School is about more than textbooks, pencils, and pens. All year long, teachers invest their own money into the supplies needed to educate children. From the construction paper and markers they use for art lessons to the classroom decorations and so much more, teachers quietly invest in the essential materials that their students need to learn.
Depending on the size of the classroom, your child’s teacher may spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on their students. As a parent, how can you support them in a way that makes the most impact and fits into your busy schedule?
By participating in these five practical and manageable fundraising ideas, you can make a real difference for teachers. Your involvement could even enhance the quality of the teaching tools that your child will use, making you a significant part of the educational journey.
1. Crowdfunding:
This method of online donation has revolutionized the way we support charities and even individuals. This method can help even the busiest parents to aid instructors and raise much-needed funds. Here’s how to make it happen step-by-step.
Online platforms: Several websites can help you when it comes to raising money for school supplies.
- GoFundMe: This site is known for its user-friendly interface and quick setup. While it charges a payout fee, its extensive reach may compensate for the cost.
- IndieGoGo: This platform offers flexible funding options and permits charities to use their service, unlike Kickstarter.
- Kickstarter: Although typically used for creative projects, Kickstarter can also be an effective platform for larger, more ambitious school projects. While they can’t promise to raise specific dollar amounts through this platform, several nonprofit institutions use it to bring their projects and events to life.
Promotion and Engagement: The most critical aspect to successful crowdfunding campaign is effective promotion and engagement. You must ensure that your efforts are highly visible to ensure that even the most compelling campaign may flounder. To best maximize your reach:
- Use social media: Facebook remains a powerful platform for promoting this type of campaign. Your target audience – other parents, community members, and those who care about your child’s education – are the same people who read your social posts every day.
Parents can share the link to the donation website directly on their profiles, local community groups, and school pages. This can help the campaign reach its target audience quickly and efficiently.
Social media also allows parents who have a limited budget to be involved. Often, if they share and tag others in posts about the campaign, their investment of time may equal or be greater than a cash donation.
Before your group makes its initial post, give others in your group a script to post a more unified message. You should provide them with approved hashtags if they use other social platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, or Instagram. - In-person events: Whether it’s an open house, parent-teacher conferences, or meet-the-teacher nights, any in-person event with other parents can spread awareness for your fundraising efforts. Some people are more inclined to help when asked directly rather than through a newsletter or social media post.
QR codes are a simple way to get people to your donation site. They’re easy to create and may greatly simplify your donation process. You can use a free tool like QR Code Generator to make a printable or shareable code that links directly to your crowdfunding campaign. Then, you can use these codes in flyers you display at events. You can print them on business cards and hand them out at any face-to-face meeting.
For a detailed comparison of crowdfunding platforms, read AIM Insurance’s blog:Pros and Cons of Crowdfunding for Parent-Teacher Groups.
2. Amazon Wishlists
Similar to a registry, this online tool provides a practical alternative for those who may be hesitant to give money but may be more inclined to donate specific items. It’s simple, too!
Using Amazon’s website, teachers list the items they need most. They’ll get a link for their wishlist to send to parents, who can purchase and send supplies directly to their doorstep.
Teachers have control over what is actually needed, minimizing waste and ensuring their classrooms are well-equipped. Parents can order from anywhere, making the process simple and stress-free.
3. Community events
Community events can be a fun and engaging way to raise funds. You can choose from creating your own activity or collaborating with other businesses:
Local fundraising activities
- 50/50 raffles: A time-tested and effective way to raise money, these are also quite simple. Half the proceeds go to the winner, and the other half to the fundraising effort.
- Item raffles: Popular items such as AirPods, an Apple Watch, or gift cards can be raffled off. To enter, people can donate basic school supplies.
When selling tickets, you can give them one ticket for every three items donated or three tickets for each six-item donation. These numbers can be adjusted to suit your community’s needs.
4. Collaborations with businesses
Partnering with local organizations can significantly boost fundraising efforts. Approach local restaurants to see if they would be interested in participating, even if they don’t have existing donation systems. Many are willing to support community initiatives. They could also offer a great place for you to advertise your fundraiser.
Some chain restaurants offer fundraising opportunities:
- Chipotle: Chipotle fundraisers are now available in-restaurant and online. Every fundraiser gets a unique code, and when supporters enter the code online for pickup at your local Chipotle, 25% of event sales will be donated directly to your cause.
- Panda Express: This restaurant offers a community fundraiser where 20% of the proceeds from a single location are donated to the cause and a virtual fundraiser that donated 28% of the proceeds from online delivery and pickup.
Many fast food restaurants are franchises that have local owners. Find out who owns the locations in your community and see what fundraising efforts they support.
5. Corporate sponsorship
Securing corporate sponsorships can provide substantial support. While larger corporations might be challenging to approach, many local businesses may be eager to demonstrate that they support the community and its children. Here’s how to get started:
- Effective communication: Your first step should be crafting a compelling email or an effective speech to present to business executives.
- Find the right people: Contact Human Resources and work your way up to learn who makes these decisions. While higher-level executives might be harder to reach, persistence can pay off.
- Parent networks: Leverage your parent-teacher groups and their connections. For example, some parents may own businesses of their own or hold leadership positions that will allow them to facilitate introductions to decision-makers.
- Matching gifts: Many companies have programs where they match the charitable donations made by their employees. Encourage parents to check if their employers offer such programs. This is an incredibly easy way to double the impact of their contributions and significantly boost the fundraising efforts.
Helping teachers secure the necessary supplies for their classrooms doesn’t have to be difficult. By leveraging these five strategies—or coming up with your own—your group can ensure that teachers are well-supported and that your children have the resources they need to get the most out of their classes.
As you plan your fundraising efforts, consider AIM Insurance as your risk manager. From general liability, property coverage, and bonding for embezzlement protection to directors and officers liability, we’ll protect your PTA, PTO, or booster group with a package that meets your group’s specific needs.