BILLINGS— Elder Grove Elementary School has raised almost $80,000 from private donations for its reading curriculum, a funding strategy becoming more common in schools across Montana.
The fundraiser comes after Elder Grove failed to pass a mill levy again in 2025. The school district has not passed an operational levy, which funds basic classroom materials, since 2007.
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"The cost of living has gone up, and it's increasingly difficult for families to try to provide for, you know, everyone in their family and then also for schools voting yes for a levy," said Jennifer Sundsted, principal of Elder Grove Elementary School.
"We've had so much generous support from our community," added Sundsted.
Related: Elder Grove School turns to donations to save reading curriculum after years without levy
Their GoFundMe fundraiser has raised approximately $68,000 of the nearly $80,000 the district has received.
The school's reliance on public donations is part of a growing trend of schools turning to crowdfunding when budgets fall short.
A statement from GoFundMe told MTN, "Since 2010, more than $1 billion has been raised on GoFundMe for educators. In 2025 alone, fundraising for classroom and school supplies increased by more than 50%, while fundraising for books and literacy increased by nearly 70%.”
In Montana, Divide Elementary School in Butte, Sandstone School in Absarokee and Billings School District 2 have turned to community donors to fund needs and projects in the past year.
"I think this is kind of the way that school districts are going to have to gravitate towards," said Sundsted.
Some donors, such as Billings Masonic Lodge #113 member Ron Boyd, are giving because it feels like the right thing to do.
"We're doing a beef raffle and wine tasting at Yellowstone Cellars, and the proceeds of that raffle will 100% go to the Elder Grove reading program," said Boyd.
Find more details for the raffle here.
Other donors, such as Sommer Eberly, say they're concerned that the levy did not pass.
"Right now, I think it is so wonderful that there have been so many donors that give to the school. But in reality, it's just a Band-Aid," said Eberly.
"It'd be so nice to actually be able to, you know, focus on the education and do our jobs without having to plead and ask for money coming from our families who are already doing so much for our district," added Sundsted.
