Empty Pockets? No Problem!

By Shalyn Barker

Anything is possible with creative fundraising

When I proposed starting a competitive-team dance troupe, my business partner laughed at me. Our four-year-old studio is in the rural community of Dunnellon, Florida—population 3,000, with a median family income of around $27,000. My partner (who also happens to be my mother) argued that our students’ parents didn’t have the money to pay for costumes and trips to conventions. She was right—we’re not in a booming city where opportunities and some parents’ cash flow for dance instruction are limitless. But that didn’t mean that our students lacked the heart and determination to make a competitive team a reality.

With my mind set on success, I designed a plan for my new competitive team that would cost my students nothing but hotel, food, and a $150 commitment fee. Fund-raising would provide the rest of the needed income. I developed a schedule for the year’s rehearsals and fund-raisers and itemized the amount of money the students needed to raise at each event.

My goal was to have the team attend two conventions with competitions. I also wanted the students to have team warm-ups, matching leotards, dance bags, and earrings (covered by the nonrefundable commitment fee). We would fund-raise the rest of the expenses, including convention and entry fees, new costumes, and the staff’s travel and hotel costs.

In September, I announced the formation of the competitive team. I invited only those students who take all three core subjects (ballet, tap, and jazz) to participate since I didn’t want anyone to sit out during a class at the conventions. Plus, I wanted no style restrictions on what I could choreograph. I also let all students participate in the fund-raising until December, when the commitment fee was due, with no risk. Whether or not they decided to participate at that point, the money they had raised would go into the team fund, giving it an extra boost. At the first parents’ meeting I outlined all the requirements prior to turning in the commitment fee. Each month included several small events and a larger fund-raiser.

Our monthly event, held on a Friday, was called “Parents’ Night Out.” We advertised it in our studio calendar and reminded students about it the week before as they were leaving class. The three-hour event, for which we charged $10 per student, gave parents a kid-free evening. To boost the evening’s moneymaking potential, the competitive-team students were required to bring a friend. My older students enjoyed being helpers, and I encouraged them to choreograph routines to teach the younger attendees for fun. We showed a movie (a local business loaned us a projector, and we made a movie screen out of a white sheet), gave the children punch and bags of popcorn, and taught them a dance. The kids loved it, especially since the closest movie theater is about 30 minutes away!

Some months we held extra events—for example, a costume party in October and a pre-holiday Parents’ Shopping Day in December. Parents’ Shopping Day had the same concept as Parents’ Night Out but lasted longer to allow the parents enough time to go shopping, so we raised the price to $25. We also used an online magazine fund-raiser, ongoing from September to December, so that out-of-town family and friends could help. From these events alone, my five students managed to raise more than $1,200.

Our biggest fund-raiser was a T-shirt advertisement sale. I designed studio T-shirts that listed sponsors on the back. We used an online service, Customink.com, which gave us a price quote in seconds. (Their shipping and setup fees are included in the price.) I designed the shirt myself in their “design lab.” They have a wide variety of dance graphics, or you can send in your own artwork. For $25 each advertiser got 50 character spaces of advertising (no logos allowed because they take up too much space). Each student had to sell a minimum of three ads by the end of October and another three by the end of December. The team ended up selling 55 ads, making close to $1,400! Then in January we sold these shirts to sponsors, students, and parents at our studio. I had taken orders before purchasing the shirts to ensure that we’d make a profit—in this case, about $400.

After the students had paid their commitment fee in December, I knew how many would be on the team. At that point I ordered costumes, warm-ups, and leotards and made a practice schedule. We had already raised enough money to go to two conventions, one for four days and one for two days. We even had enough money to pay for hotel rooms for the two-day convention!

From January to April we rehearsed, gained stage experience by performing around town, and held our monthly Parents’ Night Out. We also required each team member to bring a friend to our recruitment drive for new students for spring classes, which increased our enrollment.

Extra money for the team fund came from concessions sales at the school recital. The team students’ fathers were glad to lend a hand by working the concession stand, and many families bought snacks because they knew the money would benefit the team.

My favorite part of the season was the send-off party we held in the team’s honor. The sponsoring businesses enjoyed a free performance by the team and appetizers provided by the students’ parents. And since the group is nonprofit, our local papers gave it a lot of coverage. The sponsors were excited to see where their donations went and said they were eager to help again next year. Plus, all the compliments from our patrons gave our students a confidence boost right before the competition.

The team dancers’ parents are raving about their children’s experience. Many students who have taken only one or two of the core classes in the past decided to sign up for all three so that they can participate next year. I plan to raise the commitment fee to $200 (I went a little over budget with warm-ups, leotards, bags, and earrings) and the T-shirt ad sales requirement to a total of 10 ads (which they did with no problem this year).

I’m proud to think that I taught these students a valuable life lesson—that if you work hard, all dreams are possible, no matter where you live.

Fund-Raising Timeline for Success

September—Informational meeting; begin online magazine sales

October—Parents’ Night Out; costume party; parent meeting; portion of T-shirt ads due

November—Parents’ Night Out

December—Parents’ Night Out; Parents’ Shopping Day; parent meeting; remainder of T-shirt ads due; commitment fees due. Once all T-shirt ads are collected, design T-shirt and make and distribute order forms.

January—Order warm-ups, leotards, costumes, etc.; take T-shirt orders; Parents’ Night Out; rehearsals begin

February—Order and distribute T-shirts; Parents’ Night Out; rehearsals continue; register for spring convention

March—Parents’ Night Out; rehearsals continue; parent meeting

April—Rehearsals continue; send-off party; attend two-day convention/competition; Parents’ Night Out

May—Rehearsals continue; recital concessions sales

June—Rehearsals continue; parent meeting

July—Rehearsals continue; attend 4-day convention/competition