School ball committee fundraising checklist: before, on the day and after

Before

Read the food-safety rules for fundraising sales and plan safe handling.The rules
Check the prizes and ticket sales fit the Class 1 or 2 limits, and write down what the money is for.The rules
Form the committee early with a staff liaison and a budget: venue, food, DJ, decorations, photos, security.
Set a ticket-price target and work out the gap fundraising must cover.
Plan 4-6 fundraisers across the year: mufti days, Bunnings sizzle, car wash, bake sales, a raffle (NZ Herald notes mufti days are common).
Approach local businesses to sponsor items (photo booth, flowers) or student tickets; Massey High lets the community sponsor a student to attend (NZ Herald).

After

Bank every dollar through the school office and keep a running ledger the committee can see.
Offer early-bird pricing and payment plans (Manurewa High sold early-bird tickets at $45 before $55 (Manurewa High School Facebook)).
Set aside a confidential pool for students who cannot pay, handled by staff.
Send families the school's alcohol and after-ball guidance from Police before the night.
Report the final accounts and any surplus carried to next year's committee.
Thank donors, sponsors and helpers, by name where they’re happy with that.

Watch out for

A venue upgrade can cancel out a year of fundraising.
Cash held by students outside school accounts goes missing or causes disputes.
The school being seen to endorse an after-ball: keep any after-ball clearly private and separate.

Bank committee money through school accounts. Supplying alcohol to under-18s needs express parental consent and responsible supply; Police warn against after-balls with alcohol in the ticket price.

School ball committee fundraising: checklist

Before

After

Watch out for

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