Annual Gala Donations Overview

On behalf of the Gala Committee, welcome (or welcome back) to Park West! We are excited to work together with you this year to meet our fundraising goals in support of our wonderful school.

The Gala Committee is responsible for leading the school’s annual gala & auction fundraising effort. Our goal this year is to raise $100,000. As with most schools, tuition alone does not cover operating costs that include staff compensation, classroom equipment, supplies, rent, repairs, insurance, and financial aid. This event is necessary to bridge the gap between the school’s tuition income and its expenses.

GALA AND AUCTION – FEBRUARY 10, 2024

As a member of the cooperative, each family is required to purchase two (2) tickets to the gala (ticket sales will open in January) and contribute one of the three following donation options by Thursday, December 14:

Option A: Two (2) auction items.
or
Option B: One (1) luxury auction item (to be confirmed by a Gala co-chair).

• Examples of luxury items include vacation home stays, airline miles, and box seats. If you have questions on whether your item is luxury, please email galachair@parkwestcoop.org.

or
Option C: One (1) auction item -AND- One (1) “Fund-Our-Future” request.*

*Donations to Fund-Our-Future are used for special projects, maintaining healthy reserves, investing in teacher training, and strategic initiatives to help Park West evolve and grow over time. Like every family that came before you, your donations to school support not only your own child, but those who will come here after you. When you make a contribution to fund-our-future you are ensuring that Park West has the resources to remain a pillar for early childhood education in Chicago. Fund-Our-Future contributions are 100% tax deductible.

Please note:
Tots families are not required to purchase Gala and Auction tickets, but if they choose to attend, they will need to purchase tickets.

IMPORTANT DATES 

December 14                  Auction items due to office 

February 10                    Annual gala event

Securing auction items

When should we start to solicit items?

Start now! Auction items are due in the office at Park West by December 14. ​An Auction Captain will be assigned​ to each classroom. The Auction Captain will be contacting you soon to identify him/herself. The captains will be available to answer questions, track donations, and usher your donations to the office.

As you start soliciting auction items, feel free to use one of our email/letter examples attached below:

• Generic letter (you don’t have a specific contact or know the person well)

• Generic pitch note, tailored to meet Dyson’s requirements for contribution (example if you need to “prove” why a donation would align with the company’s goals)

• Personalized email (if you know the person well or have given the company significant business)

How much should the auction item be worth?

Values can vary. We encourage auction item values to range from $100 to $6,000+. If your family is able to donate a higher value, luxury item, one item will satisfy your requirements. Contact galachair@parkwestcoop.org with questions.

What types of auction items are we looking for?

Ask for items you yourself would be interested in purchasing at an auction. Think of items to donate that would be difficult for someone to go out and purchase on their own. Leverage personal connections. While we are certainly appreciative of any donation received, note that gift certificates (e.g., to restaurants and salons) generally sell for less than their value, while unique bundles and sporting tickets sell for more. We challenge you to be creative, and new ideas are always encouraged. To assist in your donation consideration, here is a more thorough list of items that have performed the best in the past. 

Here is a link to the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce Family Resource Guide, for ideas of businesses located in and around the Lincoln Park neighborhood.