1. MURDER MYSTERY FUNDRAISER
A murder mystery is one of the best school fundraising ideas. Hiring a trusted name like The Murder Mystery Company to handle your event will involve bringing in actors who will guide the mystery as well as provide light costuming and show materials. Host in your classroom or in the gym, or take it to an outside venue. Don’t worry about the murder being too graphic, as our shows are comical and have a rating system to ensure appropriateness. It works great as the main event and can be incorporated seamlessly with your other planned activities, such as a raffle or silent auction.
- No stress planning with an Event Consultant
- Host anywhere you like
- Kids and adults alike love immersing themselves in a different world
- Create a popular annual event
- Multiple opportunities to raise funds
2. MILESTONE BASH
Highlights:
Celebrates an important day
Puts the kids at the center of the spotlight
If your organization raises money or awareness for kids who are in need, think about centering your school fundraising around a milestone the kids can attain. Have a table or place to take donations at their actual graduation, for example. Another option would be celebrating a different milestone such as passing their first year of finals or getting into college. Get fireworks to spice it up! school fundraiser ideas
3. SPONSOR A CHILD
Highlights:
Help a child feel seen and appreciated
Make a direct impact both emotionally and financially
Donors who want to participate in this sponsorship will give money, but they also get the chance to develop a relationship with the child. The positive impact of their generosity and mentorship will leave a lasting impression on the children’s lives.
4. THE MUDDY RUN
Highlights:
Give kids the opportunity to get messy
An annual event that can be very popular
Running through an obstacle course in the mud is fun for all ages, but especially for kids! Invite the kids to dive in, and run it like you would any other race or 4K. Get the kids sponsored by donors, and have them see who has the fastest run through the rip-roaring mud hills!
5. YOUNG PICASSO
Highlights:
Encourages creativity
Drawings parents will treasure forever
Whether you want to do a coloring contest using pre-drawn line art or ask for original artwork organized under a theme, this is sure to be a popular and memorable fundraiser event. Give students time to create their masterpieces and frame them once they’re complete. Host an auction in which you invite adults (usually parents) to bid on the artwork. Take whatever money you raised and put it towards your cause!
6. YOUTH AMBASSADOR BOARD
Highlights:
Teaches youth how to organize together for a cause
Puts a face to the cause
Give the kids a position of power and create a group of well connected and passionate people who are supportive of your cause. They can organize their own meetings and discuss ways to help your cause, such as starting their own crowdfunding campaigns or spreading the word on social media.
7. HAUNTED HOUSE
Highlights:
You can choose the level of scariness
Can be offered more than one day if you want
A haunted house is a classic event to have around Halloween, and a unique one to have any other time of the year. Decorate the school with decorations you can find in a dollar store, such as cobwebs, carved pumpkins, and spooky ghosts. You can ask local stores for donations or see if any kids’ parents have extras they don’t mind contributing. Recruit kids and parents alike to be the ghosts and goblins that pop out and inspire fear in your haunted house. Charge an entrance fee for this experience as your fundraising.
8. LIVE TALENT SHOW
Highlights:
Showcase the talent of your student body
Parents love supporting their kids
This is a wonderful way to get a younger crowd involved with your mission. Middle schoolers to teenagers will enjoy the opportunity to show off their talents. Be sure to be inclusive and allow anyone who is interested to be a part of the show. Create a small team to organize the acts to ensure a timely event. You can award prizes in a way you think will be best received. A student winner, a teacher winner, and an overall winner are pretty standard, but you can also give out joke awards, such as “Best Yodel.” Charge an attendance fee for the show and have a raffle during the show for more fundraising opportunity. Livestream the event with a commentator taking donations online!
9. USED BOOK DRIVE
Highlights:
Allows teachers to refresh their personal library
Most people have old books they want to rid themselves of
Ask people to drop off books they no longer need or have already read to a place where you can collect them all properly. Use the books to fill a new library, free of cost. You can also choose to sell the books at a clearance price tag, such as filling a paper bag of books for a suggested donation of $10.
10. TRIVIA TOURNAMENT
Highlights:
A tournament is an effective way to draw a crowd
Jeopardy fans will greatly enjoy this event
Trivia can be a fun time for all involved, from the contestants to the adults in the audience who will enjoy guessing the trivia questions amongst themselves. Pick a night for the event and organize teams of students who want to compete. Charging an entrance fee is pretty standard. You need to decide what topics the trivia will cover, how many rounds there will be, who will ask the questions, etc. You can break up the student groups by grade if they are younger students, or choose to have everyone compete on equal playing ground if they are in high school. Offer rewards for the 1st through 3rd place winners!