3 Ways to Raise the Money Classrooms Need

Innovating in the classroom is difficult, to say the least. Strapped for resources, teachers often struggle to purchase new educational tools or provide cutting-edge technology for students. As a result, fundraising is incredibly common. In fact, it is not so much voluntary as it is mandatory. It is an inherent aspect of teaching. It’s part of the job.
In light of such, here are the most reliable tried and true methods for raising the funds our kids need to succeed:

Talk to the School Board

The school board is the natural first stop for most teachers when they are looking to secure additional funds. It is important, however, that the principal is aware of the teacher’s intentions. Both the teacher and principal should be on the same team, as miscommunication has a knack for breeding resentment. Moreover, teachers gain vast support with the weight of their principal behind them.

Before instructors approach the board, it is important they be well-prepared and well-versed in what they are asking for, how much it will cost, and how much it will help. Many boards are happy to help if they can—they just need a reason to do so.

Contact the PTA

After the school board, the PTA is the best option to raise money. Very often, they have supplementary capital they can use to help teachers procure new and improved materials. By merely attending one of their meetings and articulating why the project in question is significant, teachers can gain the money they need to make a difference.

As with the school board, instructors should certainly be well-prepared, but not nervous. The PTA is there to help. Let them.

Search For a Teacher Grant

Although it may not be the easiest route, searching for a teacher grant is a fantastic way to find not just the money teachers need, but the money the school needs. Grants come in both small and large quantities, so they’re applicable to both small and large-scale projects.

In fact, some grants from Lowe’s Toolbox for Education offer as much as $5,000 to the Stand Up Kids organization, a program dedicated to supplying every public school with a stand-up desk within the next ten years. Teacher grants, as the name implies, want to help teachers. Some fantastic resources for grants are below:

Grants for Teachers
New Schools
Thank America’s Teachers
Fund for Teachers

For more ways to raise the money classrooms need, see here.