.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
PTO & PTA 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.
%201.png)
%201.png)
Crafts night
Charge an entrance fee and check in attendees as they arrive for an evening of creativity and fun. Ask volunteers to bring craft supplies or request donations from local art stores.
Read-a-thon
Students pledge to read a certain number of minutes each day and collect donations for every minute read or a flat rate. Use peer-to-peer fundraising to gamify your efforts and encourage readers to compete to see who reads—and raises—the most.
.png)
%20(1).png)
Open mic night
.png)
.png)
School auction
.png)
.png)
Swag sale
Raise some extra funds for your organization or club and spread the word about your cause by selling branded swag like totes, stickers, and t-shirts.
With advanced ticketing features, you can offer each item on a mobile-friendly platform and add an image and available amount so supporters can easily purchase and share their sizing info, too!
.png)
.png)
Pizza party
Have each class or group create a team fundraising page for donations and campaign sharing. Reward the team that raises the most with a bottomless pizza day, donated by a local pizzeria or made by volunteers.
.png)
.png)
Community cookbook
Create and sell a custom cookbook featuring favorite recipes from your community members and families. To drum up excitement and spread the word, share sneak peek photos on your custom fundraising page.
.png)
.png)
Staff vs. students
Organize an afternoon of relay races, obstacle courses, and brain teasers at your school and challenge teachers to partake. Be sure to create a fun and engaging event page where attendees can easily purchase tickets!
Comedy roast
Pay you not to ask me again
Give your supporters a way to opt out of all your upcoming donation requests during a big fundraising effort. If they contribute via your donation form before a certain date, you’ll take them off your email and call list for the whole campaign! Then, you can easily segment your email list with your built-in CRM and marketing tools.
.png)
.png)
Food truck smorgasbord
Invite food trucks to a big game or event and ask them in return to donate a portion of all food sales to your team. To really sweeten thesponsorshipopportunity, offer benefits for these small businesses, like free marketing and publicity.
Shave for the cause
Create a peer to peer fundraising campaign and invite participants to create their own pages and compete to raise the most funds. Watch the leaderboard for live updates on who’s in the lead. The person with the highest amount raised or the most individual donations will shave their head—or nominate someone else to shave their own!
.png)
.png)
Water balloons & sponge toss
For this fundraising event, charge a small fee per water balloon or sponge, and let students throw them at each other during a pep rally or outdoor event. For easy participation, offer scan-to-donate and accept multiple payment methods like Apple Pay, Venmo, and more.
.png)
.png)
Pool party
Charge an entry fee for a fun day in the sun—think pool floats, squirt guns, and water balloons!
To make this fundraising event even more of a hit, sell summery snacks and drinks, too. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
%20(1).png)
.png)
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.
.png)
.png)
Bake sale
Everyone loves sweet treats! Whip up some cookies, cakes, or donuts and host a bake sale to raise funds for your good cause. Supporters don’t have cash? No problem! With Givebutter, you can accept mobile payments via Cash App, Venmo, Apple Pay, and more.
The guessing game
Fill a jar with candy at your next event and invite people to guess how many pieces are inside for a small donation. The closest guess wins all the candy!
Use scan-to-donate for quick, on-the-spot giving—just print the QR code on a poster or display it at your stand.
.png)
.png)
Take a pie to the face
Set up a booth and invite people to pay to throw a pie at willing participants like teachers, bosses, or coaches—the more authority, the more satisfying!
With scan-to-donate, pie throwers use your QR code to land on your donation page instantly—no waiting around.
.png)
.png)
Recycling drive
Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a local service to turn these items into funds.
Recycling drives work great for long-term fundraising. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them when and where they can drop off materials via your email marketing software.
.png)
.png)
Scavenger hunt
Set up a themed scavenger hunt in your venue, neighborhood, or even across the entire town. Charge participants a small entrance fee and offer donated prizes for the winners.
Streamline ticket sales and create a central hub with a fundraising event page. All the energy you save can be spent making your event even more exciting!
.png)
House party
Sell event tickets online in advance, check guests in with our mobile app, and use Tap to Pay and Venmo donations to accept latecomers on the spot.
.png)
.webp)
Crowdfunding campaign
Collect online donations from friends, family, and community members by creating a fundraising page that lays out your needs and the impact that you will make with the money you raise. Use photos and videos to make your story more engaging, and use a goal bar to showcase your progress.
Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!
.png)
.png)
Video Game Tournament
Host a tournament featuring the most popular video games. Charge entry fees for participants and offer donated prizes for winners. To make it digital, livestream the event so participants can play—and cheer each other on—from home.
.png)
.png)
Tie-dye fundraiser
Invite students to bring t-shirts, tote bags, socks, and other light-colored items of clothing for a tie-dye party. Charge a small fee for entry and supplies, and have some extra clothing items on hand to sell, too.
If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!
.png)
.png)
Holiday-grams
Put together bundles of holiday cards and small gifts and charge extra for distribution at your club, school, college, or workplace.
Customize your donation form with custom fields to collect all the details you need—such as the recipient’s name, a personalized, heartfelt holiday message, and where the gram should be delivered.
.png)
.png)
Explore related fundraising ideas
Get top features for your PTA fundraiser
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
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 read-a-thons, 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.
Are there any free tools for busy PTA & PTO leaders?
Yes! PTA and PTO leaders juggle a lot—from organizing read-a-thons and spelling bees to naming new school spirit events. To make things easier, we offer a few free tools you can use year-round:
- A spelling worksheet generator for spelling bees, read-a-thons, or literacy challenges
- An easy grading calculator to quickly tally pledge totals or percentage-based fundraiser results
- A school name generator to spark ideas for fun runs, spirit weeks, house systems, or themed events
- A test grade percentage calculator for quickly calculating scores or challenge results
They’re quick, free resources designed to support parent volunteers, so you can spend less time on logistics and more time bringing your school community together.
%201.png)
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox
Givebutter helps you turn ideas into impact
.webp)
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox
The most-loved fundraising platform
.png)
%201.png)
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
%201.webp){kind=icon}