The new school year is just around the corner, which means it's time for student council members to start thinking about fundraising ideas for the upcoming year. Schools need to raise funds for a variety of reasons, from individual classes raising money for an event or field trip, to school wide fundraisers to improve some aspect of school. It can sometimes be difficult to come up with good school fundraising ideas, so we've done the work for you! Here are 15 fun and unique fundraising ideas to help student council get a jump on the school year:
Student Council Fundraising Ideas
- Car Wash
- Bake Sale
- Walk-a-thon
- Outdoor Movie Night
- Trivia Night
- Flea Market
- Haunted House
- Online Crowdfunding
- Art Show
- Battle of the Bands
- Date Night for Parents
- Dog Wash
- Holiday Festival
- Ice Cream Social
- Raffle
Car wash
There's a good reason why car washes are common school fundraisers- it's because they're always a success! Parents will line up around the block to have a chance to get their car washed knowing that the money will support their child's school. If the car wash is for a high school, upperclassmen with cars are also likely to participate.
Bake sale
Give students the opportunity to show off their baking skills by hosting a school bake sale. Funds raised through all of the baked goods sold during the bake sale will go to a designated cause. You can even make the bake sale more exciting by holding competitions in different categories, such as best chocolate chip cookie, or best apple pie.
Walk-a-thon
Encourage your classmates to unplug for the day and get outside! A Walk-a-thon is a great way to raise funds and encourage healthy habits within your school community. Participants will raise funds by asking family members and friends to sponsor them. If you don't like the idea of a walk-a-thon, you can opt for a dance-a-thon or a read-a-thon instead.
Outdoor movie night
Trivia night
A trivia night fundraiser can be fun and educational. People can participate in the trivia night as part of a trivia team. To plan a trivia night, you will need to have a team of people to put together the trivia questions, a quiz master for the night, and enough participants to ensure the event is a success. Begin selling tickets and signing up teams early so you know how many people to expect.
Flea market
Families always have old odds and ends sitting in storage that they've been meaning to get rid of. Why not hold a school wide flea market where people can bring and sell their family's old belongings? The money raised from each sale will go towards whatever cause you are raising money for. One mans trash can be another's treasure!
Haunted House
Everyone enjoys a good haunted house at Halloween and organizing a haunted house is a fun activity for school kids. And the fun increases when you are selling tickets and raising money for a good cause. Putting together a haunted house takes a lot of planning, so be sure to start early to ensure that your haunted house is a success.
Online crowdfunding
Art show
Every school has a handful of talented artists. Why not give them a chance to showcase their work and raise money for their school? An art show can be a sophisticated evening where students can display and sell art pieces they've made at school.
Battle of the bands
If you have talented musicians at your school, a battle of the bands is a great way to allow them to show off their talents by hosting a fun outdoor concert. A battle of the bands is a contest, where two bands compete for the title of best band. Usually the winner is selected based on the response from the audience. Sell tickets to the event and be sure to have places where people can get food and refreshments while they enjoy the live music.
Date night for parents
Have a location where parents can drop their children off for a night of fun while they enjoy a kid-free night out. Coordinate babysitters for the kids and events like games or movies. Funds will be raised by the parents donating money for the babysitting services.
Dog wash
A spin on the classic car wash idea, a dog wash is a lot of fun and entertaining for all involved. To plan a dog wash, you will need to secure a good space where you can have designated washing sites and have a system in place to keep organized- it will be a challenge having so many dogs in one place, so plan ahead.
Holiday festival
Holiday festivals are a great way to get into the holiday spirit. You can turn a holiday festival into a fundraiser by charging for tickets, selling goods, or hosting fundraising events (such as raffles or silent auctions) during the festival.
Ice cream social
An ice cream social is a great small fundraiser for a class trying to raise some money. Charge a small entry fee and be sure to include a variety of flavors or toppings. You can even hold small competitions for things like tallest Sunday or most decorated banana split.
Raffle
A raffle fundraiser is a great option for a school fundraiser because you have many willing parents eager to donate skills or goods as raffle prizes. By taking advantage of the community you have available, a school raffle can turn into an exciting event with tons of great prizes.
Those are our most popular student council fundraising ideas that hundreds of students have used to raise funds for their schools. Let us know your favorite idea!
