Students for Solar Schools

The success or failure of any solar project completely rests on the ability of you and your team to raise the financial capital necessary to make such an investment. It is best to start small, but most importantly to build your base of support and funding as you go along. Below are several fundraisers you can try at your school and grants you can apply for online. I believe one web page can serve as a helpful starting point, but cannot do justice to the immense task at hand. That’s why its important that you solicit not only money, but also the knowledge of the SSS leadership, successful student initiatives, and everyone from experts to sports team coaches in your community.

Coin Fundraiser: A coin drive or penny fundraiser is a great place to start. At Westlake High School, we simply placed jars in all the english classrooms, waited two weeks, and came back to collect over $520 in cash (and mostly coins). Other successful variations have included events called penny wars where one class tried to beat out the other by placing the most coins in a jar to win points.

Pitches to Local Businesses: Using a pitch pamphlet like the editable and downloadable one found here, you can approach the local businesses or corporate headquarters to ask for a donation. However before asking companies or even individuals for funds its important that the logistics involved in the actual transaction are figured out and agreed upon. Ask your school (or even better a booster club supporting you) for their tax-id number. This will allow entities to make a fully tax-deductible contribution to your solar panel project.

Grants: Try applying for a efw of these online grants:

BP Solar Grants    http://www.aplusforenergy.net/Public/us_program.aspx
Max Amount: $5,000

Campus Progress Action Grant    http://www.campusprogress.org/page/s/actiongrant
Max Amount: $5,000

Do Something Grants    http://www.dosomething.org/grants/general/apply
Max Amount: $500

mtvU Grants    http://www.genv.net/mtvu
Max Amount: $1,000

Pay it Forward    http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/educators/mini-grant.html
Max Amount: $500

Spark Plug Foundation    http://sparkplugfoundation.org/