The Ultimate Guide to School Fundraising

Today, every school needs extra funds. Whether for special programs, field trips, or classroom supplies. As a parent, you need to help but feel unsure where to start. School fundraising can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done it before. But don’t worry—this guide will walk you through every step, from choosing the right fundraiser to making sure it succeeds. With a little planning, teamwork, creativity, and the right tools, you can organize a fun and profitable event that supports your child’s school.

How to Get Started with School Fundraising

The first step in school fundraising is understanding what your school needs. Talk to teachers, the principal, the PTA, or other parents to find out what projects need funding. Some schools need money for new books, while others need playground improvements, technology upgrades, or art programs. Knowing the goal helps you choose the best fundraising idea. While you do this, pick a cause that sparks joy for your kid and their classmates.

Once you have a clear goal, gather a team of like-minded parents who also want to help. School fundraising works best when people share the workload. This also helps you build a strong school community. Discuss different fundraising ideas. You can also gather ideas from friends and family. Think of fun ideas that light up young hearts. Look up local events that spark interest. Invite everyone to share their thoughts. Form a small team that loves your school. Decide on one that fits your school’s needs and the time and resources available.

After selecting an idea, create a simple plan. Write down key details like the school fundraising goal, event date, location, and any materials needed. If the fundraiser requires permission, like using school property or involving students, get approval from the administration early.

Creative School Fundraising Ideas

Choosing the right fundraiser makes the biggest difference! Some fundraisers require a lot of planning, while others are simple and quick to organize. Don’t overcomplicate things, and make your assignment harder. The best fundraisers are fun and easy to participate in. Pick an idea that excites kids, parents, and teachers.

Get inspired by some of our ideas:

• Read-a-thon: Kids ask for pledges from family and friends based on the number of books or pages they read. It’s great because you don’t need a lot of organization, and you support kids’ reading while getting funds! It’s a win-win!

• Walk-a-Thon: Another great school fundraising event where kids raise money by walking a set distance during a set time. A fun and easygoing community-focused event for all ages.

• Fun Run or Jog-a-Thon: Kids raise funds in a fun and engaging way by jogging for a set time or based on the number of laps completed.

• Bake Sale: Kids looooove bake sales. Have parents and students bake cookies, cupcakes, and other treats to sell at school events or sports games.

• Craft Fair: Let kids and parents sell homemade crafts, jewelry, and art.

• Silent Auction: Parents and local businesses donate items or services to be auctioned at a school event.

Plan a fun run where families race with smiles. Organize a book fair that invites kids to explore new worlds. Add a raffle or theme day that turns learning into play.

Use Online Fundraising Platforms

School Fundraising is hard, stressful, and overwhelming. But technology makes it easier than ever. Many platforms allow you to create an online campaign where parents, friends, and family members can donate directly. PledgeStar is one of those platforms. We definitely make school fundraising easy! Plus, we help you raise more and keep more. How, you ask? Simple. PledgeStar doesn’t ask for upfront costs or minimums. After your event, we will send you an invoice in the amount of 7% of the total donations received through our website, but never more than $1,195. Plus, unlike other platforms that claim they’re free and charge your family members, we’re fully transparent.

PledgeStar has many great features, like creating personalized fundraiser pages or social media sharing, which help you reach more people you wouldn’t normally ask for donations. We also support 50+ languages, making reaching relatives who don’t speak English or live abroad even easier.

Popular School Fundraising Events

PledgeStar exists for a while. We can tell you which school fundraising events have proven successful for many schools over the years. These events bring families and communities together while raising money. Some of the most popular include:

• Walk-a-Thon: Any kid can join a walk-a-thon since it welcomes all fitness levels and uses fixed pledges instead of tracking laps, making it easier to organize with fewer volunteers.

• Jog-a-Thon: Kids run laps around a track, raising money based on the number of laps completed. This keeps them active and engaged and turns running into fun and meaningful.

• Read-a-Thon: Kids read books and earn pledges for each page or book completed, making reading even more rewarding.

• Talent Show: Kids showcase their singing, dancing, and other talents. To earn extra money, sell tickets and offer snacks.

• School Carnival: Set up simple games, face painting, and food stands. Charge a small fee for each activity.

• Holiday Gift Shop: Sell small, inexpensive gifts for students to buy for their families during the holidays.

• Themed Dress-Up Day: Let kids donate a small amount to participate in a pajama day, superhero day or crazy hat day.

• Community Yard Sale: Parents donate gently used clothes, toys, and household items to sell at a large yard sale.

These events not only raise funds but also strengthen school spirit and create fun memories for students.

Best Practices for School Fundraising

To make your fundraiser a success, follow these best practices:

1. Keep it simple – Complicated fundraisers can overwhelm you and the volunteers and take too much time.

2. Set a clear goal – Know exactly how much money you need to raise.

3. Communicate clearly – Share event details through flyers, emails, and social media.

4. Get kids involved – When students participate, parents feel more motivated to contribute.

5. Express gratitude – Send thank-you notes to everyone who donates, volunteers, or participates.

PledgeStar helps you every step of the way. By following these best practices, your fundraiser will stay organized and run smoothly.

How to Organize a School Fundraiser

As mentioned earlier, a well-organized school fundraising starts with a solid plan. Follow these steps::

1. Form a team – Gather parents, teachers, and students who want to help.

2. Choose the right fundraiser – Pick an idea that matches your school’s needs and resources.

3. Define a budget – Know how much you need to spend and how much you hope to earn.

4. Get school approval – If using school property or involving students, get permission.

5. Promote your event – Use flyers, newsletters, emails, and social media to spread the word.

6. Assign roles – Make sure each team member knows their responsibilities.

7. Track progress – Keep an eye on donations and adjust if needed.

8. Celebrate success – Once the fundraiser ends, thank everyone and share the results.

Sticking to a plan helps ensure everything runs smoothly. Plus, with PledgeStar’s features, everything is even easier! Social media promotion is easy, and tracking progress is even easier—you just click refresh and watch the funds flow!

Keys to a Successful Fundraiser

Many factors contribute to a successful fundraiser. We give you some key tips:

• Start early: Give yourself plenty of time to plan.

• Use social media: Share updates and encourage donations online.

• Encourage teamwork: Get students, teachers, and parents excited and involved.

• Offer incentives: Small prizes or recognition can motivate students to raise more.

• Follow up: After the event, send thank-you notes and let donors know how their money helped.

When done right, a fundraiser strengthens the school community while reaching financial goals.

Examples of Successful School Fundraisers

Many schools have raised a lot of money through PledgeStar. Some of them even more than they expected! We have laid out our successes here for you:

• Gilchrist Elementary, a Tallahassee, Florida school, used PledgeStar and their help with the event. Their goal was to raise $85,000, and they ended up with about $95,000.

• From 1.9 Million Minutes read to $120K gathered: PledgeStar Elevated Mateo-Foster City School District Education Foundation’s Fundraiser

• How St. Francis de Sales Raised Over 10x Their Goal with PledgeStar: A Walk-a-Thon Success Story

Take a look at PledgeStar’s success stories. We’re sure you can find inspiration for your fundraising efforts.

Conclusion

School fundraising doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right planning, teamwork, creativity, and the right fundraising platform, you can make a big difference for your child’s school. Choose a fundraiser that excites kids and parents, use PledgeStar to spread the word, get more funds, and follow best practices to stay organized. Whether you host a walk a thon, jog a thon, read a thon, bake sale, talent show, or fun run, every dollar raised helps improve the school experience for students. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the process. Happy fundraising!