Short answer: Charter schools raise money in two places: the school itself, usually a nonprofit that runs the annual fund and grants, and a parent group that runs community events. Because charters charge no tuition and often pay for their own buildings out of operating funds, fundraising tends to cover basics as well as extras. A workable plan is a voluntary annual fund, one community event, one or two grants a year and, when the school needs a building, a separate board-led capital campaign.
There were 8,010 public charter schools in 2023–24, about 8% of all public schools (NCES). A charter school is a public school that charges no tuition and is run independently of the traditional district structure. The general school fundraising ideas assume a district school with a PTA; charters differ in three ways that change the plan.
First, the school has its own governing board, and depending on state law it, or a foundation that supports it, can raise money and issue donor receipts directly instead of relying only on a parent group. Second, facilities are a recurring cost: a 2019 National Alliance for Public Charter Schools review of state policy, published through the federally funded National Charter School Resource Center, notes that charter leaders struggle to find suitable, affordable buildings for growing enrollment, and many charters pay rent or a mortgage from the same per-pupil money that pays teachers. Third, every charter starts from zero: no parent group, no traditions, no alumni and no donor list. Much of that last point applies to any newly opened school, district or private.
Who raises the money: the school or the parent group?
| The charter school (or its nonprofit) | A parent group (PTO, PTA or family association) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical role | Annual fund, major gifts, grants, capital campaigns, business partners | Community events, teacher appreciation, classroom wish lists, family engagement |
| Who decides | The school's board and leader | The parent group's members and officers |
| Where money goes | School accounts, under the school's financial controls and audit | The parent group's own bank account, under its own controls |
| Donor receipts | Issued by the school's nonprofit | Issued by the parent group, if it has its own tax-exempt status |
Decide early which entity runs which fundraiser and write it down. Two groups asking the same families at the same time, with different receipts and different bank accounts, confuses donors and auditors alike. Many charters choose a simple split: the school runs the annual fund, grants and any capital campaign, and the parent group runs events and pays for community-building.
What the written split should cover
- Who runs what. List each fundraiser by name and the entity that owns it, including who may approach businesses and foundations.
- Receipts. Which entity issues acknowledgments for each kind of gift, and what the receipt names as the recipient.
- Bank accounts. Each entity deposits only into its own account; parent-group money given to the school moves by check with a letter saying what it's for.
- Calendar. One shared calendar, with the annual fund window kept clear of parent-group asks.
- Use of the school's name and logo. What the parent group may use and who approves flyers.
- Review. A yearly check-in between the school leader and the parent group president to update the split.
Charters in a network vs. standalone charters
A standalone charter makes every fundraising decision itself. A campus that belongs to a network run by a charter management organization (CMO) or an education management organization (EMO) usually doesn't, and the first job of a new parent group there is to find out what the network allows.
| Question | Standalone charter | Campus in a network |
|---|---|---|
| Who controls fundraising? | The school's board | Often a central board and development office; the campus leader may need approval for any public appeal |
| Who approaches foundations and major donors? | The school leader or board | Usually the central office only, so two campuses don't pitch the same funder |
| Can the campus run its own annual fund? | Yes | Sometimes; some networks run one appeal and return a share to each campus |
| Can parents form their own group? | Yes | Usually, but it may need the network's approval to use the name and must keep its own account |
| Where does campus-raised money go? | The school's accounts | Ask: it may be pooled at the network level unless donors restrict it to the campus |
If you're at a network campus, ask the campus leader three questions before planning anything: may the parent group raise money in the school's name, may it approach local businesses directly, and will money given for this campus stay with this campus? An EMO is usually a company the board hires to run the school, so gifts go to the charter's nonprofit board, not to the management company.
Paying for facilities
District schools usually get buildings paid for by local bonds and taxes. Many charters don't have that option, so they lease space, share a building or buy one with loans, and pay for it largely from operating revenue. States vary widely: some give charters a per-pupil facilities allowance or run a charter facilities loan program, and others offer little or nothing, so ask your state charter school association or authorizer what exists where you are. At the federal level, the Department of Education's Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities program gives grants to public and private nonprofit entities that help charters get loans and bond financing to buy, build or renovate buildings; charter schools benefit through those grantees rather than applying themselves.
What fundraising can and can't cover
| Realistic for fundraising | Usually financed, not fundraised |
|---|---|
| Playground equipment, shade structures, outdoor classrooms | Buying the building or land |
| Furniture, library shelving, a science lab or makerspace fit-out | Mortgage, bond or lease payments |
| Small renovations in a building the school owns | Major construction or a move to a new site |
| A reserve that lowers what the school must borrow | Ongoing rent, which belongs in the operating budget |
Parent events and the annual fund can't carry a building, and they shouldn't be pitched as if they could. A parent group can make a real difference with a defined project, such as a playground or a library, that has a clear cost and a finish line. Before paying for improvements to a leased building, read the lease: permanent improvements often become the landlord's property, and some leases require the landlord's approval. Ask the school's business office and, where the charter has borrowed, whether lenders or bond documents limit changes to the property.
Capital campaign or annual fund?
Keep them separate. The annual fund pays for this year's program and asks every family, every year. A capital campaign is a one-time effort over two or three years for a specific building project, led by the board, with most of the money coming from a small number of larger gifts, foundations and sometimes local government or community lenders. Families can be asked for both, but the capital ask should come after the annual fund pledge, be clearly labeled, and go into a restricted account. If the project is cancelled or comes in under budget, a gift acceptance policy written in advance tells donors what happens to their money.
Ideas that fit charter schools
1. An annual fund at a free public school
At a school that charges no tuition, the annual fund needs a different explanation than at a private school. Tell families what per-pupil funding pays for and what it doesn't, such as a reading interventionist, art or field trips, and ask every family to give any amount. Publish the share of families that give, never who gave what. Keep it visibly voluntary: no amounts on enrollment forms, no reminders tied to a child's participation, and no "expected contribution" language, which some state laws and authorizers restrict. The no-selling guide has a donation letter to adapt.
2. A signature community event
One event families look forward to every year, such as a fall fun run, a spring festival or a culture night, becomes part of a young school's identity faster than anything else. Choose something the parent group can repeat with the volunteers it actually has. A charter that shares a building or has no field can still run a walk; the charter school walk-a-thon guide covers how.
3. Grants for start-up and programs
Charters often find support from local and regional foundations, community foundations and corporate giving programs, especially for start-up costs, facilities projects and programs tied to the school's mission. Assign grant writing to one person, keep a calendar of deadlines, and report results to every funder. The school grants guide covers whether the school or the parent group should apply and what a short proposal needs.
4. Mission-matched business partners
A charter's theme gives it a natural pitch. A STEM charter can approach engineering and technology employers, an arts charter local arts organizations, a language-immersion school businesses that serve that language community. Ask for a program sponsorship, in-kind help or volunteer mentors rather than a generic donation; see school sponsorships for levels and recognition.
5. Founding families and anniversaries
In the first years, invite founding families to give to a founders' fund with a lasting recognition, such as names on a wall or a tree planted for the first class. The fifth and tenth anniversaries are natural moments for a larger appeal to families who have since moved on. Remind every donor to check whether their employer will match the gift; the employer matching guide explains how.
A sample year's goal
Example A charter of 520 students from 400 families wants $55,000 for a reading interventionist's salary and a new playground. The school's annual fund aims for 55% participation, 220 families, at an average gift of $150: $33,000. The parent group's spring festival nets $12,000 and gives it to the school for the playground, with a letter restricting it to that purpose. One community foundation grant brings $10,000. Together that is $55,000. If the playground costs more than the festival and grant can cover, the gap goes to a small, separate playground appeal rather than into a second annual fund ask. The goal calculator turns your own figures into a per-family number.
Year one at a new charter
A new charter has no parent group, no volunteers who've done this before and no history to point to. Keep year one simple:
- Set up the money first.
Decide which entity receives donations, open the account, and agree on who counts cash and who signs checks. If a parent group is forming, it needs its own EIN and bank account; see the first-fundraiser guide for new groups.
- Run one donation campaign.
A short annual fund with a clear purpose and a participation goal.
- Run one community event.
Something low-cost that builds the school community, such as a family picnic or a fun run.
- Write everything down.
Who did what, what it cost, what it raised and what to change. Next year's volunteers will start from it.
What to watch
- Your charter agreement and authorizer. Some authorizers and state laws limit what charters can require of families, including fees and expected donations. Make giving clearly voluntary, and never tie admission, enrollment or participation to a donation.
- Restricted gifts. If a donor gives for a specific purpose, the school is generally bound to use it for that purpose. Track restricted money separately. For building campaigns, the gift acceptance policy outline shows how to tell donors in advance what happens to leftover money.
- Rules that apply to public schools. Charters are public schools for most purposes. A charter in the federal school lunch or breakfast program follows the federal Smart Snacks limits on food sold to students during the school day; the food fundraiser section of the calendar guide summarizes them. Your state's charter law and authorizer can tell you which other district fundraising rules apply.
- The audit. School-run fundraising money may be reviewed in the charter's financial audit. Keep count sheets, deposit records and receipts from the start.
Charters that serve many low-income families will find fair-fundraising principles, and how federal Title I funds fit, in the Title I and low-income schools guide.
Sources
- Public school and agency counts, 2023–24 (Common Core of Data), National Center for Education Statistics (accessed 2026-10-30)
- State Policy Snapshot: Facilities Funding for Public Charter Schools, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, via the National Charter School Resource Center (accessed 2026-10-30)
- Charitable contributions: written acknowledgments, Internal Revenue Service (accessed 2026-10-30)
- Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities Program, U.S. Department of Education (accessed 2026-10-30)
Frequently asked questions
How do charter schools raise money?
Through the school's own nonprofit, which runs an annual fund, applies for grants, works with business partners and leads any capital campaign, and through a parent group that runs community events. Many charters also hold one signature event a year, such as a fun run or festival.
Can charter schools ask families for donations?
Yes, as long as giving is voluntary. As public schools that charge no tuition, charters generally can't make donations a condition of enrollment or participation. Check your state's charter law and your charter agreement for any limits on fees or requested contributions.
Can parent fundraising pay for a charter school's building?
Not the building itself. Purchases, mortgages and lease payments are usually financed through loans, bonds and operating funds, sometimes with state facilities funding. Parent fundraising works best for defined projects with a clear cost, such as a playground, library or furniture. Check the lease before paying for improvements to a rented building, since permanent improvements may become the landlord's property.
Are donations to a charter school tax-deductible?
Often, when the charter or its supporting organization has tax-exempt status. As with any charity, a donor needs a written acknowledgment from the organization to deduct a single gift of $250 or more. Ask the school's business office which entity receives gifts and what the receipt says.
Does a charter school need a PTO?
It doesn't have to have one, but a parent group helps with community events, volunteers and teacher appreciation, leaving the school to focus on the annual fund and grants. At a network campus, check first whether the network allows a campus parent group and what it may raise money for. Decide in writing which group runs which fundraisers.