AIBU to expect other parents to support a preschool fundraising events?

[Pregnantabroad]

I'm organising a fundraiser for our small preschool. They're struggling to meet the funding needs so I've organised a ticketed evening event and I'm really surprised at how little support there is from other parents (availability and suitability aside - it's on a Friday night and aimed at women). I know I can sell the tickets to other friends and contacts in the village but I'm disappointed by the reaction of fellow parents.
I'm curious to know why people would and wouldn't support events and if there's anything I could do next time to influence parents better? Should I take the guilt-trip route (preschool struggling financially)? Or does that put people off? Any advice appreciated!

I think the nastiness being aimed at OP is uncalled for, at least she’s trying! She asked for advice, not to be flamed and sneered at!

Even if the event is misguided, it’s with good intentions which shouldn’t be sneered at.

"LadysFingers

if DH were ever going to go for a drink after work with colleagues, it would be a Friday night - and he would only tell me at lunchtime that day.

Therefore, there was never any point me arranging to go out on a Friday night!"

Why? Surely if you have plans he can't go out unless he arranges a babysitter?

Our preschool is a parent co-operative which also heavily relies on fundraising, in addition to charging yearly tuition fees Tbh, its been a massive pita as theres been something EVERY SINGLE MONTH

I think events are subjective based on taste and disposable income. Stuff that pissed me off this year - doing a sponsored hop a thon (for 2.5 year olds most of who can't jump..) and a parents social with silent auction where the tickets alone were an insane price.

Things I didn't mind paying for - giftware, cards, and personalized clothes labels where the school get a % cut of the money. Its all stuff we;d have bought anyway, wasnt any more expensive than anywhere else and got delivered to the classroom so we dint have to go get it.

The other idea I like is just basically asking for a donation at the start of the year. Call me miserable, but I'd rather send in 50 quid with no obligation to do anything in one go in September than be tapped up every month for something that I have no interest in

Think one problem with nursery/preschool is that you don’t really know the other parents - children are picked up at all different times, go on different days, etc.

And you don’t necessarily want or need to get to know them either.

I would never go to any of these women only fundraisers - they are always (to me) boring events - fashion, prosecco, “glam” urghhhhh.....

I would never ever miss an opportunity to go to (and I mean win!) a quiz though

You say it's an event aimed at 50+ women?

I think that's your problem.

Not many women aged over 50 have preschoolers.

Honestly, I’m already paying almost as much as I earn for nursery, I don’t have any more money to give!!!

My DS has been in daycare/preschool for about 3 years now. I still couldn't name one single other parent there. It's just not the culture of preschools, at least where I am.

I wouldn't go to an evening event as my husband wouldn't be home from work in time so we wouldn't have childcare. I also don't care how you're supposed to tie a scarf. I also imagine at preschool there are parents with breastfeeding babies who don't sleep long enough to go out between feeds stares at my 15 month old who still wakes up 2 hourly.

I'd pay for a family thing on the weekend, an outside viewing of a film, duck race if you have a stream nearby or something.

What exactly does a preschool with 25 pupils need that warrants organised fundraising?

I think some posters are mixing up nurseries that have a pre-school in them and a preschool only (like the OPs one) that is just the state funded Hours (3 hours a session, usually 9-12 or 12-3).

These preschools have huge problems if they don't offer longer hours and charge top ups as the state funded 15 hours is not really enough to run them.

You will have to open longer and charge top up amounts. Sadly, many of these pre-schools will be closing over the next couple of years, unless they can make parents realise that just because you are entitled to free pre-school for 15 hours, doesn't mean it's economical to provide it.

When I was pre school treasurer, our best fundraisers were the ones where parents could give something they no longer needed, that we could get money for. That way parents weren't being asked for more cash, and were happy to help. Best events were 2nd hand Children’s clothes sale, particularly baby items and school uniform, and bag4school where we collected general jumble by the bag and got paid for it.

@CoffeeOrSleep sorry, I didn’t realise there were completely free preschools, I thought they all managed to make up the difference between the funding and the actual cost by charging over the odds for additional hours. The sooner the government realises the 30 hours free childcare isn’t workable and just gives parents funding to use at the childcare of their choice the better. I know people using the 30 free hours who could easily afford to pay for it themselves and people with 1 and 2 year olds who are getting themselves into debt to pay for nursery, the whole system is a mess!

I went and got 30 treats. From stores in the area, and charged parents for a lucky dip... Went down well as a fund raiser and to showcase businesses in the area.

I hate those things.

I wouldn't give up a precious evening to spend money and time with a bunch of people I don't know, without my family, especially if it's something that I'm not interested in.

Our (very small) school has just had a sponsored run through the woods, everyone got involved and my DS alone has been sponsored over £80 from family and friends.

The PTA are hosting a bbq on a Sunday afternoon which we'll attend. They're having games, stalls for cake, bbq'd food & sides, soft drinks and alcohol, a raffle full of donated prizes (some very nice ones gifted by parents/business owners). Parents have been encouraged to donate prizes for the raffle too, not necessarily expensive, a bottle of wine, old (but in good nick) toys etc.

It's worked well in the past because it's open to everyone, people who have no connection to the school (bar being local) come and they raise a fair amount of money each year.

it's been an interesting thread though, I didn't realize state preschools were so underfunded, silly really, as I have heard private nurseries hate the 'free' hours.

I reckon if you did a drive to fund specific things and raised awareness of what you don't have, that'd help.

For nurseries, isn't a little Christmas party where you have a visit from FC a good money spinner?

I would actually go to the scarf thing! Just not on a Friday evening.