There are many different approaches that can raise funds for a school. This article provides a number of ideas for a variety of types of school fundraiser, some one-shot and others ongoing.
Car Wash
If you can hold your car wash in conjunction with a gas station, you both may benefit from shared business. It's important to advertise, to ensure an adequate water supply, and to have a good schedule for volunteers.
Bottle Drive
This is a fundraiser you want to be careful not to schedule after someone else just held one. It takes a different approach in that rather than asking people to give money, it asks them to part with something that they were going to part with anyway.
Yard Sale
Selling donated items, such as books, tools, used entertainment items (videos/CDs) and knickknacks may draw a crowd beyond the school community. A simultaneous bake sale can earn extra.
Lobby Sale
When people gather at the schoo--whether for concerts, indoor sporting events, conferences, or elections--it's a good time to feature sales in the main lobby. You can have a simultaneous bake sale, book sale, mini-yard sale, and school memento sale. You can even have a group of talented student musicians serenade the shoppers.
For performances, such as concerts and dramatic presentations, you can also consider selling CD's or DVD's of the performance.
Special Events
If you'd like to take a more creative approach, you can plan a one-time, student-run event and charge a reasonable admission price. Ideas include:
• a Hallowe'en Haunted House to provide safe, entertaining fun for children
• a Talent Show
• a Battle of the Bands with school or extracurricular ensembles
• a Bowl-a-Thon (students solicit support and earn it by bowling)
• a Spaghetti Dinner
• an Auction of donated items from area residents and businesses
School Store
Running a school store has a number of advantages:
• It gives students the opportunity to learn while raising money. Student learning can take place in areas like:
• Inventory decisions
• Advertising
• Setting prices
• Accounting
• Budgeting
• Customer Service
• Scheduling
• Staff training of the students who will run the store in the following quarter/semester/year
• After the initial set-up, it can continue in operation for years, with no need to search for and create a relationship with a new sales organization.
• Students taking over can still make inventory decisions that will “personalize” the store.
• Having school supplies handily for sale is a benefit for students.
Discount Cards
Arranged in conjunction with local merchants, each of whom can decide exactly what discount to give, or with a fast food or pizza chain, discount cards that last for a year or a certain number of purchases. One advantage of these cards is that they can be sold year after year and build a customer base.
Selling Campaigns
In addition to magazine subscriptions, there are many other items that manufacturers are eager to have schools sell. Here are some items that could be advertised at school events, sold door-to-door, or offered by students with a stand (set up by permission) at a local grocery store, for example:
Food
• Florida citrus
• Cookie Dough
• Pizza Kits
• Candy Bars
• Gourmet Items
• Candy
• Nuts
• Coffee
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts®
Seasonal Items
• Candles
• Flower Bulbs
• Gift Cards and Wrapping
• Christmas Wreaths
• Pointsettias
• Pumpkins
• Christmas Trees
Apparel and Other Cloth Items
• Tee shirts
• Boxers
• Ties
• Beach Towels
• Pillowcases
• Hoodies
• Blanket/Throw
• Scrubs
• Hats
• Jackets
• School Bags
• Shorts
• Pants
• Sweatshirts
• Sports towel
• Sweatbands
School supplies
• Academic planner
• Pencils
• Pens
• Calendars
• Notepad
• Calendar
• Ruler
• Bookmarks
• Notebooks
• Binders
Mementos/Memorabilia with School Insignia
• Key Rings
• Stuffed Animals
• Lanyard
• Mugs
• Bookmarks
• Paperweights
• Memory Books
• Magnets
• Flashlight
• Piggy Banks
• Sneaker Laces
• Travel Mug
• Can Holder
• Umbrella
• Water Bottles
• Flip Flops
• Lunch Bags
• Team Posters
Sources for the article
http://www.schoolspiritstore.com/index.html
http://www.fundraiserhelp.com/fundraising-discount-cards.htm
Related Articles
Choosing a School Fundraiser, Why Have School Fundraisers