business plan to start a private school

ZenBusinessPlans

Home » Sample Business Plans » Education » School

How to Write a Private School Business Plan [Sample Template]

Are you about starting a private school (nursery, primary or high school)? If YES, here’s a complete sample private school business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE. Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a private school.

We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample private school marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for private schools. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

Why Start a Private School?

One of the best things that can happen to anyone is to have a private school. This is one very lucrative business that will continue to rake in money for its owners. As an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business, you should ensure that whatever business you intend to start, you make sure that it is located in an appropriate place.

For example; if you want to start a private school, it will be a wrong business judgment if you decide to site the school close to an industrial area or close to a market. Aspiring entrepreneurs therefore are urged as a matter of necessity to ensure that they carry out a thorough market research and feasibility study of the industry they intend to go into before investing their hard earned money and time.

It is known fact that the demand for private schools is driven by the fact that most public cum government owned schools cannot accommodate every students or potential students in a given geographical location. In some cases, students with special needs cannot cope in public schools hence the need for private schools.

If you think starting a private school business sounds like what you want to do. Then you may want to use the business plan below as a guide.

A Sample Private School Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Private schools which is also known in the united states as independent schools, non-governmental, or non – state schools are schools that are not administered by either the local, state or the federal governments; hence, they have the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition fees, rather than relying on mandatory taxation through public (government) funding.

Some private schools have structure in place that offer scholarships to some students, which makes the cost cheaper, depending on a talent such as sport scholarship, art scholarship, academic scholarship the student may be brining to the private school, financial need, or tax credit scholarships that might be available.

The Private Schools industry comprises of primary that is kindergarten through sixth grade and secondary that is seventh through 12th grade) educational institutions that are predominantly funded through enrollment and tuition fees from students and of course from other private sources.

Recent reports released by IBISWORLD shows that the revenue for the Private Schools industry is expected to increase, as the economy continues to recover. The indicated that during the five years to 2016, enrollment decreased, which was a trend attributable to rising costs and competition from charter schools.

However, going forward, in the next five years, household income is anticipated to increase, making it easier for families to afford private-school tuition. Additionally, enrollment declines will lesson, resulting in more stable demand for private schools

In the United States of America and of course in most countries of the world, The Private Schools industry is indeed a large and thriving industry. Statistics has it that The Private Schools industry in the United States of America, is worth $52 billion, with an estimated growth rate of 0.1 percent.

There are about 25,742 registered and licensed (accredited) Private schools scattered all around the United States of America and they are responsible for employing about 644,320 people.

Aside from Catholic schools, which is the second largest sector after government schools, with around 21 percent of secondary enrollments, no other private school can boast of dominating the market; every player in the industry can comfortably compete in the industry.

It is important to state that the barriers to entry into the Private Schools industry are high. As a matter of fact, the private school industry is an industry in which it is pretty difficult for new entrants to establish themselves. So also, the reputation of the private school is of utmost importance, as private schools that have a good history of getting students into prestigious colleges often have the best reputations hence good enrollments.

With this, it is obvious that a new entrant in to the private school industry cannot offer this. Reputation indeed is imperative to parents’ decisions when shopping for private school for their wards. This is so because the quality of education cannot be assessed until well after it is complete. As a major marketing tool, schools need to show parents a track record of admission to elite colleges and universities.

Even though this might seem like a saturated industry, the industry is still pretty much open for aspiring school proprietors and proprietress to still come in and compete. As a matter of fact, if you conduct your research and feasibility studies very well before starting your own private school couple with impressive profile of your faculty members, you are likely going to struggle less to make headway in the industry.

2. Executive Summary

Rolland Gyros International Private School is an international private school that will be located in a well – populated residential estate in Ashville – North Carolina, United States of America. We are a standard private school that is composed of primary (kindergarten through sixth grade) and secondary (seventh through 12th grade) educational institution that will be predominantly funded through tuition fees and levies from students and of course from other private sources.

Rolland Gyros International Private School is a client-focused and result driven private school that provides broad-based learning approaches and experience at an affordable fee that won’t in any way put a hole in the pockets of our clients (students and parents alike).

We will offer standard and professional teaching services in a highly secured and conducive learning environment to all our students that is primary (kindergarten through sixth grade) and secondary (seventh through 12th grade). We will ensure that we work hard to meet and surpass all our students’ expectations and educational goals whenever they enroll in our tutorial college.

At Rolland Gyros International Private School, our students’ overall best interest would always come first, and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hire professional educationist cum teachers in various subjects who are well experienced and passionate in imparting knowledge to students at various learning ladder.

Rolland Gyros International Private School will at all time demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as an educational organization, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our students’ needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our students.

We have plans to offer learning platforms to people with both learning disability and physical disability (especially the blind, the dumb and the deaf). Our overall business goal is to position our private school to become the leading tutorial brand in the educational industry in the whole of Ashville – North Carolina, and also to be amongst the top 30 private schools in the United States of America within the first 12 years of operations.

This might look too tall a dream but we are optimistic that this will surely come to pass because we have done our research and feasibility studies and we are enthusiastic and confident that Ashville is the right place to launch our private school.

Rolland Gyros International Private School is founded by Dr. (Mrs.) Irene Rolland Gyros and family. She is an educationist per excellence and she has won many awards in the education sector in the United States. Dr. (Mrs.) Irene Rolland Gyros has both the academic qualifications and experience to run a private school that can favorably compete with other leading private schools not only in Ashville – North Carolina, but also throughout the United States and Canada.

3. Our Products and Services

Rolland Gyros International Private School is going to offer varieties of educational services within the scope of the education board in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our private school is to soundly educate people in various subjects and of course to make profits from the education cum private schools industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and business goal.

Our service offerings are listed below;

• Teaching basic literacy and numeracy
• Establishing foundations in science, mathematics, geography, history and other social sciences
• Constantly working hard to meet regulatory accreditation standards
• Administering private funding efforts
• Providing access to extracurricular activities
• Retailing of Educational Books and Materials

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to build a highly competitive private school that will become the number one choice for both parents and students in the whole of Ashville – North Carolina.
• Our vision reflects our values: integrity, service, excellence and teamwork.
• Our mission is to provide professional and conducive learning environment to students at different level of learning.
• Our overall business goal is to position Rolland Gyros International Private School to become the leading private school brand in the educational cum private school industry in the whole of Ashville – North Carolina, and also to be amongst the top 30 private schools in the United States of America within the first 12 years of operations.

Our Business Structure

It is a known fact that, the success of any business is to a larger extent dependent on the business structure of the organization and the people who occupy the available roles in the organization. Rolland Gyros International Private School will build a solid business structure that can support the growth of our private school.

We will ensure that we hire competent hands (teaching and non – teaching staff members) to help us build the private school of our dream. The fact that we want to become one of the leading private school brand in the industry in the whole of the United States of America makes it highly necessary for our organization to deliberately build a well – structured business from the onset.

We will work hard to ensure that we only attract people with the right mindset to help us achieve our business goals and objectives in record time. Below is the business structure that we will build Rolland Gyros International Private School;

• Head of The Private School(School Proprietress)

School Administrator

Tutors for Various Subjects – Secondary (seventh through 12th grade)

Tutors for Various Subjects – Primary (kindergarten through sixth grade)

• Accountant / Bursar
• Client Service Executive / Front Desk Officer

Security Officers

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Head of the Tutorial College / School Coordinator:

• Responsible for providing direction for the college
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for handling high profile clients and deals
• Responsible for fixing fees and signing business deals (partnership)
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the tutorial college
• Coordinates all arms of the tutorial school (tutorial center, adult education, home tutors and special education)
• Evaluates the success of the tutorial college
• Reports to the board of the tutorial college
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the tutorial school
• Designs job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for tutors (teachers)
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders (parents and member of the school board) to review the effectiveness of the schools’ Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily activities of the private school.
• Effectively teach subject / subjects as assigned by the school administrator
• Accesses the progress of students under their care
• Ensures that students abide by the rules and regulations of the private school
• Contributes his / her quota towards growing the private school
• Receives complaints from parents and channel it to the appropriate quarters
• Handle any other duty as assigned by the school administrator.
• Ensure that students abide by the rules and regulations of the school administrator
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the school administrator.

Marketing Executive

• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new students, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the school

School Bursar (Accountant)

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Rolland Gyros International Private School
• Serves as internal auditor for Rolland Gyros International Private School

Client Service Executive

• Welcomes / receive parents and students by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with parents and students (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the parents and students with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with parents and students on the phone, uses every opportunity to build parent’s interest in the schools’ products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the HR and Admin Manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to parents and students when they make enquiries
• Receives parcels / documents for Rolland Gyros International Private School
• Distribute mails in the organization
• Handles any other duties as assigned by the School Administrator.
• Responsible for cleaning the school facility at all times
• Ensures that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
• Cleans both the interior and exterior of the schools facility
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the school administrator
• Ensures that the school facility is secured at all time
• Controls traffic and organize parking
• Gives security tips to staff members from time to time
• Patrols around the building on a 24 hours basis
• Submits security reports weekly
• Any other duty as assigned by the school administrator

6. SWOT Analysis

Rolland Gyros International Private School engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring with bias in the education sector to assist us in building a well – structured private school that can favorably compete in the highly competitive education cum private schools industry in the United States.

Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for Rolland Gyros International Private School. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Rolland Gyros International Private School;

As a private school, our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team with excellent qualifications and experience in the educational sector. We are well positioned in a community with the right demography and we know we will attract loads of students from the first day we open our doors and welcome students for enrollment.

As a new private school in Ashville – North Carolina, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance via reputation in the already saturated education cum private schools industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities in the education cum private schools industry is massive considering the number of parents who would want their wards to perform excellently well in their education and go ahead to be admitted in Ivy league colleges. As a standard and international private school, Rolland Gyros International Private School is ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes her way.

Every business faces a threat or challenge at any part of the life cycle of the business. These threats can be external or internal. This shows the importance of a business plan, because most threats or challenges are to be anticipated and plans put in place to cushion what effect they might bring to the private school.

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a private school operating in the United States of America are unfavorable government policies that might affect private schools, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operations and global economic downturn which usually affects spending / purchasing power.

There is hardly anything we can do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The trend in the private school line of business is that the key to attracting students is the educational performance and the pass rate of their students in national exams. Any private school that has good records will always thrive. The demand for private schools is driven by the fact that most public cum government owned schools cannot accommodate every students or potential students in a given geographical location.

In some cases, students with special needs cannot cope in public schools hence the need for private schools. The economic downturn hasn’t really affected this industry, especially in countries that believe in the efficacy of education.

The areas you would need to spend heavily on is in ensuring that your school is up to standard, your advertisements, and on insurance policy cover. Lastly, it is trendier to find private schools engaging in extra – curricular activities and as a matter of fact, a private school that thrives in sports can leverage on that to attract students who are sports inclined.

8. Our Target Market

As a standard and international private school, Rolland Gyros International Private School is going to offer varieties of educational services within the scope of the education board in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our private school is to soundly educate people in various subjects and of course to make profits from the education cum private schools industry

Our target market as a private school cuts across people (students) of different class and people from different culture background whether African, White, Caucasian, Latinos, Indians, and Asians. We are coming into the education cum private schools industry with a business concept that will enable us work with the students at different learning stages residing in and around Ashville – North Carolina.

Our competitive advantage

Indeed the private schools industry is highly competitive and the entry barriers are high. As a matter of fact, the private school industry is an industry in which it is pretty difficult for new entrants to establish themselves. So also, the reputation of the private school is of utmost importance, as private schools that have a good history of getting students into prestigious colleges often have the best reputations hence good enrollments.

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the education cum private schools industry means that you should be able to deliver consistent quality service, your students should be able to experience remarkable difference and improvement and you should be able to meet the expectations of both students and parents alike.

Rolland Gyros International Private School might be a new entrant into the education cum private schools industry in the United States of America, but the management staffs and owners of the private school are considered gurus. They are people who are core professionals, licensed and highly qualified educationist / teachers at various levels of learning in the United States. These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us.

Lastly, our employees (teaching and non – teaching staff members) will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups private school in the United States) in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Rolland Gyros International Private School is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the education cum private schools industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract students on a regular basis.

Rolland Gyros International Private School will generate income by offering the following tutorial services;

• Teaching High school students various subjects in our private school

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain, there would always be parents and students who would need the services of private schools to be able to achieve their educational goals and as such the services of private schools will always be needed.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in Ashville – North Carolina and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow the private school and our student base.

We have been able to critically examine the private schools cum education market in the United States of America and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.

The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Ashville – North Carolina. Below is the sales projection for Rolland Gyros International Private School, it is based on the location of our tutorial center and of course the wide range of tutorial services that we will be offering;

• First Fiscal Year-: $250,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $450,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and natural disasters within the period stated above. So, there won’t be any major competitor (private school) offering same additional services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there is stiffer competition amongst private schools in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing concerns. Our sales and marketing team will be recruited base on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the private school.

We will also ensure that our students’ excellent results from national exams and other exams speaks for us in the market place; we want to build a standard and first – class private school that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients (both individuals and corporate organizations).

Our goal is to grow our private school to become one of the top 30 private schools in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Ashville – North Carolina but also in other cities in the United States of America.

Rolland Gyros International Private School is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our private school by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to schools, parents / household and key stake holders in Ashville – North Carolina.
• Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in schools, libraries and even student organizations.
• Creating a website, allows parents to be able to look you up, and also allows you to post general study tips, giving you an added advantage.
• Use friends and family to spread word about our private school
• Introduce Rolland Gyros International Private School to learning specialists, school coaches, school administrators, teachers, guidance counselors especially as they are with students everyday
• Post information about Rolland Gyros International Private School on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries, and local coffee shops.
• Placing a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about Rolland Gyros International Private School
• Using tutorial referral networks such as agencies that will help match students with Rolland Gyros International Private School
• Joining relevant association or body that will enable you network and meet others in same industry.
• Advertising online by using an advertising platform such as Google Adwords, that will allow us place text advertisements alongside on websites with related contents, and along results from search engines.
• Advertise our private school in relevant educational magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• Attend relevant educational expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We are aware of the potency of a good publicity strategy hence we have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.

We are set to become the number one choice for both parents and students in the whole of Ashville – North Carolina which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our private school. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Rolland Gyros International Private School;

• Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Ashville – North Carolina.
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods in and around Ashville – North Carolina
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas in and around Ashville – North Carolina
• Passing general information via our school’s social media handles like twitter, Facebook, Google hangouts etc.
• Ensure that all our teaching and non – teaching staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our schools’ logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Private schools in the United States of America and of course in all the parts of the world charge students per tem / per session and students have the options of either paying their tuitions before resumption or during the school session.

Private schools generally charge students based on loads of factors, locations, services offerings and extra – curricular activities et al At Rolland Gyros International Private School we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our students by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance.

In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our students at regular intervals. We are aware that there are some students that would need special assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such students’ needs.

• Payment Options

At Rolland Gyros International Private School, our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In setting up a private school business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by acquiring a large facility, then you would need a higher amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are taken care of, and that your private school’s environment is conducive enough for the students to learn.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The materials and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a private school business; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. However, this is what it would cost us to start Rolland Gyros International Private School in the United of America;

• Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
• Acquiring a large facility that will accommodate the number of block of closes, playing field, staff offices and parking lots et al (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $350,000.
• Equipping the classes and office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, pens and pencils, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $50,000
• Launching an official Website will cost – $500
• The budget for the payment of salaries for the first three months of operations: $120,000
• Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $15,000

Going by the market survey and feasibility studies conducted, we came to the conclusion that we will need an average of $750,000 to start a small scale but standard private school in the United States of America.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Rolland Gyros International Private School

Rolland Gyros International Private School is a family business that will be owned and managed by Dr. (Mrs.) Irene Rolland Gyros and her immediate family. They are the sole financial of the private school which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the private school to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $250,000 (Personal savings $200,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $500,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

It is a known fact that the future of any business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and of course the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Rolland Gyros International Private School is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers (students and parents alike) over is to ensure that we offer nothing less than the best, to offer quality education to all our students so much so that they can favorably compete with students all over the United States and gain admission to Ivy League colleges.

Rolland Gyros International Private School will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

More on School

Item added to your cart

Here is a free business plan sample for a private school.

If the idea of shaping young minds and establishing a thriving educational community excites you, then launching a private school might be your calling.

In the following paragraphs, we will guide you through a comprehensive business plan tailored for a private school.

As an aspiring educational entrepreneur, you must recognize that a robust business plan is crucial for laying the foundation of a successful institution. It serves as a roadmap, detailing your educational philosophy, operational strategies, and financial projections.

To streamline your planning process, you can utilize our private school business plan template. Our team of experts is also on standby to provide a complimentary review and offer suggestions for improvement.

How to draft a great business plan for your private school project?

A good business plan for a private school must reflect the unique aspects of educational services.

To start, it is crucial to provide a comprehensive overview of the educational market. This includes offering up-to-date statistics and identifying emerging trends in the education sector, as illustrated in our private school business plan template .

Then, you should articulate your educational philosophy and mission. This encompasses your vision, identifying your target demographic (for example, local families, international students, students with special educational needs), and the distinct educational approach of your school (progressive, traditional, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, etc.).

The next section should delve into market analysis. This requires a thorough understanding of local educational options, demographic trends, and parental preferences.

For a private school, particular emphasis should be placed on the curriculum and extracurricular programs you plan to offer. Detail your academic programs, sports, arts, and other activities, and explain how they cater to the needs and aspirations of your student body.

The operational plan is equally important. It should outline the location of your school, the design and facilities of the campus, faculty recruitment, and the student enrollment process.

For a private school, it is important to highlight the qualifications of your teaching staff, educational methodologies, and standards for student safety and welfare.

Then, address your marketing and enrollment strategy. How will you attract new students and retain current ones? Consider promotional methods, community engagement, and alumni relations.

Adopting digital strategies, such as a user-friendly website or active social media engagement, is also vital in the modern landscape.

The financial structure is another critical component. This includes the initial investment, tuition fee structure, operational expenses, and the point at which the school becomes financially sustainable.

In a private school, managing cash flow is essential, as there may be significant upfront costs before tuition fees are received. Therefore, careful financial planning is imperative. For assistance, refer to our financial forecast for a private school .

Compared to other business plans, a private school's plan must pay special attention to accreditation requirements, educational standards, and long-term student outcomes.

A well-crafted business plan will assist the school founder not only in refining their vision and strategies but also in attracting investors or securing loans.

Lenders and investors seek robust market analysis, realistic financial projections, and a clear understanding of the school's day-to-day operations.

By presenting a thorough and substantiated plan, you showcase your credibility and dedication to the educational venture's success.

To achieve these goals while saving time, simply fill out our private school business plan template .

A free example of business plan for a private school

Here, we will provide a concise and illustrative example of a business plan for a specific project.

This example aims to provide an overview of the essential components of a business plan. It is important to note that this version is only a summary. As it stands, this business plan is not sufficiently developed to support a profitability strategy or convince a bank to provide financing.

To be effective, the business plan should be significantly more detailed, including up-to-date market data, more persuasive arguments, a thorough market study, a three-year action plan, as well as detailed financial tables such as a projected income statement, projected balance sheet, cash flow budget, and break-even analysis.

All these elements have been thoroughly included by our experts in the business plan template they have designed for a private school .

Here, we will follow the same structure as in our business plan template.

Market Opportunity

Market data and figures.

The private education sector is a significant and growing market globally.

Recent estimates suggest that the global private schooling market is valued at over 500 billion dollars, with expectations for continued growth as more parents seek specialized and high-quality education for their children.

In the United States, there are over 34,000 private schools, serving 5.7 million PK-12 students, and accounting for 25% of the nation's schools and 10% of all PK-12 students.

These statistics underscore the critical role private schools play in the educational landscape and their substantial contribution to the economy.

Emerging trends in the education sector indicate a shift towards personalized and technologically integrated learning experiences.

There is a growing emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, with schools investing in advanced science labs and computer programming courses to prepare students for the future job market.

Additionally, the rise of digital learning platforms and educational software is transforming traditional teaching methods, allowing for more interactive and student-centered learning.

Environmental education and sustainability are also becoming integral parts of school curricula, reflecting the increasing awareness of global environmental issues.

Moreover, there is a heightened focus on mental health and well-being, with schools incorporating mindfulness practices and social-emotional learning into their programs.

These trends demonstrate how private schools are evolving to meet the educational needs and expectations of a new generation of students and parents.

Success Factors

The success of a private school hinges on several critical elements.

Foremost, the quality of education provided, including the qualifications of teachers and the rigor of academic programs, is paramount in attracting and retaining students.

Innovation in curriculum design and the integration of technology into the classroom are also vital in setting a school apart in a competitive market.

The location and facilities of a school can significantly influence its appeal to potential students and their families.

Exceptional student services and support, including extracurricular activities and college counseling, are essential for fostering a well-rounded educational experience.

Lastly, effective financial management, commitment to sustainability, and the ability to adapt to the evolving educational landscape are key factors for ensuring the long-term success and reputation of a private school.

The Project

Project presentation.

Our private school project is designed to provide a superior educational experience tailored to the needs of students in a nurturing and inclusive environment. Situated in a community with a growing demand for quality education, our school will offer a comprehensive curriculum from kindergarten to high school, with a focus on holistic development, critical thinking, and academic excellence.

The school will feature state-of-the-art facilities, small class sizes for personalized attention, and a diverse range of extracurricular activities to promote well-rounded growth.

Our private school aims to be recognized as a leading institution that not only imparts knowledge but also instills values and life skills essential for the success of our future leaders.

Value Proposition

The value proposition of our private school lies in its commitment to fostering an environment where students can excel academically while developing socially and emotionally. We offer a unique blend of rigorous academics, innovative technology integration, and a strong emphasis on character education.

Our dedication to cultivating a passion for lifelong learning and providing a supportive community ensures that each student reaches their full potential. We strive to prepare our students for the challenges of higher education and the global workforce.

By investing in the best educational practices and resources, we are determined to make a significant and positive impact on the lives of our students and their families, setting a new standard for private education in our community.

Project Owner

The project owner is an experienced educator with a visionary approach to teaching and learning. With a background in educational leadership and a commitment to academic excellence, they are passionate about creating a school that reflects the highest standards of education.

Having worked in various educational settings, the project owner brings a wealth of knowledge in curriculum development, student engagement, and community involvement. They are dedicated to building a school that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of students, parents, and the community at large.

With a firm belief in the transformative power of education, the project owner is the driving force behind this initiative, committed to shaping a future where every student has access to an education that empowers them to achieve their dreams.

The Market Study

Target demographics.

The target demographics for our private school encompass a variety of groups.

Primarily, we cater to families valuing high-quality education and seeking an alternative to public schooling for their children.

Additionally, we serve parents looking for specialized curriculums that focus on individual learning styles and advanced educational approaches.

Our school also attracts families interested in a safe and nurturing environment that promotes character development alongside academic excellence.

Lastly, educators and professionals in the field of child development can become advocates for our institution, recommending it to parents who desire a tailored educational experience for their children.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis of our private school project highlights several key factors.

Strengths include a dedicated and experienced faculty, a robust curriculum that exceeds standard educational models, and a commitment to student success.

Weaknesses may involve the higher tuition costs compared to public schools and the challenge of maintaining small class sizes for personalized attention.

Opportunities exist in the growing demand for alternative education options and the potential to incorporate innovative teaching methods and technology.

Threats could encompass changes in educational regulations, competition from other private and charter schools, and the economic factors that may affect families' ability to afford private education.

Competitor Analysis

Competitor analysis within the private education sector indicates a competitive landscape.

Direct competitors include other private schools, charter schools, and magnet programs that offer unique or specialized educational experiences.

These institutions compete on the basis of academic reputation, extracurricular offerings, and the quality of their facilities and resources.

Potential competitive advantages for our school include a low student-to-teacher ratio, a strong sense of community, innovative educational programs, and a commitment to holistic student development.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our competitors is crucial for carving out a niche in the market and ensuring high retention and satisfaction rates among our students and their families.

Competitive Advantages

Our private school's competitive advantages lie in our dedication to providing a comprehensive and personalized educational experience.

We offer a broad and diverse curriculum that includes advanced STEM programs, arts, and humanities, all taught by highly qualified educators.

Our focus on fostering a supportive and inclusive community helps students thrive both academically and socially.

We are committed to transparency in our educational practices and policies, which builds trust with our families and ensures a collaborative approach to each student's success.

You can also read our articles about: - the customer segments of a private school - the competition study for a private school

The Strategy

Development plan.

Our three-year development plan for the private school is designed to establish a strong educational foundation and reputation.

In the first year, we will concentrate on building a robust curriculum and recruiting qualified educators, while also focusing on student enrollment and community engagement.

The second year will be dedicated to enhancing our extracurricular programs and integrating technology into our teaching methods to provide a well-rounded education.

In the third year, we aim to expand our facilities to accommodate more students and introduce specialized programs to cater to diverse learning needs.

Throughout this period, we will commit to excellence in education, fostering a nurturing environment, and adapting to the evolving educational landscape to serve our students and their families effectively.

Business Model Canvas

The Business Model Canvas for our private school targets families seeking quality education, personalized learning experiences, and a safe environment for their children.

Our value proposition is centered on providing a superior educational experience, with a focus on individual student growth and preparation for higher education and life beyond school.

We offer our educational services through our campus facilities, supplemented by online resources and platforms to enhance learning.

Key activities include curriculum development, teaching, student support services, and community involvement.

Our revenue streams are derived from tuition fees, fundraising events, and grants, while our costs are primarily associated with faculty salaries, facility maintenance, and educational resources.

Access a detailed and customizable real Business Model Canvas in our school's business plan template .

Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy is centered on showcasing the quality of our educational offerings and the success of our students.

We aim to engage with local families through open house events, community partnerships, and showcasing student achievements.

We will also leverage digital marketing, including a strong social media presence and targeted ads, to reach potential new families.

Additionally, we plan to build relationships with local businesses and educational institutions to create a network of support and opportunities for our students.

Our goal is to create a reputable brand that is synonymous with academic excellence and holistic development.

Risk Policy

The risk policy for our private school focuses on mitigating risks related to student safety, academic quality, and financial stability.

We implement rigorous safety protocols and emergency preparedness plans to ensure the well-being of our students and staff.

Academic risks are managed through continuous curriculum assessment and teacher training to maintain high educational standards.

Financial risks are addressed through prudent budgeting, diversified revenue streams, and maintaining a reserve fund for unforeseen expenses.

We also carry comprehensive insurance to protect against potential liabilities. Our priority is to provide a secure and high-quality educational environment for our students.

Why Our Project is Viable

We are committed to establishing a private school that meets the growing demand for personalized and high-quality education.

With our focus on academic excellence, student well-being, and community involvement, we are confident in our school's potential for success.

We are passionate about shaping the future leaders of tomorrow and are prepared to adapt to the educational needs of our students.

We are optimistic about the impact our school will have on the community and the lasting legacy it will create.

You can also read our articles about: - the Business Model Canvas of a private school - the marketing strategy for a private school

The Financial Plan

Of course, the text presented below is far from sufficient to serve as a solid and credible financial analysis for a bank or potential investor. They expect specific numbers, financial statements, and charts demonstrating the profitability of your project.

All these elements are available in our business plan template for a private school and our financial plan for a private school .

Initial expenses for our private school include the acquisition or leasing of a suitable campus, classroom and office equipment, educational materials and technology, renovations to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment, hiring qualified teaching and administrative staff, and costs associated with branding and marketing to attract students and establish our school's reputation.

Our revenue assumptions are based on a thorough analysis of the local demand for private education, taking into account factors such as the quality of public education, the socio-economic status of families in the area, and the unique educational programs we offer.

We anticipate a gradual increase in student enrollment, starting with a conservative number and expanding as our school's reputation for excellence grows.

The projected income statement outlines expected tuition fees and other sources of revenue, direct educational costs (teacher salaries, educational materials, technology), and operating expenses (facility maintenance, administrative costs, marketing, etc.).

This results in a forecasted net profit that is essential for assessing the long-term sustainability and profitability of our private school.

The projected balance sheet reflects assets specific to our school, such as educational equipment, technology, and campus facilities, and liabilities including loans and anticipated operational expenses.

It provides a snapshot of the overall financial health of our private school at the end of each fiscal period.

Our projected cash flow statement details the inflows and outflows of cash, enabling us to predict our financial needs at any given time. This will assist us in managing our finances effectively and preventing liquidity issues.

The projected financing plan identifies the specific sources of funds we intend to utilize to cover our startup and operational expenses.

The working capital requirement for our private school will be meticulously managed to ensure we have sufficient liquidity to support our day-to-day operations, including purchasing educational materials, managing inventory, and paying staff salaries.

The break-even point for our school is the number of students needed to enroll to cover all our costs, including startup expenses, and begin generating a profit.

It will signal the point at which our school becomes financially viable.

Performance indicators we will monitor include the student-to-teacher ratio to ensure quality education, the retention rate of students to measure satisfaction and success, and the return on investment to evaluate the efficiency of the capital invested in our educational venture.

These indicators will aid us in assessing the financial health and overall success of our private school.

If you want to know more about the financial analysis of this type of activity, please read our article about the financial plan for a private school .

• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Opens in a new window.

• Sample Business Plans
• Education & Training

School Business Plan

High demand and a recurring revenue model make starting a school business a lucrative and rewarding profession.

Anyone can start a new business, but you need a detailed business plan when it comes to raising funding, applying for loans, and scaling it like a pro!

Need help writing a business plan for your school business? You’re at the right place. Our school business plan template will help you get started.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free school business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

How to Write A School Business Plan?

Writing a school business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

• Introduce your Business: Start your executive summary by briefly introducing your business to your readers.This section may include the name of your school business, its location, when it was founded, the type of school business (E.g., private schools, charter schools, virtual schools), etc.
• Market Opportunity: Summarize your market research, including market size, growth potential, and marketing trends. Highlight the opportunities in the market and how your business will fit in to fill the gap.
• Educational programs & services: Highlight the school services you offer your clients. The USPs and differentiators you offer are always a plus.For instance, you may include education programs, extracurricular activities, special education services, etc as your services.
• Marketing & Sales Strategies: Outline your sales and marketing strategies—what marketing platforms you use, how you plan on acquiring students, etc.
• Financial Highlights: Briefly summarize your financial projections for the initial years of business operations. Include any capital or investment requirements, associated startup costs, projected revenues, and profit forecasts.
• Call to Action: Summarize your executive summary section with a clear CTA, for example, inviting angel investors to discuss the potential business investment.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

Say goodbye to boring templates

Build your business plan faster and easier with AI

Plans starting from $7/month

2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your business. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

• Public schools
• Private schools
• Charter schools
• Magnet schools
• Virtual or online schools
• Boarding schools
• International schools
• Religious schools
• Describe the legal structure of your school, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.
• Explain where your business is located and why you selected the place.
• Owners: List the names of your school’s founders or owners. Describe what shares they own and their responsibilities for efficiently managing the business.
• Mission Statement: Summarize your business’ objective, core principles, and values in your mission statement. This statement needs to be memorable, clear, and brief.

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its future plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

• Target market: Start this section by describing your target market. Define your ideal customer and explain what types of services they prefer. Creating a buyer persona will help you easily define your target market to your readers.For instance, families looking for additional education or extracurricular activities are the ideal market for private schools generally.
• Market size and growth potential: Describe your market size and growth potential and whether you will target a niche or a much broader market.For instance, the US education industry is to be $3.12 trillion by 2030, so it is crucial to define the segment of your target market and its growth potential.
• Competitive Analysis: Identify and analyze your direct and indirect competitors. Identify their strengths and weaknesses, and describe what differentiates your school from them. Point out how you have a competitive edge in the market.
• Market Trends: Analyze emerging trends in the industry, such as technology disruptions, changes in customer behavior or preferences, etc. Explain how your business will cope with all the trends.For instance, personalized learning or STEM education is getting important; explain how you plan on dealing with this potential growth opportunity.
• Regulatory Environment: List regulations and licensing requirements that may affect your school business, such as education laws & regulations, government accreditation, teacher certificate & licensing, health & safety regulations, etc.

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your school business plan::

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to students. To write this section should include the following:

• Education programs
• Extracurricular activities
• Counseling & Guidance
• Special education services
• Transportation services
• Food services
• Testing and assessments
• Describe specialized programs: Highlight any specialized programs or services your school provides in this section. Extracurricular activities, artistic initiatives, sports teams, STEM efforts, language immersion programs, and advanced placement courses may fall under this category.
• Student leadership programs: If your school has a vibrant student leadership program that encourages students to grow as leaders, participate in volunteer work in the community, and actively contribute to the improvement, then mention it here.
• Additional Services: Mention if your school business offers any additional services. You may include services like, after-school programs, school transportation, food services, parent education & involvement, etc.

In short, this section of your school plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

• Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define your business’s USPs depending on the market you serve, the equipment you use, and the unique services you provide. Identifying USPs will help you plan your marketing strategies.For example, specialized programs, educational philosophies, experienced faculty, or a strong track record of academic achievements could be some of the great USPs for school business.
• Pricing Strategy: Describe your pricing strategy—how you plan to price your services and stay competitive in the local market. You can mention any discounts you plan on offering to attract new students.
• Marketing Strategies: Discuss your marketing strategies to market your services. You may include some of these marketing strategies in your business plan—social media marketing, Google ads, brochures, content marketing, and print marketing.
• Sales Strategies: Outline the strategies you’ll implement to maximize your sales. Your sales strategies may include targeted marketing, personalized sales approach, referral programs, conversion strategies, etc.
• Customer Retention: Describe your customer retention strategies and how you plan to execute them. For instance excellent services, alumni engagement, parental engagement, etc.

Overall, this section of your school business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your school business, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

• Staffing & Training: Mention your business’s staffing requirements, including the number of employees or teachers needed. Include their qualifications, the training required, and the duties they will perform.
• Operational Process: Outline the processes and procedures you will use to run your school business. Your operational processes may include enrollment process, staffing & human resources, classroom management, finance & budgeting, etc.
• Equipment & Software: Include the list of equipment and software required for school, such as whiteboards & projectors, student information systems, learning management systems, communication & collaboration tools, etc.Explain how these technologies help you maintain quality standards and improve the efficiency of your business operations.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your school business’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

• Founders/CEO: Mention the founders and CEO of your school, and describe their roles and responsibilities in successfully running the business.
• Key managers: Introduce your management and key members of your team, and explain their roles and responsibilities.It should include, key executives(e.g. principal), senior management, and other department managers (e.g. operations manager, admission manager, facilities manager) involved in the school business operations, including their education, professional background, and any relevant experience in the industry.
• Organizational structure: Explain the organizational structure of your management team. Include the reporting line and decision-making hierarchy.
• Compensation Plan: Describe your compensation plan for the management and staff. Include their salaries, incentives, and other benefits.
• Advisors/Consultants: Mentioning advisors or consultants in your business plans adds credibility to your business idea.So, if you have any advisors or consultants, include them with their names and brief information consisting of roles and years of experience.

This section should describe the key personnel for your school, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

• Profit & loss statement: Describe details such as projected revenue, operational costs, and service costs in your projected profit and loss statement . Make sure to include your business’s expected net profit or loss.
• Cash flow statement: The cash flow for the first few years of your operation should be estimated and described in this section. This may include billing invoices, payment receipts, loan payments, and any other cash flow statements.
• Balance Sheet : Create a projected balance sheet documenting your school business’s assets, liabilities, and equity.
• Break-even point: Determine and mention your business’s break-even point—the point at which your business costs and revenue will be equal.This exercise will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to sustain or be profitable.
• Financing Needs: Calculate costs associated with starting a school business, and estimate your financing needs and how much capital you need to raise to operate your business. Be specific about your short-term and long-term financing requirements, such as investment capital or loans.

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your school business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This sample school business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful school plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our school business plan pdf .

Related Posts

After-School Program Business Plan

Preschool Business Plan

400+ Business Plan Template Example

How to Write a Simple Business Plan

Business Plan Cover Page Design Idea

How to Create Business Plan Outline

Frequently asked questions, why do you need a school business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful school business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your school.

How to get funding for your school business?

There are several ways to get funding for your school business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought startup options.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your school business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your school business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your school business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any school business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software .

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

Plan your business in the shortest time possible

No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee

Create a great Business Plan with great price.

• 400+ Business plan templates & examples
• AI Assistance & step by step guidance
• 4.8 Star rating on Trustpilot

Streamline your business planning process with Upmetrics .

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Finance and Business
• Business by Industry

How to Start a Private School

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 Approved

This article was co-authored by Katie Styzek . Katie Styzek is a Professional School Counselor for Chicago Public Schools. Katie earned a BS in Elementary Education with a Concentration in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She served as a middle school mathematics, science, and social studies teacher for three years prior to becoming a counselor. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling from DePaul University and an MA in Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. Katie holds an Illinois School Counselor Endorsement License (Type 73 Service Personnel), an Illinois Principal License (formerly Type 75), and an Illinois Elementary Education Teaching License (Type 03, K – 9). She is also Nationally Board Certified in School Counseling from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 36 testimonials and 93% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 835,871 times.

Starting a private school is a long-term process that generally takes no less than 2 years. Private schools offer high-quality education and are not managed by the state. By starting a private school, you’ll be providing a valuable service to families with children in your community. Begin by tackling the big-picture planning questions that surround creating a school, and then move into hiring faculty and staff and recruiting students.

Choosing a School Structure

• If you opt to run a non-profit private school, follow up by applying for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with the IRS.

• If you aren’t sure who to ask to become a committee member, reach out to other private schools in your area. Talk to their administration members, and find out who those schools used as committee members.

• As another option, consider a Montessori school. Montessori schools are almost always private and offer children a discovery-based model of academic experimentation and learning.

• Many private schools start with fewer and lower grade levels and add upper grades over time. For instance, you could begin by offering K-5. Then, after 3 or 4 years, you can add grades 6-8.

• Unless you have a huge operating budget, do not plan to construct a new building for your school.

Creating a Business Plan and Finding Funding

• Whether your school is nonprofit or for-profit, a business plan will help by setting the school on a successful path.
• A sound business plan will also inspire confidence—and generosity—in your potential financial donors.

• Your committee accountant or financial specialist should help with the budget. If you don’t have a financial specialist on your committee, seek expert financial advice.
• Starting a private school from scratch is an expensive undertaking. On average, starting a private school in the U.S. costs $1,000,000. The same undertaking in the U.K. costs, on average, £930,000. [8] X Research source

• When soliciting funds from financial partners, show potential investors your business plan. This will clarify to them that you know what you’re doing and that your private school is worth serious investment.

• If you have an attorney on your founding committee, ask them to handle this step. Their professional expertise will be invaluable.

Hiring and Training Key Staff and Faculty

• The principal and business administrator can work alongside your committee members to handle financial, legal, and academic obligations prior to the start of school.

• To find qualified applicants, post job descriptions on online job-finding sites like Monster, LinkedIn, and Indeed.

• Once faculty members have been hired, ask them what supplies they’ll need in order to successfully teach their core subject. Work with them to order curriculum materials, furniture, and educational supplies.

• This will be especially valuable if you’re teaching in a private school where the majority of the curriculum has already been developed and is handed down to the instructors.

Registering and Opening the School

• The state will send a representative to the campus to inspect the facilities and make sure they’re up to code and safe.
• The state will also request a school calendar and list of the names of enrolled students.

• If you're starting a school within the U.S., there are 6 regional educational accrediting agencies that you should apply to based on your location. These accreditation agencies include: [14] X Research source
• The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (CACSCOC)
• The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

• To help drum up interest online, ask one of your committee members to design a website that will provide admissions and enrollment information.
• Once you have some interested community members, you could offer a tour of the private school so that parents and potential students can become familiar with the building and layout.

• Have your committee/board members on hand as well. Also try inviting local government officials, like the city mayor or the district’s state representative.

Community Q&A

• Joining national private school associations, such as NAIS.org, will provide support for you and give your private school national exposure. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Private schools often have high academic standards, low teacher-student ratios, availability of non-core subjects such as art and music. Most also place an emphasis on discipline, safety, community service, and values. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Private schools can be proprietary (for-profit). However, most are incorporated non-profit entities. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://cullinanelaw.com/how-to-start-a-private-school/
• ↑ https://www.privateschoolreview.com/blog/starting-a-private-school
• ↑ http://www.ourkids.net/school/day-vs-boarding-schools.php
• ↑ https://www.profitableventure.com/cost-start-a-private-school/
• ↑ http://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/private-schools/opening-a-private-school.stml
• ↑ https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/you-can-start-your-own-school/
• ↑ https://ncadmin.nc.gov/citizens/private-school/private-schools-k-12-requirements
• ↑ https://www.chea.org/regional-accrediting-organizations

About This Article

To start a private school, start with fundamental decisions like whether the school will be non-profit and what grade levels it will cater to. Next, write a detailed business plan and create a budget that includes how you plan to receive funding for the school. Then, hire critical staff members about 18 months before opening the school, bring on administrators about 9 months before opening, and spend 4-5 months training faculty. Finally, start promoting the school and enrolling students! For tips on registering the school with an accredited agencies, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Kwame Osei-Bonsu

Nov 17, 2017

Did this article help you?

Mia Alexander

Jan 15, 2017

Robert Martin

Jun 6, 2016

Laurena Berry

Mar 14, 2017

Marilyn Kavanagh

Oct 6, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

• New Hamphshire
• Add Your School
• Start a Private School
• Free Resources
• Articles & Resources

Business Plan & Budget

Documenting your vision.

A business plan is an essential part of the planning process, helping identify goals and metrics and your plan to achieve them.

• Starting with your objectives
• Business plan vs. a budget
• Business plan types
• Creating your business plan
• Creating your budget

Planning for Your New School

Your business plan and budget are important tools for two reasons:

First, before you invest your time, energy and money in opening a school, it is important that you have a plan for yourself that you can believe in. Opening any business is hard work and carries risk - schools are no exception! Having a plan can allow you to move forward with confidence.

Second, your plan can be helpful to help others understand how you expect to turn you vision from dream to reality. From recruiting staff to recruiting financial backing, a solid plan allows you to build confidence in others, too.

In this section we look at the fundamentals for school business plans and budgets, and how these are derived from your vision and objectives.

Software That Simplifies & Empowers Your School

Attract students, satisfy parents, and grow your school! With Twine, we keep the administration easy so you can focus on other things.

Parent Communications

Informed parents become engaged parents and engaged parents can supercharge your school.

Websites & Admissions

A high-impact website attracts students while Twine makes admissions easy.

School Management

Twine makes it easy for teachers and administrators to do everything they need to do.

Online Classrooms

Educate, collaborate, and discuss with integrated online classrooms powered by Twine.

Every School Needs Great Software

Twine helps schools simplify their administration, automate scheduling/staffing, and lesson the load placed on teachers and administrative staff. Twine also helps with enrollment, marketing, and more. See what Twine can do:

Websites & Admissions

Starting with your objectives.

As Lewis Carroll so playfully points out: you need to first know where you want to go, and then you can build a plan to get there.

If you’ve not already started with the work outlined in the school identity section of this guide, now is a great time to review the topics on core values and mission. Once your core values and mission are clear, you can begin to set objectives by examining questions such as:

Who are the students and families you want to serve? There are any number of ways you might think about this: are you intending to provide services for an underserved population or a group with particular needs that aren’t being met in your community? Are you wanting to bring together families with a common interest or ideology, whether that is an academic focus, religious conviction, academic philosophy, or opportunity for particular experiences?

What is the ideal size for your program? Even knowing you won’t get there right away, do you ultimately want to remain a small community of 18 or 24, or does your objective require a population of 300 or 500 or 1000 students to support the diversity of programming, staff expertise and varies programs you’d like to offer?

What role do you want to create for yourself? This can be a particularly tricky question, but it is crucial to step back and consider as part of your plan. If your first love is working in the classroom, you should have a plan that allows you classroom time. That may mean splitting time between administrative tasks and a small class workload, or it could mean having a large enough enrollment to bring in a full-time administrator. If you are excited by strategy and operations, and enjoy building a team, recruiting parents, and overseeing the day-to-day running of the school, keep yourself in an administrative role. There are dozens of roles you might choose to play: why not use this opportunity to ensure you put yourself in your dream job?

Once you’ve worked through your objectives (and written them down!) you’re ready to move on and begin planning.

Business Plan vs. Budget

A common misconception is that a well-defined and detailed budget is essentially the same as a business plan. While a solid budget is an important component of a business plan, a true business plan looks beyond just the projected income and expenses to answer questions about both strategy and tactics. 

The Role of a Business Plan

Business plans can seem daunting if you’ve never had to write one before. It is a must-have document, though, as it serves as a road map for your new school. Although there are many things that are going to be a part of the business plan, it is there to explain what you hope to accomplish with your school and how you are going to accomplish it. Additionally, business plans serve as important documentation for financial institutions or investors to see whether your school is worth investing in.

The Role of a Budget

Budgets, on the other hand, are primarily internal documents you’ll use to track your income and expenses and determine where your spending should take place. If you need new textbooks or want to give someone a raise, your budget will guide you through your decisions and help you determine if you have the money to do so, or what you need to accomplish to make it happen.

Business Plan Types

Creating a business plan can take time, but the good thing is that they tend to follow a consistent format – so you can basically work from a template to create yours. There are two common approaches used today:

Traditional "Full" Business Plan

A traditional, full business plan tends to be comprehensive and detailed. Creation of a full business plan can be time consuming but going through the process will help identify areas of planning that you may not have considered, and the resulting plan should provide sufficient details to be used when talking with banks or investors. For full business plans, the US Small Business Administration has a great  step-by-step guide  that walks you through each section of your business plan, along with some examples to look at.

Start-Up "Lean" Business Plan

An alternate approach is the lean start-up plan, which is faster to write and focuses more on high-level plans and a few key elements. Lean plans can be a good place to start, with the assumption you will update and revise the plan frequently.  Particularly if soliciting funding, you may require additional time and detail later. Tim Berry, one of the leading experts on lean business plans, provides a good overview in his  What's a Lean Business Plan  article.

Creating Your Business Plan

There are lots of options for online business plan templates and most share a lot of common characteristics. There’s nothing wrong with picking one based on personal taste. Any of the following are excellent options as a starting point:

growthink (non-profit business plans)

Rocket Lawyer

My Own Business Institute

InvoiceBerry

US Small Business Administration

That there are many internet-based companies that offer business plan writing or editing, specifically. Here are just a few that you might want to check out:

Cayenne Consulting

Go Business Plans

Wise Business Plans

Many of the same companies that provide the business plan templates we highlighted are business consultants, not just business plan writers. Consultants can help you in your overall plans, particularly in areas where you may need guidance.

Professional organizations and associations for private schools, as well as your local chamber of commerce are also great resources for finding business consultants to assist you in creating your business plan and beyond.

Creating Your Budget

Understanding your costs.

The costs you’ll incur as a new school are really dependent on the choices you make in facilities and staffing. You’ll find a lot of useful information in those sections of this guide and they will help you get a clearer picture of the various expenses you’re going to face as you open up your school.

One of the great things about a budget is that, as long as you can easily read and understand it, the format isn’t going to make or break you. That said, staying organized and keeping track of everything takes a good system. One of the most popular methods is using a spreadsheet or system of spreadsheets to plan your income and expenses. Smartsheet has an excellent business budget template that you can modify to meet the needs of your school.

Once you are up and running, insight into actual income and expenses can be generated by your accounting software. Some accounting packages include budgeting tools as well, easing the work of comparing your plan to your actual numbers.

Tools to Assist With Budget Creation

Several excellent resources exist that can help you develop a budget, including:

The American Association of School Administrators has put together a  School Budgets 101  document that outlines common expenses and budgetary considerations for schools

The Guardian published  A beginner's guide to planning and managing school budgets in 2016, which explains several important budgeting principals.

Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters

Guide Quick-Nav

Introduction

We’ve developed these 10 topics to help you along the way. Take them all in at once, or start with the areas most relevant right now.

School Identity

There’s plenty you can do to develop your own brand, starting right from your personal ideals and goals for your school.

Our curriculum pages include ideas on where to go to find materials, and different associations and educational models you may want to consider.

Legal & Operating Requirements

You need to know the requirements at both the federal level and for your state. Here are the basic details for every state.

Funding & Finance

Here we share ideas for possible funding sources, and ways you might be able to start with less than you thought necessary.

Having a plan for how you’ll operate and a budget to predict and allocate funds is critical for all businesses, schools included. We’ve pulled together resources here to help with both.

What facilities are right for your school? We encourage new schools to get creative, and have compiled some considerations to take into account.

How can you find and recruit the right talent for your school? What qualifications or certifications are required?

Policies & Procedures

Thinking about more than just a student handbook and conduct code, we've included recommendations & templates to help you develop your school policies & procedures

Marketing & Online Presence

Associations

Starting a Private School

Who in their right mind starts a private school? Starting any enterprise is a daunting project. Yet many parents and teachers are the impetus behind the dozen or so new private schools that appear on the scene each fall. Some schools begin modestly with a grade or two and grow by adding one grade a year. Other schools have much more elaborate plans. Why do these brave parents and teachers start a school? The main reason seems to be that they are passionate about teaching a certain way or adhering to a certain philosophy. Sometimes they do it simply because they want to run their own school and do things their way.

No matter what the genesis of the idea might be, the recipe for bringing a school into existence is straight-forward enough, although there are many ingredients. Staring a school requires equal parts persistence, business acumen, and vast amounts of patience. To those basic ingredients, you add huge lashings of money. Mix thoroughly. As you do, you discover that you will have to add more money regularly as the other ingredients soak up gobs of money.

This video offers an overview of starting a nonprofit organization like your school.

Here is a template for planning and opening your own school. Good luck! I did it. Lived through the experience. I still recall it as one of the best things I ever did.

36 months before your projected opening date

Most school academic years begin in the fall. Usually in September or thereabouts. So you want to start the project at least 3 years out. You may even need an extra year or two more than that. The size and scope of the project and the funding resources at your disposal will determine how early you should start.

Determine what kind of school the local market needs. You may know what you want. But does the market affirm your vision of the kind of school which you are planning?

30-24 months out

Form a small steering committee of talented supporters to begin the preliminary work. Include parents with financial, legal, and management experience. Include people who are not afraid to play devil's advocate. Constructive criticism will clarify your objectives and plans before you get past the point of no return.

18 months out

File incorporation papers with your Secretary of State. You need a legal framework for everybody's protection. That's why you asked some attorneys to be on the steering committee. They know how to protect the about-to-be-hatched school. Listen to them. Do not stint on what they recommend.

Develop a business plan. Your gift may be teaching. But you need to enlist the aid of a successful business person to draw up your business plan. Potential donors will want to see what you hope to accomplish in Year 1, Year 3, Year 5, Year 10, etc., before they will commit significant sums to the project. Your vision will become a reality when guided by a sound, well-devised business plan.

Develop a budget for 3 years. The business plan lays out the steps to realizing your vision. A budget breaks down that vision into an annual financial plan which enables you to project income and expenses.

Locate a facility to house the school or develop building plans if you will be creating your own facility from scratch. Consult a commercial real estate professional to determine what kind of facilities are on the market in your locale. Yes, you need commercial real estate and the zoning which goes along with it for the establishment of your school. Just because an anonymous donor has said that she will give you her baronial estate, you still need to understand that zoning approvals must be obtained and won BEFORE any commitments can be made. Your donor's single car and driver didn't create any traffic. Hundreds of cars arriving in the early morning and late afternoon will attract neighborly attention for sure.

16 months out

Apply for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. You need this document in order that donations can be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Don't piggyback on some related institution's tax-exempt status. Get your own.

Identify your Head of School and your Business Manager. Once you have the IRS approval in place, then search for your Head of School and Business Manager. These professionals will translate your vision with all its goals and objectives into reality. Hire people who are not afraid of risk. Starting a new school is a leap of faith. Some more timid souls will look at the job as potential career limiting experiences. The candidates with real leadership skills are the ones you need and want to hire.

14 months out

Secure your initial funding - donors and subscriptions. All gifts are welcome. But the money will really start rolling in once you attract a couple of well-known donors. Do your homework and lay the groundwork for fund-raising from the earliest stages. Your enthusiasm will be a powerful tool. But a sound business plan and key professionals will cinch the deal.

Attract skilled faculty by paying them fairly AND with the vision of your new school. Appeal to their entrepreneurial side and emphasis that you are looking for team players. Given the number of job cuts in public K-12 schools, you should be able to attract the talent you need without too much difficulty. This video will help make your first open house a success.

Market your school. Advertise. Promote. Tell the story of your new school through presentations at service clubs and other community groups.

9 months out

Open your school's office. Schedule admissions interviews. Organize tours of your new facilities by service clubs and other local groups. It is so important to create some buzz about your new school. Schedule open houses both for prospective parents and community leaders.

2 months out

There's much to do before opening day. Have faculty in place early in order to get the school ready for opening. Don't leave the teachers out of the picture until the week before your opening. Organizing their classrooms, tweaking their curricula and timetables - these essential tasks take time and lots of energy. You can also build invaluable esprit de corps during the weeks before school opens.

Opening day

Make it a festive occasion. Invite the local dignitaries, members of the city council and state legislature. Lots of positive stories in the local press and television stations will expose your new school to a wider audience.

Welcome your students. Begin to make them understand this is the best thing they ever did. Make them believe, as you do, that this school is going to be the very best. This is a very special opportunity for instilling school spirit. Once students believe in their school, word will spread very quickly about all the special features and unique qualities of your school. After all, isn't that why you wanted to start the school in the first place? You did want to establish a school that reflected your take on education, right? Good luck!

Questions? Contact us on Facebook. @privateschoolreview

More Articles

School Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

School Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their schools.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a school business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a school business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a School Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your school as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a School

If you’re looking to start a school or grow your existing school, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your school to improve your chances of success. Your school business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Schools

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for schools are donations and gifts, tuition, personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for schools.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a school.

If you want to start a school or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your school business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of school you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a school that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of schools?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the school industry.
• Discuss the type of school you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of school you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of schools:

• Private K-12 school : this type of school typically charges tuition, and may be affiliated with a religious organization, or specialize in a particular learning method.
• Charter school: this type of school offers primary or secondary education for a tuition, and may receive some public funding, and/or donations. These schools require their students to take state-mandated exams.
• Special subject school: this type of school specializes in teaching a specific subject, such as driving, first-aid, self-defense, fine arts, language, or general tutoring.
• Preschool: this type of school typically serves children who are aged 3 and 4. These schools prepare young children to enter formal education, and are funded by some combination of tuition, donations, and government grants.

In addition to explaining the type of school you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of students served, the number of students accepted into elite formal education institutions, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the school industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the school industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your school business plan:

• How big is the school industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your school? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your school business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: families with elementary-aged children, families with high-school-aged children, families with preschool children.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of school you operate. Clearly, families with high schoolers would respond to different marketing promotions than families with preschoolers, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your School Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other schools.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes public schools, virtual schools, and families who do homeschooling. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of students do they serve?
• What type of school are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide specialized instruction, either in subject or in method?
• Will you offer courses or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a school business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of school that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide religious-focused K-8 education, college preparatory courses, or single-subject instruction like driving or fine arts?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the courses and/or extracurricular activities you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your school. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your school located in a growing neighborhood, in the city center, or will you operate purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your school marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your school, including answering calls, planning and delivering instruction, applying for grants, fundraising, performing administrative tasks, overseeing instructors, handling discipline, scheduling and monitoring extracurricular activities, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to enroll your Xth student, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your school to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your school’s potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing schools. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in running a school or experience with public school administration or who has served on a public school board.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you enroll 100 or 1,000 students per semester, and/or offer extracurricular activities? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your school, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a school:

• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your school location lease or a list of elective courses or extracurricular activities you will offer.  

Writing a business plan for your school is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the school industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful school.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your School business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to learn about Growthink’s business plan writing services .

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

School Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

School Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your school business plan.

We have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their schools.

Sample Private School Business Plan

Below is a school business plan template to help you create each section of your own education business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Southside Academy, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a private school that has been providing quality education to the community’s school children since 2017. Southside Academy teaches elementary, middle school, and high school students in a wide range of subjects including mathematics, science, and history. We aim to provide a welcoming and inviting environment where every student can reach their highest potential.

We promote academic, artistic, and athletic excellence in a close-knit learning environment, with a challenging curriculum that cultivates intellectual curiosity. Furthermore, we offer a low teacher-to-child ratio, where teachers can build close connections with their students as they help them excel. We develop confident, continual learners by establishing behavioral supports and the social culture needed for students to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.

Service Offering

Southside Academy offers a premium private education at an affordable tuition fee. We provide a challenging education where students can explore their true potential and a safe space where they can freely discover and express themselves. Our students range from 1st grade to 12th grade and we teach a wide variety of subjects including:

• Basic Mathematics
• Physical Education

Customer Focus

Southside Academy primarily serves families within a 5-mile radius of the school’s location. The area is home to thousands of middle and upper-class families looking for high-quality education for their children. Before the school was built, the area was underserved and many children had to travel far to attend quality private schools.

Management Team

Southside Academy’s founder is Mike Brown who has been working as a teacher for more than 20 years. Mike has taught at several public schools in the region but saw a great demand for private education. He noticed that the current location of the school was underserved and set out to create a school to serve this population. Mike Brown has successfully led Southside Academy as its principal since the school’s inception and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Mike Brown is supported by a team that has experience teaching students, managing finances, and running businesses. Specifically, our team has solid experience in being effective teachers, connecting to different types of students, and achieving key goals.

Success Factors

Southside Academy is able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Location: Southside Academy’s location is near the center of town, giving members of our community easy access for parents and their children.
• Passionate and Skillful Teachers: Southside Academy hires teachers with strong academic backgrounds who are skillful in handling all types of children.
• Low teacher-to-student ratio: We provide a low teacher-to-student ratio so that every student gets personal attention from teachers to reach their highest potential.
• Affordable, quality education: Most of the schools in the area offer their services at a very expensive price. Our fees will be moderately low so that good education is accessible to all families.

Financial Highlights

Southside Academy is currently seeking additional donations of $600,000 in order to fulfill our mission. The breakdown of the funding may be seen below:

• Salaries: $200,000
• School Materials (books, toys, desks, chairs, etc): $180,000
• Administrative Expenses: $120,000 to pay for lease costs, ongoing operational expenses, and marketing.
• Working capital: $100,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Southside Academy.

Company Overview

Who is southside academy, southside academy’s history.

Southside Academy started as an idea from a group of school teachers, including Mike Brown. The teachers were university pals who are passionate about teaching and children. They have seen the gaps in education in St. Paul, Minnesota, and wanted to create a school that elevates the academic environment for the children of this area.

Their plans to build a school started in 2015, but it was only until April 2016 that they finally completed all the paperwork and met the legal requirements. Since then, Southside Academy has achieved the following milestones:

• Found a location and built the school
• Developed the school’s name, logo, and website
• Determined curriculum
• Hired teachers and other key employees

Southside Academy’s Services

Industry analysis.

Education is an essential foundation for a thriving society. It’s more important than ever before that every child has access to affordable, high-quality education. While public schools are an essential option for many low-income families, the education provided by private schools often results in higher test scores and more students moving on to top-tier universities.

The private school industry has experienced steady growth in the past five years. The key industry drivers are economic growth, the rise in numbers of K-12 students, an increase in the number of families with both parents working, and government initiatives to support education.

According to Polaris Market Research, this growth is expected to continue with a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from now until 2030. This shows that Southside Academy has great potential to keep growing and expanding. We will have ample opportunities to grow our curriculum and offer services to students that help them reach their highest potential.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Southside Academy serves the families and children of St. Paul, Minnesota. The area is mostly populated by young couples and new families that have disposable income and can pay a premium for their children’s education.

The precise demographics of the town in which our location resides are as follows:

Customer Segmentation

We primarily target the following three customer segments:

• Young children
• Young couples

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Southside Academy faces competition from other schools with similar profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.  

Waters Independent School

Founded in 1968, Waters Independent School is a non-profit and tax-exempt independent school system. The school is governed by an independent Board of Trustees and offers preschool through eighth-grade programs. WIS is accredited by the state’s Council of Independent Schools (FCIS).

Waters Independent School has small class sizes with low student-to-teacher ratios. Further, WIS’ Programs include a strong academic foundation coupled with programs in the arts, physical education, media/technology, foreign language, and extracurricular areas.  

Hill Preparatory School

Founded in 1923, Hill Preparatory School is a private, non-sectarian, coeducational, college preparatory day school. It offers PK-12 programs in a safe, student-centered environment. HPS supports its students through the challenges of the school year with one-on-one attention from dedicated faculty, robust services like The Learning Center and the College Center, and the most advanced educational technology. The campus spans 28 acres and has a new 60,000+ square foot facility.  

Future Leaders Preparatory School

Founded in 1968, Future Leaders Prep is a private school for PreK3-8th grade. FLPS offers preschool, elementary school, and middle school programs and offers the International Baccalaureate program of study for all students. Teachers are endorsed in gifted education through a master’s level grant with [local University]’s College of Education Gifted Program. In addition to the school, Future Leaders offers community programs such as music, dance, art, and theater lessons through the Community School of the Arts, youth sports in the Community School for Sports, and the 7-week summer camp.

Competitive Advantage

There are many schools in St. Paul, Minnesota but none of them provides the same quality of education that Southside Academy provides, specifically the following:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

The Southside Academy brand will focus on the school’s unique value proposition:

• Providing premium education at an affordable price
• Providing a supportive and challenging place for children to learn
• Giving parents the assurance that their children will reach their full potential

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Southside Academy is as follows:

Social Media

Southside Academy will invest heavily in a social media advertising campaign. The school will utilize social media accounts and invest in ads on all social media platforms. It will use targeted marketing to appeal to the target demographics.

Publications

The school will place print advertisements in key local publications, including newspapers, area magazines, and business newsletters. Additionally, Southside Academy will print brochures and place them in specific locations frequented by target individuals.

Website/SEO

Southside Academy will invest heavily in developing a professional website that displays all of the features and benefits of Southside Academy. It will also invest heavily in SEO so that the school’s website will appear at the top of search engine results.

Direct Mail

Southside Academy will blanket neighborhoods with direct mail pieces. These pieces will provide general information on Southside Academy and incentives to enroll.

Southside Academy prices its tuition at a moderate price so our students and their families feel they are getting great value when choosing our school.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Southside Academy.

Operation Functions:

• Mike Brown is the school Principal. He manages the teachers, directs the direction of education, and serves as the head of the school.
• Mike is joined by Amanda Johnson who acts as the Administrative Assistant for the school. She helps Mike with the operations of the school as well as the marketing and administrative functions.
• Mike has hired an extensive team of highly qualified educators. Together, they teach dozens of subjects, including biology, chemistry, social studies, and mathematics. Every teacher that works for Southside Academy is passionate about education and pushing their students to reach their highest potential.

Milestones:

Southside Academy expects to achieve the following milestones in the following six months:

• 3/202X Kickoff of promotional campaign to attract new students
• 4/202X Start donation campaign
• 5/202X Hire new teachers for the upcoming year
• 6/202X Achieve donation/funding goal
• 7/202X Finalize list of incoming students for next year
• 8/202X Start next school year

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

Southside Academy’s revenues come from student tuition fees and donations from both individuals and corporations.

The major costs for the company will be staffing, marketing expenses, location maintenance, equipment, and materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Southside Academy is currently seeking additional fundraising and capital of $600,000 in order to fulfill our mission. The breakdown of the funding may be seen below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and to pay off the startup business loan.

• Year 1: 200
• Year 2: 300
• Year 3: 400
• Year 4: 500
• Year 5: 600
• Tuition rate per year: $10,000

Financial Statements

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

School Business Plan FAQs

What is a school business plan.

A school business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your school business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your School business plan using our School Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of School Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of school businesses, some examples include: private K-12 school, charter school, virtual schools, independent schools, primary school, secondary education, or preschool.

How Do You Get Funding for Your School Business Plan?

School businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a School Business?

Starting a school business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A School Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed school business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your school business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your school business is in compliance with local laws.

3, Register Your School Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your school business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your school business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary School Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your school business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your school business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful school business:

• How to Start a School

Other Helpful Business Plan Templates

Nonprofit Business Plan Template

All Formats

• How to Write a Business Plan for Starting a School – 6 Steps

Every kind of business, regardless of its size, needs thorough planning to ensure success in the long run. According to research stated in BPlans.com, some 11,046 companies had excellent business performance due to extensive planning. Another study also found on the same site shows that businesses that do thorough planning grow 30% faster than others that don’t. As you can see, planning is indeed an essential element in running a business.

Download this Free How to Write a Business Plan for Starting a School - 6 Steps Article in PDF

Start with the executive summary, state your vision and goals, integrate your market analysis, talk about your school’s possible locations, elaborate on your financial strategies, explain your action plan in detail, more in school.

Diagrams Template

Tech agency presentation template, brand strategy presentation template, corporate presentation template, sales plan presentation template, business meeting presentation template, fashion show business plan presentation template, marketing report presentation template, business marketing presentation template, marketing proposal presentation template.

• 6 Reasons Why Risk Management Is Important in Schools
• How to Choose the Right Name for Your School [Templates + Examples] 2023
• 6 Brilliant Ways to Increase Your School’s Revenue
• 6 Good Reasons Why Your School Needs a Website
• 7 Useful Steps to Build Your School Brand
• 7 Best Practices for a Better School Improvement Planning
• Improving Your School Admission Strategy – 7 Useful and Simple Ways
• How to Improve Parent-Teacher Communication – 7 Tips
• 6 School Development Ideas
• 6 Challenges Faced by School Management – How to Overcome Them
• 6 Tips to Get Your School Funded
• Convincing Parents for School Admission – 5 Ways
• How to Manage Staff at School – 8 Tips and Strategies
• Managing School Discipline Issues – 7 Tips

File Formats

Word templates, google docs templates, excel templates, powerpoint templates, google sheets templates, google slides templates, pdf templates, publisher templates, psd templates, indesign templates, illustrator templates, pages templates, keynote templates, numbers templates, outlook templates.

type below and hit enter

Search the blog

SCHOOL SALES

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT

Browse by topic

I'm dr. jeannie gudith, founder and ceo of jag consulting. we help you develop, improve, buy or sell your private school., i'm so glad you're here.

How to Start Your Own Private School

Business growth.

Starting a private school can be a challenging venture. Before opening your school, you need to gather sound data and make sure you have a solid set of strategies and a budget to be able to launch your school successfully. In this article, learn the basics and the time-tested rules of starting a private school.

Identify your target.

The first thing you need to think of is your target.  Determine the type of school your market needs. Does your target needs K-8, 9-12, boarding, online, or Montessori? By identifying your niche, you’ll be able to narrow down your priorities and keep your focus on the crucial tasks.

In this stage, it’s also important to decide the number of grades your school will start off with. A K-12 school would naturally be a goal for your long-range plans, but it’s better to start small and grow gradually – slowly, but surely.  Establishing your primary grades served first is important and then, over time, you can add the other grades.  A popular way to start is with grades K-5, and after one to two years add 6-8, and then eventually adding on high school.  However, if you are starting an online school you can easily begin with a K-12 or K-8 school as there are no brick and mortar restrictions.

Form a committee.

Assign the important preliminary work to a small trusted committee. Members of this committee could include educators, parents, or a private school consultant with legal, financial, management, and development experience in the field.  This committee could also be the beginning of your board.

Find an easily accessible spot to build your school.

There are two approaches to finding school space; locate a building for your school or locate property to build your facility from scratch. Keep in mind though that building from scratch would naturally be much more expensive and time-consuming.  Another alternative is to look for space you can lease from a church or after school program.  This will reduce the beginning overhead costs and allow you to grow gradually.  If you plan on opening up an online school, look for space for your administrative team as a home base for your school.

Organize your business plan.

Develop a five-year long business plan. With this plan, you can set clear goals and improve your management over the first five years of your school. Make sure that your plan complements your funds to set realistic goals and achieve a blueprint that will attract donors to the cause that your school promotes.  You can also hire a private school consulting firm to this for you.

Manage your funds wisely.

Allocate a budget for the first five years of your school. Have your financial committee prepare a conservative projected profit and loss statement for the first year. It’s also advisable to develop two budgets: a capital budget and an operating budget. For example, building an arts facility falls on the capital budget while expenses for payroll taxes falls on the operating budget. Most importantly, make sure you prepare budget leeway in case expenses are higher than anticipated.

Promote your school.

You should advertise your school all year around and have a larger budget during the months of January through March as this is peak enrollment time.  You can market by doing webinar presentations, advertising your website, or setting up a mailing list to keep students, parents, and potential families interested.  Additionally, you can also hire a marketing expert to do this crucial task for you.

Open your school.

Prepare your school’s opening day and make sure it is well-organized. Start by welcoming your students and acknowledging parents at the morning assembly. After your soft opening, proceed to classes. Invest in the quality of education your school provides by focusing on teacher training and the rest will follow.

Developing a private school requires years of planning, experience, and funding, and it’s something that you need to build with your team. To ensure the success of your school, organize your business plan with a private school consultant that offers high-quality educational consulting services. Working with experts will make the job so much easier.

Want to learn more about developing, improving, buying or selling a private school? 

>>get your services + pricing guide here<< , >>visit the shop here<< .

GET OUR services + PRICING guide

Get access to the guide now.

© 2023 JAG CONSULTING. all rights reserved. privacy policy  + REFUND POLICY. TEMPLATE by sugar studios + Showit

How to Start a Private School PDF; Private School Business Plan Sample

How to Start a School Business - Private School Business Plan Sample PDF

Are you considering starting a School and are in need of a private school business plan? if yes, you'll find this free book to be extremely helpful.

This is a practical guide that will walk you step by step through all the essentials of starting your business. The book is packed with guides, worksheets and checklists. These strategies are absolutely crucial to your business' success yet are simple and easy to apply.

Don’t Start a New School Business Unless You Watch This Video First!

Checklist for Starting a Business: Essential Ingredients for Success

If you are thinking about going into business, it is imperative that you watch this video first! it will take you by the hand and walk you through each and every phase of starting a business. It features all the essential aspects you must consider BEFORE you start a business. This will allow you to predict problems before they happen and keep you from losing your shirt on dog business ideas. Ignore it at your own peril!

Here’s a Valuable Free Gift for You This is a high quality, full blown business plan template complete with detailed instructions and all related spreadsheets. You can download it to your PC and easily prepare a professional business plan for your business. Click Here! To get your free business plan template

The Single Most Important Ingredient for Business Success

The first and most important thing you need to acquire in order to succeed in a small business is... knowledge.

Sounds exaggerated? Listen to this...

According to research conducted by Dun & Bradstreet, 90% of all small business failures can be traced to poor management resulting from lack of knowledge.

This is backed up by my own personal observations. In my 31 years as a business coach and consultant to small businesses, I've seen practically dozens of small business owners go under and lose their businesses -- not because they weren't talented or smart enough -- but because they were trying to re-invent the wheel rather than rely on proven, tested methods that work.

Conclusion: if you are really serious about succeeding in a business... If you want to avoid the common traps and mistakes... it is absolutely imperative that you acquire the right knowledge.

"Why Invent Mediocrity, When You Can Copy Genius?"

That's an excellent quote I picked up from a fellow business owner a few years back. What this means is that you should see what is working and try to duplicate Printing Business. Why go through all the trouble of inventing something new, that you don't even know will ever work, when you can easily learn from and duplicate something that has been a proven success?

[ Note: One of the BIGGEST mistakes almost all new businesses make is that they WASTE tons of valuable time, energy and money on trying to create something "new", that has never been tested or proven... only to find out later that it was a total loss. Don't make the same mistake! ]

Hi! My name is Meir. I'm the founder and president of BizMove.com, a successful internet based information business. I'm also the author of numerous books, mostly in the area of small business management.

I've been involved in small business for the past 31 years of my life, as a business coach, manager of a consulting firm, a seminar leader and as the owner of five successful businesses.

During my career as a business coach and consultant I've helped dozens of business owners start their businesses, market, expand, get out of troubles, sell their businesses and do practically every other small business activity you can think of. You see, I have been there .... done it ... and bought the Small Business t-shirt! -- This free book contains techniques and strategies I've learned during my 31 year small business career.

Here's what you'll discover in the 'How to Start a Printing Business' book:

Success Tip: Setting Goals

Good management is the key to success and good management starts with setting goals. Set goals for yourself for the accomplishment of the many tasks necessary in starting and managing your business successfully. Be specific. Write down the goals in measurable terms of performance. Break major goals down into sub-goals, showing what you expect to achieve in the next two to three months, the next six months, the next year, and the next five years. Beside each goal and sub-goal place a specific date showing when it is to be achieved.

Plan the action you must take to attain the goals. While the effort required to reach each sub-goal should be great enough to challenge you, it should not be so great or unreasonable as to discourage you. Do not plan to reach too many goals all at one time.

Establish priorities. Plan in advance how to measure results so you can know exactly how well you are doing. This is what is meant by "measurable" goals. If you can’t keep score as you go along you are likely to lose motivation. Re-work your plan of action to allow for obstacles which may stand in your way. Try to foresee obstacles and plan ways to avert or minimize them.

Click here! to download your school business plan PDF book for free

Management Skills Video: How to Become a Great Manager and Leader

Learn how to improve your leadership skills and become a better manager and leader. Here's how to be the boss people want to give 200 percent for. In the following video you'll discover 120 powerful tips and strategies to motivate and inspire your people to bring out the best in them.

For more insightful videos visit our Small Business and Management Skills YouTube Chanel .

Here're other free books in the "how to start a business" series that may interest you:

Here's a Sample 'Executive Summary' for a School Business plan :

COMPANY NAME will provide private school services in quantitative courses, starting the first school in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Focused primarily on students in grades K-6, classes are available in courses including: history, science, geography and mathematics in addition to multiple languages, religions and philosophy COMPANY NAME will focus primarily on Eastern Indian, Asian and European based language and philosophy to start.  This method will be focused on to ensure that students can study their native language and learn native customs from where they or their families come from.  Teaching sessions focus on helping students grasp the concepts they will need to know to perform well in their class, as well as developing study strategies to effectively prepare for exams in their class. A long-term focus of empowering students is favored over a short-term problem-solving strategy. High tuition, schools claim, is used to pay higher salaries for the best teachers and also used to provide enriched learning environments, including a low student to teacher ratio, small class sizes and services, such as libraries , science laboratories and computers . Service Summary The intention is to create a student who is an international citizen who is academically capable, gain successful admission to Ivy League schools and to the best international universities; however while at the same time developing a confidence gained from knowing their family heritage, roots, history, culture, religion and languages. Each student will be having a sense of pride in being an American and also in being of Indian origin harmoniously.  COMPANY NAME projects that 50% of students will be Asian Indian decent and 50% of students will be Americans seeking to get the best education available in the United States. COMPANY NAME is planning to become an International Baccalaureate World School.  By receiving this support from a worldwide education organization, the school will be on the roster of offering courses transferable and also recognized around the world. Market Analysis Summary While there are cultural and language classes that children of Indian origin can attend outside of the regular school curriculum, there is no comprehensive school, which offers an excellent education along with meeting their cultural needs anywhere in the USA. Vision COMPANY NAME vision is to provide world-class education for its students at playschool, kindergarten, primary school levels. The aim of this educational institute is the quest for truth; blending the methods of learning of the East and West COMPANY NAME seeks to help bring to the United States the highest education possible to help children be able to compete with the world, as the American education standards and results continue to decline.

• American students rank 25th in math and 21st in science compared to students in 30 industrialized countries.
• America’s top math students rank 25th out of 30 countries when compared with top students elsewhere in the world.
• By the end of 8th grade, U.S. students are two years behind in the math being studied by peers in other countries.
• Sixty eight percent of 8th graders can’t read at their grade level, and most will never catch up.

Resource: http://www.bls.gov It will be a school for a diverse student body with a global faculty and an international curriculum. The Foundation believes its particular location in the USA will give the community of learners an incredible opportunity to examine change, explore the interconnectedness of issues and develop a global perspective. COMPANY NAME will offer an educational experience that is truly international and still Indian at heart.   The Foundation will invite the Council of International Schools (CIS) and other prominent educationists to be its' consultants. Together with experienced consultants' input, COMPANY NAME shall attract an inspiring faculty and student body.

1.1 Objectives

• Generate five informal contracts/referrals with school professors from accredited private schools located in India.
• Increase revenue steadily from 2011 to 2012.
• Offer a premiere and unique educational hub where children can learn several languages, receive higher education and expand life's horizons from an early age.

COMPANY NAME's vision is to provide world-class education for students at playschool, kindergarten, primary school levels. The aim of this educational institute is the quest for truth, blending the methods of learning of the East and West. It will be a school for a diverse student body, with a global faculty and an international curriculum COMPANY NAME believe that their particular location in the USA will give the community of learners an incredible opportunity to examine change, explore the interconnectedness of issues and develop a global perspective.

1.2 Mission

COMPANY NAME exists to help students. The Company takes a unique and innovative approach to teaching that helps students connect with the subject matter they need to master in a vast variety of subjects, religions and arts. Through personalized and focused teaching processes, the students develop the tools they need for ongoing success in their fields of study, which include international languages as well. Success depends on direct attention to the needs of the Company's clients and truly helping them achieve- COMPANY NAME won't succeed unless their clients succeed.

COMPANY NAME is a sole proprietorship. The company will be owned and operated by COMPANY NAME which is 100% owned by OWNER’S NAME, a C Corporation.  The foundation will be co-owned by CO-OWNER’S NAME and another general partner.

2.2 Start-up Summary

The company founders will hire an education consulting and management firm to handle day-to-day operations of the business and will work collaboratively to ensure that this business venture is a success.  COMPANY NAME will be seeking to attain start-up funds from a combination of investment capital and grant funding sources.  Surplus revenue from fundraising is detailed in the Sales Forecast table later in this plan. The following table and chart show the start-up costs for COMPANY NAME.

Table: Start-up

3.0 Services

The school will offer a unique and philosophical approach to education to provide for intellectual, emotional and spiritual development of every student. The school aims to provide an environment conducive to students to discover and nurture the best in their own nature. The school will accept and care for students from all the major faiths, as well as for those with no particular religious affiliation.  The intention is to create a student who is an international citizen who is academically capable, gain successful admission to Ivy League schools and to the best international universities; however while at the same time developing a confidence gained from knowing their family heritage, roots, history, culture, religion and languages. Each student will be having a sense of pride in being an American and also in being of Indian origin harmoniously. COMPANY NAME will also be providing extensive extra-curricular activities for students such as providing dance, art, culture and language courses so that students can attain and utilize the tools and education all in one place.  This will be especially appealing to parents as this will improve not only the child’s education but by having all available in one location, it will also improve quality of life for families. COMPANY NAME has future plans for utilizing the 30 acre plot of land and real estate that The Company is trying to acquire by installing a soccer field, a baseball field and a teacher/student vegetable and herb garden for education purposes.  In addition, the auditorium and smaller classroom will be rented out to increase the schools revenue. Becoming A Better Leader At The Workplace Leadership can be difficult to quantify, despite the fact that most people desperately wish to understand what it takes to be a strong leader. To really get a handle on the concept, it pays to spend some time researching and studying. The guidance below is intended to help any burgeoning leader do precisely that. When working to improve in the area of leadership, it is vital that you develop competency. People need to trust that you know what you are doing in order to feel confident in your leadership ability. Instill confidence in those who follow you by finding a mentor to help you become truly proficient in what you do. If you are rolling out a new business process, train your employees effectively. That new business process might look all shiny on paper, but if your subordinates receive insufficient, or worse, no training, it will inevitably cost you money down the road. There are ways to make training relatively painless, so do your research. Don't make the mistake of ordering people around. That is not true leadership. The key to true leadership is to inspire those around you. You need to help them find their own voices, so that they can go on to lead others. The entire journey they take with you is about their ability to know themselves better. If you have an employee that goes above and beyond the call of duty, do not hesitate to give them extra praise and rewards. Even though it may seem like you are playing favorites, you are giving them what they deserve. be open with other employees about it so they are aware of what rewards come with hard work. Know your competition just as well as you know your own company. Business isn't just about what's happening between the walls in your space. You need to make decisions based off competitive movement. If you can't make decisions because you don't know the competition, then expect your employees to see it as a weakness in leadership. Conquer your fear. Fear can be a terrible thing for you to experience, especially if you're a leader. Instead, start paying attention to what the fear is telling you. Learn to process it in a way that is healthy and in a way that urges you to move beyond the fear to something more. Be open to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of doing things. Many companies want to constantly repeat something that has proven successful for them. There is little wrong with that, but inadvertent leaders try putting too much effort into one thing that worked. Thoughtful leadership should acknowledges success, while also recognizing that there are ways to improve. Do not push people on your team too hard since this can result in doing the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. Instead of giving them motivation to do more work, it may make them feel demoralized. In turn, they will lose a lot of respect for you. Do not be afraid to jump in and help. This is much easier if you work on site with your team, but is possible from afar if you are creative. If any person from your team needs help, jump in and give them a hand. You may learn a lot from the experience. One of the best leadership skills to develop is listening to people who work under you. By listening to your employees, you can learn new ways to reach goals. When you see that they have processed your ideas, keep an open mind for their input to maximize your potential for success. You might feel like starting each day or shift with a motivational speech, but this can get old for your crew quickly. As a matter of fact, such tactics are overrated. The biggest impact you make in terms of personnel is who you hire, who gets fired, and who gets assigned to the big projects. Learn how to laugh. Yes, you've got a serious job with a lot of responsibilities, but leadership isn't born out of tension and stress. Sometimes you need to learn how to lighten the mood. Not just for yourself, but for your employees too. If you've hit some rough patches, it's your responsibility as a leader to help your team get out of it. Don't hesitate to recognize people for their accomplishments. It is easy to forget to thank people for what they do, especially in a work environment where everything is moving quickly. Make sure you look for reasons to thank people for their good work, instead of simply chiding them when they make mistakes. This will encourage loyalty, and you will find you have an easier time leading when those you lead are loyal. Be an honest and ethical role model for your employees. Honesty with your employees is the best way to build trust. Make sure your employees understand the ethical expectations you have for them. More than that, always behave in an ethical way yourself. If your employees observe you behaving dishonestly, they will do so as well. Be a good example for your team. Just like the parents of a family, you are who your team looks up to in your organization. Do not talk negatively about the company you work for or your bosses to your team. It sets a horrible example and may come back to haunt you. A good leader turns a mistake into a learning experience. Talking about what didn't go right and being open with the entire team about this incident can help everyone from making that same mistake later. Most people wish to be effective leaders of others, but very few actually succeed in doing so. One of the most effective methods of acquiring true leadership acumen is to learn as much as possible about those who have gone before and the attributes they had in common. The article above can serve as an ongoing resource for anyone wishing to undertake just that sort of study.

Copyright © by Bizmove Free Business Guides. All rights reserved.

More From Forbes

How To Start A Business Plan: A Step-By-Step Guide

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Creating a business plan is a critical first step for any entrepreneur. Knowing how to start a business plan will help you create a roadmap, guiding your business from startup to growth and beyond. Whether you're looking for investment, trying to set clear goals, or simply organizing your thoughts, a solid business plan can make all the difference.

Here is a guide to help you get started on your business plan:

1. executive summary.

What It Is: This section summarizes your business plan as a whole and outlines your company profile and goals.

What to Include:

• Business name and location
• Products or services offered
• Mission statement
• The purpose of the plan (e.g., seeking funding, guiding the startup process)

Tip: Keep it concise. Although it's the first section, it's often best to write it last, after you’ve detailed everything else.

2. Company Description

What It Is: This section provides detailed information about your company, including who you are, what you do, and what markets you serve.

‘The Acolyte’ Episode 8 Recap And Review: A Dreadful Season Finale And The Cameos Can’t Save It

Amazon prime day 2024: our deals editors found the 100 best discounts so far, apple warns millions of iphone users—stop using google chrome.

• Your business structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation)
• The industry and marketplace needs your business meets
• Your business’s objectives and how you stand out from competitors

Tip: Use this section to highlight your company’s strengths and what makes you unique.

3. Market Research

What It Is: Market research demonstrates your understanding of the industry and target market.

• Market size and growth potential
• Target customer demographics
• Market trends and outlook
• Competitive analysis, including strengths and weaknesses of competitors

Tip: Include data and statistics to back up your findings and show that you’ve done your homework.

4. Organization and Management

What It Is: This section outlines your business’s organizational structure and management team.

• Organizational chart
• Information about the ownership of the company
• Backgrounds and qualifications of the management team
• Roles and responsibilities within the company

Tip: Highlight the skills and experiences of your team that will help the business succeed.

5. Products or Services Line

What It Is: Here, you detail the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

• A description of each product or service
• The lifecycle of products or services
• Research and development activities, if applicable
• Intellectual property, such as patents or trademarks

Tip: Focus on the benefits your products or services bring to your customers.

6. Marketing and Sales Strategy

What It Is: This section explains how you will attract and retain customers.

• Marketing strategies, including advertising, promotions, and public relations
• Sales strategies, including sales processes, channels, and tactics
• Pricing strategy and how it compares to competitors

Tip: Ensure your marketing and sales strategies are aligned with your market research findings.

7. Funding Request

What It Is: If you’re seeking funding , this section outlines your requirements.

• Your current funding needs
• Future funding requirements over the next five years
• How you intend to use the funds
• Potential future financial plans (e.g., selling the business, repaying debt)

Tip: Be specific and realistic about how much funding you need and how it will be used.

8. Financial Projections

What It Is: Financial projections provide a forecast of your business’s financial future.

• Income statements
• Cash flow statements
• Balance sheets
• Break-even analysis

Tip: Use realistic and conservative estimates. Consider hiring a financial professional to help with this section if needed.

9. Appendix

What It Is: The appendix includes any additional information that supports your business plan.

• Resumes of key management team members
• Permits and leases
• Legal documents
• Detailed market research data
• Product photos

Tip: Only include essential information that adds value to your business plan.

Final Tips for Creating a Business Plan

Creating a business plan requires clarity and precision. First and foremost, keep your business plan clear and concise. Avoid using jargon or complex language that could make the plan difficult to read or understand. Your aim should be to communicate your ideas effectively and efficiently.

Next, be realistic in your approach. Ensure that your goals and financial projections are attainable based on your research and understanding of the market. Overly ambitious projections can undermine your credibility and potentially lead to unrealistic expectations.

It's also essential to remember that a business plan is a dynamic document. As your business grows and market conditions change, you should revisit and revise your plan regularly. This helps you stay aligned with your goals and adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

Finally, seek feedback from experienced business professionals. Having someone with business experience review your plan can provide valuable insights and help identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. Their feedback can enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of your business plan.

By following these tips, you'll be better equipped to create a robust and effective business plan that can guide your business towards success.

The bottom line is that starting a business plan may seem challenging, but with careful planning and attention to detail, you can create a comprehensive guide to steer your business toward success. Use this step-by-step guide to ensure that all essential components are covered, giving your business the best possible start.

Melissa Houston, CPA is the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business and the founder of She Means Profit . As a Business Strategist for small business owners, Melissa helps women making mid-career shifts, to launch their dream businesses, and I also guide established business owners to grow their businesses to more profitably.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

Could Labour’s plan to put VAT on private schools lead to parents ‘Finding Religion’

Ah, the Labour Party, ever the beacon of fairness and redistribution, has yet again graced us with a stroke of genius. This time, it’s a plan to slap a VAT on private schools, those bastions of privilege and top-tier education.

Now, while the sight of Etonians and Harrovians squirming at the prospect of higher fees might bring a smirk to the faces of many, the ripple effects of such a policy deserve a closer examination. Could this lead to a surge of secular parents suddenly ‘finding religion’ to secure a spot for their offspring in church schools, thus dodging the financial blow? It’s a fascinating, if somewhat cynical, possibility.

Labour’s proposal to levy VAT on private school fees is not without merit. The intention is clear: generate revenue and level the playing field. Private schools , with their vast resources, extensive facilities, and polished alumni networks, do embody the stark inequalities within the British education system. Adding 20% to the already hefty fees could theoretically divert some funds to the underfunded state sector, potentially improving the quality of education for the many, not just the privileged few.

However, as with many well-intentioned policies, the devil is in the details. Private school parents are a resourceful lot. Faced with the prospect of even higher fees, one can imagine a scenario where the quest for an affordable yet high-quality education leads them to the gates of the Church of England – or indeed any religious institution offering state-funded education. Church schools, after all, have a reputation for maintaining rigorous academic standards, often rivalling their private counterparts.

So, are we on the brink of a religious revival, spurred not by a spiritual awakening but by a fiscal one? Picture the scene: the PTA meeting replete with parents who, until yesterday, couldn’t distinguish between a psalm and a parable, now eagerly attending Sunday services, volunteering at church events, and dusting off their old confirmation certificates. Cynical? Perhaps. But far from improbable.

Church schools, with their dual commitment to education and moral instruction, have long been a preferred alternative for parents seeking more than what the average state school offers. These institutions, often oversubscribed, already have rigorous selection criteria, frequently prioritising children from practising Christian families. In response to a sudden influx of new ‘believers’, churches could find themselves inundated with applications, leading to a comical, if somewhat uncomfortable, scenario of competitive piety.

I am broadly able to speak about this from the point of knowledge having been a governor for period of the secondary faith school that I myself attended growing up. As even more than a decade ago rumours were that parents attended church or synagogue for the ‘required’ period just to obtain the requisite ‘Green stamp’ letter from the vicar or rabbi and then oddly their faith evaporated once little Johnny or Jane had packed their school bag on their first day.

This potential surge in faux religiosity raises several questions. For one, it challenges the integrity of both the educational and religious institutions involved. Schools may find their ethos diluted by families whose primary motivation is financial rather than spiritual, potentially undermining the communal values that define these establishments. For churches, the moral quandary of accommodating these new ‘members’ could strain their resources and alter their congregational dynamics.

Moreover, this shift could exacerbate existing inequities within the state system. Church schools, already advantaged by more engaged parent bodies and additional funding, might become even more exclusive, leaving the truly comprehensive schools to cope with a disproportionate share of the challenges associated with educating diverse and often disadvantaged populations. The very aim of Labour’s policy – to reduce inequality – could, paradoxically, result in a new form of segregation.

Of course, some might argue that parents will always find ways to navigate the system to their advantage, and that church schools have long been a part of this landscape. The new policy would merely add another layer to the complex interplay of education, economics, and faith. Yet, the broader societal implications cannot be ignored. Encouraging disingenuous behaviour in the pursuit of educational advantage sends a troubling message about the value we place on honesty and integrity.

The real solution, one might argue, lies not in punitive taxation but in genuine investment in the state sector. Smaller class sizes, better teacher pay, improved facilities – these are the changes that can truly level the playing field. If state schools were sufficiently funded and resourced, the appeal of private and church schools might naturally wane, making the educational landscape more equitable without resorting to fiscal sleight of hand.

So whilst Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees may seem like a step towards greater fairness, it risks triggering unintended consequences. The spectre of parents ‘finding religion’ to secure a better education for their children highlights the complexity of the issue. Rather than driving families to disingenuous displays of faith, a more comprehensive approach to education reform is needed – one that ensures all schools, regardless of their funding model, can provide an excellent education. Only then can we hope to create a truly level playing field for all our children.

Richard Alvin

https://www.richardalvin.co.uk

Richard Alvin is a serial entrepreneur, a former advisor to the UK Government about small business and an Honorary Teaching Fellow on Business at Lancaster University. A winner of the London Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the year and Freeman of the City of London for his services to business and charity. Richard is also Group MD of Capital Business Media and SME business research company Trends Research, regarded as one of the UK's leading experts in the SME sector and an active angel investor and advisor to new start companies. Richard is also the host of Save Our Business the U.S. based business advice television show.

This device is too small

If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.

• Small Business

How to Start a Business for Under $100

Published on July 6, 2024

By: Jordi Lippe-McGraw

• Before you start a business, think about what skills you can offer and try to match them with customer demand.
• Consider what legal structure will give your business the right foundation.
• Use free branding tools and marketing channels to promote your business without breaking the bank.

Launching a business on a budget might sound like a tall order. But you can get the ball rolling for just $100 or less. This guide will walk you through the steps to turn your small investment into a potentially lucrative venture.

Step 1: Brainstorm and research (Cost: $0)

Key actions:.

• Identify your skills: What can you offer that people might pay for?
• Market research: Look for gaps in the market that match your skills.
• Make a business plan: Outline your business idea, including goals and strategies as well as the financial implications. Map out your finances and set goals to help you stay on track.

The cost here is your time. Spend it wisely to validate your idea before moving forward.

Step 2: Establish your legal framework (Cost: $0 - $20)

Think about what type of business structure will work best for you. Two common options are LLCs or sole proprietorships. There's very little paperwork involved in setting up a sole proprietorship, but an LLC may suit your needs better. If so, it doesn't have to break the bank.

Unlike a sole proprietorship, an LLC draws a legal line between you and your business. This separation not only protects your personal assets from business liabilities, but can also offer potential tax benefits.

• Choose a business name: Keep it simple and descriptive.
• Business registration: Find out what you need to do to register as a sole proprietor or LLC in your state. Online services like LegalZoom don't charge anything to set up a basic LLC. However, registration fees can range from $50 to $300 depending on the state.
• Open a business bank account: Many banks offer specialized accounts designed for small businesses, some even at no cost. These accounts can help you separate your personal and business finances more effectively, which is crucial for financial clarity and can simplify tax reporting. Check out our best checking business accounts .

Business Credit Card Comparison

Consider these business credit cards that offer a convenient and efficient way to separate personal and business expenses, simplifying accounting and tax reporting.

Additionally, business cards can provide valuable perks such as rewards points, cashback, and expense tracking tools, enhancing financial management and the potential to help save money in the long run.

Step 3: Branding on a budget (Cost: $20)

Your brand's first impression counts, but it doesn't have to cost much.

• Design your logo: Use free tools like Canva to create a simple logo.
• Set up a basic website: Use free versions of WordPress or Squarespace; consider spending around $20 per year on a domain name for a more professional presence.
• Social media accounts: Set up free accounts on major platforms like Instagram and TikTok to promote your business.

Investing about $20 in a domain name while using free tools for other branding elements keeps costs low but increases credibility.

Step 4: Networking and marketing (Cost: $0 - $20)

Use your existing networks and free marketing channels to spread the word about your new small business .

• Word of mouth: Ask friends and family to share your business.
• Social media marketing: Create content that promotes your services or products.
• Flyers and local ads: If applicable, use a small part of your budget to create basic marketing materials. This could set you back about $20 depending on how much you print. Or, consider email marketing software like MailChimp with free plans for small businesses.

Focus on free promotional methods initially. If you opt for printed materials, keep the design simple and the quantity manageable within your budget.

Business ideas under $100

If you're looking for a way to bring in some extra cash, choose a business that aligns with your skills and passions. Initial costs can be extremely low, especially for service-based businesses or online platforms that charge fees on sales rather than upfront.

Here are some business ideas that you can start with minimal investment:

• General freelancing (e.g., virtual assistant, writing, tech support): Use platforms like Upwork to offer your services. It's free to set up a profile, with a 10% freelancer service fee on earnings.
• Graphic design services: If you've got a good eye, use free software to start designing for small businesses. The only real cost is a fee if you want your own domain.
• Tutoring or online courses: Share your expertise in a specific subject through platforms like Udemy or Teachable. It's free to start, though you'll pay platform fees on your sales.
• Seller on Etsy: Turn your crafting hobby into a business. It costs $0.20 to list your first item, with additional fees upon sale.

It is more than feasible to start a business for under $100. It's a testament to your entrepreneurial spirit and creativity. Use these steps to launch your venture strategically with minimal financial risk. Focus on leveraging free resources and reinvesting your earnings for growth. Your journey from small startup to successful business is just beginning.

Alert: our top-rated cash back card now has 0% intro APR until 2025

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a lengthy 0% intro APR period, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee! Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Our Research Expert

Jordi Lippe-McGraw is a freelance personal finance writer who has appeared in publications such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, TODAY, and Saving for College. In addition to personal finance, Jordi has a passion for travel. She's visited all 7 continents and over 55 countries, writing for outlets such as Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.

Share this page

We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.

Related Articles

By: Cole Tretheway | Published on June 7, 2024

By: Lyle Daly | Published on June 5, 2024

By: Christy Bieber | Published on June 5, 2024

By: Lyle Daly | Published on June 4, 2024

The Ascent is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters.

Copyright © 2018 - 2024 The Ascent. All rights reserved.

• What is a 529 plan?
• How does a 529 plan work?
• How much can you contribute to a 529 plan?

Tax deductions for 529 plan contributions

• Potential drawbacks to 529 plans

What is a 529 Plan? A Comprehensive Guide to Saving for College

Paid non-client promotion: Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate investing products to write unbiased product reviews.

• 529 plans are state-run, tax-advantaged accounts earmarked for educational expenses.
• 529 plan account earnings and withdrawals are tax-free; some states also allow deductions on contributions.
• 529 plan funds can affect financial aid and can incur tax penalties if withdrawn for the wrong uses.

You can use a 529 plan to invest and earn money tax-free, then pay for eligible academic expenses — not just college, but a range of schools — without owing any taxes.

In a sense, it's like a specialized Roth IRA : Your funds are targeted towards a purpose, then grow and can be withdrawn tax-free. Also, you could be penalized for ineligible withdrawals or uses of the money. 

You can also check out Business Insider's roundup of the best 529 plans available. 

Understanding 529 plans

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged financial account for educational expenses. Money contributed to it grows tax-deferred within the account.

"The 529 plan offers income tax-deferred investing, and if distributions from the plan are for expenses that meet IRS criteria, tax-free investing," says Sandi Bragar, CFA and chief client officer at Aspiriant .

Qualifying expenses for 529 plan savings

Withdrawals are tax-free when used for appropriate ("qualified" in IRS-speak) educational expenses, such as:

• Tuition for college, graduate school, or vocational school
• K-12 tuition and fees
• Book and other school supplies
• Room and board
• Campus meal plans
• Student loan payments

Traditionally, these accounts were designed solely to fund secondary education (i.e., a four-year college or university) tuition and related expenses. However, in recent years legislation expanded their uses to apply to K-12 tuition and fees, as well as technical schools, trade schools, and apprenticeships offered through community colleges. 

ABLE savings plans

Similar to a 529 plan, ABLE Saving plans (otherwise referred to as 529A accounts) are municipal fund securities. ABLE plans and 529 plans are regulated by the Municipal Securities Board . ABLE plans are designed for disabled individuals to save for disability-related expenses (such as job training, health care, and education) without interfering with Medicaid and/or Supplemental Security Income benefits. 

If need be, funds from a 529 plan can be rolled over to an eligible ABLE Savings account. See our list of ABLE Savings plans by state.

How 529 plans work

While named for a section of the federal tax code, 529 plans are run by the states. You can establish one at a bank or financial services/investment company like Fidelity , Vanguard , or T. Rowe Price. 

A 529 plan usually offers several investment options (typically mutual funds or ETFs , ranging from conservative to aggressive). Many also offer pre-defined portfolios, like target-date funds , that are age-based: They grow more conservative the closer your child gets to college age.

Plans are either advisor-sold (offered through a licensed financial advisor) or direct-sold (offered through the state and/or financial institution). From there, 529 plans come in various forms: 

• Education savings plan: This is the most common type of plan. Money is invested in a pre-selection of investment options (usually mutual funds or ETFs from one or more investment firms).
• Prepaid tuition plan: This type of plan can function differently depending on the state it is issued out of. Generally, prepaid plans allow you to pay for the cost of tuition or credits at the current rate, and its value grows over time. 

529 plan contribution rules and taxation

The IRS does not technically limit how much you can contribute to a 529 plan. Most people limit their annual 529 plan contributions to $18,000 per child. Married couples can each contribute $18,000 per child, for $36,000 per year.

Here's why: Contributions to a 529 plan are considered gifts, so most people plan their deposits to dovetail the annual gift tax exclusion of $18,000 per recipient in 2024. The annual gift tax exclusion allows people to give money, getting out of their taxable estate, without having to pay any gift tax. 

For those who can afford it, it is possible to supersize contributions using the five-year election strategy. With this move, you can make five years' worth of contributions in a single year.

"When it fits with their goals and circumstances, we'll recommend clients take advantage of a special election which allows them to contribute up to five years' of annual exclusive gifts," Bragar says.

This strategy provides an immediate reduction in your estate and enables more money to start growing tax-free in the 529 accounts right away.

You contribute to a 529 plan with after-tax dollars — that is, you don't get a federal income tax deduction on the contribution at the time you make it. That's the trade-off for the balance growing tax-free.

However, you might qualify for a tax break on your state income tax return. Some 36 states allow at least some sort of deduction of your contribution. The amounts allowed by the state vary widely and the maximum deductions range from a flat figure (like $5,000 per taxpayer) to a percentage of the contribution (like a 20% tax credit), to the full dollar amount of the contribution. 

In these states, a 529 plan offers triple tax benefits. Your contributions are tax-deductible, the money grows tax-free, and withdrawals for eligible expenses are tax-free.

You may be able to establish a 529 plan outside of your home state. But as a non-resident, you won't qualify for any state tax deductions or credits. 

Disadvantages of 529 plans

As advantageous as 529 plans can be, there are some drawbacks to this college savings tool. You can face penalties for withdrawing the money for the wrong uses, the balances may affect financial aid, and it can get complicated if college plans change.

There's also a chance that your 529 plan doesn't perform as well as you expected or could even decline in value. 

Penalties for unqualified withdrawals

If you withdraw the money for an ineligible use — or withdraw too much money (in cases where you're limited to $10,000 a year), and the IRS finds out, you pay a 10% penalty on the amount withdrawn. Plus, you will have to pay taxes on any gains.

"Fortunately, the excess funds remain available for the beneficiary, " says Bragar. "And, beginning in 2024, if the 529 plan has been open for 15 years and the beneficiary is eligible to make Roth IRA contributions, the beneficiary may roll over funds over a period of years."

How 529 plans affect financial aid

Yes, 529 plan accounts do factor into financial aid and scholarship considerations. The good news is that plans owned by a parent or another adult factor less into the equation of financial assistance than if the student owned the plan. 

Also, the plan money counts as assets; overall, a parent's income weighs more heavily into the calculation for financial aid eligibility than assets do. No more than 5.6% of parental assets are included, compared to 22% to 47% of a parent's income.

Assets held in someone else's name, like a grandparent, are considered income for the beneficiary and may affect financial aid.

"If a student will be relying on financial aid for college funding, it's a good idea to address the 529 plan account ownership situation before the student's senior year of high school. This allows some time to evaluate and execute a change to the 529 plan owner if that's desirable to maximize financial aid," says Bragar.

If the child has won scholarships for their undergraduate degree, 529 money can be saved for graduate school or additional qualified education expenses later in life. Or to pay off student loans, if they incurred them.

What happens if your child doesn't go to college

Since the use of 529 funds is earmarked for education, a child not attending or dropping out of school could be a problem. 

However, there are options. The money can continue to grow tax-deferred in the 529 plan to be used later — there's no time limit to them. 

Also, a 529 plan can be transferred to another beneficiary, including yourself. As long as the new beneficiary is an immediate family member or family member's spouse, they qualify for a tax-free transfer of the 529 plan. 

Most 529 plans allow the beneficiary to change once per year.

There are some disadvantages to opening a 529 plan. Owning a 529 plan account can factor into any financial aid or scholarship considerations, but household income affects these considerations more. You could also be charged a 10% penalty if you were to withdraw for an ineligible use or even withdraw too much at once. 

A 529 plan is a good idea to save for future education expenses, like college tuition or student loans. Funds from a 529 plan are withdrawn tax-free, and you may be eligible for a tax deduction benefit from your state. 

You should not use a 529 plan for investing purposes other than educational goals. Funds from a 529 plan should only be withdrawn for eligible expenses such as tuition, books, supplies, private schools, and room and board. 

If the beneficiary wins a scholarship or doesn't go to college, you won't lose the funds from your 529 plan. If a scholarship covers the cost of your tuition, you can still use the funds for other educational expenses like books and necessary supplies. A 529 plan can also be transferred to a new eligible beneficiary.

As long as you're of legal age and meet the state's residency requirement, anyone can open a 529 plan. The 529 plan account is opened and owned by an adult on behalf of the child, who's deemed the account beneficiary. It does not have to be owned by the child's parent — grandparents are common 529 account holders — but personal information for the child (e.g., date of birth and Social Security number) is necessary to open the account.

You can have more than one 529 plan at a time, and there's no limit to the number of accounts you can have for one beneficiary. However, the IRS says you can't contribute more to a 529 plan than is necessary to pay the higher education costs for the beneficiary. It's not usually practical to open more than one 529 plan for a single beneficiary. But if you feel it is necessary to receive certain benefits, the option is available.

• Credit cards
• Investing apps
• Retirement savings
• Cryptocurrency
• The stock market
• Retail investing

• Points and miles travel
• Investing in stocks, bonds and real estate
• Insurance and risk mitigation
• Early retirement
• Small business strategies
• Bankruptcy law

• Main content

Post comment

or continue as guest

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Eastern Europe
• Moscow Oblast

Elektrostal

Elektrostal Localisation : Country Russia , Oblast Moscow Oblast . Available Information : Geographical coordinates , Population, Area, Altitude, Weather and Hotel . Nearby cities and villages : Noginsk , Pavlovsky Posad and Staraya Kupavna .

Information

Find all the information of Elektrostal or click on the section of your choice in the left menu.

• Update data

Elektrostal Demography

Information on the people and the population of Elektrostal.

Elektrostal Geography

Geographic Information regarding City of Elektrostal .

Elektrostal Distance

Distance (in kilometers) between Elektrostal and the biggest cities of Russia.

Elektrostal Map

Locate simply the city of Elektrostal through the card, map and satellite image of the city.

Elektrostal Nearby cities and villages

Elektrostal Weather

Weather forecast for the next coming days and current time of Elektrostal.

Elektrostal Sunrise and sunset

Find below the times of sunrise and sunset calculated 7 days to Elektrostal.

Elektrostal Hotel

Our team has selected for you a list of hotel in Elektrostal classified by value for money. Book your hotel room at the best price.

Elektrostal Nearby

Below is a list of activities and point of interest in Elektrostal and its surroundings.

Elektrostal Page

• Information /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#info
• Demography /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#demo
• Geography /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#geo
• Distance /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#dist1
• Map /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#map
• Nearby cities and villages /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#dist2
• Weather /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#weather
• Sunrise and sunset /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#sun
• Hotel /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#hotel
• Nearby /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#around
• Page /Russian-Federation--Moscow-Oblast--Elektrostal#page
• Terms of Use
• Copyright © 2024 DB-City - All rights reserved
• Change Ad Consent Do not sell my data

• Share full article

Elon Musk’s Plan to Put a Million Earthlings on Mars in 20 Years

SpaceX employees are working on designs for a Martian city, including dome habitats and spacesuits, and researching whether humans can procreate off Earth. Mr. Musk has volunteered his sperm.

Credit... Gica Tam

Supported by

By Kirsten Grind

Reporting from San Francisco

• Published July 11, 2024 Updated July 12, 2024

For more than two decades, Elon Musk has focused SpaceX , his rocket company, on his lifelong goal of reaching Mars.

Over the last year, he has also ramped up work on what will happen if he gets there.

Mr. Musk, 53, has directed SpaceX employees to drill into the design and details of a Martian city, according to five people with knowledge of the efforts and documents viewed by The New York Times. One team is drawing up plans for small dome habitats, including the materials that could be used to build them. Another is working on spacesuits to combat Mars’s hostile environment, while a medical team is researching whether humans can have children there. Mr. Musk has volunteered his sperm to help seed a colony, two people familiar with his comments said.

The initiatives, which are in their infancy, are a shift toward more concrete planning for life on Mars as Mr. Musk’s timeline has hastened. While he said in 2016 that it would take 40 to 100 years to have a self-sustaining civilization on the planet, Mr. Musk told SpaceX employees in April that he now expects one million people to be living there in about 20 years.

“There’s high urgency to making life multi-planetary,” he said, according to a publicly posted video of his remarks. “We’ve got to do it while civilization is so strong.”

Mr. Musk has long tried to defy the impossible and has often managed to beat tough odds. But his vision for life on Mars takes his seemingly limitless ambitions to their most extreme — and some might say absurdist — point. No one has ever set foot on the planet. NASA doesn’t expect to land humans on Mars until the 2040s. And if people get there, they will be greeted by a barren terrain, icy temperatures, dust storms, and air that is impossible to breathe.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Advertisement

Watch CBS News

What is Project 2025? What to know about the conservative blueprint for a second Trump administration

By Melissa Quinn , Jacob Rosen

Updated on: July 11, 2024 / 9:40 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Voters in recent weeks have begun to hear the name "Project 2025" invoked more and more by President Biden and Democrats, as they seek to sound the alarm about what could be in store if former President Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House.

Overseen by the conservative Heritage Foundation, the multi-pronged initiative includes a detailed blueprint for the next Republican president to usher in a sweeping overhaul of the executive branch.

Trump and his campaign have worked to distance themselves from Project 2025, with the former president going so far as to call some of the proposals "abysmal." But Democrats have continued to tie the transition project to Trump, especially as they find themselves mired in their own controversy over whether Mr. Biden should withdraw from the 2024 presidential contest following his startling debate performance last month.

Here is what to know about Project 2025:

What is Project 2025?

Project 2025 is a proposed presidential transition project that is composed of four pillars: a policy guide for the next presidential administration; a LinkedIn-style database of personnel who could serve in the next administration; training for that pool of candidates dubbed the "Presidential Administration Academy;" and a playbook of actions to be taken within the first 180 days in office.

It is led by two former Trump administration officials: Paul Dans, who was chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management and serves as director of the project, and Spencer Chretien, former special assistant to Trump and now the project's associate director.

Project 2025 is spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, but includes an advisory board consisting of more than 100 conservative groups.

Much of the focus on — and criticism of — Project 2025 involves its first pillar, the nearly 900-page policy book that lays out an overhaul of the federal government. Called "Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise," the book builds on a "Mandate for Leadership" first published in January 1981, which sought to serve as a roadmap for Ronald Reagan's incoming administration.

The recommendations outlined in the sprawling plan reach every corner of the executive branch, from the Executive Office of the President to the Department of Homeland Security to the little-known Export-Import Bank. 

The Heritage Foundation also created a "Mandate for Leadership" in 2015 ahead of Trump's first term. Two years into his presidency, it touted that Trump had instituted 64% of its policy recommendations, ranging from leaving the Paris Climate Accords, increasing military spending, and increasing off-shore drilling and developing federal lands. In July 2020, the Heritage Foundation gave its updated version of the book to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. 

The authors of many chapters are familiar names from the Trump administration, such as Russ Vought, who led the Office of Management and Budget; former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller; and Roger Severino, who was director of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Vought is the policy director for the 2024 Republican National Committee's platform committee, which released its proposed platform on Monday. 

John McEntee, former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office under Trump, is a senior advisor to the Heritage Foundation, and said that the group will "integrate a lot of our work" with the Trump campaign when the official transition efforts are announced in the next few months.

Candidates interested in applying for the Heritage Foundation's "Presidential Personnel Database" are vetted on a number of political stances, such as whether they agree or disagree with statements like "life has a right to legal protection from conception to natural death," and "the President should be able to advance his/her agenda through the bureaucracy without hindrance from unelected federal officials."

The contributions from ex-Trump administration officials have led its critics to tie Project 2025 to his reelection campaign, though the former president has attempted to distance himself from the initiative.

What are the Project 2025 plans?

Some of the policies in the Project 2025 agenda have been discussed by Republicans for years or pushed by Trump himself: less federal intervention in education and more support for school choice; work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults on food stamps; and a secure border with increased enforcement of immigration laws, mass deportations and construction of a border wall. 

But others have come under scrutiny in part because of the current political landscape. 

Abortion and social issues

In recommendations for the Department of Health and Human Services, the agenda calls for the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its 24-year-old approval of the widely used abortion pill mifepristone. Other proposed actions targeting medication abortion include reinstating more stringent rules for mifepristone's use, which would permit it to be taken up to seven weeks into a pregnancy, instead of the current 10 weeks, and requiring it to be dispensed in-person instead of through the mail.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that is on the Project 2025 advisory board, was involved in a legal challenge to mifepristone's 2000 approval and more recent actions from the FDA that made it easier to obtain. But the Supreme Court rejected the case brought by a group of anti-abortion rights doctors and medical associations on procedural grounds.

The policy book also recommends the Justice Department enforce the Comstock Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills. That 1873 law prohibits drugs, medicines or instruments used in abortions from being sent through the mail.

Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade , the volume states that the Justice Department "in the next conservative administration should therefore announce its intent to enforce federal law against providers and distributors of such pills."

The guide recommends the next secretary of Health and Human Services get rid of the Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force established by the Biden administration before Roe's reversal and create a "pro-life task force to ensure that all of the department's divisions seek to use their authority to promote the life and health of women and their unborn children."

In a section titled "The Family Agenda," the proposal recommends the Health and Human Services chief "proudly state that men and women are biological realities," and that "married men and women are the ideal, natural family structure because all children have a right to be raised by the men and women who conceived them."

Further, a program within the Health and Human Services Department should "maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family."

During his first four years in office, Trump banned transgender people from serving in the military. Mr. Biden reversed that policy , but the Project 2025 policy book calls for the ban to be reinstated.

Targeting federal agencies, employees and policies

The agenda takes aim at longstanding federal agencies, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The agency is a component of the Commerce Department and the policy guide calls for it to be downsized. 

NOAA's six offices, including the National Weather Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, "form a colossal operation that has become one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity," the guide states. 

The Department of Homeland Security, established in 2002, should be dismantled and its agencies either combined with others, or moved under the purview of other departments altogether, the policy book states. For example, immigration-related entities from the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Health and Human Services should form a standalone, Cabinet-level border and immigration agency staffed by more than 100,000 employees, according to the agenda.

If the policy recommendations are implemented, another federal agency that could come under the knife by the next administration, with action from Congress, is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The agenda seeks to bring a push by conservatives to target diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in higher education to the executive branch by wiping away a slew of DEI-related positions, policies and programs and calling for the elimination of funding for partners that promote DEI practices.

It states that U.S. Agency for International Development staff and grantees that "engage in ideological agitation on behalf of the DEI agenda" should be terminated. At the Treasury Department, the guide says the next administration should "treat the participation in any critical race theory or DEI initiative without objecting on constitutional or moral grounds, as per se grounds for termination of employment."

The Project 2025 policy book also takes aim at more innocuous functions of government. It calls for the next presidential administration to eliminate or reform the dietary guidelines that have been published by the Department of Agriculture for more than 40 years, which the authors claim have been "infiltrated" by issues like climate change and sustainability.

Immigration

Trump made immigration a cornerstone of his last two presidential runs and has continued to hammer the issue during his 2024 campaign. Project 2025's agenda not only recommends finishing the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but urges the next administration to "take a creative and aggressive approach" to responding to drug cartels at the border. This approach includes using active-duty military personnel and the National Guard to help with arrest operations along the southern border.

A memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement that prohibits enforcement actions from taking place at "sensitive" places like schools, playgrounds and churches should be rolled back, the policy guide states. 

When the Homeland Security secretary determines there is an "actual or anticipated mass migration of aliens" that presents "urgent circumstances" warranting a federal response, the agenda says the secretary can make rules and regulations, including through their expulsion, for as long as necessary. These rules, the guide states, aren't subject to the Administration Procedure Act, which governs the agency rule-making process.

What do Trump and his advisers say about Project 2025?

In a post to his social media platform on July 5, Trump wrote , "I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them."

Trump's pushback to the initiative came after Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said in a podcast interview that the nation is "in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be."

The former president continued to disavow the initiative this week, writing in another social media post  that he knows nothing about Project 2025.

"I have not seen it, have no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it," Trump wrote. "The Radical Left Democrats are having a field day, however, trying to hook me into whatever policies are stated or said. It is pure disinformation on their part. By now, after all of these years, everyone knows where I stand on EVERYTHING!"

While the former president said he doesn't know who is in charge of the initiative, the project's director, Dans, and associate director, Chretien, were high-ranking officials in his administration. Additionally, Ben Carson, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Trump; John Ratcliffe, former director of National Intelligence in the Trump administration; and Peter Navarro, who served as a top trade adviser to Trump in the White House, are listed as either authors or contributors to the policy agenda.

Still, even before Roberts' comments during "The War Room" podcast — typically hosted by conservative commentator Steve Bannon, who reported to federal prison to begin serving a four-month sentence last week — Trump's top campaign advisers have stressed that Project 2025 has no official ties to his reelection bid.

Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, senior advisers to the Trump campaign, said in a November statement that 2024 policy announcements will be made by Trump or his campaign team.

"Any personnel lists, policy agendas, or government plans published anywhere are merely suggestions," they said.

While the efforts by outside organizations are "appreciated," Wiles and LaCivita said, "none of these groups or individuals speak for President Trump or his campaign."

In response to Trump's post last week, Project 2025 reiterated that it was separate from the Trump campaign.

"As we've been saying for more than two years now, Project 2025 does not speak for any candidate or campaign. We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy & personnel recommendations for the next conservative president. But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement," a statement on the project's X account said.

The initiative has also pushed back on Democrats' claims about its policy proposals and accused them of lying about what the agenda contains.

What do Democrats say?

Despite their attempts to keep some distance from Project 2025, Democrats continue to connect Trump with the transition effort. The Biden-Harris campaign frequently posts about the project on X, tying it to a second Trump term.

Mr. Biden himself accused his Republican opponent of lying about his connections to the Project 2025 agenda, saying in a statement that the agenda was written for Trump and "should scare every single American." He claimed on his campaign social media account  Wednesday that Project 2025 "will destroy America."

Congressional Democrats have also begun pivoting to Project 2025 when asked in interviews about Mr. Biden's fitness for a second term following his lackluster showing at the June 27 debate, the first in which he went head-to-head with Trump.

"Trump is all about Project 2025," Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman told CNN on Monday. "I mean, that's what we really should be voting on right now. It's like, do we want the kind of president that is all about Project '25?"

Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, one of Mr. Biden's closest allies on Capitol Hill, told reporters Monday that the agenda for the next Republican president was the sole topic he would talk about.

"Project 2025, that's my only concern," he said. "I don't want you or my granddaughter to live under that government."

In a statement reiterating her support for Mr. Biden, Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida called Project 2025 "MAGA Republicans' draconian 920-page plan to end U.S. democracy, give handouts to the wealthy and strip Americans of their freedoms."

What are Republicans saying about Project 2025?

Two GOP senators under consideration to serve as Trump's running mate sought to put space between the White House hopeful and Project 2025, casting it as merely the product of a think tank that puts forth ideas.

"It's the work of a think tank, of a center-right think tank, and that's what think tanks do," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday.

He said Trump's message to voters focuses on "restoring common sense, working-class values, and making our decisions on the basis of that."

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance raised a similar sentiment in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," saying organizations will have good ideas and bad ideas.

"It's a 900-page document," he said Sunday. "I guarantee there are things that Trump likes and dislikes about that 900-page document. But he is the person who will determine the agenda of the next administration."

Jaala Brown contributed to this report.

Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts.

More from CBS News

RNC Day 3: What to expect from the convention after the GOP's show of unity

Biden, DNC resume campaigning after Trump assassination attempt

Biden considering proposals to reform Supreme Court

2024 RNC begins on heels of assassination attempt. Here's what to know.

Zhukovsky International Airport

Zhukovsky International Airport, formerly known as Ramenskoye Airport or Zhukovsky Airfield - international airport, located in Moscow Oblast, Russia 36 km southeast of central Moscow, in the town of Zhukovsky, a few kilometers southeast of the old Bykovo Airport. After its reconstruction in 2014–2016, Zhukovsky International Airport was officially opened on 30 May 2016. The declared capacity of the new airport was 4 million passengers per year.

Sygic Travel - A Travel Guide in Your Pocket

More interesting places

• Privacy Policy
• STOCK 360° TRAVEL VIDEOS

Morning Rundown: Trump's ex-rivals fall in line, melting ice slows Earth's rotation, and see the Olympic uniforms winning gold online

Rooftop where gunman shot at Trump was identified as a security vulnerability before rally: sources

The rooftop where a gunman shot at former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally was identified by the Secret Service as a potential vulnerability in the days before the event, two sources familiar with the agency’s operations told NBC News.

The building, owned by a glass research company, is adjacent to the Butler Farm Show, an outdoor venue in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service was aware of the risks associated with it, the sources said.

“Someone should have been on the roof or securing the building so no one could get on the roof,” said one of the sources, a former senior Secret Service agent who was familiar with the planning. 

Understanding how the gunman got onto the roof — despite those concerns — is a central question for investigators scrutinizing how a lone attacker managed to shoot at Trump during Saturday’s campaign event.

The Secret Service worked with local law enforcement to maintain event security, including sniper teams poised on rooftops to identify and eliminate threats, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. But no officers were posted on the building used by the would-be assassin, outside the event’s security perimeter but only about 148 yards from the stage — within range of a semiautomatic rifle like the one the gunman was carrying.

The Secret Service had designated that rooftop as being under the jurisdiction of local law enforcement, a common practice in securing outdoor rallies, Guglielmi said.Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said his office maintains an Emergency Services Unit team, which deployed four sniper teams and four “quick response teams” at the rally. But he said the Secret Service agents were in charge of security outside the venue. 

“They had meetings in the week prior. The Secret Service ran the show. They were the ones who designated who did what,” Goldinger said. “In the command hierarchy, they were top, they were No. 1.”

Goldinger said the commander of the Emergency Services Unit told him it was not responsible for securing areas outside the venue. “To me, the whole thing is under the jurisdiction of the Secret Service. And they will delineate from there,” he said.

The former senior Secret Service agent also said that even if local law enforcement “did drop the ball,” it’s still the agency’s responsibility “to ensure that they are following through either beforehand or in the moment.”

“Just because it is outside of the perimeter, it doesn’t take it out of play for a vulnerability, and you’ve got to mitigate it in some fashion,” the source added.

A volley of shots rang out minutes into Trump’s speech. He reached for his right ear — he said later it was pierced by a bullet — then dropped to the ground as Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. Trump emerged with blood on his ear and his face. One attendee was killed , and two others were injured.Witnesses listening to Trump’s speech from outside the event’s security perimeter recalled pointing out the gunman to law enforcement a couple of minutes before the shooting began. After the gunfire started, Secret Service personnel shot and killed the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks .

The clamor over the Secret Service’s biggest failure since the shooting of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 is coming from both political parties, from former agents and from security experts.

“My question is: How did he get onto that roof undetected?” said Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent who worked on protective details for presidential candidates, including John Kerry in 2004.

The Secret Service’s work on campaign events like Saturday’s begins with advance planning, setting up a security perimeter and positioning teams on the ground and on rooftops — often in partnership with local law enforcement. The ground deployments include a counterassault team, and the rooftop personnel include counter-sniper teams.

Guglielmi, the Secret Service spokesman, said the agency had two of its counterassault agents at the event and filled out the rest of the platoon with at least six officers from Butler County tactical units. The Secret Service also deployed two counter-sniper teams. Two other security units needed for the event were staffed by local law enforcement agencies, Guglielmi said. Those details were first reported by The Washington Post.Investigators will want to examine the Secret Service’s site security plan for the rally, said Cangelosi, the former Secret Service agent. He expects they’ll discover one of two things: Either officials failed to make an effective plan for keeping potential shooters off the building Crooks fired from, or officers on the ground failed to execute the plan.

“I don’t like making any assumptions, but it does look like some mistakes were made, that this was preventable,” said Cangelosi, now a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.

Although it’s common to task local law enforcement agencies with patrolling outside an event’s security perimeter, Cangelosi said, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that all vulnerabilities are covered rests with the Secret Service.

If officials had placed an officer on the building where the gunman fired from, Cangelosi said, chances are he “wouldn’t even attempt what he attempted.”

“You don’t surrender the discretion of what’s supposed to be done to the local police,” he said. “In other words, you guys have the outer perimeter, but you would want to say, ‘We need an officer on that roof.’ Not ‘that’s your responsibility; do what you see fit.’”

Jim Cavanaugh, a retired special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who has worked on Secret Service details, told NBC News that while the Secret Service did a good job taking out the gunman after shots began, the failure to post officers on the building he scaled was “a tremendous lapse.”

“The only way to stop that is you have a lot of people, you get there first, and you command the high ground,” Cavanaugh said. “This is basic, and the Secret Service has done it for years successfully, so I’m really surprised that they did not have that high ground covered.”

The questions extended to Congress, where members demanded answers from the Secret Service and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security.“This raises serious concerns regarding how a shooter was able to access a rooftop within range and direct line of sight of where President Trump was speaking,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Green asked Mayorkas to provide documentation relating to the event’s security plan, the screening of attendees and the level of resources provided to Trump’s Secret Service detail. A committee spokesperson told NBC News that Republican members would hold a briefing with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday “to voice their concerns and ask pressing questions.”

Another lawmaker, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote Cheatle asking who approved the security plan, whether a proper threat assessment was conducted, whether attendees raised alarms and whether there were failures in following protocols that allowed the attack to happen.

“I call on all those responsible for the planning, approving, and executing of this failed security plan to be held accountable and to testify before Congress immediately,” Gallego wrote in a letter to Cheatle .

Robert McDonald, a former Secret Service agent who ran protection for Joe Biden when he was vice president, told NBC News that he believes the assassination attempt will prompt soul-searching and procedural changes at the agency.

“The Secret Service is going to need to ask some hard questions of itself here and be prepared to stand up and represent why, what happened,” McDonald said.

Cangelosi, the former Secret Service agent, said investigators are also likely to ask when agents identified Crooks as a potential threat, how they reacted and whether it’s possible they could have taken him down before he fired at Trump.Secret Service snipers are trained to make rapid decisions, he said. But it’s possible that if they noticed Crooks on the roof but couldn’t tell whether he had a rifle, agents might have waited to fire on him.

“If the sniper can’t tell whether he has a gun, he or she is not going to take the shot,” Cangelosi said. “Because God forbid it’s a child who’s just excited to see a political candidate, right? So you want to make sure that there’s actually a threat.”

If there was uncertainty, Cangelosi said, it’s possible the sniper team would have dispatched officers to investigate and confirm. But investigating a potential threat can take minutes, he said, while a gunman with a semiautomatic rifle can fire several shots in a matter of seconds.

That’s why, Cangelosi said, the best defense would have been to plan ahead to keep the shooter off the roof in the first place.

“Who wants to be in that position?” he said of the snipers protecting Trump on Saturday. “You’ve got to make a split-second call. And imagine if you’re wrong.”

Sarah Fitzpatrick is a senior investigative producer and story editor for NBC News. She previously worked for CBS News and "60 Minutes." 

Julia Ainsley is the homeland security correspondent for NBC News and covers the Department of Homeland Security for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Mike Hixenbaugh is a senior investigative reporter for NBC News, based in Maryland, and author of "They Came for the Schools."

Andrea Mitchell is chief Washington correspondent and chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News.

Jon Schuppe is an enterprise reporter for NBC News, based in New York.