As a recently retired NJROTC instructor, I was always hitting up the local businesses for contributions to the program, like gun shops donating pellets and targets for the marksmanship team. Why not hit up the local flying club and/or hobby store to pony up? Try a raffle-purchase (or have donated) a kit, engine, radio, arf, whatever to the unit and then have it raffled off at the flying club meeting? Take the proceeds and buy your complete trainer system.