Parents! Do you ever feel like all of the costs of having a child who dances are starting to pile up, and you feel like you’re sometimes in over your head? Studio owners! Do you have trouble keeping parents happy when all you feel like you do is ask them for more money? Then it sounds like a little bit of fundraising is in order.
There are many ways to raise money, or fundraise, without feeling like you’re begging for money in order to stay in the black and out of the red. We all need a little help sometimes, and there is no shame in asking for it. When I danced, some of the fundraising events were so fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed helping out my parents.
However much money you raise to fund a dancer, any amount is worth the effort. Cassie Williams, a dance parent who is on a fundraising committee at CK DanceWorks in Dallas, Georgia, says, “The amounts vary in all individual fundraisers. Some do very well, and some only make a few dollars, but let’s face it, with all of the expenses, every $20 is $20 we didn’t have before.”
CK DanceWorks dancers, dressed as Disney princesses, volunteering their time for a Father Daughter Breakfast fundraiser. Photo by Cassie Williams.
If you are a studio owner and fundraising is something you’re interested in but do not have the time to commit, recruit some dance parents to form a fundraising committee and organize events for you. “We meet multiple times during the year and have several planning meetings during the summer and right as dance starts in the fall,” Williams says. This way, you can help the fundraising committee in any capacity but are not obligated to organize anything.
Not all fundraising has to be a hassle. Fundraising can also bring studio families together and get more people involved. Steve Sirico from Dance Teacher Web says his favorite fundraising event is “a gala performance with a silent and live auction. This is a great event, and our families really look forward to it each year.”
A key tip to remember when fundraising is that people are out there who want to help you; you just have to know how to find them and ask for support. Sirico says, “We like to give the students as much information as possible. Give them a sample script so they know how to get people eager to help your cause!”
Before beginning your next fundraiser, make sure you set a monetary goal, know your target audience, hold everyone accountable for the role they play, and remember to be (and stay) organized. Oh, and most importantly…HAVE FUN! The more fun you have committing to a fundraiser, the more positive energy will float around. And the happier people are, the more they’re willing to give.
Short on ideas? Here are some possible fundraisers:
-Father-Daughter Dance
-Lunch Bunch Program at competition
-Gala Performance
-Silent Auction
-Selling Ads for the Recital Program
-Restaurant Nights
-Parents’ Night Out
-Princess Birthday Parties
-Studio-wide Consignment Sale
-Sell Studio Merchandise and Apparel
-Car Wash
-Bake Sale
-Host a Community Movie Night
-Host a Community Fair Night
-Sell Flowers at Recital
-Yankee Candle Sale
-Host an Adult Salsa Class
By Allison Gupton of Dance Informa.
Share this:
