Marketing Your School Facilities: How to Attract Community Rentals

Great Spaces Need Great Promotion

Your school has a beautiful theater, a spacious gym, or a newly renovated multi-purpose room. You’ve got your rental policy in place, maybe even software to manage requests. But there's one problem: people don't know they can rent your space.

It’s not enough to have a great facility. To increase usage and generate non-tax revenue, you need a plan to promote school facility rentals effectively to your community.

In this article, we'll share 7 practical strategies to market your school facilities and increase rental inquiries—whether you're a small private school or a large public district.

1. Create a Dedicated Rentals Page with Photos & Details

The #1 rule of digital marketing? Make it easy to find the info.

Build a dedicated rentals page on your school website (or your Subler public portal) with:

2. Highlight Unique Venues for Special Events

Think beyond classrooms. Schools often have hidden gems that are perfect for community use:

Marketing Insight: When you highlight your most unique spaces with visuals and stories, you attract a broader range of renters—like local businesses, churches, or arts groups.

3. Leverage Social Media to Tell Rental Success Stories

Social platforms are powerful tools for community outreach for school rentals.

Try posting:

And don't forget to tag local organizations or repost their content when they rent your space—it builds goodwill and extends your reach.

4. Partner with Local Organizations & Influencers

Reach out to:

These organizations often need affordable, accessible venues—and will be your biggest repeat customers.

Pro Tip: Offer preferred pricing or early booking access to community partners to incentivize loyalty and word-of-mouth promotion.

5. List Your Facilities on Local Event & Venue Directories

Boost visibility by listing your spaces on:

Think of it like real estate marketing—the more visibility, the more inquiries.

6. Use Email Newsletters to Promote Availability

If your district or school sends out email updates, add a recurring section like:

“Did you know our gym, theater, and library are available for community use? Learn more or book now [insert link].”

Also consider emailing targeted audiences—like PTA groups or youth organizations—when you have available weekend dates or underused facilities.

7. Tailor Messaging to Community Needs

Successful marketing is all about empathy.

Make sure your messaging speaks to what renters care about:

When your communications reflect how your school can solve their problems, rentals follow naturally.

The Opportunity Is There—You Just Have to Market It

Across the country, schools are discovering that opening their facilities to the public isn’t just a financial win—it’s a way to build stronger community bonds.

But if people don’t know the spaces are available, usage (and revenue) will always lag behind potential.

With a few strategic marketing moves—from polished web pages to smart partnerships—you can increase facility rental inquiries and become a go-to venue in your area.

Want Help Promoting Your Rentals?

Subler makes it easy with:

Great Spaces Need Great Promotion

Your school has a beautiful theater, a spacious gym, or a newly renovated multi-purpose room. You’ve got your rental policy in place, maybe even software to manage requests. But there's one problem: people don't know they can rent your space.

It’s not enough to have a great facility. To increase usage and generate non-tax revenue, you need a plan to promote school facility rentals effectively to your community.

In this article, we'll share 7 practical strategies to market your school facilities and increase rental inquiries—whether you're a small private school or a large public district.

1. Create a Dedicated Rentals Page with Photos & Details

The #1 rule of digital marketing? Make it easy to find the info.

Build a dedicated rentals page on your school website (or your Subler public portal) with:

High-quality photos of available spaces

Clear descriptions (capacity, amenities, pricing)

Booking instructions or direct request links

A downloadable PDF brochure (for groups that prefer offline planning)

2. Highlight Unique Venues for Special Events

Think beyond classrooms. Schools often have hidden gems that are perfect for community use:

Auditoriums for recitals or speaker series

Stadiums for tournaments or film shoots

Kitchens for culinary clubs or pop-ups

Marketing Insight: When you highlight your most unique spaces with visuals and stories, you attract a broader range of renters—like local businesses, churches, or arts groups.

3. Leverage Social Media to Tell Rental Success Stories

Social platforms are powerful tools for community outreach for school rentals.

Try posting:

Event highlights (“Last weekend’s youth concert at Lincoln High was a hit!”)

Behind-the-scenes setup photos

Testimonials from happy renters

Reels showing your space before/during an event

And don't forget to tag local organizations or repost their content when they rent your space—it builds goodwill and extends your reach.

4. Partner with Local Organizations & Influencers

Reach out to:

Youth sports leagues

Cultural nonprofits

Small business groups

Churches without permanent spaces

These organizations often need affordable, accessible venues—and will be your biggest repeat customers.

Pro Tip: Offer preferred pricing or early booking access to community partners to incentivize loyalty and word-of-mouth promotion.

5. List Your Facilities on Local Event & Venue Directories

Boost visibility by listing your spaces on:

Local chamber of commerce sites

Event platforms like Subler

Municipal bulletin boards or Facebook community groups

Think of it like real estate marketing—the more visibility, the more inquiries.

6. Use Email Newsletters to Promote Availability

If your district or school sends out email updates, add a recurring section like:

“Did you know our gym, theater, and library are available for community use? Learn more or book now [insert link].”

Also consider emailing targeted audiences—like PTA groups or youth organizations—when you have available weekend dates or underused facilities.

7. Tailor Messaging to Community Needs

Successful marketing is all about empathy.

Make sure your messaging speaks to what renters care about:

Affordable, local alternatives to expensive private venues

Convenience and ample parking

Safe, family-friendly environments

Built-in amenities (Wi-Fi, audio systems, tables/chairs)

When your communications reflect how your school can solve their problems, rentals follow naturally.

The Opportunity Is There—You Just Have to Market It

Across the country, schools are discovering that opening their facilities to the public isn’t just a financial win—it’s a way to build stronger community bonds.

But if people don’t know the spaces are available, usage (and revenue) will always lag behind potential.

With a few strategic marketing moves—from polished web pages to smart partnerships—you can increase facility rental inquiries and become a go-to venue in your area.

Want Help Promoting Your Rentals?

Subler makes it easy with:

A branded public booking portal

Photo galleries and descriptions

Built-in tools for community engagement

Comments