How to Raise Funds for Homeschool Costs
Homeschooling has become the fastest-growing form of education across the US in recent years. According to the United States Census Bureau’s latest Household Pulse Survey, almost 6% of all school-aged children were homeschooled during the 2022-2023 academic year, with this figure forecasted to increase for 2024.
If you’re considering joining this growing group of Americans, you may be wondering how you’ll gather funds for homeschooling and what financial assistance is available to you. From government grants to community-based crowdfunding, we’re breaking down the costs of homeschooling and some ways you can cover them.
How much does homeschooling cost?
While there’s limited research on the average cost of homeschooling in the US, anecdotal evidence from various national homeschooling organizations suggests that costs range from $300 to $3,000 per student each academic year.
Homeschooling costs vary widely depending on location, grade level, curriculum choices and the number of children involved. So, before you begin a home education program, it’s important to ensure that the following expenses are accounted for.
Curriculum
Educating your children at home enables you to choose from a wide range of homeschool curricula, but not all of them are marked at the same price. Depending on your child’s age, needs and educational goals, a homeschool curriculum from an accredited institution may be the best option. These can cost anywhere from $300 to $1000 on average.
Alternatively, you may choose to design a personalized homeschool curriculum by using a range of different educational resources. Regardless of what you choose to do, it’s important to organize your finances, conduct thorough research and limit spending in line with your family’s means.
School supplies
As your child’s primary educator, you’ll be responsible for purchasing all of their homeschool supplies. While individual items can be relatively inexpensive, the total cost can quickly add up—especially if your curriculum requires expensive technology and educational software. For your convenience, here’s a list of common homeschool supplies and their average annual cost per child:
- Textbooks, chapter books, and workbooks: $200
- School supplies—like notebooks, pens, and calculators: $75
- Project materials—like markers, poster boards and art supplies: $100
- Teaching materials—like planners, whiteboards, and supply organizers: $100
- Technology and software: $200
- Memberships and subscriptions to learning resources: $200
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to save money on homeschool supplies. Instead of buying new books, consider buying them secondhand or borrowing from your local library. If neither of these options are available to you, you can research stores that offer homeschool discounts to parents educating their children at home.
Field trips
Field trips are an important part of any curriculum, and this is especially true for homeschooled children. They allow students to expand their education outside of the home, creating a safe environment for experiencing the world and learning new things. Private school and high school students enjoy many outings during the academic year, so it’s important to give your children the same opportunities by factoring field trips into your list of homeschool costs.
On average, families spend about $220 per year on homeschool field trips. But depending on the type and frequency of field trips you take with your child, they don’t have to break the bank. For example, many museums and nature centers organize educational programs for homeschool students. Contact your local homeschool co-operative to learn more about cost-effective field trip ideas.
Extracurricular activities
While it’s important for all children to participate in rewarding extracurricular activities, it can be especially meaningful in a homeschool environment. Extracurriculars allow homeschooled children to explore their creativity, meet new friends and discover passions that they will carry through to adulthood. Some of the most popular extracurricular activities include:
- Sports
- Competitive academics
- Visual and performing arts
- Volunteer work and community service
- Clubs and special interest groups
- Political organizations
- Paid work
- Cultural, religious, and identity groups
- Writing and journalism
- Scouting
While homeschool costs for extracurricular programs can vary greatly, there are many activities that your child can participate in for free. Homeschooling laws in some states entitle your child to participate in extracurricular activities organized by their local public school system. However, It’s important to note that you may need to purchase items for certain extracurriculars, like sports equipment or art supplies.
Hidden costs
When allocating funds for homeschooling, it’s important to be aware of the hidden costs that first-time homeschoolers might not be aware of. These include, but may not be limited to:
- Assessment & Intervention fees, which are applicable in nine US states
- Gas money for field trips and other outings
- Potential tutoring expenses
- Increased grocery bill due to eating more meals at home
- Higher utility costs due to spending more time at home
- Lost income due to a parent or guardian’s full-time commitment to homeschooling
How to raise funds for homeschooling
From engaging in grassroots fundraising to searching for government grants and scholarships, there are many ways to raise funds for homeschooling. Modern crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe allow you to instantly gather support from friends, family and your wider community, while making it easy to share your story across social media. Through an online fundraiser, you can raise money and receive donations directly to your bank account, making it easier than ever to find help with covering homeschool costs.
However, creating an online fundraiser is far from the only way to cover homeschooling costs. Here are just a few of the creative ways in which you can go about raising money to enhance your child’s home education experience.
1. Crowdfunding
With so many crowdfunding websites to choose from, you might be wondering which platform is right for your homeschooling fundraiser. As you compare the top crowdfunding sites, consider the following factors to guide you in your selection:
- Fees—including both service and payment processing fees
- Customer support options
- Accessibility to funds and limitations on withdrawals or deposits
- Fundraiser sharing capabilities
- Ease of use and website design
We’re a little biased, but GoFundMe is one of the best options available when it comes to raising funds for homeschooling. Unlike other crowdfunding platforms, we allow you to instantly withdraw donations as you receive them—meaning you never have to wait too long for help to arrive.
To learn more about different fundraising websites and how they compare, check out our guide to choosing the right crowdfunding platform for you.
2. Grants for home education
While there are currently no grants offered to homeschoolers at the federal government level, a number of financial supports are provided by educational organizations and certain state governments.
The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a non-profit advocacy organization which provides representation and support for homeschooling parents. They run three separate HSLDA grants for home education which might help you to cover some of the associated costs.
- Homeschool Group Grants: Paid on an annual basis to homeschool organizations, groups and co-ops which meet the HSLDA’s eligibility criteria.
- Curriculum Grants: Donor-funded grants of $100-$200 which can be used by parents to purchase textbooks, educational technology, assessment materials and other school-related supplies.
- Disaster Relief Grants: Compassionate grants offered to homeschooling families whose homes have been affected by natural disasters during the past eighteen months. Maximum $500.
3. Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)
Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are publicly-funded school choice mechanisms that provide financial support for parents struggling with the cost of educating their children. Organized at the state level, the monetary value of an ESA is generally based on the expenditure of its state’s public school system. Once approved, ESAs can be used by parents to purchase educational materials, online programmes, tutors, therapies and other school-related resources.
There are currently 17 states operating ESAs across the country, each setting its own eligibility requirements and the maximum value of allowances. While such programs have been running since 2011, they have picked up a lot of steam in recent years—with more than 300,000 active ESAs as of 2024.
4. Fundraising events
If you’re struggling to meet the eligibility criteria for grants or simply need some additional support covering the costs of homeschooling—organizing your own fundraising event can be a great way to raise money in a creative, meaningful way. Whether you want to gather your homeschooling group for a classroom fundraiser or launch one within your family, educational fundraisers can be a powerful tool when used correctly.
Engage your local community by hosting a garage sale, bake sale or second-hand book sale in your neighborhood. Or, get the kids involved by hosting creative fundraising events like homeschool scavenger hunts, talent shows or an activities-based olympics. You could even partner with local business or educational organizations to give your homeschool fundraising efforts an extra boost.
If you’re not sure where to start, read our useful guides to learn how GoFundMe works and find answers to all your fundraising questions.
5. Share your fundraiser
Sharing your fundraiser on GoFundMe is a great way to spread the word to your local network and beyond, helping you attract the maximum amount of donations for your cause. Many of today’s fundraisers are shared online across social media platforms, which can put you in contact with donors from across the globe and give your crowdfunding efforts a significant boost.
However, you don’t need to be a technology whiz or a social media expert in order to successfully share your homeschooling fundraiser. There are plenty of options for sharing your fundraiser without social media, like reaching out to potential donors via emails, text messages, and in-person conversations.
If you would like some more creative ideas for getting your fundraiser out there and reaching a wide range of potential contributors, check out our 20 Fundraiser Sharing Tips to Increase Donations.
Launch your homeschool fundraiser today
There are a number of reasons why you might choose to educate your children at home, but one thing is for certain: the costs of homeschooling can quickly add up. If you’re looking for some financial help with your homeschooling expenses, consider starting an online fundraiser. With GoFundMe, you can connect with donors and start raising money within minutes—using your donations to help cover the price of homeschool.
Asking for help with money is never easy, so get the meaningful support you need by starting a GoFundMe fundraiser today.