The student council plays an important role in school activities and projects, taking on a leadership position to help other students get the most out of their school experience. One of the most essential functions of a student council is running fundraising campaigns to raise money for the school and its student population.
Because the student council plays a massive part in fundraising for an educational institution, choosing the right school fundraising ideas can make or break the success of the student council’s efforts. Student council members might encounter challenges during fundraising, such as struggling to engage the community and generate interest in fundraising events.
This article covers the best student council fundraising ideas to help you discover the top strategies for involving students in fundraising efforts, from talent shows to school dances, spelling bees to online auctions and more!
Table of Contents
- Why Innovative Fundraising Matters
- Top Student Council Fundraising Ideas
- Fundraising Campaign Made Easy with Vanco
- Best Practices for School Fundraisers
- Success Stories
- Key Takeaways
- FAQs
Why Innovative Fundraising Matters
Engaging and creative fundraising ideas can significantly influence the outcome of your student council’s fundraising efforts, allowing you to encourage community participation and generate higher donation volumes.
However, while school fundraising events are paramount to your school’s overall improvement, many institutions neglect to take advantage of crucial fundraising activities that could otherwise transform the educational environment and experience. In fact, 76.1 percent of schools only hold one to five fundraising events annually, while only 1.8 percent of schools host more than 15 fundraising events each year.
Despite this, schools that invest in fundraising see massive success rates when they invest in fun, innovative fundraising ideas. More than 27 percent of schools that invest in several fundraising events earn more than $75,000 annually. In contrast, 35 percent of schools that don’t prioritize fundraising campaigns only generate $0 to $5,000 annually.
Finding the right volunteers is the biggest challenge school councils face when fundraising, with 52 percent of school fundraising leaders stating that volunteers are the biggest obstacle.
Most fundraising donations come from parents, community members and alumni, meaning the most effective fundraising strategy goes beyond focusing on the students to involve the entire school community.
Considering the massive amount you can earn through effective fundraising efforts, there’s no denying the need to invest in more campaigns that engage your entire community.
Top Student Council Fundraising Ideas
Running a successful fundraiser might seem like an impossible task; however, with the right student council fundraising ideas, you can start running fundraising campaigns that succeed. But what are the best school fundraising activities for your school?
Here are some of the top school fundraising ideas for different grade levels.
Elementary School Fundraising
A successful fundraiser involves every community member, and the youngest people in your community are no exception. Elementary school fundraisers are the perfect way to bring fun to the average school day and engage parents who want their children to get the most from their school experience.
Let’s look at some of the best elementary school fundraising ideas.
School Fun Runs
Fun runs are perfect for getting parents involved in student education. This fundraising event is a friendly race where participants invest in some enjoyable competition to raise money for a greater cause, like funding student scholarships or school improvement projects.
While parents and adult community members are typically the target audience for fun runs, this is an activity where everyone can get involved. Students can attend these events as participants or watch from the sidelines to cheer on their favorite runners, and you can go the extra mile by offering concession foods and drinks or participation awards.
Talent Shows
One way to engage the youngest members of your community through exciting fundraising activities is hosting a student talent show tailored to elementary school, where the youngest students can come together to show off their unique skills.
Talent shows are typically successful because parents love donating to a cause where their children will have fun and experience community involvement. You can sell tickets to a talent show online, at community events or anywhere else you can reach your community members.
Pajamas to School Day
A fantastic way to bring a change of pace to the average school day is to have a wear-your-pajamas-to-school day, where young students can come to school in their most comfortable clothing. Promote this idea to parents and present it as an opportunity for them to donate a small amount to allow their children to attend school in their pajamas.
This fundraiser is especially effective for schools with uniforms, where children don’t often have the opportunity to dress in their favorite outfits, but regardless of whether your student body wears uniforms, there’s no denying the fun that a pajama day can bring!
Costume-Themed School Picnics
A school picnic is a favorite fundraiser for many parents and students alike, but you can take the standard school picnic up a notch by throwing a costume-themed picnic extravaganza! Encourage children to show up in their favorite costumes to show off their outfits in style.
Allowing children to wear costumes to the school picnic makes it likely that parents will donate to the fundraiser, as it offers a unique opportunity for their children to have fun outside of the average school day.
School Carnivals
Carnivals are the perfect opportunity for everyone in your community to get involved! School carnivals are one of the most effective fundraising ideas because they provide a unique opportunity that only occurs once a year or less. This exclusivity means more people will flock to your event.
This fundraising idea can get expensive because you’ll need to invest in concession stands and rides, but with the help of some volunteers from your community and the excitement young students will feel about going to the carnival, this fundraiser more than pays for itself.
Middle and High School Fundraising
While elementary school fundraising events can unite the whole community, older students might want something different from their school events. Let’s look at some of the best student council fundraising ideas for middle and high school students.
Organizing a School Dance
The annual school dance is one of the main events of the school year for middle and high school students, and it’s also a perfect opportunity to raise money for your school improvement projects.
Sell tickets to the event, look for volunteer chaperones, and seek a community member willing to be a DJ for a night or hire a professional DJ if your budget allows. It’s the perfect recipe for a night of fun that your students won’t soon forget!
Holiday-Themed Fun Runs
Fun runs are one of the best fundraising activities for elementary school students, but they also fit an older audience and can be used for your middle and high school fundraising efforts! Tailoring this event to an older demographic means you’re more likely to get students involved in the fundraising activity rather than relying on parents to participate in the race.
You can take the average fun run up a step by making it a holiday-themed event and hosting it around major holidays, adding an extra layer of creativity and giving you more opportunities to raise funds!
Obstacle Courses
One of the most physical and engaging activities you can do for your school fundraiser is an obstacle course, where middle and high school students can get competitive and race to see who can finish the course fastest! You can sell tickets to students who want to participate in the obstacle course and to parents and community members who want to get involved in a day of fun.
Mystery Games
What’s more stimulating than a mystery party? Have students donate to your school to participate in a game where they work to solve a mysterious crime scene, encouraging everyone to work together to achieve a common goal.
This interactive fundraising idea is guaranteed to bring plenty of amusement to the average school day, but be sure your attendee list isn’t too long, or this idea can get confusing.
Community Dog Walks
Parents and community members will rejoice at having someone else walk their dogs for a change. Your student council can organize a team of student volunteers who offer dog-walking services to community members who require extra help with their furry friends.
Many community members will be out of town during times like summer vacation or winter holidays, so focus your community dog walks around these times for maximum impact.
Cycling Events
Some of the best fundraising opportunities involve physical activity, and a cycling event is an excellent way to raise money for your school! This event allows everyone to get involved, from middle and high school students to parents and community members who want to be active.
You can charge a low ticket price for people who want to participate in the event and offer tickets for those who want to watch from the sidelines.
Movie Night
Almost nothing is more relaxing than gathering your community for a movie night. Movie nights are excellent fundraising opportunities where participants purchase tickets to watch a film with their community members.
Beyond selling tickets, sell snacks at the event to earn more funds for your school improvement efforts. You can host several movie nights for different holidays and occasions throughout the year!
Cookie Dough Fundraiser
Who doesn’t love the delicious taste of freshly baked cookies? Rather than making them yourself and selling them during a bake sale, you can host a cookie dough fundraiser event where your community can purchase delicious cookie dough to make their favorite cookies at home – or invest in edible cookie dough for extra deliciousness!
If your student council doesn’t have time to make cookie dough with volunteers, you can enlist the help of your local community and bakeries to supply the dough. This is a perfect product fundraiser, and practically everyone will find something they like.
Sports and Performance Events
Hosting events where everyone in your school community can get involved is the perfect way to earn funds. Here are some sports and performance events to help you reach your fundraising goals!
Basketball and Football Tournaments
Basketball and football are two massively popular sports, but while your school might have basketball and football teams, you don’t have to limit this activity to sports teams. Consider hosting basketball and football tournaments where participants can purchase tickets to get involved in a day of spirited competition!
Dance or Singing Competitions
Students love showing off their unique talents, and a dance or singing competition is the perfect way to foster friendly competition while letting your student body shine. Sell tickets for people who want to compete, get unbiased community members to volunteer as judges and throw an event that participants and audience members are sure to enjoy.
Spelling Bees
Spelling bees are standard for many middle and high school students, but you might not realize their potential as fundraising events. Once you determine your student lineup for the spelling bee, sell tickets to parents and community members who want to join and cheer on students in the school community. This is another fantastic way to encourage friendly competition while earning funds for your school!
Sales and Online Fundraisers
Selling fundraising products or investing in online income opportunities is the perfect way to achieve your fundraising goals. Here are some great sales and online fundraisers the entire school community can participate in.
Online Auctions
Gather some fundraising products and special offers, host a Zoom space and prepare for the bids to flow in with an online auction! This event is one of the best ways to generate interest from your entire community and one of the most effective ways of earning significant funds for your fundraising efforts.
Community Yard Sales
Chances are that most people in your community have items they no longer have use for and want to sell. A community yard sale is a wonderful way to earn funds for your school while allowing people to get out with the old and in with the new and used.
Target community members who are comfortable donating their sale earnings to your school fundraising efforts and set up your schoolyard with different vendor booths where everyone can find something to sell and buy!
School Spirit Wear and Food Sales
Another wonderful way to offer fundraising products is to sell school spirit wear, which appeals to students and parents alike. Students will love the opportunity to represent their school, while parents can proudly wear their school spirit gear!
You can also consider food sales, where you enlist the help of local businesses and parent volunteers to sell delicious food and drinks to attendees. This idea is practically guaranteed to be a successful fundraiser because there’s something tasty for everyone to try!
Text-to-Give Campaign
People always have their phones on them, and there’s no fundraiser as simple and practical as a text-to-give campaign. This crowdfunding campaign allows parents and community members to use a mobile giving platform with a toll-free number and a giving keyword that people send to receive prompts about how to donate through their phones.
Participants can make one-time payments or offer recurring donations to create a sustainable stream of funds for school projects.
Fundraising Campaigns Made Easy With Vanco
There are numerous benefits to using online payment platforms like Vanco to execute your student council fundraising ideas and raise funds for your school. Online payment platforms provide the simplest way for community members to donate to your educational institution. However, choosing the right online fundraising platform is crucial to ensuring success.
Vanco offers the highest level of security and convenience to earn money to fund your ongoing school improvement efforts. We understand that outdated donation systems are a massive burden on fundraising efforts, and we provide the best user experience possible for families and community members through advanced online payment software for schools.
Vanco simplifies fundraising by giving parents an easy way to pay student fees, order meals and donate to ongoing fundraising efforts on a one-time or recurring basis.
Best Practices for School Fundraisers
Before you mark your school calendars for your upcoming fundraising event, be sure you’re equipped with everything you need to make the event successful. A successful fundraiser requires you to invest time and energy into researching what’s most effective for your community.
To help you out, here are some of the best practices for school fundraisers, whether you’re running an extravagant or simple fundraiser:
- Have clear goals for your fundraising events, including how much you want to earn and how the funds will be used. Goals will guarantee everyone is on the same page and motivated to earn.
- Choose a fundraising activity that best aligns with your community’s needs. Consider your community’s interests and student preferences, and tailor your fundraisers to resonate with your community.
- Offer incentives for people participating in the fundraiser to encourage donations. Incentives might include prizes for top fundraisers, rewards for students who reach specific milestones or recognition for classes and grade levels that achieve the most fundraising success.
- Promote your fundraiser as early as possible. Use online communication channels like emails and social media, but also invest in flyers and newsletters to hand out to community members during events.
- Involve students in your fundraising efforts for maximum success. You can organize classroom competitions or get students involved in fundraising contests to empower them to change their school’s future.
- Express gratitude to donors and anyone who supports your fundraiser, like community volunteers. You can send personalized thank-you emails and letters, give donors shoutouts at your fundraising event or recognize donors in newsletters to show gratitude for their support.
Success Stories
Many schools have achieved their fundraising goals using solutions like Vanco Payments. Schools like Cathedral used Vanco’s fundraising resources to streamline event management and earn significant donations.
Using Vanco, Cathedral achieved its first-ever sold-out fundraising event in 27 years, earning $16,000 from a single fundraising event – more than many schools earn in an entire year!
Nicolet Union High School also used Vanco’s solutions to improve its fundraising efforts and generate more donations. This school used Vanco to customize its online platform to enhance fundraising revenue, giving parents a simple way to donate to the school’s ongoing efforts and allowing the institution to take charge of online fundraisers!
Key Takeaways
There are several engaging fundraising ideas, ranging from fundraisers tailored to elementary school students and middle and high school students to online fundraising solutions like Vanco to simplify the donation process.
Following the best fundraising practices is paramount to the success of your student council fundraising ideas. Implementing Vanco Payments is a surefire way to increase your donations. Explore Vanco’s solutions for seamless fundraising today!
FAQs
How can we make our school fundraiser stand out?
You don’t just want your school fundraiser to be as good as everyone else’s – you want it to stand out and truly impact your community! You can make sure your school fundraiser stands out by using unique themes to set the tone of your event, like a mystery game, costume party or holiday-themed event.
You can also help your fundraiser grab attention by focusing your events on interactive activities, like games, competitions and live entertainment, which generate interest from community members. Whenever you can, provide exclusive experiences community members won’t find from other fundraisers to make the most of your efforts!
You should also invest in technology integration to enhance the fundraising experience, such as online donation platforms like Vanco Payments. Technology helps streamline the donation process and simplifies donations for community members who might not have time to get involved otherwise.
How can Vanco help streamline our school’s fundraising efforts?
Vanco helps streamline your school’s fundraising efforts by providing a simple online platform where people can offer one-time or recurring donations to fund your school. Using Vanco is one of the simplest solutions to achieve your fundraising goals without having to invest significant money in other fundraising events, and the platform is equipped with several unique features to ensure fundraising success!
How do we track and manage donations received through different channels?
You can track and manage your donations using platforms like Vanco, which provides an overview of your online fundraising success.
Beyond using a centralized donation management system, you should designate different fundraisers for specific donation categories to avoid confusion. Communicate with your donors frequently to show how their donations are making a difference and track where you’re receiving funds.
Can we use Vanco for small-scale school fundraisers?
Yes. You can use Vanco for school fundraisers of any size, including small-scale fundraisers! Regardless of your fundraising goals, Vanco can help ensure everything goes smoothly.
How do we ensure the security of online donations?
The best way to ensure the security of your online donations is to use an online fundraising platform like Vanco. It has the highest security measures to protect your funds and ensure no unauthorized person can access them.
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