All fundraising ideas

PTA & PTO fundraising ideas

Whether you're a seasoned member of your parent-teacher association looking for fresh inspiration or a newcomer eager to make a difference, we’ve got a host of creative and easy PTA fundraising ideas to help you raise money for your school.  

From fun-filled campaigns that stoke competition to events that bring the whole family together, these unique PTO fundraising ideas will help you reach your fundraising goals and build community this school year and beyond. 

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Ski-a-thon

Swap a traditional walk-a-thon for a wintry ski-a-thon. Invite supporters to raise funds from friends and family members leading up to the big day through peer-to-peer fundraising, and watch your leaderboard update in real time to reflect who’s raised the most! 
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Teen film festival

Invite teens to showcase their own short films and charge admission to audience members. In order to cast a vote for their favorite films, supporters must give a donation to the film’s/filmmaker’s team fundraising page. Watch the results roll in on the live leaderboard and offer awards for the best film winners in various categories.
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Read-a-thon

Students pledge to read a certain number of minutes each day and collect donations for each minute read or a flat rate. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage readers to compete to see who reads—and raises—the most. 
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“Celebrity” breakfast

Charge an entrance fee for a special family breakfast with a beloved children’s character like Elmo! Check-in attendees and accept in-person donations with Tap to Pay as guests arrive, ask volunteers to whip up scrambled eggs and pancakes, and arrange a corner of the room for family photos and selfies. 
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Crafts night

Charge an entrance fee and check-in attendees as they arrive for an evening of creativity and fun. Ask volunteers to bring various supplies, or ask for donations from local art stores. 
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Recycling drive

Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a service that helps you turn these items into cash.

Recycling drives work as great long-term fundraising activities. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them where and when they can drop off materials with your email marketing software.
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Food truck Friday

Choose one Friday every month to be Food Truck Friday, in which you partner up with a local food truck to visit the area and promote their arrival. 

In exchange for driving more business their way, use a sponsorship proposal to negotiate a percentage of profits for your good cause.
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Pajama day

For a small donation, students can come to school in their pajamas and enjoy a cozy day. Accept donations in advance or on the day of via multiple payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo!
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Toy drive

Set up a toy drive to allow your community members to turn their generosity into thoughtful gifts for kids over the holiday season. Ask for toy and cash donations, then distribute toys to those most in need and use funds to buy extra gifts.

Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
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Skate-a-thon

For a fun twist on a walk-a-thon, swap the walking shoes for a pair of rollerblades or quad skates and raise money for a good cause.

Leading up to your event, encourage your participants to create their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages, which they can personalize with their own stories and updates. 
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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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Auctions

Halloween costume run

Ask supporters to wear their spookiest Halloween costume during this fun run, walk, or roll. Be sure to use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word. 

At the end, award the winners of the race, the teams or individuals who raised the most, and, of course, the best dressed with special prizes. 
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Virtual book club

Charge a registration fee or ask for donations to join your book club, and host regular discussions via Zoom or another video conferencing platform. 

Be sure to set up recurring donations as a simple way to collect membership fees for ongoing gatherings.
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Pet-friendly bake sale

Choose a location in a high-pet-traffic area, request treat donations from pet supply stores, and get to selling! Offer multiple methods for payment including scan-to-donate and Venmo.
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Chili cook-off

Invite participants to prepare their best chili for attendees—and offer prizes for the winner! Create team fundraising pages for each chili recipe/culinary team. There, supporters can cast their vote with a donation and watch the live leaderboard to see which chef is in the lead!
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Car smashing

Ask your local junkyard to donate totaled cars and invite supporters to make a donation to take a sledgehammer to them. 

Sell different kinds of tickets online for smashers and audience members and offer food and drinks to raise even more during the fun. Don’t forget the safety goggles! 
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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.
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Ale tasting

For a fun twist on the usual wine tasting, sell tickets online and in person to an ale-tasting event instead. Host an evening of learning about brewing, tasting different beers, and raising money for a good cause.
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Donation matching

Build relationships with local businesses and major donors that can offer matching donations to feature during your next campaign. 

Matching gifts create an enormous incentive for supporters who understand that they can automatically double (or even triple or quadruple!) their impact for your cause.


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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.
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Auctions

Engraved bricks

Give your supporters the opportunity to “buy” a brick for your new construction project that will have their name or dedication engraved on it for all to see. 

Use custom fields on your donation form to capture essential details for donors’ bricks—make sure to provide a word count so they don’t go over! 
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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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Festive volunteers

Rally volunteers to act as festive little helpers to put up holiday decorations for others in your community in exchange for donations.

Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights. 
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Naming rights

Supporters cast their vote with donations to name a bench, tree, garden, sculpture, or pathway. 

Create custom labels on your donation form for various donation amounts (for example: $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
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Caroling

Embrace the holiday spirit and spread joy by going caroling around town or at an event. Pass the hat for cash donations AND hold a big QR code or text-to-donate number for easy mobile giving!
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Frequently asked questions

Many parent-teacher association fundraising ideas involve organizing family-friendly events like bake sales and fun runs or selling items like flowers, jerseys, and grab bags. Parent fundraisers may also request donations from businesses, apply for grants, or participate in fundraising programs with online retailers.

Some of the best PTA fundraiser ideas include school carnivals, trivia nights, and family fun days, as these offer opportunities for families, teachers, and students to spend meaningful time together. Other great PTA fundraising ideas include yard sales, movie nights, raffles, and silent auctions. Additionally, partnering with local restaurants and selling tickets to community events can help PTAs raise funds, too.

Identify potential donors like local businesses, community members, and other parents. Offer opportunities for donors to get involved, such as sponsoring an event or making a contribution to a specific program. Always be transparent about where the donations will go and don’t forget to express gratitude for their support. When asking for donations it's important to clearly communicate the purpose of the campaign and how the money will be used to benefit the school community.

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