The 5 Best Fundraising Ideas for Your School’s PTA

The more experienced members of your Parent Teacher Association have probably seen it all when it comes to fundraisers for your school. Instead of running the same fundraisers over and over again, choose something different that will make donating exciting and easy. We’ll look over five fundraising ideas for your school that will blow your PTA away.

Product fundraiser

Product fundraising is a popular fundraising option because it’s so flexible. Everything from the items you offer to the ways you sell them is customizable, which makes this fundraiser easy to adapt to any school’s needs.

It’s not only a win for your school’s fundraising goal, but also for your donors since they’ll receive something tangible in return for their support. Here are some product ideas your donors might be interested in:

• Popcorn
• Cookie dough
• Candy
• School merchandise
• Discount cards

It’s important to keep your target audience in mind when choosing a product, but you might be able to sell to a wider audience than usual. People who wouldn’t normally donate to your PTA might still buy a product if they’re interested in it. For example, a student’s neighbor might be excited to order Christmas wreaths from a product fundraiser even if they aren’t invested in your school’s PTA.

Instead of selling products that are strictly school-centric, such as branded merchandise, consider products that anyone would like. For example, ABC Fundraising recommends selling Christmas ornaments during the holidays as a profitable fundraising idea for churches, which could work for your school, as well.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a type of fundraiser that involves collecting small amounts of money from a large group of people to reach a fundraising goal. Your PTA can leverage this fundraiser to reach a goal by engaging the whole school, especially in the busiest seasons of the school year. 

For example, at the end of the summer break, your PTA could ask for small donations as a back-to-school crowdfunding campaign. Donating a small amount of money rather than attending an event or committing to a product sale will be easier while parents are also juggling school supply shopping and new schedules. Plus, when parents and friends know that the school is only asking for a small donation from them, they’ll be more inclined to give.

To start a crowdfunding campaign, choose a crowdfunding platform to collect donations online. This will make the donation process easier for your supporters and can offer additional features that help you run the fundraiser. For example, some platforms offer social sharing functions, which can make marketing your crowdfunding campaign easier.

Crowdfunding is an especially effective fundraising option for PTAs who are burnt out on events or high-effort fundraisers that require a lot of work and preparation. As your PTA brainstorms ways to raise money that don’t require resources like volunteers or venue reservations, consider starting a crowdfunding campaign online.

Matching gift campaign

A matched gift is when an employer matches a donation to an organization that their employee made. Here are some ways to approach a matching gift campaign:

• Add a tool to your website. According to Double the Donation, 78% of donors don’t know if their companies offer a matching gift program. Add a matching gift tool to your school’s website that lets parents search for their employer to see if they’re eligible. 
• Spread the word. Parents won’t know to check their eligibility if you don’t explain what a matching gift program is. Give clear instructions for how they can check their eligibility and contribute.
• Guide donors to the appropriate giving channels. Your PTA might choose to manage the gifts themselves or hire a third-party vendor. Either way, give clear instructions to your donors about how matching gifts work and how they can get their donation doubled.

If you have a particularly generous school community, matching gifts could double what you’d normally raise. If you’re not sure how receptive parents will be to this type of fundraiser, you can always run the campaign in-house first before hiring a third-party vendor to manage gifts.

Shoe drive

Beyond school supply shopping, every new school year ushers in a need for new clothes, shoes, lunchboxes, bookbags, and other wardrobe essentials. As parents buy new items for kids’ closets before returning to school, they’ll likely have to get rid of old things to make room for the new. 

Find an organization that will buy gently used shoes from a shoe drive, then ask parents to bring in their kids’ gently used shoes instead of throwing them out. Continue to collect shoes until your deadline, then get paid for donated shoes.

Fundraising event

You can’t go wrong with a classic fundraising event, and there are so many ways your PTA can make it unique. Here are some event ideas that your PTA might host:

• Parent’s night out
• Festival or fair
• Auction
• Board game tournament

Fundraising events allow for a lot of creativity, so try to think of unique ways to make them fun! Capitalize on the highlights of each season to get people excited about certain events. For example, plan an outdoor spring festival when the weather is expected to be cool and sunny. 

As your PTA looks for school funding, consider ideas that will make donating easy and fun. After all, a community that wants to support your school deserves to enjoy the process of contributing.

No matter which fundraising idea you choose, make sure to stay engaged with your donors before, during, and after the fundraiser. Choose marketing techniques that will engage them, a fundraiser they’ll enjoy, and invest in follow-up materials that make them feel greatly appreciated.