A daunting $500,000 stood between one high school band and their dream of performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time.
Hailing from Rockford, Michigan, the Rockford High School Marching Band was one of only seven high school groups selected nationwide to participate in the 91st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017, joining two college bands and a military ensemble in the prestigious lineup.
Chosen from a competitive pool of 175 applicants, Rockford was the third band from Michigan—and the first from West Michigan—to earn this incredible honor. "I am thrilled beyond words that our students have been selected for this historic national showcase," said Rockford High School band director Brian Phillips.
However, with a hefty $500,000 price tag to travel to and perform in the parade, Rockford High School knew it had to ramp up its band fundraising efforts to ensure its students could experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Tackling the $500,000 challenge
After the initial excitement passed, the Rockford High School band booster club and families went to work, determined to reduce the $500,000 cost. Getting 300+ band members and their equipment from Michigan to Manhattan was both a tall and expensive order.
Each student needed to raise approximately $1,500, so to meet this challenge, the boosters went all-in with a three-pronged approach to their fundraising strategy.
1. The March to Macy's Fund
Within a month and a half, the Rockford High School band kicked off the March to Macy's Fund, which consisted of multiple fundraisers—pancake breakfast, golf scramble, restaurant nights, car raffle, auction night, and 5K fun run—all to raise money for the general fund and make a splash among the school and the local community.
Former band booster president Melinda Klukas spoke with parents in May to recruit volunteers and drive participation in the numerous fundraisers. "We lined up plenty of fundraising ideas to help us raise at least $200,000," she mentioned.
2. Individual sales-based fundraisers
While the vast majority of Rockford's fundraisers raised money for the general fund, some, such as selling specialty coffee and mugs, Rockford Band swag, and candy bars, benefited students' personal accounts and helped them reach their individual $1,500 goal.
According to former band booster vice president Melissa Pakiela, students raised over $23,000 within nine months—just from these individual fundraisers!
3. RaiseRight
The Rockford High School band has been partnering with RaiseRight since 2005, but they decided to step up their fundraising efforts once they found out they were headed to the Big Apple.
"Last year, we raised over $14,000 through RaiseRight. For the 2016-17 school year, we lifted that goal to $30,000—more than double our previous fundraising totals with RaiseRight," said Tasha Burns, former RaiseRight coordinator for the Rockford band.
To increase participation in RaiseRight, Burns came up with a plan to adjust the earnings distribution percentage for families. "In a typical year, we do a 50/50 split, with students getting back 50% of their RaiseRight earnings and the other 50% going to the general fund. But during our March to Macy's campaign, we changed the incentive so families receive 70%, and 30% goes to the general fund."
She also supported parents in allocating their 70% earnings however they saw fit—to Macy's trip payment installments, band camp payments, or other individual fees.
Burns sold physical gift cards every week during the summer and actively encouraged families to use RaiseRight.com or the mobile app. This approach was instrumental in helping parents lower their travel expenses and overall band costs for the 2017-2018 school year.
While RaiseRight is just one of the many fundraising efforts for the Rockford High School Marching Band, it has emerged as one of the most reliable sources of support for families. "Fundraising with RaiseRight is incredibly easy," said Burns. "I’m already spending on groceries, gas, Amazon, and dining out regularly. Earning money through gift cards and seeing that total grow each month is a tremendous help."
Continued success
Since achieving fundraising success in 2017, the Rockford High School band has developed a solid plan to fund future can't-miss travel opportunities. Most recently, the band traveled from Michigan to Pasadena, California, to perform in the 2023 Rose Parade! RaiseRight remains an essential part of their fundraising strategy, helping the band continue to thrive.
Ready to start earning?
If you manage fundraising for your music program or booster club, you can start a free program by completing a short, online enrollment form.
Or, if you're looking for more information to share with others in your organization, check out The RaiseRight Fundraising Playbook to see how RaiseRight can benefit your group.
