HRCS charging admission to its auction gala?

[Anonymous]

As a fundraiser for our PTA at our up & coming Elementary DCPS (we raised about $20k last year through an auction, memberships, tshirt sales, soliciting local businesses, etc.), we go out of our way to make all our event inclusive. No entry fees, free food at events (or $1-2 "donation" for pizza), scholarship tshirts to those in needs, etc.

Charging $60 at the door, like CMI is doing for its gala, is a great way to exclude lower income families.

Is this typical for HRCS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a fundraiser for our PTA at our up & coming Elementary DCPS (we raised about $20k last year through an auction, memberships, tshirt sales, soliciting local businesses, etc.), we go out of our way to make all our event inclusive. No entry fees, free food at events (or $1-2 "donation" for pizza), scholarship tshirts to those in needs, etc.

Charging $60 at the door, like CMI is doing for its gala, is a great way to exclude lower income families.

Is this typical for HRCS?

It's a fundraiser. Tickets are a source of that funding. Many schools do a sponsorship where you pay more and buy another ticket for someone else- staff or families. Some also do discounted tickets for low income families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a fundraiser for our PTA at our up & coming Elementary DCPS (we raised about $20k last year through an auction, memberships, tshirt sales, soliciting local businesses, etc.), we go out of our way to make all our event inclusive. No entry fees, free food at events (or $1-2 "donation" for pizza), scholarship tshirts to those in needs, etc.

Charging $60 at the door, like CMI is doing for its gala, is a great way to exclude lower income families.

Is this typical for HRCS?

Weirdly trollish question.

These are fundraising events run by volunteers. Every school in the region that has a gala-type event probably does it a different way based on experience, ability of the organizers and expectations for success (risk).

[Anonymous]

Is your goal in posting this just to stir shit and it will be an added bonus if the school receives less funds or are you actively hoping they will raise less money?

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's typical. Ive been involved with several schools and the ticket prices have ranges from $40 to $80. And, yes, I think it is a barrier for lower income families and results in an atmosphere that is not inclusive.

[Anonymous]

I think most schools charge admission to their evening fundraising events. Our charter, which I think does a generally good job of being inclusive in most/all school events, offers free or reduced cost tickets to those families for whom the ticket price is a hardship.

[Anonymous]

All schools do this differently - and most agonize over this question. There are several DCPS schools that charge for auction tickets as well.

At the end of the day these are fundraising events and the point is to raise the most money. Join the committee and learn about why it is being done this way. Share your experience but know that each school is different.

I know that there are many other CMI events where the goal is not making money and everyone is included.

[Anonymous]

Shepherd 's is like $90, and they are dcps.

Is this kind of thing controversial? Yes.

For what it is worth, I agree with you. In NY, our "gala" was $25/ ticket and we relied on donations for the food and drink and rented space. Most of the money raised came from the auction. Do galas here generally have to pay for stuff?

Every school had to juggle it's fundraising capacity vs having events to make a cohesive community. I think the goal should really be to do both.

[Anonymous]

Ours offers reduced-price admissions for families in need.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies.

OP here and no I'm not a troll, I was seriously wondering about this because CMI is inviting people through a public listserv. It seems more private school than public. I think our DCPS is about 1/4 at-risk and 50% FARMs. I just can't see charging a price at the door to our community, but I'm hearing from you guys that some DCPS and charters just have completely different demographics.

As I said earlier, we raise decent enough funds while being inclusive, at least that's what we feel we're doing by not charging admission, having low- or no-cost food, drinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the replies.

OP here and no I'm not a troll, I was seriously wondering about this because CMI is inviting people through a public listserv. It seems more private school than public. I think our DCPS is about 1/4 at-risk and 50% FARMs. I just can't see charging a price at the door to our community, but I'm hearing from you guys that some DCPS and charters just have completely different demographics.

As I said earlier, we raise decent enough funds while being inclusive, at least that's what we feel we're doing by not charging admission, having low- or no-cost food, drinks.

And $20,000 may be a great return for your school -- which gets more per student than charters (how much more is a topic of debate that isn't relevant to this thread).

Most charters are trying to raise at least $50,000 with these events. Even with donated food and space, you make most of your money at the door.

[Anonymous]

I live near MV and got an invite for their gala. They charge almost the same for the tickets.

I know CMI is trying to raise money to build their play space.

[Anonymous]

The whole point is to raise money.

I think most schools charge something. Ours was $35 a head.

I saw it as something different from the building community events like the back to school bbq or principal's breakfast. The funds raised at the auction go to pay for those things so we can have all inclusive community events.

[Anonymous]

Our Charter offers free tickets to those who might not be able to afford, but does so privately. Even the parents who are planning do not know to whom they are offered.

[Anonymous]

Maury's is $50 admission but the PTA sets aside tickets for famileis who might not be able to pay but want to attend.