Fundraising Ideas for Schools to Raise Money Fast

Field trips, summer learning programmes, study abroad and enrichment programmes are often costly — but they’re also an ideal fit for crowdfunding because your needs are so well defined.

• Raise funds for one classroom, a specific programme or an entire school.
• Pupils can promote the fundraiser by sharing it on social media, creating photos and videos for fundraiser updates, writing thank-you notes to donors and more.

A large number of pupils are involved in sports and athletic clubs. Booster clubs are formed to help coordinate events and raise money for the equipment and supplies pupil-athletes’ needs. A great way to raise funds is to have parents create a crowdfunding fundraiser that outlines the club’s needs.

Proms and other special school events come with a price tag — decorations, food, entertainment and prize giveaways add up. Coordinate with those in charge of planning the event and come up with a creative crowdfunding fundraiser to make your plans come to life. Pupils can really make these events special and fun without dipping into the school treasury.

Classrooms often make use of laptops and tablets — for reading textbooks, doing homework, accommodating pupil learning needs and more. If you want to upgrade or expand your capacity in this area, start a crowdfunding fundraiser and make it happen.

• Talk with the person in charge of making purchases for the school to determine the budget.
• Then set a realistic fundraising goal — you can always increase it if you meet it right away.

Supporting humanitarian causes is a key component of service learning — one that teaches pupils about compassion and the value of helping others.

• Take a poll to find out what causes pupils at your school are passionate about or interested in.
• It could be local, national or international — there’s no shortage of wonderful causes to support.
• One popular option is for students to help other pupils who are in need elsewhere.

If a teacher, pupil or other community members who is important to your school passes away, honour that person by starting a scholarship fund in their name (with the permission of the person’s family, of course).

• Come up with ideas for appropriate ways to spend the funds you raise, such as creating a scholarship to be awarded to one pupil at the end of the year, dispersing donations to a group of students for summer camp or earmarking money for a special school event.
• Memorial fundraisers are a great way for your students to transform their loss into something positive and be involved in a legacy project.

• Publicise your pancake breakfast in advance via email, school newsletters and social media.
• Invite members of the community to support your crowdfunding fundraiser.
• Charge a flat fee per breakfast in the form of a donation to your fundraiser (you can take donations with a mobile device).
• Solicit parent volunteers to help prepare the food in your cafeteria, like pancakes and other breakfast foods.
• Recruit pupils to serve meals and refill coffee.
• Encourage parents to bring extended family, friends or members of the school community.

Preteen pupils are often eager to socialise with classmates outside of school and fundraising dances provide an opportunity to do so while benefitting your cause.

• Offer alternative activities for children who aren’t comfortable dancing.
• Ask pupil representatives to take on an active role in planning and publicising the dance.
• Recruit parent and teacher volunteers to supervise.
• Ask families to make a donation to your crowdfunding fundraiser in lieu of buying a ticket.
• To reduce overhead, find a trusted alumni or community member to DJ, or recruit a local band to perform.

Here’s how to set up a tie-dye booth:

• Buy a low-cost fabric dye in a variety of colours.
• Invite pupils to bring their white t-shirts, socks or sweatshirts to dye in exchange for a donation.
• Have them write their name in marker pen somewhere inside each article of clothing.
• Fill buckets with cold water and a few dye packets to make bold colours.
• Teach students how to tie up their clothes for a bullseye or swirl pattern.

If your secondary school fundraising fundraiser benefits a construction project or other upgrade to your facilities, brainstorm ways you can raise money by letting students contribute a handprint, quote or some other artistic flourish to the building.

• You could ask them to find a sponsor for each tile in a garden mosaic.
• Or, you can charge pupils a small amount to leave their handprint in paint or cement or to make their own mini-mural on a small section of wall.
• Encourage creative expression and simultaneously helps raise money in small amounts can add up to a huge success.

Here’s how to organise a cake-decorating contest.

• Participants can donate a set amount to your crowdfunding fundraiser to participate.
• Ask a local bakery or grocery store to donate plain, unfrosted cakes and see if any other businesses are willing to donate gift cards or goods for a winning prize.
• Have contestants make their own frosting and decorate the cakes however they like, then bring the cakes to school on the day of the event.
• Gather a panel of judges to choose the winning cake, then auction off all of the contenders to benefit your fundraiser.

From Scrabble to Catchphrase to Jeopardy!, there are dozens of options for group games that help expand vocabularies and keep pupils entertained.

• Encourage families or groups to sign up for the game night as teams, making a minimum donation as an entrance fee.
• Host the event in a gym or auditorium. It can be tournament style, or groups can choose from different games.
• Provide snacks and ask for parent volunteers to keep the evening running smoothly.
• This can provide an opportunity for students to socialise in a low-pressure atmosphere and connect with peers outside their immediate friend groups.

Encourage students to be citizens of the world. Climate change and regional conflicts have created huge waves of refugees globally.

• One way for students to showcase compassion is to start a fundraiser and raise funds to keep refugees safe and ease their suffering.
• Find a reputable charity aimed at helping refugees and raise funds for it.

Often, a school’s fundraising committee dedicates a fair amount of time and resources toward raising money for financial aid. Private schools offer scholarships and discounted tuition to students whose families can’t afford to pay the full cost of tuition.

• By providing need-based and/or merit-based scholarships, private schools maintain a more vibrant and diverse student body.
• Crowdfunding can help pupils, parents, staff and alumni replenish the coffers that make financial aid possible.

Depending on your school’s extracurricular budget, participating in a school sport may require fundraising for things like uniforms, field maintenance and repair, coaches’ salaries, travel to tournaments, equipment and more. Pupil-athletes welcome the opportunity to raise funds for their athletic programmes. Whatever the team’s needs are, crowdfunding can help make the season a smashing success.

To start a friendly competition between pupils, faculty and parents, organise a cook-off to display cooking or baking skills.

• You can either charge an entrance fee (via a donation to your fundraiser) or require tasting fees from participants (in the form of a contribution).
• Find a venue such as your school’s dining hall or auditorium to host this event.
• The winner is awarded bragging rights as the best chef at your school.

As a play on the movie March of the Penguins, hold a school-wide march. This works especially well for environmentalist clubs or pupils interested in protecting and preserving the environment.

• Have everyone design his or her own penguin costume and require an entrance fee to participate in the march.
• The costumes allow people to get creative while raising awareness for your chosen environmental cause.

Host a social gathering for parents and their children by organising an outdoor movie fundraising event.

• Pick a famous movie (or vote on one) and invite everyone to enjoy the film together from the comfort of lawn chairs and blankets.
• Find an outdoor space, a powerful projector, a screen (or sheet, or flat white wall) and speakers that can fill the space with the right level of sound.
• Take donations with a mobile device. Whip up some popcorn and sell it for a small price.
• A fun variation: host a summer dive-in film in a swimming pool.