Creative Funding

by Kristina A. Holzweiss, September 2021

The first step in your funding journey should be assessing your resources with a critical eye. Inventory your collection and determine which titles should be weeded because they are out of date, contain incorrect information, are in disrepair, or do not circulate. Perform a diversity audit to determine the level to which the collection is culturally responsive and reflects the needs and interests of your students. Are the titles accessible to all students, including English language learners and special education students? Is the technology up to date and in proper working order? Is the furniture clean and adaptable to different learning situations? Is the signage inclusive, and do all students feel welcome and accepted? Observe when students and colleagues visit the library to assess its functionality.

Evaluate Your Priorities

After you have determined what your library needs based on your assessment of the resources that it already has, evaluate your priorities. Consider the school curriculum, common themes or topics, and past projects. Will you need to focus on a particular section of the collection or format? Does your library need a facelift with color? Is there enough storage? Are your students asking for a Lego wall or robotics? Create a list of "needs" and "wants" and arrange the items in order of priority. Try to balance purchases so that your library can develop into a dynamic learning environment that supports academic and personal interests.

Curate Wish lists

If you are going to approach your administration or write a grant, it's essential to explain what exactly you will spend funds on. Once you have prioritized your purchases, do some research and create a wish list. This is also a good time for shopping around for the best prices you can find through your district's approved list of vendors. Create an ongoing shopping list of books through a distributor website such as Mackin, Follett, Junior Library Guild, Scholastic, or Barnes and Noble. Add to it as you find new recommendations on social media, in magazines, during conferences, and through word of mouth. Pay particular attention that your requests reflect the diversity of society.

Curate items such as technology, furniture, makerspace items, and other supplies into individual categories using a Web tool or app. I prefer using Wakelet because links appear graphically with images, and I can also add text, tweets, and videos. Wakelet is my "go to" because I can collaborate with my library team and explore other public collections shared through Wakelet for inspiration.

Finally, use a spreadsheet program to create a line budget, indicating the cost and number of the items. You may also want to create smaller sub-budgets, depending on how much funding you receive. It's a good idea to update your wish lists and budgets often to reflect the changing needs of your library and school community.

Make the Case

Before you meet with your administration, parent-teacher organization, or civic association, prepare an "elevator pitch" where you concisely define the problem and how increased funding will help to solve it. Explain the impact increased funding will have on student achievement, engagement, and social-emotional wellbeing. You will score extra points if you incorporate the school district mission statement into your presentation. A sample pitch may sound like this:

Because the Central School District wants our students to develop into independent, critical thinking young adults who can actively participate in the global community, a library of updated resources (books, furniture, and makerspace items) will help support student achievement. To mitigate learning loss experienced during the COVID pandemic, our library program will provide a nurturing environment that is accessible and welcoming to every student. By increasing the library budget, this largest classroom of the entire school will be able to further the district mission to "dream, lead, and achieve."

If you haven't done so already, use a design program like Canva (free for educators) to create an infographic that illustrates data such as collection age, circulation statistics, collaborations with classroom and special area teachers, community connections, lessons, library visitations, and special events. With a wish list, budget, elevator pitch, and infographic in hand you are ready to present your case to your administration, parents, community leaders, and other stakeholders.

Many organizations will support funding for resources that align with their vision. For example, your school's special education parent association may agree to fund eBooks for student use. A Lion's Club or Rotary Club might be interested in purchasing a sewing machine so your students can participate in community service projects. Consider your donors' needs and values and how your library can support them.

Host a Book Fair

One of the most common ways to fund school libraries is through book fairs. Pre-COVID you could set up a Scholastic or Follett book fair in your library, cafeteria, gym, or learning common space during Back-to-School Night. Some schools have continued this tradition by practicing social distancing and offering curbside pickup. If you still don't feel comfortable or you can't get approval for an in-school fair, an online book fair is also an option. Although you won't have the opportunity to "smell those books" in real life, your students can shop with their families in the convenience of their homes. Although both Scholastic and Follett offer user-friendly interfaces, Scholastic takes the experience a step further by recreating a live book fair in a virtual school with stacks that you can browse. The benefits of families being able to shop whenever they can rather than at a scheduled time and avoiding the "tchotchke" aisle make online book fairs a viable alternative.

Crowdfund

The newest trend for crowdfunding resources is by creating school wish lists on Amazon and sharing them through social media. Donors can purchase whichever items they choose from the list and they are shipped directly to the school through Amazon. No money is exchanged, and the entire Amazon inventory is available to teachers. Follow #clearthelist on social media, or visit clearthelistfoundation.org for more information.

If you are considering writing a grant but aren't ready to take the plunge, you can get your feet wet by posting a project on an educational crowdfunding site such as Adopt A Classroom, PledgeCents, or DonorsChoose if your district allows it. These projects take much less time to write than full grants. Unlike grants which only allow for a few winners, the success of a crowdfunding project is determined by your ability to connect with potential donors. From 2009 to 2018, I was able to raise almost $100,000 for my former school library through DonorsChoose. Here are some tips from what I have learned.

1. Always have a project posted. You never know when a generous donor is looking for a project specifically like yours to fund.
2. Don't use too much educational jargon. Donors most likely won't be educators themselves but are looking for ways to support educators and their students. Write your project description as clearly as possible.
3. Describe your problem and explain how the resources from your project will solve this problem. A donor wants to appreciate the impact of their donation.
4. Take advantage of matches, promo codes, and partnership opportunities and write your project to fit within those requirements to increase the likelihood that your project will be fully funded.
5. Use social media to share the story of your project rather than just asking for donations.
6. Show your appreciation by following up a funded project with well-written, thoughtful thank you notes. Your donor could become one of your strongest advocates and allies.

Write a Grant

Once you feel comfortable writing smaller projects, dive into writing larger grants. Although they take more time and effort to write, grants are a great way to raise larger funds while also bringing attention to your library program. Consider not only grants given by national and local library associations, but also funding opportunities offered by publishing and STEM supply companies. Join your state affiliate of ISTE (International Society of Technology in Education) to apply for grants and awards for innovative projects that integrate technology. (You can find a list of affiliates at https://www.iste.org/affiliate-directory.)

Collaborate with your classroom and special area teachers to write curriculum-specific grants to support projects sponsored by their subject area associations. You will not only be able to focus on particular areas of need and interest in your library, but will also foster relationships with your colleagues. Your special education and ESL teachers, as well as school counselors, would welcome partnerships to provide accessibility to resources that embrace diversity and differentiation of instruction.

One way to increase the chances of securing a grant is through research. Explore the projects of past grant recipients to learn the components of a winning grant project. Volunteer to review grants for an organization to gain insight into what separates finalists from other applicants. The more understanding you have of what sponsoring organizations are looking for, the more likely you will write a winning grant.

Fundraise

The key to fundraising is connecting with something that your students and their families already enjoy. You might want to explore partnering with companies whose products you already use in your library or school. For example, many libraries incorporate StickTogether collaborative mosaic kits in their social-emotional learning and makerspace programs. Standard size kits (40" x 36" poster grid with 3,996 stickers) are available on their website https://letsticktogether.com for $36. Through the company's fundraising program you can purchase kits in this category for only $20 and sell them to families for $30, which is less than the retail price. As an added bonus, StickTogether will include in the selection of kits one or two custom choices created especially for your library or school. Once all of the orders are in, the kits are shipped free of charge to the school for you to distribute. Your families save money, you raise funds for your library, and your students enjoy their new StickTogether kits.

Consider a community partnership. Work with your local chamber of commerce to create coupon books with discounts at local small businesses. Selling these coupon books will mean you are both raising money and promoting businesses within your school community. Ask a restaurant or boutique to share the proceeds of one night's earnings. Many are willing to work with you and will use this publicity to attract new customers.

You are more likely to receive donations from local small businesses, but don't overlook corporate donations. Ask your principal for a letter written on school letterhead that you can submit to large box stores either in person or by email. Connect with companies through social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Some companies that have been known to donate products are Valera Green Screens, STEMfinity, Home Depot, Duck Brand duct tape, Oriental Trading, Costco, Build-A-Bear, Panera Bread, Joann Fabrics, Staples, Stampin' Up, CVS, and K'Nex. Be specific about how the company's donation will impact your students and the library program.

Think Outside the Box

There are many other ways to fund your library when you look around you. Social media is a convenient way to enter contests for resources. Follow authors, publishers, and educational companies on Instagram and Twitter to possibly win books or other products in exchange for a tag, like, or retweet. Companies are especially generous during Teacher Appreciation Week in May in order to thank teachers for their efforts. One year I happened to win a height-adjustable, dry erase standing desk from Hertz Furniture because a colleague had tagged me on Instagram. It doesn't hurt to advertise publicly what you are looking for. Someone once saw my Twitter post about a Xyron sticker maker project that I had written about on DonorsChoose. They reached out to me privately to say that they had the sticker maker that I was looking for, brand new in a box with extra supplies and wanted to donate it to my library. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and recycling groups are also ways to connect with potential donors and supporters. While on a quest for a typewriter for our library's "Please Touch Museum" I messaged a member who had posted the exact model that I wanted. Although I was willing to pay the $25 that she was asking for from my own pocket, I explained that I was a librarian and how this typewriter would impact my students' learning. She was more than happy to donate her old typewriter to my library. From old globes that can be transformed into lamps to display furniture from store closings to fabric remnants and "oops" paint, you'll never know what you will find when you begin searching.

Many say that "time is money," so don't underestimate the value of volunteer work. Connect with members of your community who might be willing to donate their time and expertise to facilitate fundraising events such as paint nights, family gaming, and STEM programs. Factor the cost of supplies into the participation fee and the rest is profit for your program. When you host these events in the library, you are also advocating to the school community.

Closing Thoughts

Adequate funding for libraries and schools has always been a hot topic, and many educators believe that this responsibility should rest on the shoulders of national, state, and local governments as well as their school district. Lobbying for increased funding and advocating for school library programs and collections managed by certified school librarians should always be our goal. The suggestions in this article are not long-term solutions for systemic problems and issues in accessibility and equity, but rather ways to augment what you are already doing or to pilot new ideas. To make the load lighter, establish a committee or team of librarians and teachers to work together on these initiatives. Ask your principal or supervisor for professional development time to explore additional funding opportunities. Good luck on your journey!