Did you know most classroom teachers spend over $200 on their classrooms a year?
Of course you did – you are a teacher! So, how do we stop this phenomenon and start using other avenues for generating funding for our classrooms? Let’s look at just 3 ways you can acquire funding for your classroom.
Thinking about partnering with a local business to enhance your instruction and contents purpose? Don’t stop there.
A connection to a community member or local business can add great value as you explore funding needs. Is there anything you need for an activity that your community partner can supply you with? It is okay to ask, as long as you can fully explain the impact the tool can bring, the direct connection to the local business, and how you will celebrate their support.
Most businesses are eager to support education, they just don’t know how. A partnership is the perfect opportunity to blend purpose with support!
Most businesses are eager to support education, they just don't know how. Click To Tweet
Sure, PTO’s or reaching to to families is a great outlet for supply support, and there are some amazing PTO’s out there who do incredible things for teachers, but have you tried crowdfunding?
You may have heard about crowdfunding in the realm of new tech startup companies looking for funds to launch a new product. Or maybe you’ve seen a band or music artist looking to pay for their next album. I’ve even seen movie studios run campaigns for their fans to help support a new project.
Crowdfunding is really cool because it gives those providing the funding a sense of involvement, a sense of ownership in the success of the project. So when you bring that to your classroom, you’re giving people the opportunity to get behind what you’re trying to accomplish, and show their support for education.
There are multiple websites dedicated to creating funding campaigns. One of my favorites is GoFundMe.com.
GoFundMe asks its users to create a page explaining what the money will be used for. This will include a summery, eye catching photo, and catchy title. It will then be approved and published on their website. The funding begins immediately and there are even some perks for donations made within the first few days of publishing your project.
Once fully funded, Go Fund Me cuts you a check and you are on your way to classroom purchases!
Another amazing site for crowdfunding is www.DonorsChoose.org. Donors Choose is a game changer for teachers! Similar to GoFundMe, you’ll create a page explaining what the money will be used for. Before submitting, teachers are able to utilized big name partners – such as amazon and target – and register for specific supplies. (It is like a wedding registry!)
Before anything is approved, a Donors Choose representative will review your submission and provide you with feedback on how to enhance your project. Once that is done, your project is published on their website.
Once fully funded, Donors Choose purchases all of the supplies on your “Classroom Registry” and they are delivered to your door. (Yippy!)
Did you know on March 27, 2018, Ripple made a $29 Million Dollar donation to fund ALL projects on the Donors Choose Website? Talk about Support!
Applying for a grant is another way to get funding for your classroom. There are a lot of grant opportunities available to teachers, and honestly, not a lot of teachers go after enough. Which means you should! Check out what local or national grants may exist in your area. Consider a simple google search or contacting your local Chamber of Commerce Organization. There are constantly opportunities for teachers to win grants – the trick is knowing how to write them.
Here are a few grant writing quick tips :
- Be specific! Outline your needs as clearly as possible. Create an itemized list and provide as much detail as possible.
- Explain your why by discussing the impact on students
- Read Grant Requirements. Every Grant will have specific requirements. Some will be in place to ensure the winner has a plan in place to impact as many students as possible, while others will implement specifications just to ensure grant scoring is consistent.
- Pay attention to word count, names, and money caps
Keep enhancing your lesson plans with the other 8 fixes within our “9 Ways to Fix Your Lesson Plans” series!
Fix 1 : Align Standards, Targets, and Mastery Questions (Click to Read!)
Fix 2: Personalize Learning (Click to Read!)
Fix 3: Scaffold Student Learning Opportunities (Click to Read!)
Fix 4: Ask Your Students (Click to Read!)
Fix 5: Connect Your Content (Click to Read!)
Fix 6: Acquire Classroom Funding (CHECK!)
Fix 7: Create Differentiated Tools (Click to Read!)
Fix 8: Assess Understanding, not Task Completion (Click to Read!)
Fix 9: Ask your PLN (coming soon!)
