Almost every American school includes fundraising efforts every year. For elementary-aged students, participating in a school fundraiser is a practically a rite of passage. We all remember going door to door in our neighborhoods selling wrapping paper, candy bars, and frozen pizzas, all to benefit our school’s extra-curricular activities and after–school programs. Like everything else, school fundraisers must evolve with the times. We’ve got a few easy and fun ideas that involve a variety of people to help you achieve your elementary school fundraising goals.
Games and Events Make Great Sales Venues!
Even at the elementary school level, sporting events, science fairs, and student plays or concerts make great school fundraising venues.
Set up tables and sell imprinted plastic cups, customized pennants, or megaphones. Fill the megaphones with popcorn and use them at peewee baseball games or Track and Field Day.
Offer imprinted T-shirts to commemorate the annual Science Fair.
Sell glow-in-the-dark cups at elementary school plays to provide easy-to-see refreshment when the lights are low.
Functions like these are often highly attended; the more people you reach, the higher your school’s profit potential.
Make Fundraising an All-Community Affair
Fun events like school carnivals and Movie Night are wonderful additions to the elementary school experience. They are also great ways to bring your community together and earn some extra cash for your school’s fundraising piggy bank.
Create a small carnival on your school grounds or in your gym.
Or set up a Movie Night in your elementary school’s auditorium.
Charge a small admission fee and sell tickets for concessions, rides, pre-show raffles, and shows.
Set up fun carnival games and provide prizes like imprinted backpacks, sport balls, and sunglasses for the winners.
Smaller items like paw bookmarks, zipper pulls, pencil toppers and stickers make perfect participation prizes.
Local Businesses Can Sponsor Your School or Event!
Local business owners are often eager to sponsor hometown kids and will gladly participate in school fundraising efforts. The result for them, of course, is that it’s a great way to promote their business.
First, choose a business you think would be willing to donate money to help fund your elementary school’s programs.
Second, write a letter or send a representative to speak to those businesses and owners in person.
Next, outline your monetary goals and explain why you would like that business to donate to your school fund.
In exchange for the donation, offer to purchase products like round stickers, personalized buttons, or pens and have the business’s name and logo imprinted on them.
Lastly, hand out those imprinted products to students, teachers and staff at your school. It’s a great way for local businesses to advertise and your school to earn the monetary rewards.