Funding & Sponsorship Resources for Local Units
Local unit dues cover the basics, but many units want extra funding to support family engagement events, scholarships, or outreach in their community. This page collects sponsorship opportunities, grants, and fundraising ideas or suggestions that other units have used successfully — so you don't have to start from scratch.
These are external programs, not run by Wisconsin PTA. Guidelines, deadlines, and eligibility change from year to year, so please confirm current details directly with each organization before applying.
Everyday & Passive Fundraising (available to any unit, statewide)
Kroger Community Rewards — link your unit to a Pick 'n Save or Metro Market; a portion of member purchases is donated automatically.
RaiseRight (formerly Shop with Scrip) — everyday gift-card fundraising, no selling required.
Rai$e Above It — Fundraising Through Kindness — a peer-to-peer campaign built around students completing acts of kindness.
Boosterthon / Snap! Raise — fun-run and digital peer-to-peer fundraising platforms.
Restaurant Partnerships: Panda Express, Red Robin, Rocky Rococo, Toppers Pizza, Cousins Subs — restaurant dine-and-donate nights; most offer 15–28% of sales back to your unit.
Creative Ideas for Small, Rural, and Seasonal-Economy Communities
Traditional catalog fundraisers (wrapping paper, cookie dough, etc.) can be a tough fit in small towns with wide income differences or economies tied to a short tourist season. These ideas shift the ask away from families buying things, toward capturing money already moving through the community, or letting people give time and skills instead of dollars.
Checkout round-up jars at local seasonal businesses (supper clubs, marinas, ice cream stands, cabin rental offices)
A booth or concession stand at an existing seasonal festival or fair
"Adopt-a-bench/paver/tree" campaigns aimed at seasonal cabin owners and summer residents
"Pride Pump" programs — a designated gas pump at a local station donates a set amount per gallon (commonly 2–5 cents) to a school or nonprofit, with the pump branded in the school's colors. Established Wisconsin examples include Riiser Energy/R-Store (mostly north-central WI) and Cenex co-ops. Worth asking a local gas station or co-op directly, since it's usually a handshake partnership rather than a formal application, and it keeps generating revenue year-round without asking families to buy anything extra.
General Education & Youth Grants (regional: check if your unit is in the service area)
Alliant Energy Foundation — central/eastern Wisconsin service territory. www.alliantenergy.com/foundation/community-grants
Kohl's Cares Hometown Giving — Milwaukee and Waukesha counties only. kohlscareshometowngiving.com
Evjue Foundation (Capital Times) — Dane County/Madison area; education and community-impact categories.
Bader Philanthropies — primarily Milwaukee, with some rural Wisconsin programming; rolling application, no deadline. www.bader.org/apply-for-a-grant
Family Engagement & STEM Programming (available through National PTA)
STEM + Families Science Festival (funded by Bayer Fund) — kits and support for hosting a family STEM night, available through National PTA.
Ready, Tech, Go! (AT&T), Be Internet Awesome (Google), and The Smart Talk (Norton) — additional National PTA family-engagement program kits your unit can request directly.
Literacy Programs
Dollar General Literacy Foundation — for units running their own literacy program, within 15 miles of a Dollar General store or distribution center.
Facility & Playground Improvements
Lowe's Community Impact Grants — supports physical improvements (playgrounds, community spaces, etc.) at a school or nonprofit within 30 miles of a Lowe's store.
