Mary Ellen Cavitt offers advise on how to make the most of a low budget year. Cavitt also suggests six effective ways to approach your administrators for additional financial support for your music department’s needs.

How to be frugal with your budget

Borrow—Research what you have in your music library before requesting funds from your administrators. Consider borrowing music from your neighboring school’s music library.

Maintain—Teach your students proper cleaning and repair techniques. Repair as many of the instruments as you can.

Raise funds—Research the rules in your school district, and be creative. Inquire about how to apply for corporate sponsors or grants.

How to request additional funds from your principal

1. Communicate well with your administrators all year, not just when your program needs something.
2. Use what you purchase—show your administrators and the community how your new equipment is being used.
3. Understand the chain of command. Don’t overstep your bounds by asking a school board member for funding without first going to your principal or music supervisor.
4. Schedule an appointment to discuss the needs of your program.
5. Prepare a prioritized list of needs, and justify all requests. Include past budget items, and explain why you need an increase.
6. Discuss how the music program benefits the whole school.
    

“The bottom line is that you can have a successful program with just about any size budget. Teach well, expect great things from your students, and create a program that the administration and community would like to help,” says Cavitt.

Resources

Get more ideas at MENC’s Advocacy and Public Policy Quick Resources

Read “Getting Music in the Budget”

Read MENC’s Fund-Raising Position Statement

Find funding resources at MENC’s Grant Information

Mary Ellen Cavitt is associate professor of music education at Texas State University. She received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music performance from The Juilliard School and a Ph.D. in music education from The University of Texas at Austin.

This article is adapted from an article in Collegiate Newslink (May 2008) entitled, “A New Teacher's Guide to the Music Budget” by Mary Ellen Cavitt.

--Shauna Leavitt, September 24, 2009, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education