20 School Fundraising Ideas That Make a Big Impact

Posted by Jordan Morris on 21 March 2025

Raising money for your school shouldn’t feel like a chore—it should feel like an opportunity to bring your community together for a common goal. Whether you’re aiming to fund new equipment, extra-curricular activities, or facility improvements, great fundraising ideas can create excitement and drive results.

At Givergy, we support schools with digital tools that make fundraising simple, engaging, and more effective. Here are 20 fun, easy-to-implement school fundraising ideas to get your next campaign off the ground.

🎟 1. Host a Digital Raffle

Move beyond paper tickets and bring your raffle online. From tech gadgets to local business vouchers, raffles are quick to set up and offer great return.

Bonus Tip: Use Givergy’s prize draw tools to manage entries and draw winners seamlessly.

🎨 2. Student Art Auction

Celebrate student creativity by turning artwork into auction items. Host an in-person gallery or showcase online to engage extended families.

🎬 3. Family Movie Night

Set up a projector in the school hall or playground and sell tickets to a cozy film night. Add snacks and blankets for a truly memorable event.

🚶‍♀️ 4. Sponsored Walk or Fun Run

Encourage healthy activity and raise money at the same time. Students gather pledges and families cheer them on as they complete laps or challenges.

🍰 5. Bake Sale (With a Twist!)

Put a new spin on the classic bake sale. Try themes like “Bake Off Showdown” or “Teacher’s Challenge” to boost excitement.

📚 6. Read-a-thon

Encourage literacy and raise funds by having students log reading hours in exchange for sponsorships.

🛍 7. Pop-Up Market

Transform the school hall into a market for handmade crafts, second-hand books, and local vendor stalls.

📸 8. School Calendar or Photo Book Sale

Use photos from school events to create a keepsake calendar or yearbook and sell to families and staff.

💃 9. School Disco

Bring the party to your school with a themed disco. Sell tickets, snacks, and glow-in-the-dark accessories.

🧠 10. Quiz Night

Host a trivia night for parents and staff. Charge team entry fees and offer prizes for the winners.

🎁 11. Holiday Gift Wrapping Station

Set up a gift-wrapping booth at school or a local mall during the festive season. Ask for donations in return for beautifully wrapped gifts.

☕ 12. Coffee Morning for Parents

Invite parents to a relaxed social morning with coffee, tea, and homemade treats. Use it as an opportunity to raise funds and build community.

🎭 13. Talent Show

Let students showcase their talents with a live or virtual performance. Sell tickets and involve local judges for an added edge.

📦 14. Mystery Box Fundraiser

Ask local businesses to donate small items and bundle them into mystery prize boxes. Sell boxes for a flat rate and let the surprise drive sales.

🧽 15. Car Wash Day

Organize a car wash staffed by student volunteers. Set up in the school car park and promote it locally.

🏆 16. House Competition Fundraiser

Inspire some friendly competition between school houses or classes. See who can raise the most and reward with a trophy or special privilege.

📦 17. Uniform Exchange or Sale

Host a second-hand uniform sale—parents can donate outgrown items and purchase what they need at low cost while supporting the school.

🌱 18. Plant or Seedling Sale

Encourage sustainability and fundraising with a plant sale. Students can grow seedlings in class and sell them at a school fair.

🛒 19. Cashback Shopping Programs

Register your school with a cashback shopping platform so that everyday purchases generate donations.

💡 20. Online Auction

Create an exciting digital auction featuring donated items, school experiences (like “Principal for a Day”), or themed baskets.

Pro Tip: Givergy’s silent auction tools make it easy to host a professional, engaging online auction that attracts bids from beyond your local area.

Why Schools Love Givergy

Our platform offers everything schools need to run successful fundraising campaigns—from ticketing and auctions to raffles and real-time donor tracking. Givergy’s intuitive technology is designed to maximize participation, increase donations, and reduce admin.

✔ Easy-to-use tools for busy school teams
✔ Mobile-optimized for parents on the go
✔ Real-time tracking and reporting
✔ Trusted by schools, charities, and nonprofits around the world

Ready to power your next school fundraiser? Get started with Givergy today!

Jordan Morris

Givergy

Jordan joined Givergy after studying Politics with International Relations at the University of York. He has over two years experience within the charity sector working as a face-to-face fundraiser and as a constituency campaigner. After experiencing the sector from within and knowing first-hand the impact digital solutions can make to fundraising strategies, Jordan is now dedicated to innovating the way charities fundraise to ensure they maximise returns from every fundraising campaign.