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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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Obstacle course
Challenge supporters to complete a course of obstacles like walls, mud pits, and rope climbs. To amplify your impact, and spark some friendly competition, encourage team fundraising: all supporters can join an existing team or create their own to compete!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
Color run
Spray participants with brightly colored powder along the course of your charity fun run. By the end, runners will be rainbow-ed! Create a photo booth at the end with your scan-to-donate code where runners can take selfies and encourage more donations on social media.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
Virtual fun run
Take your fundraising run online or create a hybrid event by encouraging participants to complete a designated distance anytime, anywhere! Be sure to use peer-to-peer fundraising to spread the word and bring in some major funds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Walkathon
Ask supporters to lace up their shoes and gather pledges or donations for every mile they walk.
Sell official charity gear, encourage supporters to share updates on their own personal donation pages, and award top fundraisers with exciting prizes.
Sell official charity gear, encourage supporters to share updates on their own personal donation pages, and award top fundraisers with exciting prizes.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Peer-to-peer
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
Inspiration
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Ugly sweater 5k
Get festive by encouraging supporters to wear their ugliest sweater for a fun run (and award the best dressed)! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word about the cause, along with photos of them in their ugly regalia.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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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.
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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T-shirt design contest
Encourage supporters to submit their best t-shirt designs to enter them into a competition. Set up team fundraising pages for each design and have supporters donate in order to cast their vote for for their favorite design. Each donation will appear on a leaderboard so everyone can watch the votes (and donations!) come in.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
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
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Fan Combine
Invite family, friends, and fans to this ultimate sports fundraising event. Participants join in a series of challenges, such as football tosses, 50-yard dashes, and obstacle courses.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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VIP cushioned seats sale
Create and sell custom VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats (and maybe some special team swag) at your next home game for your biggest fans and supporters.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Auctions
Valet parking
Create and sell custom VIP event tickets that offer parking perks to donors who'd appreciate the convenience of getting dropped off right at the game entrance.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Touchdown sponsorships
Ask local businesses to sponsor your team for the entire season! Create a sponsorship proposal that outlines exactly what donors will get in return—like featuring their signage or logo each time you score!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Dance-a-thon
Using individual peer-to-peer fundraising pages connected to your central event page, participants gather donations and pledges based on how long they aim to dance—without taking a break!
Supporters can donate, leave messages of support for the dancers, and purchase tickets to join in the fun all in one place.
Supporters can donate, leave messages of support for the dancers, and purchase tickets to join in the fun all in one place.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Mascot showdown
Join forces with your rival team for a good cause. Organize a race or other competition between your mascots during halftime at a big game, and ask supporters to vote for their mascot by donating on a team fundraising page. Use text-to-donate or a QR code to bring in even more funds from the stands during the event.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Jeans day / Out of uniform day
Sell passes for a day out of uniform or a day in jeans. Allow parents to pre-pay ahead or donate on the day-of the event. For easy payments, use scan-to-donate or accept Venmo and other convenient options.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Shoe-decorating
Source an array of paints and art supplies and invite community members to make a donation and bring a pair of sneakers to paint together for your good cause.
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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Storybook Character Dress-Up Day
Invite students to come to school dressed as their favorite storybook characters. Charge a small participation fee and organize storytimes throughout the day.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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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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Peer-to-peer
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Open mic night
Invite community members to perform music, poetry, or comedy for a good cause. Ask audience members to make a small donation and offer snacks to raise more funds using easy in-person mobile payments like Tap to Pay and scan-to-donate.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Candy grams
Buy some crowd-favorite candies and charge supporters to send these sweet treats to a chosen recipient along with a heartfelt note. To streamline the process, have donors fill out custom fields on your donation form with their personal notes and recipient addresses.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
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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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