Ali + Julie
Co-Founders, GroupTogether.
Life’s busy. That’s why we’re here to make it easy for you to collect money from a group. Less wasted time, less packaging waste, and spending a little less but giving a lot better!
Tips & Inspo
How to Organize a Teacher Appreciation Gift from the Whole Class
So, you’re a nice parent. You want to show your gratitude. After all, that teacher has looked after your precious child all year! But you’re also a realist. What gift can you buy for $20 … because no teacher needs another 20 mugs (or scented candles). A class gift for the teacher would be much better – and everyone can spend a little less but give something really good. But ugh … how can it happen without the hassle!
By Ali + Julie
August 29, 2024
How To Organise A Teacher Gift From The Whole Class
As one mum said, “I don’t have time to stalk parents in the playground!”.
Let's be honest, the thought of organizing a gift from the whole class is a nightmare. Collecting cash or sharing your personal bank details (no thanks!), chasing parents to sign the card and then the diplomacy of choosing the gift.
This nightmare is actually why we started GroupTogether! We wanted to take the hassle out of organising group gifts, so the recipient could get a better gift - something they really want or need.
So how does it work? Well, it's pretty simple!
- You just create a gift collection online and choose your card design, then share your personalised URL with the parents (WhatsApp, messenger, email, etc.).
- Parents click to pay online and sign the card, so apps or sign ups required.
- Choose from hundreds of gifts (including gift cards, flowers, hampers, plants, etc.).
Why It's Better To Organise A Teacher's Gift With GroupTogether
We've designed GroupTogether so it solves some of those issues you'd normally face when organising a group gift.
It's more inclusive: You can let parents sign the card without chipping in, so regardless of their financial situation they can participate in the class gift. Parents can't see what each other chipping in.
It does the heavy lifting: We do the inviting, reminding, collecting, tracking and then package up the gift and card really nicely.
You can print the card: We know you might want to have something physical to give to your teacher in person. You can download the card (and gift card) as a PDF to print and gift. It looks great and your teacher will love the special keepsake.
You can track it all in your dashboard: No more scrolling through your bank account trying to see who has paid. Track everything in your dashboard! It's really transparent and you're in control.
What Gift To Give The Teacher
Research with over 100 teachers to find out what gift they really want showed that:
- Teachers don’t expect a gift but a card is appreciated.
- If you’re going to give a gift, 96.9% of teachers preferred a group gift from the whole class rather than individual gifts.
- Teachers would really love a gift card, in fact, that was the preferred gift by 90.7% of teachers.
For more gift ideas, check out our blog 10 Best Gift Ideas for Teachers.
Worried a gift card doesn't feel personal enough? Pair it with a beautiful group card filled with messages and pics from the whole class and your teacher will be absolutely thrilled! You can do it all-in-one with GroupTogether.
Common Questions & Tips
Privacy and Safety – We’re two Aussie mums with 7 school children between us. We understand the privacy issues! We don’t share your pictures or your emails.
Are Transactions Secure? – We don’t store credit card details. Transactions are encrypted to the highest level. Credit cards are processed by Stripe.
Fees – The group card is a one-time fee of $5.50. Most gift cards are fee-free, but a few select gift cards have a 5% fee. Check out our FAQs for more info.
Got More Than One Teacher? – There’s one card that parents can sign per collection. So, either write a title like “Thank you Miss Manning, Mr McGoo & Miss McGee” or create a separate collection for each recipient.
What's The Average Amount That Parents Contribute? – Most classes state on the invitation “There’s no obligation at all, but if you’d like to contribute …“. You can either specify a set amount or leave it open and suggest a range. Generally, we’ve found that people collect about $20 per child for a teacher but it’s up to you.
Can You Print The Card? – Yes. It’s super cute! Print it at home or take it to be printed on card for about $2 at FedEx.
How Long Does It Take For People To Contribute? – Give people as long or little as you like. We find that sometimes short times (2 -3 days) can work a treat to get people moving. After all, they can pay online from their phone via direct debit or credit card.
Which Gift Cards Do You Offer? – We have 150+ brands like Amazon, Airbnb, GrubHub and many more. The brilliant thing is that we let the recipient choose if you give the AnyCard. We'll send you a voucher to give or forward. The teacher clicks the link and a beautiful digital gift box opens and lets them choose the gift card they really want.
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