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All fundraising ideas
School fundraising ideas
Whether you're a parent, teacher, or student leader, we’ll help you say goodbye to boring and hello to the best fundraising ideas for schools. Kick off the school year on a high note with these creative campaigns and events guaranteed to boost school spirit—and your fundraising efforts.
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Masquerade ball
Whether it's time for Mardi Gras or you’re looking for a creative New Year’s Eve idea, a masquerade ball will make for a memorable evening and bring in lots of donations. Create an unforgettable fundraising event experience with easy ticket sales and check-ins, live display, and a silent auction.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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Street food stand
Bring in donations with the sizzling smells and sweet treats from a street food stand.
Partner with a local restaurant or food truck, or set up your own stall for the day. Want to strike up a relationship with a local restaurant? Use our sponsorship proposal guide to get started!
Partner with a local restaurant or food truck, or set up your own stall for the day. Want to strike up a relationship with a local restaurant? Use our sponsorship proposal guide to get started!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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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
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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 the sponsorship opportunity, offer benefits for these small businesses, like free marketing and publicity.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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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
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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
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2
Impact:
3
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Petting zoo
Partner with a local farm or petting zoo to bring in animals for a day of fun. Charge an entry fee and offer optional donations for extra activities, like pony rides, to raise even more funds. Make sure attendees can make quick payments from their phones, using methods like Venmo or Tap to Pay, so they don't need to return to their cars for cash.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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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).
Create custom labels on your donation form for various donation amounts (for example: $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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5k walk/run
Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer fundraising tools that allow supporters to make their own donation pages, set their own goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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Holiday market
Ring in the festive season with your own holiday market. Invite stallholders to participate for a small fee and raise funds through selling refreshments, merch, and game tickets.
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Family photo day
Partner with a local photographer and charge a fee for photo packages with themed backdrops or props. Create custom tickets with time slots for families to sign up to keep the day moving smoothly.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
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Craft sale
Turn your community’s talents into funds for your cause by hosting a craft sale. Ask volunteer crafters to donate some of their goods or ask for a percentage of their profits in return for promoting and hosting the event.
Want to make an even bigger impact? Auction off some larger or more in-demand items.
Want to make an even bigger impact? Auction off some larger or more in-demand items.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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Escape Room Challenge
Charge a participation fee and challenge teams to solve puzzles and clues to "escape” from various spaces in this exciting, community-building fundraising event.
Cost:
2
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2
Impact:
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Give $5, grab 5 friends
Ask your supporters to donate $5 to your cause. Then, each donor has to tag at least five people via social media. The goal is that each person who gets tagged matches that $5 gift to your campaign—and then tags five others.
This is a great social media fundraising idea that can spread quickly within your community, helping you raise funds fast.
This is a great social media fundraising idea that can spread quickly within your community, helping you raise funds fast.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Swim-a-thon
Swap your sneakers for a swimsuit or trunks and host a swim-a-thon to raise money for your cause. Set a route that feels achievable, and invite participants to create their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages to help you reach your goal.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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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
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Yard sale
Turn old treasures into fresh new funds for your good cause! Ask community members to host individual yard sales and donate their proceeds to your campaign. Or, host one large community yard sale using donated goods.
Create a fundraising page for your yard sale, use campaign updates to keep your community engaged, and update the fundraising total to reflect how much you’ve raised.
Create a fundraising page for your yard sale, use campaign updates to keep your community engaged, and update the fundraising total to reflect how much you’ve raised.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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Virtual food/wine tasting
Partner with local eateries and provide tasting kits for participants to enjoy at home for a small fee. Then, host a livestream tasting experience.
Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
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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
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2
Impact:
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Frequently asked questions
How do I start a fundraiser for my school?
Begin by identifying a specific need or cause, such as upgrading facilities or starting new clubs or programs. Next, brainstorm easy fundraising ideas for schools, such as bake sales, car washes, or themed events geared toward your community's interests.
Obtain approval from school administrators, rally volunteers, and promote your fundraising campaign far and wide. Don’t forget to thank all of your donors and attendees for their support!
What are the most popular school fundraisers?
The most popular fundraisers for school ideas appeal to both students and their families. Setting up concession stands and selling baked goods at sports games and at field days are always appealing fundraising ideas for students, and they can bring in an impressive amount of money for your school.
What is the most profitable school fundraiser?
Finding good fundraising ideas for schools that make a big impact can depend on your budget and resources. However, large-scale ideas for school fundraisers like dances or festivals are usually a solid way to raise funds. Because these events engage students of all ages, families, and local communities, they tend to help causes reach their fundraising goals faster.
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