Top School Fundraising Ideas to Boost Participation and Revenue

There are a lot of school fundraising ideas to choose from, but which will actually generate income for your district? We did the research for you, drawing on our decades of experience working with thousands of schools, to find some of the top-performing fundraisers that help districts gain 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 school fundraising options for your district! 

 Table of Contents 

• Classic School Fundraising Ideas

• School Fundraising Events

• Seasonal & Holiday-Themed School Fundraiser Ideas

• Service-Based Fundraising Ideas for Schools

• Digital School Fundraising Campaigns

• Creative School Fundraiser Ideas

• Product Fundraiser Ideas for Schools

• Tips for Planning and Execution

• Integrating School Fundraisers with Vanco

• FAQs

• Free Donation Letter Templates

Classic School Fundraising Ideas

1. Partner with a School Fundraising Company

Schools can partner with school fundraising companies to reach their financial goals. Here's how the process works. 

• How to Get Started: The first step involves finding a reputable school fundraising partner. They provide kids with catalogs that showcase items to sell,  like wrapping paper, candles, food, and more. The kids take orders from families, friends and neighbors and receive payment up-front. The company sends out the items to fulfill orders and splits the profits with the school. 
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$-$$$
• Potential Revenue: High
• Quick Tip: In addition to going door-to-door in your neighborhood, contact local businesses, community leaders, and school alumni about making a purchase. Schools can also sell items through their website and social media. 

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2. Read-a-Thon

A love of reading can help your students achieve academic success. A read-a-thon encourages students to practice their reading skills while raising money for their school. 

• How to Get Started: This is like a marathon, but instead of running, students spend time reading. Students track their reading time.  Friends and family members sponsor them by donating a certain amount of money for a specific amount of time they spend reading.   
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Advertise the event on social media to attract more people, potentially reaching beyond the student's immediate friend and family group. 

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3. 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. Additionally, they provide a valuable opportunity for the community to get involved in supporting the school. 

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.  

• How to Get Started: Schools find a reputable book vendor or publisher willing to support the fundraiser. The school receives the stock and sets 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 and book supplier split the profits, making it a great way to raise funds.   
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: High
• Quick Tip: Schools may also consider selling books they no longer need. They can offer these books at the book fair alongside new books or create their own used book fair. This approach allows them to keep 100% of the profits. 

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4. 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.

Note, most winners will donate all their winnings to the school, making the raffle even more profitable. 

• How to Get Started: 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.      
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: 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!

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5. Auction

Auctions are great school fundraising ideas.  Businesses are often eager to offer their items or services because being featured in the auction doubles as brand promotion. Donations are also tax-deductible. 

• How to Get Started:  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.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Auctions can be held online or in person!

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6. Raffles

Raffles are easy to set up and can be a lot of fun for everyone involved.

• How to Get Started: First, gather some prizes, which can be donated by local businesses or individuals and may include items, services, and gift cards.  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, streamed on social media or both. Call out the numbers and allow the winners to claim their prizes. 
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Promote the raffle in advance so people know when and where it will be held.  Host it on as many channels as possible to optimize participation. 

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7. Walk-a-Thon

For a walk-a-thon, students collect pledges from family and friends and then walk a set route. This is a great activity that the whole school can participate in. 

• How to Get Started: Promote your event in advance to ensure you receive support. Then, plan a route that is safe and easy to follow.  You may want to designate areas so supporters can watch the students walk by.  Have plenty of water and snacks available for participants. Consider providing a prize to the person who raises the most money.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Walk-a-thons can be held at any time of year. However, they are especially popular in the springtime, when the weather is pleasant but not too hot.  Walkathons can also be held indoors in case of rain.  

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8. 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 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.   

• How to Get Started: Start by requesting baked good donations from your school community. Don't forget to advertise your bake sale! Put up flyers around school and in the community and promote it on social media. Let people know where the proceeds from the sale will be going so they know they'll be supporting a good cause. Gather volunteers to help run the sale, including people baking the goods, setting up the table and taking payments. With a bit of planning, your bake sale will be a success!                     
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Make your bake sale more successful by offering a variety of items for sale, ensuring there's something for everyone. Offer both sweet and savory items, as well as gluten-free and vegan options.

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9. 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 typically require a modest upfront investment and can be highly profitable.  

• How to Get Started: Schools must set up a space to wash cars. A school parking lot is ideal. They will also need car washing materials like buckets, rags, soaps and cleaners. Advertise the event in advance and hang signs the day of the event to encourage passers-by to come through.        
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Offering a discount for prepaid car wash packages is a great way to ensure you get funding for your project. 

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10. 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.

• How to Get Started: Set up a box where students can drop their pennies. Encourage students to collect pennies from their families and friends, as well. They will add up over time, helping your school achieve its fundraising goals.   
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Place collection boxes in high-traffic areas to ensure their visibility. Let students know they are also welcome to drop in dimes, nickels, and quarters. 

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11. Coin War 

A coin war fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your school. It's a simple fundraiser that's easy to set up and can be a lot of fun for the participants.  

• How to Get Started: 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.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: 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.  Classrooms can also compete against each other. 

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12. Direct Donation Campaign 

The most straightforward kind of PTA/PTO fundraiser is simply to ask for donations. Donors can make one-time or recurring financial contributions to the school for various projects and needs.

• How to Get Started: There’s no need to plan an event or sell tickets; you just create a powerful campaign to solicit donations, which you can publicize online. Connect with Vanco to ensure the right payment software platform.      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Be sure to explain how the funds will be used and follow up with acknowledgements and thank-you notes for donors. 

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13. Crowdfunding

Fundraising is easier than ever these days with crowdfunding. 

• Create How to Get Started: Many people are already familiar with GoFundMe and other crowdfunding platforms. Determine which will work best for your school. Set up your campaign using engaging language that will make people want to support your cause. Use social media and other channels to invite families, friends, and community members to donate to the fund online.       
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip:  Offer small gifts to donors that vary in value based on their donation tiers.
  
  

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14. Family Sports Day

A family sports day is a great way to get the whole community involved in raising money for your school. 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.  

• How to Get Started: Simply set up your gymnasium, sports field, or green area with games and competitions that families can join. Recruit volunteers to manage each game.  
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: Include competitive activities for older kids and parents, and sillier activities that will appeal to younger kids.

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15. Spelling Bee

Hosting a spelling bee is a fantastic school fundraiser that encourages young students to develop their vocabulary skills. Your school can organize a spelling bee and allow students interested in language to compete in a healthy environment. 

• How to Get Started: Spelling bees typically start at a classroom level and move on to the school, the state, and beyond. You can determine the scale based on your fundraising goals.  Charge parents a small fee to attend this event at your school hall or another venue. Award a prize to the winner of the competition!   
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Ensure students and parents understand how spelling bees improve communication and public speaking skills to encourage participation. 

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16. Talent Show

Let your students show off their talents with a talent show. This is a great way to engage the school community, encourage creativity, and raise funds.

• How to Get Started: Create a signup for students who wish to perform. Schedule performances with variety in mind; for example, if you have two ballet acts, position them at different points in the show. Hold the event in your school auditorium or gym. Make sure you promote it in advance.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip:  Charge an admission fee and sell snacks and drinks at the event to optimize your revenue.   

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17. Trivia Night

A trivia night is one of those school fundraising ideas that doesn't require much preparation.

• How to Get Started: Invite parents or people from the local community to compete in this event challenge and raise money for your school via an entry fee. Split visitors into small teams and ask them general knowledge questions about history, politics, sports, entertainment and other topics. (Your high school students can come up with questions to boost engagement and excitement.) Consider awarding a prize to the winning team      
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Make your trivia night more profitable by selling food and drinks at the event.   

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18. Annual Fund Campaign

A yearly fund campaign is a must for independent schools. It can help cover everything from scholarships to infrastructure improvements, and may comprise a large portion of the school’s annual budget.

• How to Get Started: First, identify a campaign theme and set a clear goal. Then, segment your audience (by parents, students, alumni, etc.) and personalize your messaging accordingly. Utilize direct mail and digital platforms like social media to reach potential donors.
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $ - $$
• Potential Revenue: High
• Quick Tip: Personalize appeals with stories of how contributions directly impact students and teachers.

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School Fundraising Events

19. 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.  

• How to Get Started:  Plan a series of fun days like hat day, pajama day, crazy hair day, and other themes that can make the event enjoyable for the whole school. 
  Schools with a physical or online store to sell merchandise can promote school spirit wear,  turning spirit days into fundraising events. 
  
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Think about holding 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.  

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20. Family Fun Night 

A family fun night is a great school fundraising idea that brings the school community together.

• How to Get Started: There are various family fun nights to choose from, including dance nights, trivia nights, and more. Determine which option is right for your school and plan your approach accordingly. Charge admission or serve food and drinks to generate revenue. 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Choose an inclusive theme that is enjoyable for all ages and abilities to promote attendance. Keep costs low to make it accessible to families with various incomes. 

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21. School Carnival

A school carnival is another popular fundraising idea for schools.

• How to Get Started:  If you are considering a festival with rides, you will need to find a reliable provider and split the profits. You can also take a DIY route, setting up game booths and selling food and drinks. A school carnival is a fun event for students and for the whole community, so be creative in how you promote it: Flyers in local businesses can go a long way toward drumming up interest.        
• Difficulty: Hard
• Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: High 
• Quick Tip: Encourage students to join in the fun by designing their own both, boosting engagement and attendance. 

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22. 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 donate the funds to your school.

• How to Get Started:  Choose a venue and advertise the event. Have plenty of board games on hand for the tournament, and areas where players can set up. Divide the players into teams and encourage them to rotate frequently to promote socialization.      
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium 
• Quick Tip: Encourage students to pool their personal game collections to create a library, providing participants with a wide range of options to play.

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23. Watch Party

Another fun school fundraising idea is a watch party for a major sporting event, the Oscars, or any other major event.

• How to Get Started:  Ensure you can access a big TV or projector for optimal viewing. Set up a seating area. You can charge admission to the event. All of the proceeds will go to your school. You can also sell snacks and drinks at the event to increase revenue.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Consider selling merchandise at the watch party,  including T-shirts, hats, or other items with your school's logo on them that commemorate your event. The sales profits will go toward your school's fundraising goal.  

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24. Gala Event

A gala event is a high-profile fundraiser that involves auctions, dinner, and an all-around great time. It has the potential to raise a lot of money through ticket sales and sponsorships.

• How to Get Started: To plan a successful gala event, you’ll first need to get a planning committee together and decide on a theme. Next, secure a venue and decide on catering and entertainment. You can also solicit auction items and sponsorships from local businesses.
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: Very high
• Quick Tip: Be sure to leverage digital platforms to boost auction bidding participation before and during the event.

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25. Sports Team Spirit Night

A sports team spirit night can boost school spirit and raise school funds.

• How to Get Started: Invite the community to celebrate one or more sports teams. Then bring in local businesses and community members to donate snacks and drinks. Encourage attendees to wear school colors and uniforms. You can run a raffle or auction for sports-related items like autographed team jerseys or game tickets. Ensure there's related entertainment by having the team compete against each other or your teachers! 
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Sell team merchandise before and during the event to generate additional revenue.  

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26. Color Run 

A color run is a great school fundraising idea. It is easy to set up and can be a lot of fun for everyone involved.  

• How to Get Started: A color run fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your school. The idea is for participants to race in white clothing and get doused with colored powder as they go. They raise money from sponsors, which can be donated to fundraising goals. 
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Schools can also set up a table at the race to collect donations from people interested in supporting their school. This is an easy way to maximize collections. 

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27. Roller-Skating Night

A roller-skating night can help everyone get active and have fun.

• How to Get Started: You may host this event at a local skating rink or your school.  Charge an entry fee. Depending on the venue, you can split the profits or keep 100% of them to support your projects. 
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: If you hold the event at school, make sure you recruit someone to provide a party-ready, family-friendly DJ set. Music makes this kind of event more exciting!   

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28. Bowling Night

Another school fundraising idea is a bowling night.

• How to Get Started: Find a bowling alley that is willing to host your event. Promote the event by distributing flyers 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 to bowl. Split the profits with the venue.        
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Consider hosting a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses to make the event more profitable. 

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29. 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.  

• How to Get Started: The most important ingredients here are a spacious facility, someone who's ready to DJ, vibey lighting,  some drinks and snacks, and, of course, plenty of advance promotion.        
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Choose a playlist that includes not only some pop favorites, but also line dances and novelty songs that guests will recognize. Ensure the tunes are family friendly. 

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30. Shoot-a-Thon

A shoot-a-thon is a great way to raise money for your school. It's a competition where participants attempt to shoot as many baskets as possible within a specified time frame. This fundraiser is an excellent way to engage people and inspire them to support your school, and get them moving and active!  

• How to Get Started: This event can be held in the school gym. Have some volunteers to serve as ball-getters, and have a few air pumps on hand to ensure your basketballs are ready to go.  You can ask participants to raise money from sponsors or charge admission at the door. 
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: 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.  

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31. 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.  

• How to Get Started: 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. High schoolers or middle school students can also volunteer their time as coaches, provided they are qualified to teach various sports, such as basketball, baseball, soccer, and football.      
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: High 
• Quick Tip: Sell items at the camp, such as T-shirts and water bottles. All of the proceeds from the camp will go to your school. 

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32. 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 engage the community.  

• How to Get Started: To hold a dodgeball tournament, you will need to find a venue and recruit teams. The school gym or an outdoor space is the most cost-effective option. 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.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: A "parents vs. kids" game is sure to be a big hit!

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33. 10,000-Step Challenge

Take the first step toward a fully-funded school!

• How to Get Started: 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 those participating in the challenge.         
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: You can also organize other activities to help people reach their 10,000-step goal, such as a sponsored walk, run, or dance-a-thon!  

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34. Concerts

Though tricky to pull off, concerts are a great way to raise money for schools.

• How to Get Started: Concerts can be held either indoors or outdoors, depending on the size of the school and the number of students. They require a PA and an area where entertainers can perform.  Students can perform in bands, orchestras or choirs. Many professional performers are willing to give concerts at schools. These concerts can be a great source of revenue.         
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$ - $$$
• Potential Revenue: High 
• Quick Tip: Like any concert, consider selling merchandise to commemorate the event and raise additional funds. Food and drink will also go over well.  

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35. Lip Sync Battle

A lip sync battle is a great way to get people involved and raise money for your school.

• How to Get Started: Establish a sign-up sheet to allow performers to enter. Determine how long each set will be. Develop and send out a schedule. Ensure you have access to a PA to pump out the music and a stage area with seating.  Charge an entry fee.  The proceeds will go to your school. To make it even more fun, you can have a prize for the winner of the lip sync battle.         
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Have song selections approved by a faculty member to ensure they are family-friendly.

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36. Battle of the Bands

A battle of the bands fundraiser is an exciting school fundraising idea.

• How to Get Started: As with a lip sync battle, you must organize a system allowing bands to sign up in advance. Ensure each band is aware of the rules (set time length, no cussing, etc.) Host the event in an area with a stage and PA, preferably, the school auditorium.  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.  
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$ - $$$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Partner with a local music school to get the word out about your event. The collaboration will help you attract bands and attendees. 

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37. Art Show

An art show is a great way to raise money for your school.

• How to Get Started: Solicit artwork from students, local artists, or a combination of the two. Provide a theme to promote engagement.  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.          
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Involve your student artists by having them create "artists' statements" to display alongside their work.

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38. Family Picture Day

A family picture day is another effective fundraising idea. This can be a lot of fun for families, and it can raise a lot of money for your school. 

• How to Get Started: Find a photographer who is willing to work at a reduced rate or use students who are budding photographers. Provide a background and studio lights.  Charge a fee for each family to have their picture taken.  Sell prints and digital copies of the pictures to generate income for your school.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Consider a fun background that families will enjoy. You may even develop a few backgrounds and have families choose which they prefer to make the event more engaging. Backgrounds can be designed by your students or photoshopped in later. 

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39. Costume Contest

A costume contest is an event that everyone can participate in. Parents can help their children make their costumes. Students can help promote the contest and get their friends and classmates to participate.

• How to Get Started:  Choose a day for kids to dress up. Have them parade around an outdoor area of the school. Students, teachers, and parents can vote for their favorites to generate excitement.  Parents and students can donate money to enter the contest, making it an ideal fundraising idea.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip:  Provide awards for different categories and age brackets.

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40. 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.  

• How to Get Started:  All you need to get started is a venue and some supplies. Ideally, you can host the event in the art room or another part of the school to save money.  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! Have someone on hand to suggest themes and projects and help students who may need assistance. At the end of the night, everyone will have created something unique, and you'll have raised money for your school!        
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip:  Offer refreshments and play music to create a festive atmosphere. 

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41. Painting Night

A painting party is an interactive fundraising idea that supports creativity. Guests can purchase tickets to attend the party. All of the proceeds will go to your school.  

• How to Get Started:  Each guest will be provided with the necessary supplies to paint their own canvases. Have a professional artist on hand to suggest themes and help guests with their paintings. (Maybe the school art department can help!) Guests can take their paintings home with them at the end of the night.         
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip:  Allot enough time for guests to complete their work and allow their painting to dry. They may also pick up their painting the next day if it doesn't dry quickly. 

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42. Virtual Game Night

Most modern schools have video conferencing platforms that enable them to host virtual fundraisers like virtual game nights. These are convenient because they eliminate the need to secure a venue and are generally low-maintenance. 

• How to Get Started: Players can join individually or as part of a team. Charge for each registration, then play trivia, Pictionary-style games or any other game that works virtually. A host can help keep the event interesting and moving along. Award a prize to the winning player or team.  
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Take time to test your IT setup beforehand. 

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43. Pancake Breakfast

A pancake breakfast is a tasty way to raise funds for your school. 

• How to Get Started: Get the necessary ingredients and find a parent, staff member, or capable student willing to cook. You can also have the event catered, but this will increase the cost, potentially reducing your profits.  You can appeal to a variety of tastes by offering the usual pancakes and syrup, but consider different pancake flavors, toppings and fillings to make the event more exciting.  Invite students, families, staff, and community members to breakfast and charge admission to raise money.         
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: French crepes are another great addition to the menu! 

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44. Food Truck Day

Food truck day is a great school fundraising idea.

• How to Get Started: Invite local food trucks to come to your school and set up shop for the day. Students and staff can purchase lunch from the food trucks, or the trucks can be incorporated into a larger school event. 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.         
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: When advertising for food trucks, ensure business owners understand how participating in the event will help them market to families and staff members. This strategy will make them more eager to sign up. 

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45. Restaurant Fundraiser

A restaurant fundraiser is a low-maintenance option for the school, and it helps promote local eateries. 

• How to Get Started: 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. Choose a date and encourage families to attend by handing out fliers and posting on social media.          
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: As with food trucks, ensure restaurants understand the marketing benefits of participating in this type of fundraiser. 

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46. Pizza Party 

Who doesn't love a good pizza party? This fundraising idea for schools is easy to put together and quite tasty.   

• How to Get Started: Find a pizza place with tasty food 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,  order enough pizzas to feed your guests. Host your event in the school cafeteria or another area with tables and ample seating.  Charge people for their meals, ensuring you make a profit.         
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Consider polling participants on their favorite type of pizza before placing your order to ensure everyone gets the pizza they want. Around 64 percent of Americans list pepperoni as their favorite topping.   

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47. Chili Cook-off

Chili cook-offs can be big crowd-pleasers in cool weather. 

• How to Get Started: Call on cooks in your community for a friendly competition to find the best chili. Charge individuals admission to sample chili and judge the contest. Encourage cooks to bring chili toppings and side dishes. S upply plenty of bowls, spoons and napkins.                     
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: You’ll need volunteers for setup and cleanup, plus prizes for the top chili cooks. 

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48. International Food Fair

Let everyone experience the range of culinary traditions in your school community with an international food fair.

• How to Get Started: This school fundraising idea features food prepared by parents, teachers, and students that reflects their cultural backgrounds. Charge a fee for admission to the fair and have cooks set up at tables during lunchtime, after school or make it an evening event.                    
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Consider incorporating culturally relevant music and arts from students and local artisans. 

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49. Farmers Market FundraisFarmers markets are popular everywhere, so why not have one at school?

• How to Get Started: Have local farmers and other vendors set up their booths and tables on school grounds. Charge them a fee to participate or donate a portion of their proceeds to the school. Families will get the chance to shop for local and healthy foods and meet the people who grow or make them.                   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Consider adding entertainment to the market, like music or other performers. 

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50. BBQ Cook-off

Like the chili cook-off, a BBQ cook-off showcases the culinary skills of your school community.

• How to Get Started: Invite parents, teachers and local community members to bring their best BBQ dishes in different categories (ribs, pulled pork, chicken, grilled vegetables, etc.). Offer side dishes, drinks and desserts for sale to go with the BBQ. Charge admission to the cook-off and have attendees taste and vote for their favorite entries. Award prizes in your BBQ categories.                 
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Add music, games and other entertainment and make it a community-wide event. 

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51. S'mores Night

S’mores are always a crowd-pleaser, so plan a s’mores night for your next school fundraiser.

• How to Get Started: Charge admission to the event and be sure you have all the supplies you need — marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate and roasting sticks. You’ll also need fire pits or portable fire bowls in a safe outdoor area to make the s’mores. Provide seating and blankets, string lights and decorate the area to create a fun environment.    
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Sell hot chocolate, apple cider, and other snacks and drinks to round out the event. 

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52. Cake Walk

A cake walk is a fun game, a great bake sale and an engaging school fundraising idea rolled into one.

• How to Get Started: Ask parents and teachers to donate homemade cakes in different flavors and sizes. Then, set up a space in the school with numbered spaces arranged in a circle. Charge participants a fee to join the game and have them walk around the circle as music plays. When the music stops, draw a number and the participant standing in the matching numbered space wins a cake. Play multiple rounds for multiple winners.   
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Raise more money by selling other snacks and drinks at the cake walk. 

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53. Taco Tuesday

Taco Tuesday is a fundraising event anyone can get behind.

• How to Get Started: Stock up on taco shells, tortillas and fillings like beef, chicken and vegetables. Supply toppings like salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cheese. You’ll also need plates and plenty of napkins. Add corn chips and churros for a sweet treat after the tacos!    
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Give attendees pricing deals, like family packs or early bird prices. 

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54. Ice Cream Social

An ice cream social is one of the most popular school fundraising ideas.  After all, who can resist ice cream? 

• How to Get Started: Set a date to hold the event indoors or outdoors. Find volunteers to set up, sell ice cream, and help with cleanup. You should also consider ways to keep the ice cream cold. Store it in freezers or use dry ice. Buy plenty of different flavors and toppings and add other options like root beer floats and sundaes. Get cones, bowls, spoons and scoopers, and you’re ready to go.     
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Setting up outside a sporting event, especially on a hot day, can be a great way to boost sales. 

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55. Smoothie-Making Challenge

 A smoothie-making challenge is a healthy and competitive way to raise funds. 

• How to Get Started: Invite students and teachers to concoct their favorite smoothie recipes with healthy ingredients. Get volunteers to help prep and serve the smoothies. Charge admission to the event and set the criteria for winning smoothies. Let participants taste the smoothies and vote for the winners.      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium 
• Quick Tip: Award prizes to the winners and ask them to provide a demonstration so everyone can make their smoothies at home. 

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56. Tea Party

Bring the whole community together for a tea party fundraiser with all the trimmings.

• How to Get Started: Find a venue with tables, chairs, and a kitchen that is large enough to prep for your party. Decorate the venue to create a lively and sophisticated tea party atmosphere. Gather a variety of teas (green, black, herbal, and fruit flavors) and typical snacks like scones, cakes, sandwiches, and biscuits. Charge admission to raise funds. 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: It might make sense to frame this event as a mother-daughter special, a Mother's Day event, or a spring gala.

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57. Bingo Night 

Set a date for a bingo night and invite the community to your school for a fun-filled evening.

• How to Get Started: Charge a fee for each player, assemble bingo cards and markers, and look for a few volunteers to call numbers during the night. Ensure everyone is aware of the rules, i.e, what constitutes Bingo. Gather supplies like cards, chips, number balls, and spinners.  You can provide prizes to the winners.     
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Sell snacks and drinks to add to the fundraising total. 

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58. Parents' Night Out 

Allow students and parents to cut loose with a parents’ night out. Parents enjoy an evening out while their children have fun at school after hours, in supervised activities.

• How to Get Started: Set a date, charge a fee for each child who attends, and recruit reliable volunteers to run games, crafts, movies, etc. Consider hosting the event on a Friday or Saturday, when parents prefer to have a date night. 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Have some snack or meal options available for the kids attending, which can be reflected in the event pricing.

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59. Community Carnival

A community carnival is a great way to raise money for schools. Families and local businesses can come together to offer games, food stalls, performances, and more.

• How to Get Started: Before planning the carnival itself, you’ll need to find a venue. Contact local businesses for sponsorship or booth setups, organize volunteers for different activities, and promote the event through social media and community boards. Then began the planning, allowing students, parents, and teachers to set up their booths. Dunk-a-teacher or a teacher pie-throwing contest are some tried and true favorites. 
• Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: High
• Quick Tip: Include a mix of attractions and price points to make the carnival accessible to the entire community and attract more participants.

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60. Local Business Partnership Day

Partner with local businesses for a day and donate a portion of the sales to the school. You can partner with anyone from restaurants to retail stores. This tends to be a great option for school foundation fundraising ideas.

• How to Get Started: Begin by identifying interested businesses. Set a date. Distribute flyers and create social media posts to encourage families to shop on those days.  A percentage of the sales will be given to the school.
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: Encourage businesses to promote the event themselves and consider offering a small token of recognition for those that contribute the most.

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61. Virtual Auction

A virtual auction allows community members to bid on donated items or services from the comfort of their homes.

• How to Get Started: Collect items/services to auction. List the items on an online auction platform and promote the event through digital channels.
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $ - $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: Offer a wide range of items and experiences to appeal to diverse interests and budgets.

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62. Karaoke Event

A karaoke event is a fundraising idea that tends to be well-received. You can charge a fee for this event and use the money to support school activities.

• How to Get Started: All you need is a karaoke machine and a projector!  Project YouTube lyric videos onto a screen so people can sing along. In addition to raising funds, this event increases students' self-confidence and performance abilities.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: 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 a winner.   

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Seasonal & Holiday-Themed School Fundraiser Ideas

63. 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? Fundraising ideas for schools like this one can encourage creative thinking and socialization between students.

• How to Get Started:  Choose a day for students to come dressed as their favorite superheroes. The event can also be hosted on a weekend or after school. Ask parents to pay a fee for their child to participate. The children can parade around in their costumes. Judges can give prizes for the best ones. 
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Consider hosting separate events where students can dress up as Disney characters or sports teams. This approach ensures everyone has something to get excited about.   

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64. Pajama Day

Pajama day can be the goal of your fundraising event. Here's how it works. 

• How to Get Started: Collect donations from students and staff members to support various projects. Promise students they will get a pajama day if they reach their goal.  Then, host a pajama day at your school, where everyone wears their pajamas all day long!
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Sweeten the deal by offering in-class snacks or movie viewings on Pajama Day. You might even set "stretch goals" for different donation tiers.

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65. Hayrides

You'll really make hay with this time-honored fundraising idea!

• How to Get Started:  Hayrides can be held in the fall, winter, or spring, but they are most popular in the fall and are typically combined with other activities, such as pumpkin picking, a corn maze, or apple picking. You will need to access a wagon and someone who can operate it, so you may need to hire a professional. However, with this activity being so popular, you'll likely make your money back.   You should also find a safe area for the rides to take place.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: 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 offer hayrides and talk to them about organizing a fundraiser.    

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66. Yard Raking Service

One of the easiest fall fundraisers helps communities with a common problem — falling leaves. Create a fundraiser to help residents and businesses clear their lawns, gardens, decks, driveways and parking lots of leaves. 

• How to Get Started:  Put together a group of student volunteers and arm them with rakes, bags and brooms. Advertise and charge residents and businesses for leaf raking service. Consider splitting the profits with the students so they can feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in earning money. 
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Offer discounts for bundled services to increase profitability. 

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67. Spring Cleanup

Spring is a popular time for cleaning. This school fundraising idea involves cleaning up an area in your community that needs a little TLC. 

• How to Get Started:  Choose a community area that can benefit from a cleanup,  like a park or beach. Gather the necessary supplies like trash bags, gloves, and tools. Choose a date when it's unlikely to rain. Make the community aware of your efforts and solicit donations to support them. Those donations can help fund your school. 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Scout your intended cleanup area in advance. Ensure the area is safe and secure, and obtain a permit if necessary.  

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68. Caroling

This is a great idea for a school fundraiser because it is easy to implement and requires minimal planning. All you need is a group of people and some holiday cheer!  

• How to Get Started:  Gather students who enjoy singing. Host a few rehearsals. Ask everyone to dress up. You can go door-to-door in your neighborhood or set up a table at a local shopping center and collect donations. 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: If possible, collect donations in advance so you can give people a tax-deductible receipt. 

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69. Homemade Decorations

Selling homemade decorations is a great way to showcase students’ creativity while raising money for your school.  

• How to Get Started:  Encourage students to make homemade decorations. They can make them at home, or your school can set up a craft table. Have them sell the items at a school-hosted craft fair or online. 
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: You can also sell these items at any school events you host during the holiday season. 

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70. Gift-Wrapping Station

During the holiday season, save gift-givers time by providing a gift-wrapping service at school.

• How to Get Started:  Set up in the library or another space and put student volunteers to work with wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons, bows and tape. Charge a fee for each package wrapped and create a drop-off and pickup schedule for gifts. 
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Set up your wrapping station is in a discreet space so you don’t spoil any surprises. 

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71. Christmas Tree Disposal Service

Christmas tree disposal can be a pain for many people. They may be willing to pay for disposal services that double as a school fundraiser. 

• How to Get Started:  If possible, work with your local public works department, a farm or other recycling service to collect trees. Charge a fee for each tree you collect and dispose of them in an eco-friendly way. 
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Promote your event both before and after the holiday season starts, particularly in the days between Christmas and New Year's Day.

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72. Holiday Shop

Take your homemade holiday decorations fundraiser a step further with a holiday shop.

• How to Get Started:  A shop is a festive way to show off your students’ creativity and talent and raise funds at the same time. Set up a temporary store in your school and offer all kinds of holiday-themed items for sale, such as baked goods, ornaments, decorations and gift items.   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: You can also sell sponsorships to local businesses, allowing them to support your school in exchange for poster or banner space.

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73. Valentine’s Day Cards

Valentine’s Day cards are a great tradition that also make a great school fundraising idea for elementary students.

• How to Get Started:  You can purchase and sell premade card sets to students and families, or you can purchase blank or simple card sets and have your students design their own cards. Either way, students and families can send a Valentine’s Day message to anyone they want.  
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Charge an additional fee to mail cards to students’ friends and family members, both near and far away. 

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74. Bonfire

Hosting a school bonfire is a fun fall activity for the whole community.

• How to Get Started:  See if a local farmstand, nursery or even families can donate firewood and be sure you have a permit, if necessary. Provide games and activities, like apple bobbing (see below).          
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip:  In addition to charging admission to the bonfire itself, you can raise money by selling snacks, baked goods and hot and cold drinks.  

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75. Pumpkin Carving Contest

Another great fall school fundraising idea is a pumpkin carving contest.

• How to Get Started:  Partner with a local farm or farmers market to buy pumpkins and set up an area where you can host the contest. Collect entry fees from contestants. Create categories for different ages and get some volunteers to judge the contest and award prizes.          
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip:  You can also sell snacks and drinks with a pumpkin theme! 

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76. Apple Bobbing

Apple bobbing is a fun game for all ages, and a great way to raise money for your school.

• How to Get Started:  Simply work with a local store or farm to buy apples, get a large container of some kind, and fill it with water and apples. Charge participants admission to the contest and keep track of the time it takes each one to grab an apple. Award a prize to the winner.         
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium 
• Quick Tip: This is a great activity because you can host it almost anywhere, indoors or out. You can also connect it to other big events, including family game nights and carnivals. 

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77. Movie Night

Turn your school into a movie theater for an evening of fun and fundraising.

• How to Get Started:  To make it just like being at a theater, sell tickets and snacks to attendees. Use a school projector and screen to show a movie that will appeal to many ages. Invite the community for even more potential donations.         
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: You can host movie nights throughout the school year based on seasons, holidays and other events and themes. 

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78. Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt can be a great school fundraising idea for any age. Depending on the age of the participants, you can make the scavenger hunt simple and keep it to a small area, or you can involve the whole community in a larger hunt. 

• How to Get Started:  Charge an entrance fee for each team that enters the contest. Hide clues around your school, school grounds or another area in your district. You can work with local businesses to hide clues and donate prizes for the winning team. On the day of the hunt, start all the teams off at the same time and award a prize to the team that finds all the clues first. 
• Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
• Estimated Cost: $ - $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: To make the scavenger hunt even more fun, create a theme based on the month, a holiday, event or other theme. Invite participants to dress up based on the theme. You can use volunteer judges to give awards to the best costumes. 
  

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79. Halloween Fashion Show

A Halloween fashion show is an opportunity to let your students show their creative sides.

• How to Get Started:  Pick a theme for the show and tell students to create homemade costumes related to the theme. On the night of the show, get volunteers to help with costumes and makeup. Host the show at school and charge family and community members for tickets to see the students show off their costumes and creativity.   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Festive goodies or treat bags can be excellent add-ons to this fundraiser.

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80. Holiday Gala with Silent Auction

For a great holiday school fundraising idea for high school, try something sophisticated like a gala with a silent auction. You can combine the two or hold the auction online. 

• How to Get Started:  Set a date and a dress code and start promoting the gala. Ask families, other community members and local businesses to donate items for the auction. Likewise, local restaurants and businesses can donate food, drinks and decorations for the gala.   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Plan the gala around one holiday, like Christmas, or several, like Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza and any others.   

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81. Holiday Concert

A holiday or year-end holiday concert is a great way to get school students, staff and parents in the holiday spirit. Parents love to see their children creating music, and students love to showcase their musical skills. 

• How to Get Started:  Get students involved in decorating the stage with your theme and sell tickets to the concert to parents and community members. 
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: You can sell snacks and drinks at the concert to raise even more money

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82. Polar Plunge

If your school is in a cold climate and near a lake, pond or even by the shore, a polar plunge can be an invigorating school fundraising idea.

• How to Get Started:  Pick a day when the weather is cool but not too cold and either charge participants a registration fee to take the plunge or have them get sponsors to donate money based on how long they stay in the water.  
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Have a hot cocoa station ready to warm your plungers!

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83. Ugly Sweater Contest

One of the easiest and most amusing school fundraising ideas for the holiday season is an ugly sweater contest.

• How to Get Started:  Everyone can get involved, from students to school staff. Charge each participant a fee to show off their holiday sweater, then post pictures on the school website and/or social media and have students, staff and parents vote on the ugliest sweater.  
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Don't forget to offer a prize for the winner. 

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84. Holiday-Themed Quiz Night

Another great holiday-themed activity for the whole school community is a quiz night.  

• How to Get Started:  Create a list of trivia questions about holidays, holiday movies, TV shows, music or whatever is appropriate for your students or their parents. On the night of the quiz, group people in teams and start asking questions. Award a creative prize to the winning team.  
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Decorate the space in a holiday theme and sell snacks, hot and cold drinks. Gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa are a great incentive to donate money. 

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85. School Valentine’s Day Dance

What better way to spread Valentine's spirit than with a school dance?

• How to Get Started:  There are many kinds of dances you can host on or around Valentine’s Day. Depending on your students’ ages, you might host a sweetheart dance, a Sadie Hawkins Day dance, a daddy-daughter dance or any other theme that includes as many people as possible. In addition to selling tickets to the dance, you can sell snacks, drinks or flowers and provide a photo booth.  
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: You can save money by hosting the dance at school with parent or teacher volunteers and getting students involved in decorations and posters for the dance. 

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86. Spring Fling Dance

A spring dance is a great way to shake off the winter doldrums, and it makes a great fundraiser.

• How to Get Started: Pick a date! Charge for tickets to the dance and look for music and entertainment, such as a DJ or live band. Ensure colorful, verdant decorations to get everyone in the spring spirit.    
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Don't forget to set up snack and drink stands to raise a little extra income!

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87. Spring Concert

Like the Spring Fling Dance, a spring concert is a great way to celebrate the return of good weather and the end of the school year.

• How to Get Started: Look for a local music group that will perform for free, and work with them on a stage and sound equipment. Sell tickets to the event and let everyone enjoy the music.    
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Consider getting some student performers involved, even as "opening" acts.

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88. Spring Sports Tournament

Here's a spring fundraiser with an athletic twist.

• How to Get Started: Choose one or more spring sports and build a tournament around them for a great school fundraising idea. Charge individuals or teams a registration fee to play. See if you can get parents and teachers involved as well. Host the tournament at your school or choose a local recreation area that has space for spectators and parking. Make sure you have the right permits and/or insurance. Ask for volunteers to act as referees or umpires for each game.     
• Difficulty: Hard 
• Estimated Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: You can also sell snacks, drinks, and other games for spectators. Award prizes to the winning individuals and teams. 

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89. Spring Planting Party

Just like a spring cleanup, this is a great time of year to beautify your school with fresh plantings.

• How to Get Started: Work with local garden centers or nurseries on plants and supplies to sell at the event. Families can also bring their own gardening tools and plants.    
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Offer sessions on plants and gardening and watch your school grounds transform. 

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90. Fitness Challenge

A fitness challenge is a healthy fundraising idea for schools any time of year, but in the spring, participants can get outdoors.

• How to Get Started: The challenge involves walking or running a certain number of miles during a certain period of time. Charge each participant a fee to enter and have them get sponsors to pledge donations for miles completed. On the day of the event, be sure you have water, snacks and other supplies available for participants.
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: You can offer prizes for certain accomplishments or medals for longer distances.  

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91. Spring Craft Fair

This fundraiser takes planning and publicity to showcase local artists and vendors.

• How to Get Started: Work with artists in your area to purchase booths at your fundraiser to offer their work for sale.
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: This event requires comprehensive marketing efforts to ensure the day is worthwhile for the artists and maximizes foot traffic from the community.  

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92. Spring Picnic

Host a spring picnic for the whole community at a local park, beach or recreation area.

• How to Get Started: Reserve your picnic spot in advance.  Make sure there’s plenty of room for blankets, games and food. Work with local businesses to donate food and drinks to sell at the picnic, and charge families admission to the event. 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: In addition to providing games and activities, you can earn additional revenue by offering school merchandise. Or set up a donation box for those who want to supplement their admission fee. 

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93. Oktoberfest

This is a more complex seasonal fundraiser, but the results can be worth it.

• How to Get Started:  Work with local restaurants and bars to create a German-style Oktoberfest beer celebration. Plan a route among different venues and charge adults admission to participate. Arrange for German beers and food to be served at stops along the route.        
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$ - $$$
• Potential Revenue: High 
• Quick Tip: Have the event start at the school, providing a reminder to participants of what they're donating to.

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94. Thanksgiving Dinner

Open your school’s doors or use a local community building to host a Thanksgiving dinner for charity.

• How to Get Started:  Charge students, parents and other community members for tickets to the event and work with local businesses and restaurants to cater a complete Thanksgiving feast.        
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $$ - $$$
• Potential Revenue: High 
• Quick Tip: When planning your menu, make sure you include some alternative options for diners who need dairy- or gluten-free options. 

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95. Community Yard Sale

Organize a large-scale community yard sale on school grounds and invite families to sell their own items or donate them for the school to sell. Along with raising money, it’s a great way to declutter!

• How to Get Started: Set a date, collect item donations or sign up sellers, organize items for sale, and arrange for volunteers to manage the sale.
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: Encourage donations of items that are high in demand, like electronics and furniture, to attract more buyers.

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Service-Based Fundraising Ideas for Schools

96. 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
  
• How to Get Started: 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 volunteers on hand with trucks to take the bottles and cans to your local recycling center.         
•  Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: If you don't live in one of the states with bottle redemption, you can still have a can drive. Not only will this fundraiser help raise money, it's an eco-friendly school fundraiser idea.   

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97. Dog Wash

With a dog wash, you can raise money and wash and pamper some of your community's furry friends. 

• How to Get Started: 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.              
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: 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.    

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98. Babysitting

Babysitting is another way to generate funds for your high school.

• How to Get Started: Older students who are responsible and trustworthy can look after young children while their parents go out for an evening. Your school can charge for this service and give a part of the donation to the older student or their parents.           
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: A teacher might need to be present, and the "babysitters'" parents will need to give permission for this event to occur.  

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99. Talent Marketplace

High school seniors are old enough and responsible enough to take on helpful jobs in the community, so set up a talent marketplace to raise money for the yearbook.

• How to Get Started: Parents, family members and residents can donate money in exchange for help with yard work, dog walking, tutoring, etc.     
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Local businesses and restaurants can get involved by donating a portion of their proceeds from sales.   

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100. Teens Teaching Tech Night

High school students are almost always great with technology. Why not share that knowledge with a fundraiser?

• How to Get Started: Put together a variety of sessions on different technologies as part of tech education night at the school or a local public building. Charge for class registration and watch your students teach community members about everything from cell phones to ChatGPT.           
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium 
• Quick Tip: Encourage students to rehearse their presentations in advance, and to leave time for questions at the end.

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101. Cooking Class

Cooking classes are one of the best fundraising ideas for schools. 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.

• How to Get Started: Charge a fee for these events to cover the cost of ingredients and food preparation items and generate funds for your middle school. You can pick a different meal to cook every week — get creative! — and create a regular income stream for your school.  
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: Host your cooking classes during school time or after school.  

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102. Corporate Sponsorship Program

Establishing partnerships with local businesses can be a great way to obtain steady funding. They can help support the school through sponsorships of school events, facilities, or programs.

• How to Get Started: Start by identifying potential business partners. Then, develop sponsorship packages with tangible benefits for sponsors. Finish by creating professional proposals and conducting outreach.
• Difficulty: Hard
• Estimated Cost: $ - $$
• Potential Revenue: High
• Quick Tip: Highlight the community and educational impact of sponsorships. This can go a long way in appealing to corporate social responsibility goals.

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103. Sponsor-a-teacher 

An important role for the PTA/PTO is its connection with teachers, so why not raise money by sponsoring a teacher and making a donation in their name?

• How to Get Started: Simply spread the word and solicit donations through class email lists or online message boards.     
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: You can use the donations to support the honoree’s projects, professional development or supplies they need. 

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Digital School Fundraising Campaigns

If you’re looking for school fundraising ideas that work even when you don’t have a lot of staff or volunteers available, online fundraising for schools is a great idea. Because you rely on school fundraising software to manage online events, it takes less staff. A lot of the work for online fundraisers can also be done during your staff’s normal working hours because it’s online.    

104. 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.  

• How to Get Started:  Choose a challenge and a reward, get a Facebook fundraiser set up, and start promoting your event!        
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: 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. 

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105. Virtual Punish the Principal

If your principal is willing to put up with a little embarrassment, a good-natured “punish the principal” event is a humorous school fundraising idea. Students love to see teachers and administrators having fun. 

• How to Get Started: There are many options. You can collect donations to watch your principal get a pie in the face, a dip in a dunk tank or a public sliming. Maybe your principal will agree to shave their head and/or beard if you hit a certain level of donations.  
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium  
• Quick Tip: Post details online to collect donations, then post pictures or video of the event so the whole school community can see what fun their donations created. 

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106. Public Wish List for Your School

Take advantage of your school’s online presence!

• How to Get Started: Use your website and social media to publicize your school wish list for the supplies and equipment you need. Use specific, personal stories online to highlight what you need and how you plan to use the items on your wish list. Create links to the items on your wish list online that donors can click to contribute toward the items. Include these links in any school emails or other online communications so they are top of mind for everyone.    
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to High  
• Quick Tip: Don’t forget to say “thank you.” Get students involved in sending thank-you notes to donors. 

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107. Online Student Art Sale

An important experience for many students at school is the chance to express themselves artistically. Show students’ parents and the whole community the wonderful art your students are creating by selling student art online. 

• How to Get Started: Use your website to set up an art gallery with photos of each piece of art and information about each artist. Set a price for each item or use an auction to sell the pieces. Use social media, email and other communications to publicize the gallery and let the community know that great art is for sale to raise money for a great cause.     
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High  
• Quick Tip: This is a great elementary school fundraiser, a middle school fundraising idea and a fundraiser idea for high school because students of all ages are skilled and creative. Remember, the art you sell from your talented students can be anything from paintings and drawings to photos, sculptures and ceramics. 

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108. Yearbook Subscription Drive

A yearbook subscription drive is a great school fundraising idea because it helps you preplan and presell copies of the yearbook before they’re distributed.

• How to Get Started: Charge a discounted rate for people who subscribe and let them know they’ll be the first to receive their yearbooks when they are printed.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Consider setting up presell stands at a few school events, including well-attended sporting matches. 

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109. 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. (Learn more about the top fundraising software for schools!) 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. 

See How It Works 

Creative School Fundraiser Ideas

110. Rubber Ducky Regatta

This is a great middle school fundraising idea for schools 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.  

• How to Get Started:  Set a date and start encouraging students to purchase and decorate their duckies ASAP.  You can charge a few dollars per entrant, or encourage parents to buy tickets to watch the race.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $ 
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium
• Quick Tip: Competitions between grades or classes can go a long way toward generating enthusiasm.

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111. Obstacle Course 

Like a sports fundraiser, an obstacle course event can involve the whole community in raising money for your middle school.

• How to Get Started: 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. Charge parents a small fee for attending this event. 
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: 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.  

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112. Time Capsule

Why not create a time capsule and bury it underground in an outdoor area of your school property?

• How to Get Started: 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 — five, 10, or even 50 years from now.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: 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.   

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113. 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.

• How to Get Started:  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. Charge a couple hundred dollars per brick and you'll potentially generate a huge amount of funds.        
• Difficulty: Hard
• Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Invite the local media to your school when the new building construction is finished and explain how students contributed to its design.     

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114. 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.  

• How to Get Started: 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.          
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: 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.  

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115. Pet Pageant

This is a fun and easy school fundraising idea that the whole community can participate in.

• How to Get Started: Set a date to invite students, families and community members to bring their pets for a pet pageant. Charge people to participate in the pageant and charge others to attend the event.           
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Come up with a number of superlatives you can award to different pets, boosting enthusiasm and helping pet owners feel proud.

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116. Personalized Ads and Pages

The yearbook is a great way for parents, other family members and local businesses to offer their congratulations and best wishes to high school classes or individual students. Local businesses can also benefit from added publicity. 

• How to Get Started: Sell space on a page or entire pages in your yearbook for special messages and advertisements. Get the word out with flyers, social media, emails and other school communications.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Offer incentives for purchasing multiple ads or pages. 

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117. Photo Booth

A photo booth isn’t just for special events. Pick a day to rent a photo booth to raise money for the yearbook. 

• How to Get Started: Charge for each photo shoot and offer discounts for multiple prints and online orders. Provide backgrounds with your school logo, mascot and colors, plus props (wigs, glasses, masks, etc.) to make the pictures even more fun.       
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: You can also provide add-ons like custom frames with your school logo. 

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118. Coach Challenge

A coach challenge is a great way to get the entire school involved in fundraising.

• How to Get Started: 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.        
• Difficulty: Easy
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Schedule a ceremony where everyone in the school can hear your fundraising numbers, and see the coaches fulfill their silly challenges. 

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119. Pie Auction

A pie auction showcases the pie-baking skills in your school community.

• How to Get Started: Invite parents, students and teachers to bake their favorite pies and put them on display during a school event. Allow attendees to browse the selection, then at the end of the event, have a volunteer MC auction off the pies and sell them to the highest bidders.                 
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: You could also consider a pie-baking contest, where judges taste and select the best pie recipes. 

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120. Raffle Baskets 

Raffle baskets are unique fundraising ideas for schools because they offer a variety of items to suit different tastes.

• How to Get Started: Parents, teachers and local businesses can donate items or services to include in themed baskets (for example, a movie night, gourmet food, a spa day, etc.).     
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Sell raffle tickets to the community to give everyone a chance to win a special collection of prizes. 

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121. Themed Gift Basket Auction 

Like raffle baskets, a themed gift basket fundraiser is a different way to sell baskets of items donated by parents, community members and/or local businesses.

• How to Get Started: Create baskets with several different themes and auction them off by accepting bids on each basket, either online or at a school event.     
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Try to incorporate a variety of themes, including themes connected to the season, to holidays, to particular activities, and more.

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122. Spend a Day in a Tree

One option: Spend your day amidst foliage!  

• How to Get Started: Spend a day working in a tree or treehouse on school grounds. Be sure the forecast is clear, then pick a comfortable spot to sit. Bring a megaphone to make school announcements.      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Add a creative costume or other fun props. 

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123. Perform at the School Assembly 

Born for the stage? Put that to good use with this school fundraiser.

• How to Get Started: Perform at a school assembly, with karaoke, dance or any other talent.      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Get members of the faculty involved, for example, use your vice principal or staff members as backup dancers or singers. If anyone is embarrassed by performing, this is a great way to share the limelight.  

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124. Spend a Day in "Jail" 

Here's a fun variant of the day-in-a-tree idea.

• How to Get Started: Work for a day in a room that isn't an office. Decorate a room as a jail. (You can bring work gear into the room to keep up with your job.)      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Dress up in a prisoner costume or have your security and resource officers with you as “guards.”  

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125. Pie in the Face

This reward for students is also time-efficient for you.

• How to Get Started: A student throws the pie in your face as the rest of the school watches, and you’re done!      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low 
• Quick Tip: Make sure you aren't allergic to pie ingredients!  

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126. Condiment Catch (or Silly String) 

Like the pie in the face, this is messy but quick.

• How to Get Started: Let students spray you with ketchup, mustard, mayo, or silly string.      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low 
• Quick Tip: Add humor by wearing a raincoat or pajamas, or simply bring a change of clothes. 

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127. Lunch With the Principal 

Not all principal challenges have to be “punishment.” Use this school fundraising idea to get to know your students!

• How to Get Started: Invite the winning student to have lunch with you. You can dress it up (with real plates and silverware) or let the student pick the menu. Even better, invite the winning class to a group lunch, such as a pizza party.       
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium 
• Quick Tip: Another option is to let students pick the staff member they want to have lunch with, such as a teacher, cafeteria staff member or custodian. 

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128. Principal for a Day 

Try role reversal for a fun school fundraising idea.

• How to Get Started: Put the winning student in charge of the school as principal or assistant principal for a day. Have them dress up as an adult and sit in your office. They can make announcements, make some small decisions (like extending recess by a few minutes), or whatever you think is fun and appropriate.       
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Extent the humorous situation by posing as a "student" for part of the day.

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129. Funny Outfits 

Another way to put students in charge for a day is to let them choose your outfit.

• How to Get Started: You could dress as a clown or cartoon character (a great elementary school fundraiser) or as the school mascot (a spirited fundraiser idea for high school).         
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Low to Medium 
• Quick Tip: You can allow students to vote from a few pre-determined ideas, or propose their own.

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130. Faculty Talent Show 

Just as a student talent show is a great school fundraising idea, a faculty talent show can reward students for their fundraising efforts.

• How to Get Started: Pick appropriate and fun talents staff members can showcase. You might be surprised at the talent!         
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Allowing students to "judge" the acts or give out awards can add to the refund.

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131. Community Yard Sale

Organize a large-scale community yard sale on school grounds and invite families to sell their own items or donate them for the school to sell. Along with raising money, it’s a great way to declutter!

• How to Get Started: Set a date, collect item donations or sign up sellers, organize items for sale, and arrange for volunteers to manage the sale.
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: Encourage donations of items that are high in demand, like electronics and furniture, to attract more buyers.

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Product Fundraiser Ideas for Schools

132. Greeting Card Sale 

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. 

• How to Get Started: 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.   
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $ - $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: You can always 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, and may also provide greater appeal to parents and community members.  

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133. Customized Water Bottles

Water bottles are everywhere these days, so why not customize water bottles with your school logo? Students, parents, alumni and community members will buy the bottles if they know the proceeds support the yearbook. 

• How to Get Started: Work with a local vendor to design and print your labels on water bottles, then price them to earn a profit.           
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: You can sell the bottles at all kinds of school events and games or offer bulk discounts for special events. 

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134. School Merchandise Store

Want to raise money and foster school spirit in the process? Set up a merchandise store. Here, you can sell all sorts of sportswear and accessories and generate a continuous stream of revenue.

• How to Get Started: Select quality, in-demand products and feature them in an online shop or physical store on campus. Market the merchandise to students, parents, and others.
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to high
• Quick Tip: Update your store on a regular basis to reflect current trends and seasons.

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135. 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.  

• How to Get Started: Creating and branding merchandise is easy and 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.         
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High  
• Quick Tip: Consider tying merch sales to big events in the school calendar year. 

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136. T-shirt Sales 

Raise funds for your PTA or PTO by selling custom-designed T-shirts.

• How to Get Started: There are plenty of print-on-demand websites that you can use to custom-print T-shirts in bulk. Take orders in advance to ensure the right sizes.       
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Students and teachers can design shirts so anyone, from students and families to school staff and community members, can show their school spirit. 

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137. Custom Cookbook 

A custom cookbook is a tangible legacy of your school community and its diversity.

• How to Get Started:  Parents, teachers and students can contribute their favorite recipes to create a collection that shows diverse tastes and traditions. Sell your cookbooks at school events, or on your school website.        
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: If your school has a home ec or cooking class, invite students to submit favorite recipes!

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138. Discount Card Sales 

Your PTO and PTA can sell discount cards to raise money.

• How to Get Started: Work with local businesses to sponsor cards that offer discounts to anyone who buys them. Buyers can save money while shopping locally and raising money for your school.        
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Putting together coupon books or bundles can be extra effective.  

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139. Candy Bar Sales 

A popular and traditional school fundraiser is to sell candy bars.

• How to Get Started: You can buy candy bars in bulk from a wholesaler or partner with a candy company to get a discounted price. Then students can sell the candy bars at school events, stores, or neighborhoods.      
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Consider offering a prize to the student or the class with the highest sales.

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140. Flower Sale

Spring means flowers! And flowers can be an incredible avenue for school fundraising.

• How to Get Started:  Contact florists or farmstands in your area and see if they will donate flowers you can sell at school or donate part of the proceeds of their flower sales on a certain date. On the day of the sale, set up tables to display the items and be sure you have volunteers to ensure the station is staffed.   
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High 
• Quick Tip: Expand your offerings to include plants, gardening tools, supplies, and other items for the spring season.   

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141. Used Book Sale

A used book sale is a great way to raise funds for your school.

• How to Get Started: 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.            
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium
• Quick Tip: Partner with the school library on this one. They may even have some books they plan to remove from circulation, which can make for good donations.   

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142. 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.

• How to Get Started:  Carnation sales usually take place in the springtime. This is when carnations are in season and their prices are at their lowest.        
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: 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.  

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143. Candygram

Candygrams are a great fundraising idea for schools. They are easy to sell and people love buying them.

• How to Get Started:  Candygrams typically consist of a small bag of candy and a note.  There's not a ton of setup involved; it's mostly about organizing volunteers and stockpiling supplies.      
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: The note can be customized to say anything you want. For example, you could write a note that says, "Thanks for supporting our school!"  

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144. Basket of Goods Sale

Work with local businesses to raise money by selling baskets of goods.

• How to Get Started: Ask local businesses to contribute items that you gather in baskets, which you sell to the school and local communities. These baskets can provide a variety of items and help to support the local economy.           
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: As an added incentive, have the businesses include small ads with the items they contribute. 

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145. Lemonade Stand

Setting up a lemonade stand outside your elementary school can help you generate money and teach younger students the basics of entrepreneurship.

• How to Get Started: 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! Students can sell lemonade to parents at pickup time and collect funds for your school.           
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Don't forget to place leaflets on your stand explaining school fundraising ideas and how you collect and spend donations.   

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146. Donut Sale

Another sweet way to raise funds is selling donuts during lunch, before and after school, and at school assemblies, club meetings and other events.

• How to Get Started: Work with a local bakery or donut shop to buy donuts at a discounted price or make donuts on-site if you can. Offer plenty of flavors, like glazed, chocolate, jelly-filled and cream-filled and remember to provide vegan and gluten-free options. Volunteers can set up, clean up and sell donuts at the event.    
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium to High
• Quick Tip: If you have a way to make coffee on-site, that can really bump your sales! 

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147. Sandwich Day

For a change of pace from the school cafeteria, sandwich day is a great school fundraising idea.

• How to Get Started: Provide a wide variety of sandwiches and wraps for all kinds of preferences, and include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options. Try to price the sandwiches reasonably so students will buy them. Volunteers can staff the sandwich stand to either sell sandwiches or handle money. Be sure the area is clean and organized.     
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Contact local bakeries about donations, or discounts, on bread or pre-made sandwiches.

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148. Bagel and Cream Cheese Sale

A great snack before or after school and at many school events is bagels and cream cheese, so this makes a great school fundraising idea.

• How to Get Started: Work with a local bagel shop or grocery store to buy bulk bagels and cream cheese at a discount or make bagels on-site if you can. On the day of the sale, set up tables or booths and provide a variety of flavor choices for both bagels and cream cheese. Have volunteers ready to prep and sell bagels, including toasting and spreading cream cheese.        
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Look for safe ways to sell bagels in car lines or at school drop-off, a great way to catch busy parents.

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149. Alcohol-Free Apple Cider Sale

In the fall apple season, take advantage of the abundance of apples and sell fresh non-alcoholic cider.

• How to Get Started: Purchase apples in bulk from a local orchard or farmers market and rent or borrow an apple press. Parents, students and teachers can all get involved by operating the press at the school. You can sell cider by the cup or the jug. After the cider is pressed, you can sell it at other fall school events.                   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Cider can be a great addition to fall festivals, or to chili cook-offs. 

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150. Hot Chocolate Bar

This fundraising idea for school is great during the winter months.

• How to Get Started: Set up a hot chocolate bar at school at lunch or after school and consider selling hot chocolate at school games and events as well. Serve classic hot chocolate, plus other flavors and toppings to appeal to a crowd.                 
• Difficulty: Easy 
• Estimated Cost: $$
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Add seasonal treats like gingerbread cookies and candy canes to boost sales. 

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151. Soup Sale

Soup is a warm, comforting food and can make a cozy and satisfying fundraising idea for schools.

• How to Get Started: Sell soup during lunch or after school, with a variety of flavors to suit different tastes and dietary needs. In addition to classic soup flavors and bread or rolls, try vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free soups plus gluten-free bread. All you need is some volunteers to set up, serve and clean up the soup stand.   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Think about setting up your soup stand at outdoor school events in cooler weather or at parent-teacher conferences or concerts. 

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152. Nacho Bar

A nacho bar is a festive school fundraising idea that you can set up during lunchtime, after school, or at a school event, game or fair.

• How to Get Started: Charge for each plate of nachos and in addition to corn chips, be sure to have lots of toppings on hand, like cheese sauce, chili, jalapeno peppers, sour cream, guacamole, salsa and whatever else you can think of. You’ll need a few volunteers to set up, staff, and clean up the nacho bar for a fun and easy fundraiser.   
• Difficulty: Moderate 
• Estimated Cost: $
• Potential Revenue: Medium 
• Quick Tip: Vegetarian chili, dairy-free cheese and gluten-free chips will ensure everyone can get involved.

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Tips for Planning and Execution

A successful fundraiser requires careful planning. It’s important to get all your ducks in a row before doing anything else, as this will lay the foundation for a well-executed event.

Setting Clear Goals and Objectives

It should go without saying, but outlining your ultimate goal(s) for the fundraiser is the most important stage of planning. If you don’t know what you’re aiming to achieve, you won’t be able to tailor your activities accordingly.

Goals provide a target for what you’re hoping to get out of the fundraiser, whether it be raising a certain amount of money or funding a particular project. From there, you can determine the best course of action step by step.

For example, if your goal is to raise $10,000, you should first identify individual or group donors that are likely to contribute. Then, you can work on creating an event that will appeal to that type of donor and reach out to them. As a final touch, you might consider offering some sort of reward or incentive for donations above a certain threshold.

Marketing and Promotion Strategies

Good marketing isn’t just an effective business tactic — it’s essential to hosting a fruitful fundraiser. It’s especially important if you’re hoping to engage those outside the school community, as they don’t often receive the same sort of regular communication that parents and alumni do.

Marketing in 2024 is easier than ever, thanks to the numerous digital technologies at our fingertips. You can reach a wide audience through social media channels, email, and other forms of online communication. School fundraising videos can be especially useful.

Utilize marketing best practices, such as well-placed keywords and compelling visuals, to promote your event. This is a great way to get people interested and talking about the fundraiser.

Legal Considerations and Transparency

Don't overlook legal considerations when planning your fundraiser. By ensuring compliance with local and federal regulations, you can maintain public trust and uphold the integrity of the institution. This will not only encourage more donations, but keep you out of a mess of legal trouble that may end up eating at your generated funds.

Be sure to look into local laws around charitable solicitations and tax exemptions. These differ depending on where you live and what types of donations you’re gathering, so do your research.

You also want to be transparent with your donors about how funds will be used. Make it clear where their money is going, and let them know about their impact later down the road when the results become clear.

Integrating School Fundraisers With Vanco

There’s no doubt about it: fundraising can be a pain. It often involves complex planning — and a lot of time and resources. The good news is you don’t have to go at it alone. Online payment solutions like Vanco make school fundraising a breeze.

One of the key benefits of using Vanco to fundraise is that you can keep all payments and online donations in one convenient location. Additional features include:

• Easy-to-use ticket-scanning app
• Reserved seating charts
• Virtual event ticketing
• Payment processing for events
• Pre-made donation forms
• And much more

Setting up your online payment portal is easy and allows you convenient access to your finances. Vanco also makes it easy for donors to make recurring payments by securely saving their preferred payment info.

FAQs

What are some low-cost, high-impact fundraising ideas for schools on a tight budget?

• Read-a-thon or walk-a-thon
• Digital crowdfunding campaign
• A text-to-give campaign
• Eco-friendly drive
• Teacher challenge or dare event
• Virtual workshops or classes
• A potluck-style school picnic

How can we ensure our school fundraiser is inclusive and engaging for the entire community?

Great question! The best way to make your event accessible to everyone is by offering tiered donations. If you’re hosting an event with a ticket entry price of $50 per head, that can put off those in lower income brackets. Offer a mix of low- and high-priced items/services so that everyone can contribute what they are able to.

Consider, too, the needs and interests of the community at large. If you live in an outdoorsy community, you can boost engagement by hosting a sporty fundraiser.

How can schools leverage technology and social media for fundraising?

The sky’s the limit when it comes to technology. You can really get as creative as you want when leveraging social media to promote your event. Look at which of your school’s existing social media accounts get the most engagement, and focus your promotion there.

You can also use digital platforms to conduct polls and surveys. Get a feel for what kinds of events the community enjoys. Post pictures both before and after the event to encourage more people to participate in your next fundraiser.

Payment platforms like Vanco make it especially convenient for donors to make payments — and for schools to manage those payments. Technology is truly a godsend for fundraisers, so be sure to take advantage of any and all tools available to you.

How can schools foster a culture of philanthropy among students?

Schools can encourage student giving by demonstrating real-world impact. The beauty of philanthropy may not “click” for students if they aren’t given concrete examples of how their donations are benefiting their school.

If in the past you raised money through a gala event, for instance, you might create a slideshow explaining how the money was raised and what it was ultimately used for. That way, students can see that their money is actually going to a good cause.

It can also be helpful to offer incentives for donating. You might host a raffle or some other type of drawing for student donors, with the most generous donors receiving the most entries.

Can schools partner with businesses for fundraising? If yes, how?

Absolutely! These partnerships can — and should be — mutually beneficial and can be a great way for schools to not only raise money but form stronger connections with local businesses. Companies can sponsor school events in exchange for advertising opportunities like logos on event materials.

You can also partner with local restaurants or shops to have a “school night,” where a percentage of profits are donated to the school. This encourages community members to patronize the business while supporting the school.

Some businesses may even donate items that you can sell. Be sure to publicly thank them for these donations, promoting their brand to the local community.

As you explore these innovative school fundraising ideas, it's crucial to be well-informed about the legal aspects and compliance strategies involved in public school fundraising.

To ensure your fundraising efforts are both successful and legally sound, we highly recommend reading our detailed article, Understanding Public School Fundraising Laws: Compliance and Strategies.

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