FUNDING DILEMMAS: TOWARD SUSTAINABLE AND CREATIVE FINANCING IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY PROGRAMS

Child development laboratory programs relying heavily on department and university funding can face unique economic challenges due to the constant shifts in academic resources. Many programs have faced elimination during times of financial crisis at their institutions. The purpose of this chapter is to present a variety of creative financing strategies for child development lab schools to address these economic challenges. The focus is on strategies that bring financial stability to programs and lessen the reliance on university funds for viability. It is equally important for lab schools to be highly integrated with the mission of their institution to prevent funding dilemmas. For many administrators this means addressing the research, teaching and service missions of their programs. A case study of one child development laboratory school faced with elimination will also be presented.