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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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Student art auction
Auction off students' art projects online, in-person, or both! Add photos and descriptions for each masterpiece using easy auction software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Auctions
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Fundraising page
Teacher “jail”
Challenge students to meet a fundraising goal. If they do, their teacher is sent to relax in the teachers’ lounge while students play games in the classroom. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to build excitement!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
Fall carnival
Host your very own fall-themed festival with live music, food and drink, local vendors, and carnival games.
Ask local businesses for supplies and prize donations and raise funds through refreshments, games, and stallholder fees.
Ask local businesses for supplies and prize donations and raise funds through refreshments, games, and stallholder fees.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Farmer’s market
Approach a local farmer’s market with a sponsorship proposal and see if they can host a special fundraising event for your cause or dedicate a certain percentage of their Saturday morning profits to your campaign. Be sure to outline all of the perks that vendors can expect from the collaboration, like free publicity.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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That’s a wrap
Students make donations to buy sections of toilet paper. At the end of the fundraising period, they get to wrap their teacher with it! For a smoother process, set custom donation amounts and labels on your fundraising page or donation form.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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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.
In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
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!
Make sure to spread the word about your sale and send reminders using free email marketing software!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Superhero run
Participants pay an entry fee to partake in a costumed fundraising run. Encourage runners to raise more for your cause with their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages, and award prizes for race winners, best super hero costumes, and most donations!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
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
Inspiration
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Parents’ night out
This fundraising event can be a fun gathering for parents, or you can make it an opportunity for grownups to drop off their kids for a few hours in exchange for a donation to your cause! Charge an hourly rate or a flat “entrance fee” and give caregivers some priceless peace and quiet.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Night at the museum
Secure a sponsorship from a local museum and invite families and community members to pay a donation to enjoy a crowd-free evening of fun.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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TikTok dance-off
Challenge participants to create a dance and post their video to social media. Each person must tag someone and donate once they’ve completed the challenge.
For easy and simple sharing, create a custom donation form that’s optimized for mobile!
For easy and simple sharing, create a custom donation form that’s optimized for mobile!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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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.
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
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
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!
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
Pancakes for parents
Charge a small entrance fee for a dropoff pancake breakfast just for kids, allowing parents to take some much-needed time to rest and relax.
Make the whole process even more convenient for parents with easy online ticketing and scan-to-donate options at the door.
Make the whole process even more convenient for parents with easy online ticketing and scan-to-donate options at the door.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Plant sale
Ask your green-thumbed community members to grow their best seedlings and plants for a future plant sale to raise much-needed funds. Or, send a sponsorship proposal to your favorite plant nursery with the goal of signing them as your event sponsor or partner.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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One for one pledge
Whether you’re offering branded merch, boxed lunches, or other appealing products, incentivize even more donations for your cause by pledging to give away one “reward” item for each one purchased. (For example, for every pair of cozy socks sold, you’ll donate a pair to a local shelter.)
Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.
Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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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
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Expert lecture series
Recruit local experts, professors, speakers, and community leaders to donate their time and expertise for a series of talks on a certain theme.
Sell tickets to in-person attendees and offer a livestreaming option to increase donations and reach interested supporters from anywhere.
Sell tickets to in-person attendees and offer a livestreaming option to increase donations and reach interested supporters from anywhere.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Themed auction
Partner with local businesses to source items for a themed auction with a variety of attractive packages, exciting products, and alluring getaways.
Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations.
Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Auctions
Pie baking contest and potluck
Invite bakers to submit their best pies for consideration as the dessert offering at your next potluck dinner.
Community members can make small donations as their “votes” for their favorite pies, and you can display the leaderboard to keep the competitive spirit up and momentum moving toward your fundraising goal throughout the event.
Community members can make small donations as their “votes” for their favorite pies, and you can display the leaderboard to keep the competitive spirit up and momentum moving toward your fundraising goal throughout the event.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
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.
Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Fundraising page
Donation forms
Postcard drive
Handwritten, personalized messages can have a huge impact on your fundraising efforts. During your next campaign, ask volunteers to write and address postcards to your contacts to ask for donations.
Add a modern twist to this old-school tactic and have volunteers include an easy-to-read, short URL that goes right to your fundraising page.
Add a modern twist to this old-school tactic and have volunteers include an easy-to-read, short URL that goes right to your fundraising page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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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.
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Flamingoed
Invite supporters to make a donation to have lawn flamingos placed on their friends’ yards. Volunteers will sneak them onto recipients’ lawns so they awake to a pink surprise!
To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.
To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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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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