Across Canada, communities are asked to dig into their own pockets to support schools—whether through chocolate bar drives, bottle depots, raffles, or gala dinners. What was once a way to fund extras like field trips or playgrounds has, in some places, become a band-aid for systemic underfunding.
The Upsides
Community pride: Fundraisers can bring people together around a common goal.
Flexibility: Funds can be directed quickly to where schools see immediate needs.
Innovation: Parent councils and local groups often dream up creative ways to support programs or equipment.
The Downsides
Inequity: Wealthier communities can raise thousands for tech, sports, and arts, while lower-income communities struggle to fund even the basics.
Pressure on families: Fundraising fatigue sets in when families feel constant asks.
Systemic gaps: Governments may quietly rely on community fundraising to mask chronic underinvestment.
Rethinking the Role of Fundraising
Should communities be asked to fill financial holes left by public budgets? Or should fundraising return to being about extras and enrichment, not essentials?
The Question
How do we balance the community’s generosity with the state’s responsibility? Is it fair that a child’s education quality can depend on the wealth of their postal code—and the number of cupcakes their parents can bake?
Community Fundraising
When Bake Sales Become Budgets
Across Canada, communities are asked to dig into their own pockets to support schools—whether through chocolate bar drives, bottle depots, raffles, or gala dinners. What was once a way to fund extras like field trips or playgrounds has, in some places, become a band-aid for systemic underfunding.
The Upsides
The Downsides
Rethinking the Role of Fundraising
Should communities be asked to fill financial holes left by public budgets? Or should fundraising return to being about extras and enrichment, not essentials?
The Question
How do we balance the community’s generosity with the state’s responsibility? Is it fair that a child’s education quality can depend on the wealth of their postal code—and the number of cupcakes their parents can bake?