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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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Coach dare
Challenge your coach to do something wild (like shaving their head!) if your team reaches their fundraising goal. Have supporters watch the fundraiser’s progress—and create some exciting anticipation—with an engaging fundraising page that features a live goal bar.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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All
Fundraising page
Donation forms
Concert for a cause
Work with popular local musicians and performers to host a benefit concert with a percentage of the proceeds going towards your cause.
Want to make sure everyone can listen in and donate, no matter where they are? Livestream your concert to the masses and enable people to contribute to your campaign without leaving the stream.
Want to make sure everyone can listen in and donate, no matter where they are? Livestream your concert to the masses and enable people to contribute to your campaign without leaving the stream.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Grow-your-own garden kit
Ask local nurseries to donate herbs, seeds, and soil you can use to assemble gardening kits. Bring volunteers together to assemble everything and sell them on a custom fundraising page or donation form.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Fundraising page
Donation forms
Pet picture day
Ask a photographer in your area to volunteer to take pictures of pets and their owners at a local park. Customize your fundraising event page with time-slotted tickets to make the day go smoothly.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
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!
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!
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
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.
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Secret supper
Sell tickets to a dining experience where guests purchase tickets to a "secret" location revealed only hours before the event. Use free texting software to send updates to attendees and inform them of the location.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Nostalgia night party
Pick an era (like the ‘90s), set the scene, charge an entrance fee, and sell themed merch, food, and drinks. To encourage even more donations during the festivities, display mobile giving options and your goal bar using live display.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Penny wars
Grades or classes compete to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Grab a few jars and encourage students to find some loose change to get started! To ensure that no one forgets their cents at home, send reminders to parents with free texting software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Fundraising page
Donation forms
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Peer-to-peer
Events
Cheer off
Invite dance, cheer, or pom squads to pay a small entry fee and battle it out for top spots like “Most Spirited” and “Best Routine.” Take this event to the next level by asking attendees to consider adding a donation to their ticket purchase, offering concessions, or even livestreaming the event.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Tailgate party
Invite a local restaurant to contribute or have volunteers create a menu for a tailgate. Sell entry tickets and offer some fun merch or special treats at an additional price to bring in extra dollars.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Fundraising page
Donation forms
Virtual bake sale
Sell homemade or donated treats through a donation form or event page 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
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Auctions
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Text-to-donate
With text-to-donate, raising funds is as easy as sending a text message. Post your shortcode on signs at fundraising events, share it on social media, and offer it as a payment option so your supporters can contribute using their mobile devices right on the spot, no matter where they are.
See for yourself how easy it is — text “DEMO” to 53-555.
See for yourself how easy it is — text “DEMO” to 53-555.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Fundraising page
Drag bingo
Sell bingo cards for a night of drag entertainment and competition! Winners receive donated prizes. To raise even more at this memorable fundraising event, offer drink specials and sell eye-catching merch.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Team apparel sale
Sell custom team apparel like T-shirts and hats featuring your team's logo and colors—online, in person, or both! Be sure to collect key info—like size and color—using custom fields on your donation forms.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Scratch card fundraiser
Buy a bulk batch of scratch cards from a wholesaler. Each circle hides a dollar amount, usually ranging from 50 cents to several dollars. Participants scratch off as many sections as they’d like, and the total amount is how much they’ll donate!
Collect cash or accept virtual payments on the spot with Tap-to-Pay, Venmo, and more convenient options.
Collect cash or accept virtual payments on the spot with Tap-to-Pay, Venmo, and more convenient options.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Events
Church camp dessert bake-off
Challenge your church camp attendees to a bake-off to raise money for your next big project or trip. Bakers offer samples of their treats in exchange for donations from parishioners and community members, and a panel of judges can award prizes for the best s’mores, cupcakes, and ice cream sundaes.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Principal challenge
Challenge your principal to do something wild (like dye their hair) if your team reaches their fundraising goal. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to drum up excitement and share updates (and photos!) as donations roll in.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Discount Cards
Create and sell discount card coupon books full of deals to local restaurants and businesses. Sell the coupon books on a custom donation form and share it far and wide!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Eating contest
Challenge contestants to (safely) stuff their faces in a race to the finish. Sell tickets to watch and offer prizes for the winner! To gamify the experience even more, encourage contestants to create personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages where friends and family can show their support.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
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Frequently asked questions
How does a PTA raise money?
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.
What are the best PTA fundraising ideas?
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.
How do I ask for donations to the PTA?
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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