Who’s Fundraising? PTO or School?
October 3rd, 2008 by tsullivanThis Washington Post column brings up an interesting issue — why are Principals fundraising (especially when they have an active parent group already doing so?
Talk about fundraising burnout! The parents at this school must be buying locks for their wallets. At most well-working schools the goals (and the fundraising) is shared. The idea of parents trying to differentiate between a Principal’s fundraiser and a PTO’s is just not realistic. To parents, it’s all just the school reaching into their pockets again, and — long-term — that’s a recipe for turned off parents and (ironically) lower fundraiser earnings. Not good.
This happening at your school? Why?
October 4th, 2008 at 12:10 am
We have kind of run into this. Our school district has a foundation that gives several scholarships and helps the schools (and sometimes PTO) in the district with special projects or needs that may not be covered by the budget. Once a year they send out a fundraiser with every student K-8. It is always the same and a lot of parents get confused and think that it is a PTO fundraiser, so then they are irritated when the PTO runs their fundraiser also. Our principal is thinking about offering a discount card for a local restaurant that would benefit the activities fund that the teachers normally fund out of their own pockets, he would just advertise it as available through the office though, not ask our kids to sell it.
October 7th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
This is now happening in Loudon TN. Tennessee passed new state laws requiring school support organizations to become non-profits and all of the requirements associated with legally becoming a PTO. Unfortunately, the school principals are upset because the new laws require all financial accountability to remain with the organization and at least 50% of voting members must be parents, so they are losing control over fundraising done by support groups and are now trying to have their own fundraisers so they can utilitize the funds the way they see fit. While the school might find it necessary to raise money for supplies such as paper and crayons, the organization might be trying for playground equipment etc. It seems as each has different goals, perhaps.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:24 am
We do have this problem. In fact, in the first month of year, the school has a magazine sale, and the band and science departments each have their own fund-raisers. The problem is that these aren’t identified as coming directly from the school. So when our PTO tries to raise funds, we have to try extra hard to emphasize where these monies will go. It’s a very real problem.