A nonprofit for textbook fundraising

Anyone can start a textbook fundraiser and begin impacting the world. That was proven by a number of clubs conducting fundraisers last year (see my first post, "The birth of an idea" for more details), but my experience has convinced me that a nonprofit organization would greatly benefit students who want to take up this project.

Here's why:

1. Marketing - Who has ever heard of a textbook fundraiser?
Anyone can start a textbook fundraiser, but either they must have the idea independently or they have to hear about it somewhere. People need to be invited. A nonprofit would invite and encourage students and student groups to participate and then help them run with it!

2. Empower - Who has the time for a textbook fundraiser?
Students have more time than they think, but it is easy to understand that students may be too busy to figure out (let alone run) a textbook fundraiser's operations while in school. Some students have time to manage a fundraiser and others do not. I don't want to discourage the latter from participating and making a difference with their friends. Empowering comes in two ways: 1) advising students who want to conduct a fundraiser independently and 2) being the seller for individuals or groups that don't have the time to handle the necessary logistics.

3. Storage space, unsold inventory, and customer service
As the seller of textbooks for the participating students and student groups, a nonprofit would enable students to focus on the collection of textbooks rather than where to store them, how to organize and inventory them, what to do with unsold books, how to sell or ship them, or providing customer service. The nonprofit would provide logistical services and advice for fundraising groups.

4. Credibility and accountability
When a student or group chooses to help a cause by starting or contributing to a textbook fundraiser, they should feel comfortable knowing that their efforts are going to make a difference. Nonprofits are held responsible by the U.S. government, but a nonprofit would also offer detailed reports summarizing funds raised to participants to ensure the greatest credibility. In addition, proper accounting practices would be in place to ensure all the hard-earned funds go to helping a participant's cause as soon as possible.

5. Efficiency and expertise = maximized results
A nonprofit with the mission to help textbook fundraisers would develop a specialization in selling books that would bring both efficiency to the operations and expertise in maximizing funds raised. Additionally, a nonprofit would be able to conduct its work on a regular, daily basis and mobilize volunteers from many backgrounds to assist the varied causes of participating students.

I would greatly appreciate your comments and feedback about reasons good or bad about starting a nonprofit for textbook fundraising. You may email me at kurtis.griess@gmail.com if you do not want to comment below this post.