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Elementary school fundraising ideas

The best fundraising ideas for elementary schools offer fun for the whole family and bring in some major funds, too. Rally parents, students, staff members, and the surrounding community with these fresh and creative elementary fundraiser ideas.

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Grants

Research grants that you can apply for to fund your nonprofit organization or project. Be sure to create a stand-out grant proposal in order to impress grantmakers! 
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Pajama party

Raise money for a good cause and create an unforgettable, cozy experience by turning any fundraising event into a pajama party.  
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Costume contest

Throw a themed costume party to match the season or holiday and award prizes for the best costumes! Sell tickets to your fundraising event online and work with local sponsors to offset costs and spread the word.
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Field goal derby

Invite fans to donate to see how many field goals they can make in a minute (make a smaller goalpost for kids, too!).  Have each participant create a personal peer-to-peer fundraising page and reach out to friends and family for for their support!
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More money, no problems

Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a fundraising page with photos, videos, and a compelling story in order to encourage gifts. Be sure to customize your donation amounts and add descriptions that are specific to your needs and impact.
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Candy bar sale

Sell wholesale candy bars and sweet treats to your supporters, bring them to events, or have them out anywhere people might need a snack! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to foster a bit of friendly competition and easily keep track of supporters who have sold the most.

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Flag football tournament

Bring fans onto the field for some football fun! Teams register and pay to play and fans buy tickets to cheer them on. 
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Lend a helping hand

Let donors "purchase" 2-5 hours of extra help from students or volunteers (think raking leaves or mowing the lawn). 

In order to streamline the process and keep track of contributions, create custom labels for different donation amounts on a special fundraising page or donation form (e.g. $50 = 2 volunteer hours).
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You name it

Come up with a creative fundraiser with a cathy name like “Pancakes for Parents” brunch or a “Chicken Wings for Cheerleaders.” To get supporters excited, create a custom fundraising page full of on-theme photos, videos, ands more! 
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Family fun run

Encourage families to run, walk, or jog for a cause by featuring kid-friendly activities, prizes, and course options. 

Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word about the cause. 
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Pajama run

Ask participants to don their favorite PJs while tackling a walk, jog, roll, or run for the cause. Encourage everyone to set a donation goal and spread the word about the fundraiser with peer-to-peer fundraising. Don’t forget to award prizes to the coziest runners! 
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Shoot-a-thon

In this basketball fundraiser, each contestant pays a small entry fee to see how many baskets they can make in a short amount of time. 
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Silent auction

Swap your traditional auction for a silent one, where supporters or live audience members can bid any time before the auction ends. With a silent auction, your supporters are able to bid on items online or with their phones via QR code, making it easy and accessible for all.
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Raffle

Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky is the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything that will appeal to your community members. 

Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
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Sports clinic

Host a sports clinic or skills camp for participants to learn from top coaches, pro players, or other notable experts. Depending on the scale of your clinic, you can sell several tickets to the public or offer just a few spots as a big-ticket silent auction item at a fundraising event. 
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Obstacle course

Challenge supporters to complete a course of obstacles like walls, mud pits, and rope climbs. To amplify your impact, and spark some friendly competition, encourage team fundraising: all supporters can join an existing team or create their own to compete! 
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Walkathon

Ask supporters to lace up their shoes and gather pledges or donations for every mile they walk. 

Sell official charity gear, encourage supporters to share updates on their own personal donation pages, and award top fundraisers with exciting prizes.
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5k walk/run

Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer fundraising tools that allow supporters to make their own donation pages, set their own goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
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T-shirt design contest

Encourage supporters to submit their best t-shirt designs to enter them into a competition. Set up team fundraising pages for each design and have supporters donate in order to cast their vote for for their favorite design. Each donation will appear on a leaderboard so everyone can watch the votes (and donations!) come in.
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VIP cushioned seats sale

Create and sell custom VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats (and maybe some special team swag) at your next home game for your biggest fans and supporters. 
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Players vs. parents game

It’s kids vs. grownups in this ultimate showdown. Ask for a small donation per participant or family or charge a small fee for supporters to come watch it all go down.
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Mascot showdown

Join forces with your rival team for a good cause. Organize a race or other competition between your mascots during halftime at a big game, and ask supporters to vote for their mascot by donating on a team fundraising page. Use text-to-donate or a QR code to bring in even more funds from the stands during the event. 
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Concession stand

Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create custom tickets with mouth-watering pictures of available treats!
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Jeans day / Out of uniform day

Sell passes for a day out of uniform or a day in jeans. Allow parents to pre-pay ahead or donate on the day-of the event. For easy payments, use scan-to-donate or accept Venmo and other convenient options. 
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Shoe-decorating

Source an array of paints and art supplies and invite community members to make a donation and bring a pair of sneakers to paint together for your good cause. 

To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
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Frequently asked questions

Starting a fundraiser for your elementary school usually begins with identifying a need, like new playground equipment or computers. Ideally, this is done in partnership with stakeholders like the PTA and school administrators. No one should take on a fundraising effort alone, so your next step is to assemble a team of volunteers to brainstorm ideas. A book sale? A fun run? A trivia night? The sky’s the limit! 

Great fundraising ideas for elementary schools that have stood the test of time include events like fall or spring carnivals, bake sales, and walkathons. These evergreen activities appeal to families, engage more community members, and provide fun for everyone.

Regardless of how you collect donations, the best school fundraising ideas for elementary schools get both students and parents involved and even bring local restaurants and businesses in on the action.

The profitability of any fundraiser can vary depending on resources, expenses, and community support, but large-scale events like galas and silent auctions tend to be the most profitable. Alternatively, crowdfunding campaigns that allow supporters to make small donations on a donation page are also effective for raising money sustainably throughout the school year.

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