Fundraising

While fundraising often is thought of in terms of donations of money, many PA/PTAs hold sales – also called product fundraisers – to raise money.

For many schools, the auction is the year’s biggest fundraiser. Some PA/PTAs even use online companies to help plan and organize these events and to manage online bidding.

Allowing your PA/PTA to earn money each time your parents shop is free and generally easy, involving just registering and spreading the word to your school community.

In NYC Council Members can choose to join Participatory Budgeting New York City (PBNYC) and give at least $1 million from their budget for the community to participate in deciding which projects to fund. School improvement projects are often included.

Raffles are permitted under the Chancellor's Regulations but are highly regulated.

Grants can be a significant source of funding for PA/PTAs, particularly for special projects or certain programs.

PA/PTAs, student groups, and teachers are turning to the internet for a variety of fundraising activities — from benefit auctions to crowdfunding for classroom projects.

The Department of Education allows PA/PTAs to run flea markets and City markets on school property in order to raise money for the schools.

PA/PTAs often raise money through direct asks -- the Annual or Direct Appeal is, for many, the largest fundraising event of the year, while others rely on dues. Matching Gift programs allow parents to supplement money raised with donations from their employers.