School fundraising ideas offer a variety of money-making options for school activities, equipment, and team uniforms. Too often, schools need to raise extra money in addition to their regular budget for extracurricular activities and events. When they do, schools can choose between some of the following options:
- Discount Cards: cards offering local merchant discounts are popular fundraisers. You can either arrange contracts with merchants yourself or have the discount card companies handle it. You can make up to 90 percent profits by using this fundraiser.
- School Items: put your logo or mascot on items like t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, banners, and magnets. Customize gift items or things you use every day. School supporters will love showing off team colors.
- Magazines: individuals from every walk of life subscribe to magazines. Your school can sell magazine subscriptions to family and friends to earn the school money. Generally, you’ll make more profit per magazine the more subscriptions you sell and most popular magazines will be available.
- Food: many companies offer school fundraising ideas that revolve around selling food. You can choose to sell everything from frozen pizzas to cookie dough to gourmet coffee. Everyone needs to eat and you’ll be providing easy to prepare options.
- Car Washes: sports teams often put together car washes in the school parking lot or at another popular location. Kids and teens will love playing around in the water and there’s not a lot of overhead cost to make this fundraising idea work.
- Auctions: get local businesses and parents to donate items for an auction to benefit the school. You can do a regular auction or go the silent route. Either way, people will enjoy bidding on items that they want.
- Bake Sales: parents or other family members bake deserts, breads, and other goodies for this event. You can combine this activity with others or have it alone. With little overhead, you can make a lot of money.
- Rubber Duck Derby: individuals buy a duck and on the given day, ducks are released into a local pond, lake or river. The first duck to cross the finish line wins and the individual with the duck’s number gets a prize.
- Other Events: other school fundraising ideas include dances, potlucks, carnivals, and other activities. These events generally require advance planning, but they can be fun for the whole family.
There are a host of school fundraising ideas out there. You just need to decide which ones will work best for your school. Consider how much money your school needs to earn, how many volunteers you’ll have, and what will work best in your community.