How To Find Money For School Band Programs

Getting funding for special projects doesn't have to require long-term fundraising efforts or hosting a fundraising result. Here are some ideas for places you tin look for like shooting fish in a barrel funding for whatever you might need:

Businesses connected to your program

Whether it's someone related to a pupil, or a one-time student, or someone who is just a large fan of the school and/or what you're doing with the music program, hitting up these businesses for grant money can be easy.  Y'all but have to accept something specific you're fundraising for to make the ask a picayune more personal and urgent. You don't even take to first by asking the person. Y'all can look on the business organization website and run across if they already have a corporate giving program. And don't forget all the businesses that yous spend coin with: your local music stores, eatery chains you accept kids to afterward festival, and those that have kids every bit their primary 'target audience'.

When yous should utilise them: When you're merely starting out. They are a lot more likely to give because they know you. Once they do give, then you lot can utilize that money in your other grant requests [since most of the fourth dimension when y'all enquire for money you'll become some grade of the question 'what else are you doing to fund this?' or 'who else is giving you lot money?'].

Local branches of national chains

These will mostly be banks or insurance companies. The "big matter" in corporate giving right at present is local mini-grants. Many big companies accept stopped giving large grants, or even corporate sponsorships, because they want to await truly benevolent ["Nosotros aren't doing this for marketing, we're doing it because we care."]. Mini grants are perfect for your programme.

When you should use them: When what you demand money for affects your whole program, whole schoolhouse, or whole customs. Not a sectional teacher, or scholarships for private students. Recollect bigger. Maybe a concert series. Or a district-broad music professional development training.

Local chapters of national customs funding organizations

Examples include your local Lion'due south Club, Rotary, or Junior Service League. They will typically have a short grant application for you lot to fill out so they know where the funding is going. They volition merely take these applications in one case a yr, merely they tend to have a lot more money to work with, and a lot more discretion in which projects they fund.

When you lot should use them: They're more likely to fund something that is close-concluded, like a new band trailer, or a handful of instruments, or a staff member to help with offset band for a year.

Local giving groups

These are starting to pop up all over and you can truly capitalize on them. It'southward typically a group of affluent people who all meet up once a quarter with $100 each. At the meeting they are presented with a list of organizations they can give to [usually it's someone in the club who submits a grouping]. Once all accept been presented, they vote, and the organization with the most votes gets all the checks. Seriously.

When you should apply them: when you lot tin create a need that feels dire and will touch on your unabridged community. They vote purely based on emotion, so you need to have an emotional cause. You'll have to do some asking around to discover them since they don't really take advertizing or an online presence, but possibly shoot it out equally a query in your next mass email and meet what happens.

And finally,

Your school commune foundation

Many school districts at present take a partner nonprofit that only funds projects within the commune, and many have money for private classroom or instructor grants. These organizations may even be just waiting for you to tell them what you need, and if your need is slap-up enough, they may make information technology their mission to fundraise specifically for you. These are unremarkably community members volunteering their time because they care…and that is very powerful.

When you should use them: as much as you can, as often every bit you can. They're like the PTA for the whole district. [We're assuming y'all've already asked your PTA for support, right?]

Whether you need a scattering of new trumpets, a twelvemonth-supply of reeds, or a horn teacher to come work with those 6 new horn players for a few hours a week, you can have your needs met by grants. At present go become some.

Elisa Jones specializes in helping music educators build, grow, and manage thriving school music programs. With an MBA alongside her degree in music, she is also a coach and consultant to pocket-sized businesses and nonprofits around the country. With a background in ring, orchestra, and general music, she has been didactics for about 20 years and currently holds the prestigious position of simple music instructor at a private K-8 Cosmic Schoolhouse in 1000 Junction, Colorado. She has been invited to be a presenter at the 2017 NAfME Briefing in November. Follow her blog at ProfessionalMusicEducator.com where you tin can learn much more about finding funding for your program as well as watch video tutorials on how to kickoff.

Related Reading:
Percussion Room Makeover
6 Books to for Band Directors to Read
The Band Registry Fundraiser: Piece of cake Fundraising Without Selling Anything
The 100 Gig Challenge: Boggling Date Through Service Learning

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