There are a lot of school fundraising ideas to choose from, which makes it hard to choose the right one, or one that will actually generate income for your district. To save you from having to search for ideas, we did the research for you. We drew on our decades of experience, where we’ve worked with thousands of schools, to find some of the top-performing fundraisers that help districts grow revenue for key programs.
To help you sort through the list, we created a table separating the ideas by category. We also provided additional ideas by linking to how-tos and other fundraising ideas for schools. Read on to find the perfect idea for your school or district!
Table of Contents
- Elementary School Fundraising Ideas
- Middle School Fundraising Ideas
- Fundraiser Ideas for High School
- Fundraisers for Athletics
- Fundraisers for Arts Programs
- Fall Fundraiser Ideas for Schools
- Valentine's Day Fundraising Ideas for Schools
- Holiday Fundraisers for Schools
- Online School Fundraiser Ideas
- Create an Online School Store
Elementary School Fundraising Ideas
Fundraisers for elementary schools are a great way to pay for extracurricular activities. They also help foster a sense of school spirit from the oldest to the youngest students because they get to give back to their schools in a tangible way. School fundraising ideas that even the youngest students can get involved in can be a challenge to think of, but there are plenty out there. Keep reading to learn about the school fundraising ideas that you can set up easily.
1. Partner with a School Fundraising Company
Many companies specifically partner with schools to help them raise funds. This one can be a challenge for kids who don't have many family members; however, it's a classic elementary school fundraiser. Kids take a catalog and sell items like wrapping paper, candles, food, cookie dough and more.
Once the fundraiser ends, orders are placed and the items are delivered to the customers. Many parents often feel they end up doing most of the work as they take the catalog to work. However, this type of fundraiser requires less planning than some others and there won’t be leftover products that weren’t sold.
2. Plan a Read-a-Thon
A love of reading can help your students be successful throughout their education. If you want to help your students practice their reading skills and raise money, consider planning a read-a-thon.
This is like a marathon, but instead of running, students spend time reading. The best way to do this is by having students track their reading time. For example, they read for 15 or 30 minutes and track their time.
This ensures that fast readers don't get an advantage and slower readers don't feel left out. Have your students get family members and friends to sponsor them in the read-a-thon. For every 15 or 30 minutes the student spends reading outside of school, they'll donate a certain amount of money.
3. Bottle or Can Drive
Only 10 states currently have bottle deposits. However, if you live in one of those states, this is a great opportunity for a fundraiser. If you don’t, many states have recycling centers that will take bottles or cans and pay by the pound rather than by the redeemable item.
States with redemption include:
- California
- Oregon
- Hawaii
- Connecticut
- Iowa
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
- Vermont
If you don't live in one of these states, you can still have a can drive. Not only will this fundraiser help raise money, it's an eco-friendly school fundraiser idea.
You need to do some advance planning for this event to give people time to collect cans and bottles.
There are two ways you can do this event. First, you can set up receptacles around the school where students can drop off bottles and cans all year long.
Second, if you don't want to worry about finding space to store bottles and cans until you return them, plan an event. This can be a barbeque, picnic, or potluck.
Ask everyone to bring a dish to share and as many bottles and cans as they can to donate. Have some men on hand with trucks to take the bottles and cans to your local recycling center.
4. Book Fairs
Book fairs are a great way to raise money, making them one of the best school fundraising ideas. They are relatively easy to organize and can be a lot of fun for students and parents alike. Plus, they offer a great opportunity to get the community involved in supporting the school.
Book fairs typically involve setting up tables with books for sale in the school gym or auditorium. Students and parents can browse the selection and purchase books they like. The school usually receives a percentage of the sales, so it's a great way to earn some extra money.
Another benefit of book fairs is that they promote literacy and a love of reading. Students who participate in book fairs often become more enthusiastic about reading, which is great for their academic success.
If you're looking for an elementary school fundraiser that is both effective and enjoyable, a book fair is a great option.
5. Family Sports Day
A family sports day is a great way to get the whole community involved in raising money for your school. This can be done by setting up a series of fun and competitive games that everyone can participate in.
Families can pledge to donate a certain amount of money for every game their child participates in. This is a great way to get people moving and having fun while also raising money for a good cause.
6. Greeting Card Fundraiser
Selling greeting cards is a great school fundraising idea. You can sell them online or in stores. You can also sell them at craft fairs or other events.
There are many different ways to design your own greeting cards. You can use online tools, or you can design them yourself. If you are selling them in stores, you will need to have professional-looking cards.
You can also sell premade greeting cards. There are many companies that sell greeting cards for schools. You can find these companies online or in magazines that cater to school fundraisers.
However, having the children design greeting cards is a great way to get them involved.
7. Coin War Fundraiser
A coin war fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your school. It's simple to set up and can be a lot of fun for the participants.
Here's how it works: each student collects coins from their home and brings them to school. They put their coins into a jar labeled with their name. At the end of the day, the jars are collected and the coins are counted. The student with the most coins in their jar wins a prize.
To make it more fun, you can divide the students into teams. The team with the most coins at the end of the day wins a prize as well.
This fundraiser can get students excited about raising money for their school.
8. Pizza Party Fundraiser
Who doesn't love a good pizza party? This fundraising idea for schools is easy to put together and quite tasty.
You need to find a good pizza place that will give you a good deal on pizzas. You can either call around to different places or search online for deals. Once you find a place, you need to order enough pizzas for everyone who is coming to the fundraiser.
You may want to consider polling participants on their favorite type of pizza before ordering. Around 64 percent of Americans list pepperoni as their favorite topping.
9. Pajama Day
Pajama day is a great school fundraising idea that really works! It is simple to set up and can be done in one day. All you need to do is collect donations from students and staff members.
Then, hold a pajama day at your school, where everyone wears their pajamas all day long! This is a fun way to raise money for your school and get everyone involved.
10. Raffles
Raffles are easy to set up and can be a lot of fun for everyone involved. Here are a few tips for setting up a successful raffle:
First, you will need to find some prizes. Prizes can be donated by local businesses or individuals. You can also ask for donations of gift cards or other items that can be given away as prizes.
Next, you will need to sell tickets. Tickets can be sold online, through mail order, or in person. Selling tickets in person is often the most successful way to sell them. You can set up a table at school events or in the community.
Finally, you will need to hold the raffle. The raffle can be held at a school event or on social media. Be sure to promote the raffle ahead of time so people know when and where it will be held.
11. Spelling Bee
Hosting a spelling bee is a fantastic elementary school fundraiser that encourages young students to develop their vocabulary skills. Your elementary school can organize a spelling bee and allow students interested in language to compete in a healthy environment under pressure.
While there might be a competitive element to spelling bees, these events can help students improve communication and public speaking skills. These skills will benefit children later in their education and throughout their lives. You can charge parents a small fee to attend this event at your school hall or another venue and award a prize to the winner of the competition.
12. Lemonade Stand
Setting up a lemonade stand outside your elementary school can help you generate money and teach younger students the basics of entrepreneurship. Students can sell lemonade to parents at pickup time and collect funds for your school. Don't forget to place leaflets on your stand explaining school fundraising ideas and how you collect and spend donations.
Ask a local store if they are willing to provide the supplies for your lemonade stand for free or at a reduced cost. You will need pitchers, cups, straws, napkins and, of course, lemonade!
13. Superhero Day
Many elementary school students are fascinated by the superheroes in Marvel movies and DC comic books. So why not host a special day where students can dress up as their favorite characters at school? You can ask parents to pay a fee for this event and use donations to cover the costs of a school project.
Fundraising ideas for schools like this one can encourage creative thinking and socialization between students. You can also award a prize to the person with the most imaginative costume and post images on your website.
You can also substitute Disney characters or sports teams for superheroes.
Middle School Fundraising Ideas
Middle schools are perfect for some of the best school fundraising ideas. Kids are getting older, which opens up a lot of options.
14. Bake Sales
Bake sales are a tried-and-true method for raising money for schools. They are easy to set up and can be run by students, parents or teachers.
Bake sales are usually very successful because people love to buy delicious baked goods. And because the profits go to a good cause, people are often willing to pay a little extra for their treats.
To make your bake sale even more successful, try to have a variety of items for sale. This way, there will be something for everyone. Offer both sweet and savory items, as well as gluten-free and vegan options.
Don't forget to advertise your bake sale! Put up flyers around school and in the community. You can also promote it on social media. Be sure to let people know where the proceeds from the sale will be going.
Finally, make sure you have enough volunteers to help run the sale. This includes people baking the goods, setting up the table and taking payments. With a little planning, your bake sale will be a success!
15. Spirit Week
For spirit week, students and staff can dress up in their school colors or team jerseys to show off their school spirit. This can be done for a whole week or just one day.
Having a series of fun days like hat day, pajama day, crazy hair day and other events can make the event enjoyable for the whole school. Have students and staff donate a dollar for the fun of being able to dress up.
Schools can also hold competitions between classes or grades to see who has the most school spirit. This is a great way to get everyone involved and excited about raising money for their school. Whether you have a physical or online store to sell merchandise, you can also use spirit fundraisers to promote school spirit wear. By pairing spirit fundraising events with their store merchandise, particularly apparel, districts across the country have boosted revenue.
16. Restaurant Fundraiser
One great way to raise funds for your school is to hold a restaurant fundraiser. This can be done by partnering with a local restaurant.
Restaurants like Chick-Fil-A or Panda Express will work with you to set up an event where a percentage of the proceeds go to your school.
17. Rubber Ducky Regatta
This is a great middle school fundraising idea that are near bodies of water. Students can decorate their own rubber duckies and race them down a river or stream. The winning team gets a prize and all of the proceeds go to the school.
18. Hay Rides
Hayrides can be held in the fall, winter, or spring. Hayrides can be combined with other activities, such as pumpkin picking, a corn maze or apple picking. Hayrides typically last around 30 minutes.
If you live in a farming community, you might be able to find local farmers who are willing to donate their time. You can also call farms in the surrounding areas that already offer hayrides and talk to them about organizing a fundraiser.
19. Used Book Sale
A used book sale is a great way to raise funds for your school. You can collect donations of used books from parents, students and community members.
Then, you can sell the books at a discounted price. This is a great way to get rid of unwanted books and raise money for your school at the same time.
20. Dog Wash
With a dog wash, you can raise money and wash and pamper some of your community's furry friends.
To set up a dog wash, you'll need to find a location with access to water. A school parking lot or a park would both be good options.
Once you've found a location, set up a couple of tables or tents and place some basins of water on them. You'll also need to have some towels and shampoo on hand.
To actually wash the dogs, have one person hold the dog while another person washes it. Be sure to use a gentle shampoo that won't irritate the dog's skin. Once the dog is clean, wrap them in a towel and let them shake off the excess water.
21. Penny Drive
A penny drive is a great school fundraising idea because it is easy to set up and it doesn't require much effort from students. All you need to do is set up a box where students can drop their pennies. You can also have students collect pennies from their families and friends.
Penny drives are popular, so you will likely get a lot of donations — people are always looking for ways to get rid of their spare change. So, a penny drive is a win-win for everyone involved!
22. Pie in the Face
One popular school fundraising idea is the pie-in-the-face fundraiser. This involves students or staff members volunteering to have a pie thrown in their faces. People can pay to throw a pie and all of the money goes to the school.
23. Cooking Class
Cooking classes are one of the best fundraising ideas for schools. You can charge a fee for these events to cover the cost of ingredients and food preparation items and generate funds for your middle school.
Students receive multiple benefits when taking part in cooking classes. These events can boost self-confidence, increase awareness of foods and cooking methods from other cultures and help students appreciate the culinary arts. You can pick a different meal to cook every week — get creative! — and create a regular income stream for your school.
Host your cooking classes during school time or after school.
24. Obstacle Course Fundraiser
Like a sports fundraiser, an obstacle course event can involve the whole community in raising money for your middle school. You can organize an event that includes obstacles students, parents and community members can climb over, crawl under and run through and create a day that everyone will remember.
Obstacle courses are both fun and promote body power and balance. Students might develop a passion for endurance events and experience a sense of achievement after completing your course. Charge parents a small fee for attending this event and take lots of photos for your school website and social media pages. That can increase awareness of your school fundraising ideas and encourage more donations from the community.
25. Time Capsule
Why not create a time capsule and bury it underground in an outdoor area of your school property? Parents can pay to include a message from their child in the time capsule and participate in this unique event. Alternatively, children can place personal items in the capsule like favorite photos, fashion accessories, paintings, or newspaper clippings that have significance.
Place your capsule in a location below ground level not exposed to temperature fluctuations. Then make sure nobody opens your capsule for a specific period — 5, 10 or even 50 years from now.
You might want to invite the local media to attend the burial of your time capsule and increase awareness of your school fundraising ideas. Local audiences might see your middle school featured on the news and donate additional funds that support school projects.
26. Karaoke Event
A karaoke event is another one of those middle school fundraising ideas that students will love. You can charge a fee for this event and use the money to support school activities. All you need is a karaoke machine and a projector! You can project YouTube lyric videos onto a screen and increase students' self-confidence and performance abilities.
Make your karaoke event even more exciting by selecting three or four students to be judges. Similar to TV shows like "American Idol" and "The Voice," judges can give their opinions about other students' vocals, song choices and stage presence. The judges can even choose an outright winner of your karaoke competition.
Fundraiser Ideas for High School
When looking at fundraising ideas for schools, you need to consider the age of the students. High school is a great time because students are more independent and can be fully involved.
27. Car Washes
Car washes are a great way to raise money for schools. They are relatively easy to set up and can be run by students, parents or staff. Car washes usually require a small amount of up-front investment, but they can be very profitable.
Car washes typically charge by the car, so the more cars that come through, the more money the school will make. To attract customers, schools can advertise their car wash on social media, in local newspapers or on flyers around town. Offering a discount for prepaid car wash packages is also a great way to encourage customers to come back.
Car washes are a great way to raise money for schools because they are easy to set up and can be very profitable. By advertising their car washes and offering discounts, schools can attract customers and raise a lot of money.
28. Food Truck Day
Food truck day is a great school fundraising idea. Invite local food trucks to come to your school and set up shop for the day.
Students and staff can buy lunch from the food trucks. The school can keep a percentage of the proceeds from each sale. This is a great way to raise money while also providing a tasty lunch option for students and staff.
You can also invite the community to the school parking lot in the evening for a food truck rally.
Another benefit of food truck day is that it can be used as a marketing opportunity for food trucks. This is a chance for them to get their names and brands out there in the community. It can also help them build relationships with local schools.
29. 50/50 Raffle
To run a 50/50 raffle, you will need to sell tickets for a drawing. The winner of the drawing will receive half of the money that is raised. The other half of the money will go to your school.
You can sell tickets for the drawing at school events or online. You can also set up a table at local businesses and ask people to purchase tickets.
Make sure to promote your 50/50 raffle as much as possible. The more people who know about it, the more likely you are to sell tickets and raise money for your school!
30. Candygram
Candygrams are a great fundraising idea for schools. They are easy to sell and people love buying them. Candygrams typically consist of a small bag of candy and a note.
The note can be customized to say anything you want. For example, you could write a note that says, "Thanks for supporting our school!"
31. Carnation Sale
A carnation sale is another effective fundraiser idea for high school. Carnations are a popular flower and can be sold for a reasonable price. This makes them a great option for people who want to buy flowers for their loved ones.
Carnation sales usually take place in the springtime. This is when carnations are in season and their prices are at their lowest.
To get the best price for your carnations, you should order them from a wholesale florist. You can then sell them to people in your community for a markup.
32. Watch Party
Another fun school fundraising idea is a watch party. You can charge admission to the event and all of the proceeds will go to your school. You can also sell snacks and drinks at the event.
You can also set up a donation jar at the watch party. Guests can donate money to your school and all of the money will go toward your fundraising goal.
Finally, you can sell merchandise at the watch party. This could include t-shirts, hats or other items with your school's logo on them. All of the money from the sales will go toward your school's fundraising goal.
33. Facebook Challenges
Raise money for your school online — challenge people on Facebook to do something fun or silly. For example, you could challenge people to do the ice bucket challenge or to wear their pajamas to school for a day.
You could also challenge people to make a donation to your school in exchange for completing a task. This is a great way to get people involved and excited about raising money for your school. If you’re looking for messages to send to parents or the community, these school fundraising letter templates are a great place to start.
34. Auction
Auctions are great school fundraising ideas. They can be held online or in person. A school can solicit donations from local businesses or individuals.
These donations can be anything from gift certificates to products or services. Then, the school can hold an auction and sell the items to the highest bidder. The money raised can be used to fund school programs or activities.
35. School Carnival
A school carnival is another popular fundraising idea for high schools. You can charge an entry fee, set up game booths and sell food and drinks. A school carnival is a fun event for the whole community.
This one is great for high schoolers because each club can get creative in designing its own booth.
36. Board Game Tournament
A board game tournament is a great way to raise money for your school. You can charge an entry fee for each player and the money can be donated to your school.
To hold a successful board game tournament, you will need to choose a venue and advertise the event. You will also need to find sponsors to help cover the costs of the event. And, of course, you will need to have plenty of board games on hand for the tournament!
37. Engraved Bricks
If you are constructing a new building on school property, generate funds to help pay for the project by charging parents to engrave a brick that will become part of the structure. Engraved bricks can include the name of a student at the school and a brief message. In years to come, future students will learn about the children who attended your school during a particular building's construction.
You might want to charge a couple hundred dollars for each engraved brick and bring in a significant amount of funds. Your new brick wall can also serve as an art piece that you can share in literature when attracting new students to your school. You can invite the local media to your school when the new building construction is finished and explain how students contributed to its design.
38. Trivia Night
A trivia night is one of those school fundraising ideas that doesn't require much preparation. You can invite parents or people from the local community to compete in this challenge and raise money for your high school via an entry fee.
Split visitors into small teams and ask them general knowledge questions about history, politics, sports, entertainment and other topics. (Some of your high school students can come up with questions!) You might want to use a portion of ticket money to hand out as a prize to the team that correctly answers the most questions. Make your trivia night more profitable by selling food and drink at the event.
You can make your trivia night a one-off event or host weekly or monthly competitions as a way to generate funds for your school.
39. Book Club
Regular book club events can generate funds for your school and help students develop a passion for reading. Charge parents a small fee for their children to be part of your monthly or quarterly book club and advertise your event on social media to get more people involved.
The premise of a school book club is simple. These high school fundraising ideas involve a group member choosing a book for the other members to read. After everyone finishes the book, the group will discuss its contents and themes. Book choices can follow a particular subject or genre, such as historical fiction books.
You can host your book club during school time or after school. Post book club choices on your school website and include resources about selected titles that help readers understand complex concepts and symbolism.
40. Babysitting
Babysitting is another way to generate funds for your high school. Older students who are responsible and trustworthy can look after young children while their parents go out an evening. A teacher might need to be present and the "babysitters'" parents will need to give permission for this event to occur. Your school can charge for this service and give a part of the donation to the older student or their parents.
School fundraising ideas like this one can help high school students develop new skills such as patience, listening, problem-solving, communication and empathy. Older students can make a difference in younger students' lives.
Fundraisers for Athletics
A school fundraiser for athletics is the perfect time to help your community get active. There are a lot of sports-related fundraisers to do at your school.
41. Color Run Fundraiser
A color run fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your school. All you need to do is find a local race you can participate in. Many races will donate a portion of the proceeds to your school.
You can also set up a booth at the race and sell items such as t-shirts, water bottles and snacks. This is a great way to raise money and promote your school at the same time.
Another option is to set up a table at the race and collect donations from people who are interested in supporting your school. This is an easy way to collect funds from people who may not be able to participate in the race itself.
Overall, a color run fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your school. It is easy to set up and can be a lot of fun for everyone involved.
42. Walk-a-Thon
For a walk-a-thon, students can collect pledges from family and friends and then walk a set route. This is a great activity for the whole school to participate in.
Walk-a-thons can be held at any time of year. However, they are especially popular in the springtime. This is because people are generally more active in the warmer months. Walk-a-thons can also be held indoors if the weather is not good.
There are many ways to make a walk-a-thon successful. First, it is important to promote the event ahead of time. This can be done through flyers, posters and social media.
Second, it is important to have a good route planned. The route should be safe and easy to follow. Third, it is important to have plenty of water and snacks available for participants. Finally, it is important to have a good prize for the person who raises the most money.
43. Roller-Skating Night
A roller-skating night can help everyone get active and have fun. You can hold the event at your school and have everyone bring their own skates. Charge an entry fee and then all of the money raised can go toward your school.
Or, work with a local skating rink to set up a fundraiser.
44. Bowling Night
Another school fundraising idea is a bowling night. To get started, you'll need to find a bowling alley that is willing to host your event. Once you have a location, you'll need to promote the event.
You can do this by sending out fliers and posting about it on social media. You should also reach out to local businesses and see if they're interested in sponsoring the event.
On the day of the event, set up a table at the entrance of the bowling alley where people can buy tickets. Each ticket should cost around $10. Then, let everyone bowl for 2 hours.
During that time, you can have a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. At the end of the night, count up how much money you've raised.
45. Dance-a-Thon
Students can pledge to dance for a certain amount of time, or they can donate money to sponsor a dancer. The money raised can be used to fund school activities or scholarships.
A dance-a-thon is also a great way to get students involved in their school. It can be a fun and social event that gets everyone moving. And it's a great way to build school spirit.
46. Shoot-a-Thon
A shoot-a-thon is a great way to raise money for your school. It's a competition where people try to shoot as many baskets as they can in a certain amount of time. Prizes can be given out for the most baskets made, the most three-pointers made, or even for the person who raises the most money.
This fundraiser is a great way to get people involved and excited about supporting your school. It's also a great way to get people moving and active!
47. Youth Sports Camp
A youth sports camp is an ambitious school fundraising idea. You can charge a fee for each child to attend the camp. The camp can be held during the summer or on weekends throughout the year.
You will need to find a location for the camp and instructors who are willing to donate their time. The instructors can be current or former athletes, coaches or physical education teachers.
If you're hosting the fundraiser with high schoolers or middle school students, they can also volunteer their time as coaches. They will need to be able to teach various sports, such as basketball, baseball, soccer, football and so on.
You can also sell items at the camp, such as t-shirts, water bottles and so on. All of the proceeds from the camp will go to your school. This is a great way to provide an opportunity for kids to learn about and play sports.
48. Dodgeball Tournament
A dodgeball tournament is a great fundraising idea for schools. It can be a lot of fun for the participants and it can also be a great way to get the community involved.
To hold a dodgeball tournament, you will need to find a venue and recruit teams. You can charge an entry fee for each team and offer prizes for the winning team. You can also sell food and drinks at the event.
49. Coach Challenge
This is a great way to get the entire school involved in fundraising. Have each coach set a fundraising goal for their team. If the students achieve their goal, the coach will have to do something silly, like taking a pie to the face.
50. 10,000-Step Challenge
To do a 10,000-step challenge, each person in your school community pledges to walk or run 10,000 steps each day for a certain period of time. You can set up a donations page where people can sponsor others who are taking part in the challenge.
You can also organize other activities to help people reach their 10,000-step goal. For example, you could have a sponsored walk or run or even a sponsored dance-a-thon!
Fundraisers for Arts Programs
When you're considering school fundraising ideas for the arts, it's the perfect time to immerse your community in the arts. There are many exciting themes you can use for arts fundraisers.
52. Concerts
Concerts are a great way to raise money for schools. They can be held either indoors or outdoors, depending on the size of the school and the number of students. Students can perform in bands, orchestras or choirs.
There are also many professional performers who are willing to give concerts at schools. These concerts can be a great source of revenue for schools.
Concerts can also be used as fundraisers for other causes. For example, many schools raise money for charities by holding benefit concerts.
These concerts usually feature famous performers and attract large audiences. This type of concert can raise a lot of money for a school or charity.
53. Lip Sync Battle
A lip sync battle is a great way to get people involved and raise money for your school. You can charge an entry fee and the proceeds go to your school. To make it even more fun, you can have a prize for the winner of the lip sync battle.
54. Battle of the Bands
A battle of the bands fundraiser is an exciting school fundraising idea. You can charge an entry fee for each band and have the bands compete against each other. The winning band can take home a prize and all of the money raised will go to your school.
To make your battle of the bands fundraiser even more successful, you can partner with a local venue. This will give you a place to hold the event and it will also help to promote it. Make sure to advertise the event well in advance so people have time to plan to attend.
Battle of the bands fundraisers provide a fun evening for everyone involved. With a little planning and promotion, your fundraiser is sure to be a success.
55. Art Show
An art show is a great way to raise money for your school. You can charge an entry fee for people to come and see the artwork on display.
You can also set up a silent auction, where people can bid on the artwork. This is a great way to get people involved and raise money for your school.
Another benefit of an art show is that it can help to promote your school and its programs. People who come to the art show will see the great work that your students are doing. This can help to generate interest in your school and its programs.
56. Talent Show
Let your students show off their talents with a talent show. You can charge an admission fee and sell snacks and drinks at the event.
This is a great way to showcase the talent of your students and get the community involved in your school.
57. Go Caroling
This is a great idea for a school fundraiser because it is easy to do and does not require much planning. All you need is a group of people and some holiday cheer!
You can go door-to-door in your neighborhood or set up a table at a local shopping center. Be sure to collect donations in advance so you can give people a tax-deductible receipt.
58. Family Picture Day
Another school fundraising idea is to have a family picture day. This can be a lot of fun for families and it can also raise a lot of money for your school.
You can either find a photographer who is willing to work at a reduced rate or use students who are budding photographers.
You can charge a fee for each family to have their picture taken. You can also sell prints and digital copies of the pictures. This is a great way to get people to support your school and raise money at the same time.
59. Costume Contest
Use a costume contest to raise money for your school. Parents and students can donate money to enter the contest. The more money that is donated, the more chances there are to win.
A costume contest can get everyone involved. Parents can help their children make their costumes. Students can help promote the contest and get their friends and classmates to participate.
60. Craft Night
Craft night is a simple school fundraising idea that's easy to set up and can be a lot of fun for everyone involved.
To get started, all you need is a venue and some supplies. You can either charge an entry fee or sell tickets in advance. Then set up some tables with crafting supplies and let your guests get to work!
You can also offer refreshments and music to create a festive atmosphere. At the end of the night, everyone will have created something unique and you'll have raised money for your school!
61. Painting Night
This fundraiser involves hosting a painting party at your school. Guests can purchase tickets to attend the party and all of the proceeds will go to your school.
At the painting party, guests paint their own canvases. There will be a professional artist on hand to help guests with their paintings. Guests can take their paintings home with them at the end of the night.
Fall Fundraiser Ideas for Schools
Fall is one of the best times of the year for fundraisers. Not only is it a good idea to get a head start to ensure you generate the revenue for your key programs, it’s also one of the times of the year where parents and students are most active in the community.
That’s why we built list of the 31 most successful fall school fundraising ideas. Any one of these ideas will help you get an early start on fundraising for the next academic year. Here are just a few of them:
62. Bonfires
63. Pumpkin Carving Contests
64. Apple Bobbing
65. Movie Night
66. Oktoberfest
67. Thanksgiving Dinner
68. Yard Raking Service
69. Community Yard Sale
70. Scavenger Hunt
71. Halloween Fashion Show
Get the full list of fall school fundraising ideas.
Valentine's Day Fundraising Ideas for Schools 
From elementary school to high school, Valentine’s Day can help any school generate additional revenue. However, it usually works best for older kids. That’s why many of the top school fundraising ideas are for high schools. In this list of the 16 top Valentine’s Day fundraising ideas, we outline some of the best ones. Here are just a few:
72. Candygrams
73. Valentine’s Day Cards
74. School Valentine’s Day Dance
75. Valentine’s Day Photo Booth
Get the full list of Valentine’s Day school fundraising ideas.
Several of them, like candygrams, work for all ages, but you’ll find a few that are better suited for older age groups.
Holiday Fundraisers for Schools
The holidays inspire a giving spirit, which is why fundraising ideas for schools are popular during the holiday season. There are several amazing ideas schools can use to boost revenue for key programs. We outline the top 22 in detail in our free resource below. Here are just a few of the best:
75. Holiday Gala with Silent Auction
76. Holiday Concert Series
77. Homemade Decorations
78. Gift-Wrapping Station
79. Polar Plunge
80. Christmas Tree Disposal Services
81. Ugly Sweater Contest
82. Holiday-Themed Quiz Night
Get the full list of school fundraising ideas for the holidays.
Online School Fundraiser Ideas
If you’re looking for school fundraising ideas that work even when you don’t have a lot of staff or volunteers available, online fundraisers are a great idea. Because you rely on school fundraising software to manage online events, it takes less staff. A lot of the work can also be done during your staff’s normal working hours because it’s online.
If you’re looking for great online school fundraisers, we detail the how-tos for the top 18. Here are just a few:
83. Punish the Principal (Sort of Like a Virtual Dunk Tank)
84. Virtual Game Night
85. Public Wish List for Your School
86. Sell Student Art Online
Get the full list or online fundraising ideas for schools.
87. School Spirit Wear and Merch
One of the most undervalued fundraising assets for any school is their brand. Because so many individuals in your community have a close connection to the school they attend or attended, there’s a lot of enthusiasm for apparel and merchandise with your logo on it.
For this reason, selling school spirit wear and merchandise is one of the most effective fundraisers. They not only pair well with many of the fundraisers we’ve listed, but sales can go around-the-clock using an online store. Creating and branding merchandise is also cheap. There are several online vendors who can take your order for school supplies, apparel, flags and other products.
With your school’s logo stamped on the merchandise, you can mark up this product and make the profits you need to fund key programs.
88. Create an Online School Store
One of the best school fundraising ideas for any season is an online school store. Depending on the fundraising software you use for your school, you can have a whole ecommerce store set up for you, no DIY necessary. This store will run around the clock, raising revenue for key programs that might not have enough traditional funding. Discover how easy it is to get started with one of the most powerful fundraising tools available. It only takes seven minutes to get started. Watch our short online demo.
