a copy of the print the customer wants to place in the newspaper. You may need to resize the image if it is too large or small for the space provided. The photo can be adjusted in photo editing software. If the customer does not have the proof ready right away, then always collect the money for the advertisement to hold the spot and schedule a pick-up date.

5. Place the ad within the paper. The ad will become the property of the newspaper.

6. Flip through the paper to find any blank areas where advertising was not sold. Open the option for students to purchase “shout-outs” to other students. The “shout-out” should be small and may contain a photo if there is enough room. Always read through the content with the student and verify that the “shout-out” is appropriate for school.

7. Flip through the paper to find any blank areas where advertising was not sold. Open the option for students to purchase “shout-outs” to other students. The “shout-out” should be small and may contain a photo if there is enough room. Always read through the content with the student and verify that the “shout-out” is appropriate for school.

Tips & Warnings

• Other fundraising options include holding a book drive and setting up a paper recycling drive.

References

• DIY Fundraising: Advertising Sales
• Entourage: Yearbook Ad Sales
• Kansas State Department of Education: Fundraising Ideas for Schools