Creating an annual fund can support stand-alone projects and extra-curricular activities. Louise Bennett, of the IDPE, profiles two schools which have done just that
Pate’s Grammar School
In response to government funding cuts, Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham developed the Making £nds Meet Appeal in 2015. The aim was to raise additional income to support a range of provision, such as extra-curricular activities.
The ‘ask’ is for parents to support the school to provide pupils with the best education possible, rather than for a specific project. There is no set donation amount. The onus is on what parents can afford, so some parents give one-off donations while others provide a regular gift. The appeal aims to make it as easy as possible for parents to contribute. As new parents come to the school (in Years 7 and 12), they are invited to a welcome event, both to socialise and to introduce them to the need for fundraising to support the school.
To date, the Making £nds Meet Appeal has raised just over £1.2m. In September 2021, Pate’s relaunched its annual fund, rebranding Making £nds Meet Appeal as Pate’s Giving. While more families are choosing to give one-off donations, rather than committing to regular gifts, the campaign raised £125,000 in the 2021-2022 academic year, with 19% of parents still giving (compared with 22% the previous year).
Dr Challoner’s Grammar School
The Astra Fund at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Amersham is the school’s annual fund, set up in September 2008 to support every student in fulfilling their potential. In the past, this fund has been used to support projects which continue the development of teaching and learning, or which enrich extra-curricular activities. The fund raises between £160,000 and £200,000 a year, depending on whether or not the school is also funding for a major capital project at the same time. It supports a range of projects, from coach travel to sports fixtures to upgrading the playground area.
However, in response to the cost of living crisis, the school decided to take a different approach to its annual fund this year. The headteacher’s letter to parents at the start of the autumn term recognised the impact of the cost of living crisis, both on families and on the school, and explained that this year the school would be using the annual fund to address the resulting financial deficit. For example, in response to rising energy costs, donations to the Astra Fund will be used to upgrade LED lighting throughout the school, improving the learning environment for all students, helping to reduce the school’s energy consumption and enabling the school to spend more money on student-facing activities.
To date, the response has been a positive one. The average standing order is now around £40 a month, with around 65% of the school community participating. In addition, a letter to those with existing standing order mandates has seen more than 10% of these increase.
How to set up a regular giving fund
Bring your community with you
Test out your case for support with constituents who are warm to your school – their feedback will ensure you have the messaging right before sharing with your wider community.
At Pate’s the case for support was initially tested with the PTA and, following feedback, refined and rolled out to the entire parent body through a series of meetings with all parents.
Don’t be afraid to ask
While not everyone will be able to donate, if you don’t ask, then no one will give. Do show sensitivity to the different financial circumstances of your community. For example: ‘We are extremely grateful to all of our parents who were able to support us last year. While the average donation is in the region of £30 per month, the range of donations received is wide – from £5 a month to over £100 a month. Every penny given is spent on projects which have a direct benefit to students throughout their time at the school.’
Say thank you
If someone has given you a donation of any value, it is important to say thank you. However, fundraising is not transactional, it’s about building relationships – a donor has the potential to give again and again, particularly within the context of schools, where there is a life-long connection.
At Pate’s, every donation is thanked with a letter from the head and bursar. For donations over £500, there is a personal phone call, and donors receive an annual update on how the appeal is doing, to make them feel valued and to show how their gift is making a real difference.
Be realistic
Not all schools will have access to immediate sources of wealth, so they will have to go more slowly and be more incremental, building a community of committed donors over several years. In fact, the IDPE’s most recent benchmarking report shows that the return on investment in fundraising grows over time.
- The IDPE has developed a free fundraising toolkit for state schools which can help you get started. Visit IDPE Online Community to find out more.