While fundraising is essential for any school group or team, it doesn’t have to feel like a chore. The most successful fundraisers bring students together and engage the whole community. From the sweet scent of freshly baked cookies to the excitement of a car wash, the possibilities are endless for raising money and making lasting memories at the same time.
The fundraising ideas we’ll explore create opportunities for fun, teamwork, and community involvement. Whether you’re planning a digital fundraiser or something a bit more adventurous, these school group fundraising ideas will inspire your creativity and help you raise more for your cause.
1. Popcorn Fundraiser
This fundraiser involves selling bags of popcorn to raise money for your group. Its success depends on your supplier, so choose one that offers a variety of sweet and savory flavors. Gluten-free options will help boost sales by catering to those with dietary restrictions or preferences. Your provider should also give you a sizeable portion of sales and ship popcorn directly to buyers’ homes, so you won’t have to coordinate pickup times.
Team Butter’s sports team fundraising guide outlines how to run a smooth popcorn fundraiser online:
- Set up your virtual fundraiser. Depending on your platform, you might download an app and make a few selections to personalize your popcorn fundraiser.
- Share your fundraiser with your team. As the organizer, you’ll share a link with your team or group members. Whenever someone clicks the link, they’ll be prompted to create a profile and set up their personalized fundraising page.
- Participants share their stores. They should encourage friends, family, and community members to visit their online fundraising store and buy their favorite flavors.
- Supporters buy popcorn, and you get paid. After your fundraiser ends, popcorn gets shipped to supporters, and the supplier deposits your earnings into your group’s bank account.
This fundraiser is particularly effective for school groups or teams because it’s simple to organize, requires minimal upfront costs, and involves all group members. Whether you’re raising money for new uniforms, a school trip, or equipment, a popcorn fundraiser is an easy way to unite your community to support your cause.
2. Discount Card Fundraiser
A discount card fundraiser involves selling cards that offer discounts at local businesses or nationwide retailers, such as restaurants and stores. Like a popcorn fundraiser, this fundraiser takes a peer-to-peer approach by having group members do the selling. The cards are typically sold at a fixed price, and a portion of the sales goes toward supporting your school group or team.
Discount cards often offer repeated use over a set period, making them attractive to supporters looking to save money. With access to plenty of discounts, the card pays for itself quickly, making it an easy sale. Some suppliers even offer digital discount cards, so your group members don’t have to keep up with physical cards. Based on your group fundraising platform, the deals may even adjust based on users’ locations.
This type of fundraiser benefits both the sellers who earn money for their cause and the buyers who save on purchases. It’s a win-win because it encourages people to shop locally while supporting a good cause.
3. Cookie Dough Fundraiser
Cookie dough fundraising is another great product fundraiser! Skip the door-to-door sales and go virtual for even better results. Similar to a popcorn fundraiser, your team will set up personal fundraising pages. Then, they’ll encourage friends, family, and community members to purchase tubs of cookie dough in support of your group.
Supporters can place orders for cookies in classic flavors like chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or macadamia nut. They can store the dough in their freezers and bake fresh cookies at home whenever they like. Cookie dough is easy for participants to sell and appeals to anyone with a sweet tooth. Since the dough is pre-made, this campaign is also relatively low-maintenance.
Add some friendly competition to the mix by choosing a platform with a leaderboard. You might even offer a prize to the participant who sells the most cookie dough, such as:
- Team swag, like a t-shirt, hoodie, or hat
- A special lunch with a teacher or coach
- A gift card to a popular store or local restaurant
- Recognition at a school assembly, sporting event, or pep rally
Whether you’re fundraising for a sports team or the decathlon team, a cookie dough fundraiser can help you rake in the dough you need.
4. Car Wash
Put your group members to work with a car wash fundraiser! For this event, you’ll secure a public space, and team members will encourage their friends and families to bring their vehicles for a wash. Either set a donation amount or ask for whatever supporters can give.
Ensure you’re prepared with sponges, buckets, soap, towels, and hoses. You might ask parents to lend these items or local businesses to donate supplies.
To make this fundraiser successful, try these strategies:
- Offer multiple pricing options. Consider offering different levels of service (e.g., basic wash, deluxe wash, etc.) at varying prices. Upgrade options like a tire shine or wax can increase the amount you raise! Just make sure to train participants or have an adult handle any complicated services.
- Pick the right location. Choose a high-traffic area, like a busy parking lot near a popular store or community event. Your school can also work! The more people passing by, the better your chances of attracting customers.
- Promote your car wash. Use social media, flyers, and word of mouth to market your fundraiser. Let people know the date, time, and location so they can plan to stop by. During your car wash, have a couple of kids or adults hold eye-catching signs to draw attention from passing drivers.
A car wash fundraiser is a classic way to raise money and get the whole community involved in supporting your team. Just be ready to pivot to another date if bad weather pops up!
5. Fundraising Raffle
Before organizing a raffle, check local and state laws to comply with any regulations. Once you’re all set, consider partnering with local businesses or parents to donate prizes for raffle participants to win.
This is a fantastic opportunity to build long-term relationships with local businesses. Double the Donation explains that ongoing support can take many forms. For example, sponsors might donate money, provide items your team needs, or promote your group’s games and events. In return, it’s essential to make these partnerships mutually beneficial. For example, you could showcase a business’s logo on team t-shirts or give shoutouts during games.
For your raffle, some prize ideas include:
- Gift cards to local stores, restaurants, or online retailers
- Tickets to local events, such as concerts or sports games
- An all-access city pass that bundles tickets to attractions like museums, zoos, or nature centers
- Themed raffle baskets, such as a candy basket, garden kit, or family game night bundle
You’ll sell tickets to participants and then enter them into a drawing for a chance to win prizes like those above. The winner is selected randomly from the pool of ticket holders. To maximize sales, consider setting up your raffle at a school event or team game.
Whether it’s selling a delicious treat, cleaning cars, or raffling off prizes, the potential for raising money is everywhere. With the right idea, your school group or team can reach its fundraising goal in no time.
If you’re looking for fresh ways to bring in donations, the ideas we’ve covered will help any school group or team. Just pay attention to performance metrics like total amount raised and donor retention. That way, you can pinpoint the most successful fundraisers for your school group or team.
