How do I get people who sign up for a free program to actually attend

I work for a non-profit and we offer free day camps to kids in need thanks to various grants I apply for. Since it's free though, we often don't have nearly as many kids show up as who registered. This is a shame because it's a great program, and our team puts a lot of effort into planning and implementing everything. It also means our participant numbers are lower and this could affect our ability to fund the program in the future. I send reminder emails, request a confirmation response that their child will attend, tell them that we have wait lists and want to allow other children to come if they are unable, etc. We have some families I can always count on, but others not so much. We've considered charging a small fee, but we don't usually run programs that require this so it would increase our administrative costs as well as a fee required to run paid programs in our facility, though at this point it might be worth while. Any advice?

Hi Hedgiegirl! Sorry you're queueing. Hopefully someone will respond very soon. If not - I will, but first I have to tend to my long-haul thread-owners/OPs. Bear with a bit longer. :) In the meantime, though, as Mayday is queuing alongside you - you guys might want to answer one another's? Or just ask lots of clarifying questions to make it easier for us veterans to know precisely how to advise? This is an old-fashioned forum, you see, so in actual fact, that's what's supposed to happen, even IF any regular respondents reply too. The more, the merrier, and all that.

Hi again, I'll dive straight in... "I work for a non-profit and we offer free day camps to kids in need thanks to various grants I apply for. Since it's free though, we often don't have nearly as many kids show up as who registered. This is a shame because it's a great program, and our team puts a lot of effort into planning and implementing everything. It also means our participant numbers are lower and this could affect our ability to fund the program in the future. I send reminder emails, request a confirmation response that their child will attend, tell them that we have wait(ing) lists and want to allow other children to come if they are unable, etc. We have some families I can always count on, but others not so much. We've considered charging a small fee, but we don't usually run programs that require this so it would increase our administrative costs as well as a fee required to run paid programs in our facility, though at this point it might be worth while. Any advice?" So you're the unofficial Marketeer? Do you have any prior experience of marketing but, just not in this particular sector? Is your charity registered? My own first move would be to charge a booking deposit, which they obviously get back if the child attends. Or/and some simple reward that the kid recieves, like a hole-punch in a special little card strip which counts as credits towards such? It could as simple as a Chubba-Chup lolly or Hotwheel car (if you did a deal with a local shop and gave them credit/publicity as a donor?)... Depends... What's the demographic, including age-range? What activities are involved? Lily31 (long-haul OP/thread-owner) started a company (profit-making) for kids. Shame she's busy organising her wedding because I'm sure she could think up some ideas, too. Let me try a 'mating' call... *********************************************************************************************************** CALLING ALL POSTERS: ARE THERE ANY OTHER MARKETEERS IN DA HOUSE WHO ENJOY BRAINSTORMING AND WOUD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE ON THIS THREAD? *********************************************************************************************************** (Let's see...)