Most schools receive funding through government grants and donations. However, these funding sources are not typically enough to fuel school sports teams.
Most principals allocate funds to buy new books or extend and build new areas in the schools they manage. Sports is, sadly, the last thing that gets investment. However, just as many students today want to become athletes as they do professors or thinkers.
This post will explore seven ways schools can invest in their physical education departments and ensure that students with a passion for sports are rewarded.
1. Consider Fundraisers
Fundraisers are an effective way for schools to get enough money to invest in sports initiatives. One of the best things about fundraisers for school sports teams is that the parents of those future athletes can put their own money into doing their part for their children.
Starting fundraisers can be difficult if you have never had to, however. A lot of marketing needs to go into them for their reach to be broad enough to garner as much interest as possible. Hiring a professional fundraiser to manage your school’s fundraising efforts is something to consider.
If hiring a fundraiser is out of the question, consider printing out flyers with information about your fundraiser and asking children to take it home to their parents.
You could also send it out to students’ addresses, addressed to their parents. Make sure that your fundraising efforts are carried out carefully. Do not spam or irritate parents.
If you come across as pushy, nobody will want to commit funds to your project. A fundraising dinner can also be an excellent way for parents to take their wallets out and invest their money. Fundraising dinners can be a lot of fun, too.
2. Building Finances
Fundraising, like the type mentioned above, can be a great way to build your school’s finances. While schools typically do receive government grants, these grants are seldom enough.
The amount schools are paid usually depends on the number of students they have: the fewer students, the less money. Schools are produced annually.
Other than these grants, principals have to get creative. Fundraising is one of the ways they choose to make money.
When principals want to take students on trips they cannot afford to pay for, they ask parents to pay. Asking parents to donate money toward school sports programs is, therefore, not uncalled for and is quite normal.
3. Allocating Funds
Fundraisers are a great way to build and allocate funds to specific projects. Schools are legally required to dedicate funds they have earned through fundraisers to the projects they have said they will commit them to. Therefore, parents can rest assured that their money will go to the causes they have donated to.
Sometimes, schools can get additional grants and bursaries, doubling fundraising money. This serves as an incentive for parents to donate, knowing that anything they put in is going to be doubled.
Grants and bursaries of this kind are widely available and are an effective way for parents to ensure that their children are given the best chance of success in their chosen sports.
4. Showing Consideration
Fundraising shows that you care. A lot of principals, sadly, do not seem to care much about their students, or at least they are too busy worrying about other things.
Taking time to start a fundraiser shows the students under you that you are more than a bureaucrat and that you care about their hopes and dreams.
Showing consideration for your students is one of the best ways to get them to believe in you. If they believe in you, they are likelier to feel passionate about the school. Ensure you also invest in other initiatives, such as educational ones.
5. Improving Spirits
Fundraising can be a great way to improve the spirits of students who are passionate about sports. Make sure you involve such students in fundraising and ask them to distribute flyers, go to the local community, and ask them to commit money. Involving students in fundraising is a great way to get them more involved and motivated.
When employing students to go out and fundraise for you, make sure you are clear about what they are and aren’t allowed to do.
Students must adhere to your school’s fundraising policies, i.e., they cannot pester people or put their own money in. People below a certain age cannot usually donate to fundraising efforts.
6. Government Grants
Going back to fundraising, government grants can be a great way to raise money to invest in a school’s sports department.
If you’re going to apply for government grants, consider using ones like the type mentioned before that will double the amount of money you make. Government grants are typically relatively straightforward to apply for.
The downside to government grants is that they are highly competitive, and only the most deserving schools are.
Schools are typically awarded grants according to a point-based system. The more points a school has, the more likely they will be given funding for sports projects.
7. Sports Authorities
Finally, it is not uncommon for leading sports authorities, i.e., the NFL or NBA, to donate money to schools so that they can start their own sports initiatives. They do this so that they are guaranteed talent in the future.
Sports teams need athletes so that they can make money. If they do not invest in sports initiatives, there will be a smaller pool of teenage athletes to draw from.
If you are the principal of the school you work at or in charge of your school’s sports fundraising program, consider contacting relevant authorities. Ensure the authorities you reach out to specialize in the sports you plan on starting programs for.
Conclusion
Sports have never been more popular. They are an excellent way for people to stay fit and make money. If you are interested in a sports program at your school, consider fundraising.
Sports programs can be expensive, and most schools do not have the free money to allocate them. Fundraising can help schools generate enough money for such projects.
