WANT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? HERE IS THE HOW.

In most cases, a lot of students and parents have this to say, ‘School budgets are tight, and speaking

from experience, it’s hard to squeeze out funds for professional skill acquisitions due to some complex

and varying needs.

So, the question is, how can you pay for the workshop, course, or skill you have been eyeing on pages,

or possibly get local coaches for onsite training? After speaking to a few professionals on their career

journey, here are their best sources of fundraising for school needs and upskilling. In addition, I will like

to share with you tips on how to make excellent funding proposals so as to make your fundraising

successful.

SOME POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR SCHOOL NEEDS

1. Booster Clubs and Parent Organizations: These clubs are member-run support groups for

schools composed of parents, teachers, and staff. Boosters raise funds and lend support to a

specific school program. Each group gets involved with fundraising, brainstorming ideas, and

volunteering for various tasks. Some examples include athletics booster clubs, music and theatre

booster clubs, visual arts booster clubs, etc.

2. Corporate or Civic Partners: Some schools have community advocates such as nearby

businesses, a local rotary, or a Lions club already active in the school. Groups like these are often

engaged as volunteers and some are open to funding requests.

3. Voluntary Donors: Personal friends, families, and school families can voluntarily donate to the

needs of students, staff, or the school.

STEPS TO MAKING EXCELLENT FUNDING PROPOSALS

There is a need to know that a persuasive funding request accomplishes two primary goals. Firstly, you

must prove that there is a need to address. Secondly, you will need to demonstrate why the proposed

activity is an excellent way to meet that need. The following shows us a pathway:

1. Establish your need with data.

2. Persuade with personal stories.

3. Prove credibility and value.

5 WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PROFESSIONAL UPSKILLING

1. Work while studying: Most professional entrepreneurs started by being an employee, they took a regular job and worked part-time during the day then studied in the evenings and vice versa.

2. Self-financing: You can self-finance through matured investments, sales of personal belongings, or drastically cutting down expenses at home.

3. Specialist lenders: Unlike banks, they may not require complex details. Most times they advertise in magazines and newspapers. Their loan plan may be flexible, depending on the circumstances.

4. Bank loans: Banks remain one of the most popular sources of funding. You will need to start paying back the loan after a specific time of about 1 month after the funds have been disbursed. This could pose a problem especially if you don’t have another source of income.

5. Train Now, Pay Later schemes: This is a scheme that allows individuals who desire to be upskilled to be trained, after which they become employable and then they begin paying back after getting jobs. Most times, it comes with job/internship placements for outstanding students who prove themselves at the end of the training. This scheme has convenience, discourages delay, and brain drain of a lot of youths. It makes it easier to pay back and in most cases at zero interest.

Don’t let your dreams linger, take the lead, and explore your options!