Most businesses get solicitations from schools or school groups to assist with funding. Whether it is taking an ad in the homecoming program or donations to a foreign language club, smart businesses make sure that their school donations make sense within their overall community plan and select projects that work for their budget.

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Businesses looking to do more than write a check to the local education fund, can use these ideas to begin their brainstorming:

• Employee sponsored seminars – for students or teachers or parents
• Design and production of newsletters
• Hosting work-site based parent-teacher conferences (possible for large employers)
• Providing interpreters for non-English speaking parents
• Access to technology for students, teachers and parents
• Creating and supporting family resource centers in schools
• Develop public service announcements for school messaging important to the entire community
• Provide books, videos, consultants and other resources to schools
• Start a community reading challenge
• Set up a high-quality daycare/after school care center at or near your work sites
• Develop a program to bring children to your worksite for tutoring, educational field trips or ongoing internships.

Businesses that want to make a difference in their schools would be advised to think about how to creatively align their best resources and expertise with the needs of local schools.

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Our Back to School Issue

 This month we explore the back to school season with a focus on how businesses can support local schools, parents in our workplace and students who will be our future employees and customers. It’s back to school for everyone: even if businesses can’t have kids!!

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