Afterschool programs, extra supplies, new course materials…not everything is in the budget. Teachers are constantly trying to do extra special things for their students. So it’s either they ask parents to contribute or they can try to crowdfund for extra money.
1. Set a clear goal and objective for why you need extra funds
What exactly is this funding going towards? Not just “We need extra supplies for the classroom”. The better title of the fund and detailed explanation is, “We would like to purchase a new set of colored pencils for all 35 of our students. We’re going to be studying art and color in the next semester.”
Just like anything else you would do, when you need extra funding that could require some crowdfunding, you
Another example, “We need some extra books.” No, no. The better wording is, “We are going to be studying ancient Greece and we would like to send home The Iliad to every student. It’s an important piece of literature that every person should have for the rest of their life.”
Especially for afterschool programming. Make a list of every activity that will be facilitated, what each item would cost for each student, and the typical attendance rate of the afterschool program to give a sense of scale to potential donors.
2. Explain the benefit
We all know and believe the mantras, “education is the cornerstone of…children are our future…every child deserves…”
But let’s get a little more specific. Specifics drastically increase the likelyhood that you’ll convince many people to donate to your campaign.
Like The Iliad example above, explain why you want to have the new program, provide the new book, or purchase new supplies.
It doesn’t have to be anything ground-breaking. Something as simple as, “There are typically 30-50 students who stay
3. Be realistic
Yes, we would love for every teacher in America to have a $5000 crowdfunding campaign every semester for a whole new set of supplies and books. But this is not going to happen.
Similar to the “setting a goal” point above, find out exactly what it will cost, and try to keep it under $500. The majority of crowdfunding campaigns in the US that are funded are $250-$500. This seems to be the magic threshold.
When you shop for the supplies and resources you need, be frugal. Search for the lowest possible price for everything and then set a modest campaign money goal.
Also be realistic in what you want to fund.
An entire new wing of the school for art and music performance? Not going to happen in most cases.
A new set of books related to a specific subject? Go for it!
4. Share the campaign EVERYWHERE
MagicFund makes it simple to share your crowdfunding campaign, but every other crowdfunding platform also makes it easy for you to share.
Don’t be shy. Post to social media, send an email to parents, contact the local news!
At PTA or parent/teacher meetings, make sure you mention the campaign, then collect emails of parents who may be interested. Send them an email that night with a link to the crowdfunding campaign.
When you share your campaign online, this is when all of the advice above comes into play.
5. Show the results and your gratitude
Hitting your crowdfunding goal for a new school program or something as simple as new supplies
Send a message to your parents, post on social media, let your principal know so he/she can mention the campaign and the generous donations in the next assembly or PTA meeting.
Let people know you’ve hit the crowdfunding goal, share that news.
Take photos of the new supplies, materials, etc., share that news everywhere.
Take photos of your students using the new materials, share that everywhere.
Write a simple, thank you message to wrap things up.
Remember…
Following these simple tips will not only help you reach your crowdfunding goal,
