Direct giving as an alternative way for elementary and secondary public school fund raising

This study investigated education foundations and direct giving methods as an alternative way for elementary and secondary public schools to raise funds. It examined the significance that the private sector played in financially sustaining public school districts by contributing to a local education foundation as a possible alternative to present fund raising activities. It also investigated the local education foundation as a structure that handled the direct giving process to public schools.

The study surveyed ten education foundations from around the United States, selected according to their willingness to participate and availability to the investigator. Schools and districts were selected based on a variety of demographic characteristics (large, small, high socioeconomic, low socioeconimic, suburban, and inner city).

Individual interviews of those involved with each particular education foundation were scheduled with school district superintendents, school principals, teachers, school parents, foundation volunteers, solicitors, and community business persons. The methodology used in this study was drawn from the field of sociology, and described as field research, qualitative observational research, or ethnography. The case-study method of research was employed. Qualitative research methods of data gathering via open-ended interviewing were utilized.

The findings related to this study are as follows:

1. Foundations were equally started by the education community, business community, and general community.

2. Successful fund raising methods were mailouts, telephone solicitation, and one-on-one direct solicitation.

3. Foundations were independent of local P.T.A.s and other organizations.

4. The average solicitation success rate was 48.8 percent.

The conclusions related to this study are as follows:

1. Direct school donations can be legally and efficiently channeled through an education foundation to the school or school district.

2. There are specific methods and techniques that allow or cause an education foundation to be more or less successful.

3. Each education foundation studied possessed it's own unique set of circumstances that directly influenced the time spent and effort made to attain its present degree of success.

4. There is a need for a recommended series of steps to establish an education foundation presented not as a recipe but as a guide based on the realization that each community is a unique entity with its own set of unique circumstances.

The recommendations related to this study are as follows:

1. A series of steps is needed as a guide for establishing an education foundation.

2. Community awareness programs should be considered priority over fund raising programs.

3. The steering committee and board of directors should represent as many sectors of the community as possible.

4. Researching other education foundations with regard to similar socio-economic demographics is important to establishing a successful education foundation.

5. Those involved with establishing an education foundation must have a thorough understanding of what an education foundation is all about.