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There are a lot of talks amongst PTA, PTO, and school group leaders about partnering with local businesses for fundraising and/or community partnerships. These are invaluable partnerships, but what if your PTA wants to expand its partnerships? On a recent episode of The Multipurpose Room, we hosted Travis Johnson, host of The Nonprofit Architect. Travis has a background in forming partnerships with service organizations and has some great tips for schools.
What are service organizations?
They have a variety of names but include common clubs such as Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Eagles, Masons, etc. Their commonality is that their missions include doing good for their communities, and their members are local leaders and/or business owners. So if you're looking to partner with people that care about you and what you're trying to do, these rooms are full of them.
What kinds of partnerships exist between nonprofits and these types of service organizations?
All kinds of partnerships. It could be joint volunteering events. It could be school extracurriculars/field trips. It could also be a financial partnership. Concerning volunteering events, it could be that service club members volunteer at school events. Concerning extracurriculars, we have seen Rotary Clubs sponsor a fishing trip for a school or a member open up their business operations as a learning opportunity. It could even be internships. Financial partnerships can run the gamut from donations to scholarships to giveback events.
How do you form these partnerships?
These organizations have their meeting dates online, and anyone can attend. When you go, have a quick description of you and your organization and some ideas for what you want from the potential partnerships.
Where can you learn more?
Check out the full episode here. You should also look for your local Rotary Club, Kiwanis, or other service organization.