Does Yankee Candle Do School Fundraisers?

Yankee Candle has offered popular candle fundraising programs for schools and non-profit organizations for over 50 years. Their school fundraising program allows schools to sell Yankee Candles to raise money for various needs. Yankee Candle handles the orders and shipping, while schools can earn up to 50% profit on each candle sold [1].

The Yankee Candle fundraising program provides an easy way for schools to raise money by selling America’s best-loved candles. Schools simply distribute brochures provided by Yankee Candle and collect orders. There’s no upfront costs, risks or product to handle. Yankee Candle handles delivering the orders directly to customers. Schools earn a generous profit on each item sold [2]. The program has proven to be a simple, profitable fundraiser for schools for decades.

History

Yankee Candle started offering school fundraising programs in the late 1990s as a way to give back to local schools and educational organizations. The program quickly became popular, with schools appreciating the recognizable and desirable Yankee Candle brand that made it easy to get supporters and family members excited about the fundraiser.

By the early 2000s, the Yankee Candle Fundraising program had grown significantly, establishing itself as one of the most well-known fundraising options for academic institutions across the country. Yankee Candle expanded the program’s reach by allowing supporters to place orders online and via mobile app in addition to traditional paper order forms. This increased convenience and accessibility further drove the program’s growth and popularity through the 2000s and 2010s.

Key milestones include Yankee Candle launching custom label options in 2010, allowing schools to add their name and logo to candles ordered through the fundraiser. The program also introduced more premium and luxury candles and other home fragrance products to choose from over time. By 2020, the Yankee Candle Fundraising program had become a staple for thousands of schools across the U.S. looking to supplement tight budgets.

How it Works

The process for a school to sign up and run a Yankee Candle fundraiser typically involves the following steps:

First, the school representative or PTA/PTO fills out an online application to get approved for a fundraiser. Once approved, the organizer works with a Yankee Candle fundraising specialist to determine the catalog options, pick a start and end date, and finalize the fundraiser timeline.

There are a few different catalog options to choose from, including the entire Yankee Candle catalog, a curated selection of products, or a custom catalog tailored to the school’s needs. Products available include candles, candle accessories, flameless fragrance, and home décor. The school can choose to do either a paper catalog fundraiser with order forms, or an online fundraiser where supporters can order directly on the Yankee Candle website.

The profit amounts vary by product, but typically range from 10% to 40% per item sold. Schools keep 100% of the profit. For candle sales, the profit is usually around $5 per candle. Once the fundraiser ends, Yankee Candle tallies up the total sales and sends a check directly to the school for their earned profit amount.

Benefits for Schools

Yankee Candle fundraisers offer schools the opportunity to earn a generous 40% profit from sales. According to Yankee Candle, the average school earns around $1,000 during a 2-week selling period. However, the profit potential is even higher for motivated schools. Top selling schools have raised over $10,000 through their Yankee Candle fundraisers.

Schools have used Yankee Candle fundraising profits for various needs. Many schools put the money toward extra-curricular activities and sports programs. For example, fundraisingzone.com reported that an elementary school used their profits to purchase new sports equipment. Others have funded educational field trips, classroom supplies, playground equipment, and more. Yankee Candle fundraising provides flexible earnings schools can apply to their greatest needs.

Yankee Candle is a popular fundraising choice for K-12 schools across the country. Parents and community members easily recognize the Yankee Candle brand. Their products make easy sell items during the fall and holiday season. Yankee Candle handles all the orders and shipping allowing schools to focus on sales. The profit potential, brand recognition, and simplicity explain the popularity of Yankee Candle fundraising for schools.

Tips for Success

Here are some best practices for schools to maximize sales during a Yankee Candle fundraiser:

Set a sales goal per student and reward students who meet it. According to How To Run A Successful Yankee Candle Fundraiser, setting goals and offering incentives helps motivate students.

Promote the fundraiser through social media, emails, flyers and word-of-mouth. Let the community know when and why you are fundraising. As Candle Fundraiser: 25 Tips To Maximize Your Profits recommends, publicity is key.

Send fundraiser packets home with students to get parents involved. Yankee Candle Fundraiser Profit suggests having students explain the fundraiser goal to parents.

Offer prizes to the top selling students. Candle Fundraiser: 25 Tips To Maximize Your Profits notes that offering rewards helps motivate sales.

Time the fundraiser right before the holidays when people are buying gifts. As per How To Run A Successful Yankee Candle Fundraiser, this timing ensures peak interest.

Have students practice their sales pitch and show product samples to boost enthusiasm. Yankee Candle Fundraiser Profit recommends getting students excited about selling.

Yankee Candle’s Role

Yankee Candle has traditionally played an important role in managing and supporting their fundraising program for schools and organizations. According to How To Run A Successful Yankee Candle Fundraiser, Yankee Candle provides the candles, brochures, and coordination needed to run the fundraiser successfully. They handle collecting orders, processing payments, shipping candles, and providing profits back to the fundraising group.

Some key resources Yankee Candle has traditionally offered include: custom brochures with the organization’s name and logo, coordination of candle orders and shipments, online ordering portals, and candle samples to help kick off the fundraiser. Their national brand recognition and quality candles help drive sales. As noted on the Yankee Candle Fundraiser 2023 site, they provide guidance for organizations to maximize success.

Yankee Candle runs these fundraising programs as part of their community relations and philanthropic initiatives. It provides a turnkey fundraising solution for schools and nonprofits to easily raise money, while also helping Yankee Candle build brand awareness and loyalty from an early age with students and parents.

Criticisms

While the Yankee Candle fundraiser was popular for many years, some schools did have concerns or challenges with the program. One common complaint was issues with order fulfillment. For example, according to https://www.ptotoday.com/boards/17-fundraising/85305-anyone-else-have-problems-with-yankee-candle-fundraiser, some schools reported receiving incorrect or incomplete orders, with missing items or products shipped that weren’t ordered. This created headaches for school coordinators who had to follow up with parents and Yankee Candle to resolve problems.

Another frequent criticism was that the profit margin on Yankee Candle products was lower compared to other fundraisers. While the brand name was attractive, schools often had to sell a lot of product to make decent money. Some felt the effort versus reward wasn’t worth it when there were fundraisers that yielded higher profits. According to https://fundraisingzone.com/brochure-fundraising-ideas/candle-fundraiser-companies/, Yankee Candle offered a 40% profit on sales, while some competing candle companies offered 50% or more.

When Yankee Candle discontinued their school fundraising program in 2020, many schools had to scramble to find a new candle fundraiser to replace it. But this provided opportunities to partner with other companies and evaluate if a candle fundraiser was still the best option (https://www.charlestonwrap.com/farewell-yankee-candle-fundraising-hello-charleston-wrap/). Some schools found more profitable alternatives like gift wrap or cookie dough sales.

Alternatives

While Yankee Candle fundraising is popular, there are several other options schools commonly use for raising money. Some top alternatives include:

Bake sales – Students and parents bake goods that are sold at school. A classic option, but requires coordination and doesn’t raise as much as other choices (source).

Gift wrap sales – Students sell rolls of wrapping paper, bows, and other gift accessories door-to-door or through custom web stores. Fun products but labor intensive (source).

Coupon books – Books with local business discounts are sold. Simple and no inventory required, but limited earnings potential (source).

Compared to Yankee Candle fundraising, these options can provide more customization and connection to local community. However, they tend to be more labor intensive and raise less money per student than the Yankee Candle model.

The Future

The future looks bright for Yankee Candle fundraisers in schools. Despite discontinuing their dedicated school fundraising program, Yankee Candle has indicated interest in expanding fundraising opportunities in the future.

According to source, Yankee Candle plans to roll out new seasonal products and scent options, like their Winter Wonderland and Happy Spring candles, to appeal to schools and groups looking to fundraise. As candle fundraising remains popular, especially around the holidays, Yankee Candle is well-positioned for growth in this area.

While no official nationwide school fundraising program is currently offered, local Yankee Candle stores may work directly with schools and organizations in their community. Interested groups can inquire with their nearest location to discuss potential partnerships and products to support fundraising needs.

With candle fundraising representing a $300+ million market, according to this analysis, Yankee Candle has incentive to recapture their share of school and nonprofit fundraising over time. Keep an eye out for new initiatives and expanded options as the beloved brand continues serving communities.

Conclusion

In summary, Yankee Candle fundraisers can be a great way for schools to raise money, but they require a good amount of coordination and effort to be successful. The candle-selling program allows schools to keep 40% of sales, providing an important revenue stream for school programs and supplies. However, Yankee Candle fundraisers may not be the most efficient option anymore compared to more modern, online fundraising programs. The candle-selling model requires handling physical products and arranging delivery and pickup. Schools must also motivate students and parents to sell multiple items per student. While the Yankee Candle program remains popular, schools should also consider easier, more efficient fundraising options that don’t require physical products and door-to-door sales.

Overall, the Yankee Candle fundraiser is a tried-and-true way for schools to raise money if they are willing to put in the time and effort. The program provides quality candles and gifts that sell themselves. But the model may be a bit outdated in today’s digital world. Schools should think carefully about whether the revenue earned is worth the logistical hassle. With more modern options available, the Yankee Candle fundraiser may not be the most efficient choice anymore.