A local group that wants to pay for student field trips, after they were cut by the district now knows how much money it needs to raise.

Former school board member Bruce King says the groups wants to raise $75,000 to fund field trips in the Eau Claire School District.

He says the group is setting up an independent bank account and bylaws so it can start raising the funds.

He says the goal is to raise all the money by September.

The field trips were cut by the district which is facing a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.

"This was one area we felt was too important for their education that we didn't want to see go. We're hoping that it'll spark a new attitude of cooperation in the community to get behind adequately funding our schools for the kids in our community,” says Eau Clare School Board member Wendy Sue Johnson

Johnson says the group has talked about several ideas of events to raise the money, which includes organizing a 5K run/walk.