Dear VSAA Band Families,

I wanted to share some information about one of the fundraisers planned for the band program in fall 2026. Last year marked an exciting milestone for the VSAA band program. We raised enough money to better support the band program needs. I was able to:

• bring in guest artists 

• provide opportunities that elevate the quality of the music experience

• Buy and repair instruments for students who need assistance

The end result? The bands sound fantastic! I am excited to continue the momentum this year. We will once again be utilizing Snap! Raise is our primary fundraising initiative. Family participation in this online fundraising campaign allows us to efficiently reach supporters beyond our immediate community. It prevents us from asking the same families to give repeatedly. Yes- Snap! Raise is a 3rd party and they get a small % of funds raised, but…

• it is very small cut, considering how easy they make the process

• It is a super easy fundraiser for me, as a teacher, which is hard to find

• it requires no parent volunteers, who are getting harder and harder to recruit

Even though it is easy and convenient, some families are leery about using an online donation platform. I understand. I wanted to share some information I learned about the platform from our Snap! Raise Rep Shay and why I feel confident using it. These standards give me confidence that the digital  information is being handled responsibly and securely:

• Student privacy, donor privacy, and financial security are top priorities for both VSAA Band and Snap! Raise. The platform does not sell or share student/donor/program data. 

• Every fundraiser operates through a secure, dedicated account with administrative controls and organization verification processes designed to protect people/funds

• Snap! Raise has established itself as a leader in fundraising security and privacy. The platform meets NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 compliance standards, the same cybersecurity framework used by the United States government to safeguard info 

• Since 2014, Snap! Raise has maintained an exceptional security record, including zero data breaches, zero regulatory investigations, and zero security-related fines. 

Our Snap! Raise fundraising goal this year is $20,000. If we reach our goal, fewer additional fundraising events and volunteer commitments will be needed throughout the year. As we get closer to the fall campaign, Shay will come to school to help students get signed up for the fundraiser. For returning participants, any contacts entered last year will remain in their profiles, making the setup process even easier. 

I am excited about what lies ahead and grateful for the continued support of our families and community. Thank you for helping make VSAA Band such a special program for our students.

Click to learn more about Snap! Raise’s commitment to security & privacy.