1. Check your curriculum budget to see if you can buy 100 copies of Jessie’s book- “It's Your Life...Own It, a Teens Guide to Greatness.” The book is fun, filled with inspiring stories, it includes an audio CD, and it’s a workbook so the kids can personalize the lessons taught. If you can purchase 100 copies- Jessie speaks for free!

2.Share Jessie with another school in your area on the same day. Jessie’s fee is cut nearly in HALF for your school if you share Jessie with another school. Jessie can speak at your school in the morning, a neighboring school in the afternoon and then catch a flight home. Jessie speaks to more students, you save money…it’s a win for everyone. Jessie is super easy to promote to other schools and decision makers…just forward them a link to www.jessiefunk.com and share your plan.

3. Check with your school administration for funding from the Associated Student Body fund. For teacher in-service programs, ask about Staff Development — Title VI funding.

4. Plan to integrate and highlight Jessie into a major theme such as cultural awareness week, health day, Red Ribbon Week, etc. Depending on your theme, federal grant money might be available. For example, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) might approve a funding request for a speaker who addresses alcohol and drug prevention, sexual abstinence, tobacco use, teen pregnancy, gangs, crime and violence prevention. Check with your school district or federal government office to find out who is dispensing these funds in your state. Request an application form.

5. Apply for other grant monies from your state by contacting your State Department of Human Services and State Department of Education. They can direct you to the correct office — for example, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division. Contact other local agencies in your county that already have grant monies from state agencies. For example, the Criminal Justice Department or Department of Public Safety might have distributed funds into mental health agencies or programs for mentoring youth, etc.

6. Contact your school’s PTO/PTA. Share your plans with them. They are more likely to contribute funds if your plan is well thought out.

7. Have student leaders contact local business organizations: Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Elks, Chamber of Commerce. Present your plan and request their sponsorship.

8. Create a win-win situation. Contact several of your larger local businesses, especially those related to services for teens and their families. Ask for the owner, CEO or Community Services Department. If they are willing to help sponsor the speaker, you can exchange the favor by announcing their support to your students and parents.

9. Invite multiple clubs on campus to participate and help in a fund raising project. A cooperative effort helps students collaborate and learn about the realities of time and effort in acquiring funding in the real world.