Most day care centers are non-profit organizations that must operate on a tight budget that covers the costs of facilities, staff, and all equipment and materials to operate a quality and stimulating environment for children. It’s a balancing act with little room for extras for the center or its staff.
One way to offset the cost of additional curriculum, supplies, or bonus programs for staff is through fundraising. Our moms have successfully raised funds for our daycare centers, allowing them to bring in additional music, art and science events, animal encounters, host special celebration days like Hawaiian Luaus, purchase playground umbrellas, and fund the bonus fund for staff.
Successfully implemented fundraising programs that you can take, adapt, and use at your center are listed below:
Garage sales. Gather your family’s goodies and have a group yard sale to benefit your daycare. Post signs around the school for other families to bring in their donations a few weeks before the sale so you can have time to price and organize items.
Auction. Hold an informal auction of donated goods and services in your daycare lobby with written bids. It can also help organize an auction event, complete with tickets that must be purchased to attend. The event typically has catering, bar, entertainment, and live auction service and those costs need to be factored into the budget.
Donations Ask the merchants they frequent regularly if they have goods or services that they can donate to the center. Describe the center, what you are raising funds for, and explain that the donation is tax deductible. Many requests will be received positively. We found that we have received the best response when collecting donations in the spring, summer and early fall, so we do not compete with other requests for donations during the holidays. These donations then go into school auctions.
Open the eBay store. Large-scale auction events are really practical only once or twice a year for daycare centers due to the costs involved. Consider having a committee that solicits donations throughout the year and sells them on an open market, such as Ebay. Expand your fundraising circle from immediate circle to global reach.
Matching gifts. Remind parents that many corporations have matching gift programs for donations to nonprofits and that day care centers generally qualify. Under this benefit, the corporation can match your cash donation by 50-100%.
Children’s illustrations. Work with classroom teachers to create works of art that can be displayed in a gallery and sold to parents. Creative projects made by children or featuring a child’s image make wonderful gifts for family and friends and sell well when priced right.
Recognition. Parents can memorize their children by purchasing an engraved plaque for a wall, a patterned brick for a walkway, or a large kit for the playground. Think about how large nonprofits recognize their large donors and adapt it to their environment. Have an area in your newsletter that regularly recognizes the contributions of center parents, whether monetary, time, or goods and services.
