One of the roles that the Fonds Éducations Plurielles now wishes to take on more often is that of facilitator of meetings and exchanges between project leaders. On January 20, in response to a request from several schools, the fund brought together representatives of various educational structures for a videoconference exchange on the theme of the solidarity fund. What is the solidarity fund? How can it be set up? How to obtain regular donations? From the explanations and advice of Dominique, treasurer of the Fonds Éducations Plurielles, to the questions and experience-sharing of the accountants and school principals present, this is essentially what emerged from the meeting.
Some members of the assembly are already familiar with the solidarity fund, while others are just starting out. A reminder of the principles.
For a long time, the Fonds Éducations Plurielles was the only organization to offer this unique system.
In practical terms, it enables educational structures to mobilize sponsors to contribute to a fund, through earmarked or un-earmarked donations. Donations are eligible for tax deduction (66% for individuals, 60% for companies). Donations can be one-off or regular. In particular, it is possible to set up a monthly donation.
Families wishing to enroll their children in a private school, but whose income is insufficient to cover the cost of tuition on their own, have the opportunity to submit a scholarship application each year. The school forwards these applications to the fund, which examines them and decides, on the basis of objective criteria, whether to award the bursary to the family.
The school then sends an invoice to the Fonds Éducations Plurielles for the annual school fees covered by the scholarship. The fund will pay this amount directly to the school on behalf of the parents.
Dominique reminds us that there must be no link between donors and recipients of grants. So, for example, grandparents can in no way make a donation for the express benefit of their grandchild, at the risk of falling foul of tax regulations.
One school representative goes even further: she refuses any donation from the family of a child who wishes to apply for a scholarship. Or, conversely, any donor renounces his or her family's right to apply for aid.
The aim of this scheme is to give children access to a type of education that is suited to them, and to which they would be unable to gain access with their family's financial resources alone.
The COVID years saw an explosion in requests for assistance from families, as life accidents and economic difficulties multiplied during this period. The fund is delighted with thetangible impact this scheme has had on families' freedom of choice in their upbringing.
The treasurer of the Fonds Éducations Plurielles has announced thatin 2022, 82 children benefited from a scholarship thanks to the solidarity fund. Over €250,000 has been raised, and just under €200,000 has already been paid out in the form of bursaries.
Any child whose parents or legal guardians have a low income is eligible for a scholarship to cover tuition fees.
It's up to the schools to collect the files compiled by parents. In concrete terms, Dominique from the Fonds Éducations Plurielles explains that this involves asking families to forward :
Applications are examined on a case-by-case basis.
Florence, headmistress of a school near Nantes, came in search of inspiration: " I feel like I'm harassing parents by constantly asking them to do this! " Several other participants at the meeting nod in agreement. Ève, from a school in the forest, spoke breathlessly from a snow-covered landscape in Chamonix: " We received donations at the start, but it's running out - how can we get the collection going again? "
Dominique, treasurer of the fund, notes that of the sixteen schools that benefited from the scheme last year, around half are active and receive regular donations, including one particularly active school which is invited to share its proceeds.
There are no miracles, but a community of parents who are highly committed and well versed in soliciting donations from their friends and family. " Our families are very active in finding donors! The school's excellent performance is due more to donations from individuals than from companies. " Parents are empowered. I explain to them that the school's economic system, which guarantees its current operation (scholarships and social mix), is based on the collection of donations. Without it, the system would last one or two years, no more!
Virginie, president of the fund, recommends inviting parents to set up a committee. Discussions between school representatives show that a committee dedicated to communicating about the school's educational project, combined with theinvestment of all parents in fund-raising, is an effective organization. " All parents need to feel involved.
A company is likely to make a more generous donation than an individual. Loïc, treasurer of a school in the Eure-et-Loire region, relays parents' questions about how to go about requesting such a donation. He received the following answers:
Loïc bounces back and asks, " Has anyone ever collected from organizations like the Lions Club or Rotary Club? " No, they haven't. " That's a great idea! "
It may be useful to provide parents with a presentation of the school's pedagogical project.
Dominique adds that, in this same medium, explaining the process of seeking funding for scholarships shows that a school offering an alternative pedagogy aims to be open to all, and pursues a stated objective of social diversity. Parents themselves need to be made aware of this aspect: as we know, the long-term survival of a non-contractual school depends on the number of students in its classes. A school pools its costs. If the school is fully booked, the operating costs are shared among the students, so that families who don't receive grants also benefit indirectly. Quite apart from the human benefit of social diversity, it is also in their financial interest to participate in fund-raising.
The fund is considering the creation of a basic communication model designed to provide information on the operation of the solidarity fund and the objective of social diversity. Schools embarking on fund-raising for a solidarity fund will be able to use this as a starting point for creating their own communication tools.
