9 Creative School Fundraising Ideas
Wouldn’t it be nice to have just a little more money from school fundraising ideas to invest in updating the grounds? At every open day, sporting event and school performance, prospective parents are surveying the surrounds; from concrete cracks and broken bulbs, to faded fence banners and graffitied walls – make sure you’re putting your best foot forward.
Digital signs are one way to show parents your school is invested in maintaining a modern, state-of-the-art learning environment. Here are 9 creative school fundraising ideas to raise money for improved grounds maintenance and upgrading to digital signage:
1. Scavenger Hunt
Students of any age, teachers, friends and family can all get involved in a school Scavenger Hunt. Start by selecting a theme – it could be something seasonal like Halloween, event-based like the Olympics, or curriculum-themed to match a topic the children are currently learning about.
Select the tasks to be completed at each station: teams can collect an item, receive a stamp, perform a physical or verbal challenge, or take a photo of the location to prove each station was visited. Set a time limit and physical boundary so participants know the perimeter of the challenge and don’t wander too far. Prepare the clues and instructions and decide on some prizes (subsidised by either sponsors or entry costs).
2. Spelling Bee
Every student can compete in a Spelling Bee, whether it’s during the initial heats held in the classroom, or at the big event night in the auditorium where entry fees and raffles form the fundraising focus. Students that don’t make the stage can be included in the half-time entertainment, ushering guests or food service, so they’re excited to attend and feel included in the production.
Find a charismatic MC for the evening and create a list of words for each year level or division (this should include the pronunciation of each word, the definition and an example of the word in a sentence). For detailed instructions on hosting a Spelling Bee, checkout SchoolDays.ie, or if you’d rather have experts take care of all the preparation for you, visit Australian Fundraising Specialists.
3. Host a Fun Run
Organise some healthy, social fun in the sun! With 30% of Australian adults having mild, moderate or severe Vitamin D deficiency and 63.4% now overweight, parents can benefit from a frolic outdoors and should be encouraged to attend. Participants can run, walk or push a pram; the aim of the game is to simply get active! Key factors…
- Set the distance: having two options will cater for all ages and abilities.
- Decide on a location: a single track rather than multiple laps is always more exciting, but safety is key when mapping the track.
- Rally sponsors and volunteers to line the track and man water stations.
- Set an entry fee and consider offering a discount for families and grandparents.
For more tips on hosting your own fun run including road safety, licences and permits, checkout this step-by-step guide from Active.com, or enlist the services of experienced experts, CUA School Fun Run.
4. Talent Show
The definition of talent is “natural aptitude or skill”; not to be restricted to physical activities. Students can showcase just about anything, so let their imagination run wild! Can they write the entire Japanese Hiragana alphabet? That’s talent! Have they trained their dog to perform a series of tricks? That’s talent! Can they say their five times tables faster than anyone in their grade? That’s talent!
Anything from playing advanced classical music and live cartooning, to martial arts demonstrations and wearable arts… Give your kids an opportunity to shine, while raising much-needed funds for the school. For three real-life talent show case studies and some tips on pulling it all together, checkout PTO Today.
5. Book & Bake Sale
How many of the books on your shelves have you already read? What about that pile of Home & Garden magazines collecting dust in the garage? It’s time to stop hoarding and start donating! Encourage teachers, students and parents to gather as many books as they can in preparation for a Book & Bake Sale and leave collection bins at the office and library for gathering donations.
Get the community involved as well; reach out to local businesses, congregations and service clubs and invite them to donate their disused books or provide baked goods for sale on the day. The amount of money raised will depend on the quantity, quality and variety of books donated, but there’s one thing you can be sure of… Everybody loves a bikkie! Any leftover books can also be donated to a charity when the fundraiser has finished.
6. Suitcase Rummage
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! The benefits of holding a Suitcase Rummage fundraiser are two-fold:
- Families can rid their house of clutter by donating gently-loved but disused items to be sold at the event.
- Parents can raise awareness of their own creative businesses and handmade products (or baking talents – hey, rummagers gotta eat!) while donating a percentage of the profits back to the school at the end of the rummage.
The catch? Whatever participants bring must fit in a suitcase (or designated lot size, if you’re feeling generous) to ensure enough room for all attendants on the day.
As the Suitcase Rummage experts suggest, items for sale can include vintage paraphernalia, artwork, bric-a-brac, clothing, books, jewellery, seconds, hand-made, shoes, records, music, badges, cards, handmade paper… you name it! Get along to one of their events for some rummage fundraiser inspiration.
7. Movie Night
If you have a projector, a popcorn machine and a wall, you’ve got yourself a move night! But before you rush down to the DVD shop to rent a family classic, there are some rules you need to know about showing a movie in public. It requires permission from one of two companies and there’s a set catalogue to choose from.
If you’d prefer not to deal with licences and logistics, approach a local cinema and start a conversation around partnering with them to hold your fundraiser, where a percentage of ticket sales are given directly to the school. What do they get out of it? Skyrocket candy bar sales on their quietest night of the week!
8. Trivia Night
Strictly no handheld devices at this is quality family fundraiser! Finding a charismatic MC is just as crucial as the questions in hosting a successful and memorable trivia night. Decide on a location (the school gym is a winner) and choose multiple categories for questions (TV, movies, music, world flags, local legends, teacher trivia etc).
As this trivia guide explains, the best trivia nights have a good mix of simple and obscure questions, in a variety of categories that include something for everybody. In a general (themeless) trivia game, you want every participant to have a chance to shine.
9. Sausage Dog Sizzle
Confusing at first, but this fundraiser brings together two all-time Aussie favourites; the sausage sizzle, and man’s best friend! Partner with a mobile dog grooming service, like Blue Wheelers or Jim’s Dog Wash, hire an amusement ride, spark up the barbie and enjoy a day on the school green with family and fur babies.
Parents can relax with the kids and mingle with parents while someone else takes care of Buddy’s long overdue bath. Promote the event to the wider community and remember to include strict “on-leash” rules to ensure a safe environment for parents, pups and pupils alike.
School Fundraising Ideas: Set Your Goal
If you’re interested in finding out a ballpark figure to give your school a fundraising goal for upgrading to digital signage, request a free quote and our team will be in touch within 48 hours.
Once you’ve organised your fundraiser, be sure to let us know so we can help promote your event across our networks, including Facebook and Twitter.
Good luck with your events – and remember, some of the best school fundraising ideas come from thinking outside the box!
