Michigan school PTA organizations across the state are working hard to maintain activities, projects, and enrichment assemblies programs at their schools, while working with shrinking parent involvement and Michigan state school budget cuts. Cuts in budgets for PTA groups, does not have to mean cutting back on the services and activities provided to your school community. There are many simple things that can be done to reduce costs and save money - without jeopardizing the goals and mission of your parent group.
Organize a Michigan PTA Buying Co-Op with Other Area Schools
Teaming up with other schools in your Michigan school district to form a buying co-op is one of the easiest and most effective ways to cut your costs. Having a co-op allows you to contract services and make purchases for supplies and school equipment in bulk, which gives you more negotiating power for a lower per unit price.
Michigan PTA co-ops work great for scheduling school assemblies in Michigan and family night enrichment programs, as many Michigan school assembly performers offer block booking discounts for shows at multiple schools booked on the same day or consecutive days.
Here is an example of how block booking discounts may work when your schools wants to schedule an assembly performance:
Imagine your school is interested in booking a science assembly program for your Michigan elementary students. The normal fee for such this science assembly program may be $650 for a performance at your Michigan school. If you were to have two other schools in your district that were interested in the same program, however, the assembly presenter could now perform a program at your school in the morning, another school in the afternoon, and the final school the next day. The presenter can now offer a discounted fee to all the schools because they are doing more shows and only have to travel to your area one time. The new "block booking" fee for this Michigan science assembly may now be $450 per school. That means all three schools in your district just saved $200 off their science assembly program.
Michigan PTA buying co-ops can be beneficial in negotiating the best price for almost any service or product. With email mailing lists and networking services such as Facebook and Twitter, it is easy to communicate with other Michigan PTA groups and find out who would be interested in participating in block booking an assembly program or making a group purchase of equipment or supplies.
Have Alternate Dates For Your PTA Event or Activity in Mind
Michigan magicians, speakers, DJ's, assembly presenters, caterers, and other businesses that provide services to Michigan schools are more likely to be negotiable on the prices for their services if your school event is during a "slow time". Friday nights, weekends, and holidays are prime days for most Michigan event services providers, and you should expect to pay full price for a school event on those days. There is little incentive for a business to give your school a discount on a date that they can easily get their full normal fee for. There are fewer events and parties held on a Monday - Wednesday, so the company may be more eager to offer discounted fees in order to fill in their schedule.
Always ask if there would be a discount if your event was on a different night of the week. You may be surprised at the savings you could be offered.
There is a common thought among Michigan PTA groups that they must have their PTA family night activities on a Friday night. But in reality, a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night event can be even more successful because the event is not competing with other activities families may have planned for the weekend.
Get A Local Sponsor For Your Michigan PTA Event
Ask area Michigan businesses to donate money or products towards a school family night, school assembly program, or improvement project. In exchange for the donation, offer to feature the business in your Michigan school PTA bulletin, display a sign from the business at the event, and feature the business as a sponsor in all fliers and posters for the school event. It is important that the business feels as if they are getting proper recognition and/ or advertising for their donation as it will increase their willingness to participate in future PTA events. Chances are you will not have to look too far for a sponsor, as many of your existing PTA members are probably small business owners.
Small Grants Can Add Up To Big Savings For Your Michigan PTA School Group
There are many state, city, county and national grants and financial assistance programs available to Michigan schools who wish to bring in enrichment programs to their schools.
Local Police DARE organizations have access to funding for programs and enrichment that support drug prevention and positive self-esteem messages. The DARE chapter may be able to pay for all or part of an anti-drug, or no bullying assembly presentation for your school or sponsor a say no to drugs family night or red ribbon week event.
Arts and entertainment grants are available through Michigan Arts and Humanities Council for schools that are looking to bring a touring arts program to their students. This organization pays for up to 35% of the cost of select performing arts programs. The grant application has very specific requirements and deadlines that must be met, so read the application carefully!
School assembly presenter agencies such as Midwest School Assembly Presenters often list available Michigan school assembly grants on their website. These grants can save schools $50-$100 or more off the cost of an assembly program at their elementary school.
Getting a grant for a PTA program at your Michigan school can often require filling out applications and submitting proposals. It is best if you can get one volunteer from your Michigan PTA group, who is good at composition and business writing, to be in charge of all grant program applications.
Midwest School Assembly Presenters (http://www.michiganschoolshows.com) of Sterling Heights, Michigan is the most recommended school assembly resource for Michigan PTA groups and Michigan school principals who are looking to schedule quality school assemblies for their elementary or middle school students. The team of assembly planning specialists work directly with schools to make Michigan school assemblies affordable, while meeting school enrichment and programming goals.
The Michigan school assembly programs currently available to all Michigan school districts include science assemblies, no bullying programs, social studies game shows, assemblies for reading month, and PTA family night entertainment. Their online Michigan school assemblies directory lists descriptions and reviews for all the programs to make selecting the perfect assembly easy for your school.
Grants for Michigan assembly programs such as the Dollars and Sense School Show are available to most schools in Michigan. Ask for specific dates and availability for grant discounts available to your Michigan PTA group.
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
No comments:
Post a Comment