6min read · by KindRise’s founder, a Brooklyn resident
LAUSD School Fundraising: How to Run a Campaign for Your LA Unified School
LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the country — and like most large public districts, it faces a persistent gap between base per-pupil funding and what it actually costs to give students a great education. Field trips, art programs, music equipment, classroom supplies, campus improvements, after-school activities: much of it depends on fundraising by parents, teachers, and community members.
Who actually does the fundraising at LAUSD schools
The school's PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) is the primary fundraising body. LAUSD PTAs operate as independent nonprofits — separate from the district — under the California State PTA umbrella, which means they have their own bank accounts, bylaws, and 501(c)(3) status. A school may also have a separate booster club for sports or arts, which functions similarly.
If your school doesn't have an active PTA, you can still organize a parent group and fundraise independently — you just won't have the institutional PTA infrastructure. Many LAUSD campuses have informal parent committees that run fundraisers without a formal PTA structure.
What LAUSD school fundraisers typically pay for
- Field trips (often the first thing cut from district budgets)
- Classroom supplies and technology beyond district-provided minimums
- Arts, music, and theater programs
- School garden and outdoor learning spaces
- After-school enrichment programs
- Teacher appreciation events and classroom wish lists
- Campus beautification and facility upgrades
How LAUSD school fundraising works in practice
The most effective LAUSD school campaigns use the school's own communication channels — SchoolMessenger emails, class Remind or WhatsApp groups, and the school newsletter — to reach every family directly. These channels work far better than cold social media posts because parents are already subscribed and the school's brand lends credibility.
Combine digital outreach with printed flyers at pickup — parents holding a physical flyer with a QR code are far more likely to donate on the spot than those who read about it in a newsletter and mean to donate later.
When you launch a KindRise campaign, a unique QR code is generated instantly. Print it on the flyers you hand out at pickup, display it on a poster at Back to School Night, or paste it in the PDF newsletter — parents scan with their phone and land directly on the donation page. No URL to type. No friction between the ask and the gift.
Launch your school campaign free →How to write a fundraising ask parents actually respond to
The call to action is the sentence that turns a reader into a donor. Most school fundraising asks are too vague. Here's the difference:
- Weak: "Please support our school" → Strong: "Give $25 to fund one student's field trip by October 15"
- Weak: "Donate to our fundraiser" → Strong: "Scan this QR code — we need 40 more donors to hit our goal"
- Weak: "Any amount helps" → Strong: "$10 covers art supplies for one student for the semester"
The formula: specific amount + specific outcome + deadline. The more concrete the ask, the more parents act. See our full library of LAUSD-ready fundraising templates — parent email, text message, flyer copy, and social post — all ready to customize.
Parent email template for LAUSD school campaigns
Send this from the PTA president or school principal's address for the best open rate. Keep the subject line specific: "Quick ask from [School Name] PTA" or "Help us fund field trips this year."
Platform fees matter more than most PTAs realize
A school raising $5,000 on GoFundMe with a 5% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing on each donation effectively loses $600–$800 to fees. That is a field trip. Low-fee platforms matter, especially for repeated campaigns throughout the year. KindRise charges 0.75% platform fee (0.50% on the subscription plan) — on a $5,000 campaign that's $37.50, not $600.
The best times to run LAUSD school fundraisers
Back-to-school (late August–September), fall (November before Thanksgiving), and spring (March–April) are the most effective windows. Year-end (May–June) works for specific "close the gap" campaigns. Avoid launch timing during LAUSD school breaks — engagement drops sharply when families aren't in the daily school rhythm.
For ready-to-use templates, see our full PTA fundraising template library. For QR code placement ideas, see our QR code fundraising guide.
Ready to start? Launch a donation page on KindRise in minutes — with a free AI-generated banner and low, transparent fees, so more of every dollar reaches your cause.
KindRise is a small, independent project, not a faceless platform. Email support@gokindrise.com and a real person reads it, helps directly, and often builds the features people ask for.
Frequently asked questions
Can LAUSD schools fundraise independently?
Yes. School PTAs, booster clubs, and parent-teacher organizations are separate nonprofit entities from LAUSD and can fundraise independently. Funds raised by the PTA benefit that specific school and are managed by the PTA, not the district.
What can LAUSD PTAs spend fundraising money on?
PTA funds typically cover supplies and classroom materials, field trips and extracurricular programs, arts, music, and sports that lack district funding, campus improvements, and staff appreciation. Always confirm with your school's administration what funds can supplement.
What is the best fundraising platform for LAUSD PTAs?
For PTA fundraising, platforms with low fees and no nonprofit requirement are best — since many PTA chapters are smaller 501(c)(3)s or operate under the California State PTA umbrella. KindRise charges 0.75% platform fee (0.50% on its plan) and works for any group. Zeffy is 0% platform fee but requires a 501(c)(3). GoFundMe is familiar but charges 8–12% in real total fees.