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PTA & PTO fundraising ideas

Whether you're a seasoned member of your parent-teacher association looking for fresh inspiration or a newcomer eager to make a difference, we’ve got a host of creative and easy PTA fundraising ideas to help you raise money for your school.  

From fun-filled campaigns that stoke competition to events that bring the whole family together, these unique PTO fundraising ideas will help you reach your fundraising goals and build community this school year and beyond. 

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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
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Peer-to-peer

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
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Peer-to-peer

Concession stand

Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create custom tickets with mouth-watering pictures of available treats!

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Donation forms

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
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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!
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Peer-to-peer

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
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Pumpkin Games

Perfect for the Halloween season, challenge participants to a pay-to-play series of games like pumpkin races and decorating contests. Sell tickets in advance or on the day of using scan-to-donate or Venmo.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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Peer-to-peer

School auction

Source quality school-related items, such as backpacks and shoes, and auction them off during a virtual, in-person, or hybrid event.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Auctions

Grow-your-own garden kit

Ask local nurseries to donate herbs, seeds, and soil you can use to assemble gardening kits. Bring volunteers together to assemble everything and sell them on a custom fundraising page or donation form.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Earth Day

Reserve an indoor or outdoor space and invite your community to come arrange flower bouquets and pot their own plants to celebrate Earth Day (April 22).

Charge an entrance fee and make your fundraising event move smoothly with mobile app check-in and easy scan-to-donate payment options.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Mini-golf tournament

Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Peer-to-peer

Sell swag or merch

Raise some extra funds for your organization or club and spread the word about your cause by selling branded swag like totes, stickers, and t-shirts.

With advanced ticketing features, you can offer each item on a mobile-friendly platform and add an image and available amount so supporters can easily purchase and share their sizing info, too!

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Fundraising page
Events
Donation forms
Auctions

Pizza party

Each class or grade creates a team fundraising page for easy donations and campaign sharing. The team that raises the most or brings in the most donations is rewarded with a bottomless pizza day, either made by volunteers or donated from a local pizzeria.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Peer-to-peer

Grab bags

Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online.

To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Fundraising page
Donation forms
Auctions

Community cookbook

Create and sell a custom cookbook featuring favorite recipes from your community members and families. To drum up excitement and spread the word, share sneak peek photos on your custom fundraising page.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Fundraising page

Staff vs. students

Organize an afternoon of relay races, obstacle courses, and brain teasers at your school and challenge teachers to partake. Be sure to create a fun and engaging event page where attendees can easily purchase tickets!

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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Comedy roast

Invite participants to roast their teachers or coaches—in a light-hearted way. Sell tickets online and check-in attendees as they arrive, in addition to offering in-person donations for entry (and snacks!) with Venmo and scan-to-donate.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Donation drive

Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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Fundraising page
Donation forms

Community resource fair

Reserve a large space like a parking lot or school gym and sell booths to local vendors. Invite the community and charge a small entrance fee with easy mobile giving tools like Tap to Pay or scan-to-donate.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-resource-fair
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Donation forms

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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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/food-truck-smorgasbord
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Shave for the cause

Create a peer to peer fundraising campaign and invite participants to create their own pages and compete to raise the most funds. Watch the leaderboard for live updates on who’s in the lead. The person with the highest amount raised or the most individual donations will shave their head—or nominate someone else to shave their own!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Frequently asked questions

Many parent-teacher association fundraising ideas involve organizing family-friendly events like bake sales and fun runs or selling items like flowers, jerseys, and grab bags. Parent fundraisers may also request donations from businesses, apply for grants, or participate in fundraising programs with online retailers.

Some of the best PTA fundraiser ideas include school carnivals, trivia nights, and family fun days, as these offer opportunities for families, teachers, and students to spend meaningful time together. Other great PTA fundraising ideas include yard sales, movie nights, raffles, and silent auctions. Additionally, partnering with local restaurants and selling tickets to community events can help PTAs raise funds, too.

Identify potential donors like local businesses, community members, and other parents. Offer opportunities for donors to get involved, such as sponsoring an event or making a contribution to a specific program. Always be transparent about where the donations will go and don’t forget to express gratitude for their support. When asking for donations it's important to clearly communicate the purpose of the campaign and how the money will be used to benefit the school community.

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