If you can dodge the problems that come with fundraising, you can dodge a ball.

Fundraising is always a touchy subject when it comes to large groups of people. It’s one of those things that is definitely needed, but it is also one of those things that people avoid like the plague. Countless times fundraising turns into a big ordeal of which tons of money is spent in preparation. The lack of funds raised often results in, ironically, a loss of money, not to mention some cranky committee chairs and unhappy members. We’ve all been there. Fundraising is awkward, uncomfortable and many times unsuccessful.

The Million Dollar Question: How can fundraising be made more effective?

A couple of weekends ago, some of my closest friends and I traveled about an hour and a half south of Baylor University to this strange and mysterious place that bleeds maroon, is home to some of the most spirited people in the state and has a song solely devoted to defeating the Texas Longhorns. You guessed it, Aggieland. The Texas A&M Pi Beta Phi chapter held their annual Dodge the Arrow Dodgeball Tournament to raise money for Pi Phi’s national philanthropy, First Book, which devotes proceeds to the promotion and enhancement of children’s literacy. The key to this fundraising event was that it was just plain fun. I mean, it was a dodgeball tournament, and who doesn’t love dodgeball?  The organization of this event was impeccable, as it prepared a bracket-style tournament with 50+ teams of 8-10 people. The entry fee of $20 included a t-shirt, lunch, and a great time!

The problem is solved, right? All you need to do to raise money is to have fun. Wrong. In order to make fundraising successful, many different things must work together for maximizing the money raised. It takes dedicated members who are willing to put time and effort into making whatever fun event run smoothly. It takes organization to prevent complete chaos. Most importantly, it takes other people from outside of the organization to participate. This means that advertisement and getting information to the public is vital, for those in charge of putting on this fundraiser must push for help. You would think that this is common sense, but it’s no surprise that lack of assistance provides for a nightmare.

Raising money is no easy task, but with organization, assistance and fun, it can be made into a memorable experience. Throw a dodgeball tournament, have a University-wide dance, maybe even host a cook-off. Whatever is decided, make sure to include those elements that bring success. Props to you, Aggies, Dodge The Arrow was a great one.