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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Alumni night
Sell tickets to an all-inclusive alumni dinner before a big game or event. During half-time or intermission, bring out the alumni for special recognition. Alternatively, you can livestream a special alumni message during a virtual event.
VIP cushioned seats sale
Sell VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats—and maybe some team swag—at your next home game. Give your biggest fans an unforgettable experience while raising funds for your cause.
Virtual bike-a-thon
Set a distance and have your bikers pay a registration fee to join in. Then, foster some friendly competition by encouraging supporters to start or join a team, raise funds, and set off wherever they are.
Murder mystery night
Use easy event ticketing features to register guests online and check them in quickly with your mobile app to get the festivities started sooner!
Carnival night
Host a magical fundraising event with traditional carnival games, rides, and booths. Charge an all-inclusive admission or use QR codes for each activity to create a smoother pay-as-you-go experience.
Guest speaker event
Host a webinar or TED-style talk with an interesting topic and a captivating guest speaker sourced from your network.
Raise funds for your livestream by selling tickets and include upgrades like signed copies of books to bring in even more donations.
Cupcake wars
Have kids prepare their favorite cupcake recipe to sell at a cupcake-only bake sale. To add some friendly competition, invite attendees to vote on their favorite by making a donation to the tastiest cupcake’s team fundraising page. Use a leaderboard to show real-time votes and award prizes for the winning bakers!
Tree planting day
Concession stand
Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create customticketswith mouth-watering pictures of available treats!
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!
Discount cards
Spring cleaning
Youth lock-in
Plan a good old-fashioned lock-in for your younger community members. Charge a registration fee and have chaperones on hand to supervise activities like trivia, movie screenings, and video game tournaments.
Set up an online fundraising event page where participants can register and supporters can make donations.
Festive volunteers
Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights.
Gift wrapping
Jersey auction
Auction off game-worn jerseys from your team or donated professional jerseys either online or in person. Take advantage of free silent auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more.
Bingo night
Sell bingo cards and offer exciting prizes to keep everyone engaged all night long—either virtually or in person!
In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake to build anticipation.
Street clean up
Partner with local businesses to sponsor the day and encourage donations toward your charity or group.
PTA mimosa breakfast
Toy drive
Set up a toy drive so your community members can donate toys or cash to support families over the holiday season. Distribute toys to those most in need and use extra funds to buy additional gifts.
Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
Flower bouquets
Create a fundraising page with custom donation amounts featuring a photo of each kind of bouquet and the number available so donors can reserve bouquets online or purchase in person.
Donation drive
Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!
Pop-up clothing shop
Ask community members to purge their wardrobes and donate sell-worthy items to your cause. Host a pop-up clothing shop at a local venue and sell tickets for entry!
Coding bootcamp
Yard raking
Set up a yard raking service in exchange for donations toward your good cause.
Follow best practices for volunteer recruitment to build a loyal community of supporters ready to pitch in for yardwork and more.
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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