You can make a difference
Fundraising
How We Fundraise
Usually, there are four categories: Direct Donations, Community Events, Proceed Fundraisers, and Passive Fundraisers.
Historically speaking, the majority (about 80%) of money we raise is in the form of Direct Donations. Direct Donations are by far the most efficient use of donor resources since 100% of donated funds go directly to Desert Sky. Some families choose the convenience of monthly donations, others prefer making one or more gifts at specific times during the school year (such as our annual Central Oregon Gives fundraising campaign).
In the past we have also held several Community Events (Harvest Festival, Winter Wreath Annual Fundraiser, Bend Children’s Festival, etc). Each year, staff and Friends of Desert Sky (FODS) volunteers review the events and consider changes or additions of new events.
Our Proceed Fundraisers have primarily been restaurant nights in which restaurants agree to donate a portion (often 20% to 25%) of each order to Desert Sky.
Passive Fundraisers (Fred Meyer Community Rewards, BottleDrop, etc.) do not raise as much money for our school as Proceed Fundraisers, but they are super easy and require very little effort. You can select Desert Sky Montessori as your organization for Fred Meyer Community Rewards, or drop off your redeemable cans and bottles at our on-campus recycling hut (blue bags are available in the front office).
What the funds we raise support
While we typically support program expenses in the same categories each year (classroom materials, facilities, and enrichment), the specific items we're funding can vary a bit from year to year, depending on needs.
Fundraising FAQs
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As a public charter school, Desert Sky receives 20% less state funding than other similarly-sized public schools in our area. In addition, Desert Sky must provide and care for our school facilities with NO additional funding from federal, state, or local sources (such as grants, bonds, and taxes).
So in the end, for every $1.00 that other similarly-sized public schools receive, Desert Sky receives approximately 80¢. This enormous difference adds up, amounting to an annual budget gap of at least $224,000.
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It IS a lot of money, but no, we do not have to fundraise to cover that full gap. Thanks to our efficient staff, a lean budget, and our generous volunteers, this year’s fundraising goal is $76,900. (Note that this is our “break even” goal and does not cover new programs.)
The Desert Sky community is a dedicated one. We are committed to supporting our teachers and staff and to providing an outstanding public Montessori option here in Central Oregon.
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The short answer is to give what you are able and what feels good to support our students! The long answer? Our goal this year amounts to $392 per student per year or $33 per month.
We have an economically diverse student body. We ask families to give what feels comfortable to them. We also have families who are able to give more, sometimes quite a bit more.
In those cases, we would like to ask those families to consider becoming a matching donor by contacting our Director of Operations, Julia Sutter, at (541) 350-2090 or julia.sutter@dsmontessori.org.
