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All fundraising ideas
High school fundraising ideas
From talent shows and tournaments to creative mystery dinners and comedy nights, we’ve crafted the ultimate list of fundraising ideas for high schools. Find the best activities to help you engage high school students and parents, teachers, and the entire community to raise money—and school spirit.
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Game night
Sell custom event ticket types and group tickets that offer unlimited access to games—or charge a certain number of tickets per game.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/game-night
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Events
Hot chocolate stall
Set up a cozy drink stand to warm up your community! Offer coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and an array of syrups and toppings for an added fee. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
Make it easy for supporters to pay as they order with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and other seamless options.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/hot-chocolate-stall
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Events
Pages & forms
March Madness
Raise money while cheering on your favorite NCAA players with a bracket competition culminating in a ticketed March Madness watch party.
To take this fundraising idea online, take advantage of livestreaming tools, too!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/march-madness
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Mini-golf tournament
Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/mini-golf-tournament
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Obstacle course
Challenge supporters to navigate 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!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/obstacle-course
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Events
Peer-to-peer
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!
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!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/shoe-decorating
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Events
Auctions
Movie marathon
Host a mega movie marathon packed with hits from a popular franchise or films that match a specific theme or season. Raise extra funds by selling drinks and snacks, having a costume competition, or conducting a movie trivia quiz throughout.
Enjoy a better experience with engaging event ticketing options, such as online and in-person ticket sales and app-powered check-ins.
Enjoy a better experience with engaging event ticketing options, such as online and in-person ticket sales and app-powered check-ins.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/movie-marathon
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Events
Pages & forms
Holiday market
Ring in the festive season with your own holiday market. Invite stallholders to participate for a small fee and raise funds through selling refreshments, merch, and game tickets.
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/holiday-market
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Events
Pages & forms
Face painting
Set up a booth where passersby can get their face painted by volunteers from your group in exchange for a small donation.
Make it easy for people to give with scan-to-donate. All they need to do is scan the QR code and they’ll land on your donation page in seconds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/face-painting
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Events
Pages & forms
Multicultural fair
Showcase dishes and traditions from around the globe and celebrate the diversity of your community with a multicultural fair fundraiser. Sell tickets and set up food, drinks, and gift booths for attendees to enjoy.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/multicultural-fair
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Events
Pages & forms
Book sale
Partner with a publisher or local book store and host a book sale to raise money. Sell books of all kinds or organize the event around a theme—romance novels, religious books, or children's literature—whatever will resonate with your community.
Make sure to spread the word about your sale and send reminders using free email marketing software!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/book-sale
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Events
Auctions
Pages & forms
Social media challenge
Choose a theme and hashtag, then encourage supporters to post a video or photo, tag others to join in, and donate!
Explore more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/social-media-challenge
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Pages & forms
Count the jellybeans
Fill a jar with jellybeans (or another candy) and have guessers write down their number estimation alongside their name.
Use scan-to-donate or other mobile payment options to accept donations for each guess and award a prize to the person whose comes closest!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/count-the-jellybeans
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Pages & forms
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 through peer-to-peer fundraising. Don’t forget to award prizes to the coziest runners!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pajama-run
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Naming rights
Offer supporters the chance to name a bench, tree, sculpture, or pathway in recognition of their gift.
Create custom labels on your donation form for different naming tiers (e.g., $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/naming-rights
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Pages & forms
Grab bags
Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/grab-bags
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Auctions
Pages & forms
Cooking competition
Take inspiration from the TV show “Chopped” and challenge teams to a culinary showdown!
You can get even more spectators in on the fun by livestreaming the event and asking for donations throughout the program.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cooking-competition
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Peer-to-peer fundraising
Multiply your reach with a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign in which individuals reach out to their own networks of family, friends, and coworkers to solicit donations for your cause.
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/peer-to-peer-fundraising
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Peer-to-peer
Online bake sale
Sell homemade or donated treats through a donation form, event page, or buy-now auction, and organize volunteers to make deliveries after purchase! For some additional funds, allow recipients to make a donation alongside their purchase.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/online-bake-sale
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Auctions
Pages & forms
Town hall event
Host a town hall event to give community members an opportunity to learn about your organization, program, or new project. Display your text-to-give code prominently around the space to raise funds from inspired audience members.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/town-hall-event
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Events
Pages & forms
Spaghetti dinner
Host a pasta party where you serve spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, and dessert to attendees for a ticket price. Make your event even better by partnering with a local restaurant to sponsor the meal.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/spaghetti-dinner
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Events
Pages & forms
Restaurant takeover
Find a local restaurant that will host your fundraising event and donate at least 10-20% of the profits from the evening to your campaign. To really sweeten the sponsorship, offer lots of benefits for participating restaurants like free marketing and publicity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/restaurant-takeover
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Events
Car wash
Gather volunteers, soap, and plenty of rags to wash cars in exchange for donations. Easily accept onsite payments with a scan-to-donate QR code featuring Venmo and other modern methods.
Give this classic fundraiser a fresh twist by adding a theme! Encourage volunteers to dress up as ‘80s icons, classic Disney characters, superheroes—you name it.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/car-wash
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Pages & forms
Dog walking
Set up a service where volunteers walk or play with community members' dogs in exchange for a donation. Or, auction off this opportunity to the highest bidder!
Simplify the process for your supporters by using custom labels on your donation forms—for example, $50 for a two-hour walk.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dog-walking
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Pages & forms
Auctions
Pajama day
For a small donation, students can come to school in their pajamas and enjoy a cozy day. Grownups can organize a pajama day fundraiser at work, too! Accept donations in advance or on the day of via multiple payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pajama-day
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Pages & forms
Looks like we don’t have any fundraising ideas matching that criteria 🔎
We're always cooking up new ideas, so check back soon for fresh picks!
Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime
Get top features for your high school fundraiser
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Frequently asked questions
How do I start a fundraiser for my high school?
First, determine a specific need for your fundraising efforts, like extracurricular activities or a senior trip. Next, get approval from school administrators, gather volunteers, and brainstorm ideas that will get both students and the community excited, like a walk-a-thon, open mic night, or trivia competition.
Check out the step-by-step guide for how to start a fundraiser for more tips!
What are the most popular high school fundraisers?
Some popular fundraising ideas for high school students include events like dances, talent shows, and tournaments. Other favorites add a bit of competition to the mix, like a battle of the bands, creative student presentations, scavenger hunts, or a principal challenge.
What is the most profitable high school fundraiser?
The amount of money a high school fundraiser can raise varies, but large events like comedy roast nights or fun runs have the potential to raise a lot. To attract extra support, you can also send out a sponsorship proposal to businesses like local restaurants.
Are there any free tools for high school teachers & student leaders?
Yes! Beyond fundraising ideas, we’ve built a few free tools schools can use year-round:
- A customizable spelling worksheet generator for quick classroom assignments
- An easy grading calculator to simplify scoring and percentage calculations
- A creative school name generator for clubs, spirit teams, houses, or new student initiatives
- A test grade percentage calculator to quickly calculate quiz or exam results
They’re fast, free, and designed to save busy educators and student organizers time—so you can focus on planning a successful fundraiser.
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