Sliding Scale
What is a sliding scale and how do I know what to pay?
The Folk School believes everyone should have access to our programs, regardless of financial circumstances. We use sliding scale pricing so more people can participate at a cost that matches their circumstances, while sustaining our programs long-term.
We trust you to choose the tier that reflects your current financial situation, no questions asked. When everyone chooses thoughtfully, our entire community benefits. The Folk School funding comes from a variety of sources, including tuition, grants, and donations, so that instructors are always paid in full.
We offer four tiers for tuition. In Sawyer, classes are listed at the Community Supported price. When you register for a class, you can use coupon code extra-support-2026 to select the Extra Support tier OR you can select True Cost or Pay-It-Forward from Additional Options.
| True Cost | What it actually costs to offer this program and sustain The Folk School. If you don’t worry about finances month-to-month, this is for you! |
| Community Supported | (Previously the “suggested price”) Made possible by grants and community support. If paying more would cause hardship, this is for you! |
| Extra Support | Discounted rate; provided for those facing significant financial barriers to participation. You belong at the Folk School! |
| Pay-It-Forward | Pays for your participation and supports others who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate. Thank you for sharing the joy! |
If you need further financial support to attend, please see our Scholarships page. Not all sliding scale options may be available for all classes, and some may only have a limited number of seats available at each tier. This is a work in progress and we welcome your feedback as we continue to develop a system that best serves our community and sustains The Folk School!
