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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Virtual scavenger hunt
For this totally remote fundraising event, charge a registration fee and ask participants to use their computer or mobile device to complete various challenges. Share instructions and updates and announce winners from a livestream hosted right on your event page.









Virtual concert
Ask local musicians or bands to perform for a livestreaming audience and invite viewers to make donations or purchase tickets to attend virtually right on your event page.
Make sure to feature a donation thermometer on your page to encourage viewers to make extra donations and get you closer to your goal as they enjoy the music.









Spa crawl









Cupcake wars
Have kids prepare their favorite cupcake recipe to sell at a cupcake-only bake sale. To add some friendly competition, invite attendees to vote on their favorite by making a donation to the tastiest cupcake’s team fundraising page. Use a leaderboard to show real-time votes and award prizes for the winning bakers!









24-hour relay race
Create the ultimate relay race to raise funds for your cause. Participants create individual or team fundraising pages where friends and family can show their support with donations and progress toward their goal in real time.









Oozeball tourney









Improv night
Invite community members to try their hand at comedy while earning money—and a few good laughs—for a cause. Sell tickets and raise even more at your event with snacks and drinks.









Networking night









Karaoke night
Host an unforgettable night for your community to come belt out their favorite songs. Charge a small entry fee or accept donations for participation.
To encourage even more donations during the party, display mobile giving options and your progress toward your goal using live display.









Virtual auction
Use auction software that makes the bidding process smooth and simple for you and your donors.









Pet therapy
Invite local animal shelters to bring adoptable dogs and cats to campus during midterms or finals to reduce student stress and raise money for a good cause.
Charge an entry fee and sell inexpensive extras like dog and cat treats. Be sure to offer multiple ways to pay, such as scan-to-donate and Venmo!









Pancake breakfast
There’s nothing like pancakes to bring a community together. Charge an entry fee for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, or ask a local restaurant to sponsor the event to make it even sweeter.









Count the jellybeans
Fill a jar with jellybeans (or another candy) and have guessers write down their number estimation alongside their name.
Use scan-to-donate or other mobile payment options to accept donations for each guess and award a prize to the person whose comes closest!









Reverse raffle
Before you start planning, be sure to check for any state regulations on raffles where you live!









Mystery art show
Invite local artists, students, and other enthusiastic community members to contribute small paintings or other works for an anonymous community art sale.
Charge an entrance fee and invite supporters to purchase pieces all at the same price—without knowing who their artist is until the end of the event!









Secret supper









Holiday card campaign
Send a festive holiday card—by mail or email—to share season’s greetings, thank your supporters, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals.
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.









Yard raking
Set up a yard raking service in exchange for donations toward your good cause.
Follow best practices for volunteer recruitment to build a loyal community of supporters ready to pitch in for yardwork and more.









Bonfire BBQ
With user-friendly fundraising event features, you can sell tickets in advance and accept donations in person, too.









Spaghetti dinner
Host a pasta party where you serve spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, and dessert to attendees for a ticket price. Make your event even better by partnering with a local restaurant to sponsor the meal.









Cup of coffee
Set up a coffee cart in the office and invite employees or passersby to donate the cost of their morning beverage to your cause.
Offer scan to-donate and accept Venmo donations to make giving even easier.









Shoe drive
Invite your community members to donate gently worn or newly purchased shoes that you can sell at a pop-up shoe drive.
Make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and multiple payment options, including Venmo.









Basketball tournament
Step things up by challenging each team to see who can raise the most. Encourage them to create team fundraising pages to track their impact and build momentum toward game day.









Donut fundraiser
Some bakeries like Krispy Kreme sell their doughnuts at a discounted price to individuals and groups raising money for a good cause.
Create a fundraising page or donation form to promote your efforts and make it easier to sell your sweet treats with multiple payment options wherever you are.









Annual holiday party
With Givebutter you can create unlimited custom event ticket types—allowing you to create fun VIP packages to offer to your partygoers.









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.
You can also energize your community with classic a-thon fundraisers—like walkathons, read-a-thons, or color runs—that turn participation into school spirit.
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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