If you’re planning a fundraising campaign for your elementary school, you’ve come to the right place. School fundraisers are the perfect opportunity to build strong connections with parents, teachers, students, and even your broader school community. We know it's really tempting to host another traditional bake sale, but we've got a few unique, family-focused elementary school fundraising ideas you could try instead.
Whether it’s new books for the library, school trips, a free meals program, or general school upkeep, your school likely has a fundraising plan in place to meet these needs. While the amounts you need to raise might seem overwhelming on paper, getting a little creative can help you meet those targets – or even exceed them.
We’ve put together this list of thirteen fresh and fun elementary school fundraising ideas designed to help you raise more, bring families closer together, and foster a strong school spirit.
Let’s dive in!
Kids love dressing up, and when you throw their favorite animals into the mix, the cuteness is unbeatable! Encourage parents and children to work together to create animal costumes. This turns your event into a great bonding activity for families ahead of the big day.
Charge an entry fee for the parade and sell tickets for spectators to come and cheer. Don’t forget to add a “best costume” award. This is a great opportunity to reach out to businesses in your school community for partnerships.
Talent shows are the cornerstone of elementary school fundraising. But what if you added a fresh spin on this old favorite and invited families to join as a team? Families can get together to sing duets, perform skits, or put on magic shows.
The proceeds from ticket and concession stand sales will help your school reach its fundraising target, and families enjoy a fun night on stage making irreplaceable memories.
Lamar Middle School used Donorbox Events to sell tickets to their talent show event. We love how they showcased their sponsor and included important information about the event right on their event page!
Let your little Picassos shine! Have students create paintings, sculptures, or other artworks in class, and then host an art auction for parents and community members. Your students will love seeing their work admired, and parents will happily bid on something meaningful created by their child.
This event offers another perfect touchpoint for you to connect with local businesses. Reach out to stores in your community to request donations for themed gift baskets that can be auctioned off or raffled on the night.
Give this old favorite a fun makeover by hosting a literacy-themed bingo evening. Instead of the usual sheet of numbers, engage your students to create a list of their most-loved books and use characters from those titles. Each square on your bingo sheet could feature names like Harry Potter, Matilda, or Captain Underpants.
Raise funds on the night of your event by charging an entrance fee for families, friends, and staff or selling your bingo cards for a flat fee. Winners can take home fun book-related prizes like bookmarks, Kindle covers, or gift cards to local bookshops.
Mini-golf is always a huge hit with families, and with a little imagination you can take this fun family activity and turn it into a rewarding elementary school fundraising idea. Get your staff and teachers involved and convert the school gym or playground into a quirky mini-golf course. Use cardboard, pool noodles, and other materials to design creative holes.
Families can pay to play, and your school can add a snacks and drinks stand to maximize your fundraising income on the day!
Pro tip: Set up a donation kiosk to collect more donations during your event. With Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, simply download the app to your tablet and pair a card reader to start collecting donations made with cards, smartphones, and smartwatches. Learn more.
A carnival that celebrates the cultural diversity of your school is a great way to raise funds and honor your student’s heritage. Ask your PTA for help organizing, and ask parents to contribute food, drinks, music, and crafts that represent their unique heritage.
Consider opening ticket sales to your broader community to increase foot traffic on the day.
While this event can help you smash your fundraising goals through ticket sales, you could go even further and offer mini-workshops, dance classes, or cooking demos for a small fee.
Here’s a fundraising idea that’s sure to excite your science teachers! Turn your school into a science wonderland for an evening of (safe) experimental fun. You could set up a mini-lab or experiment stations in the gym — think slime-making, micro volcanoes, and optical illusions — and charge an entry fee for families. Get the rest of your staff involved by encouraging them to dress up as scientists for the event.
Reach out to your local toy store and see if they’d like to get involved by donating some fun science kits you can sell or include in a raffle!
Walk-a-thons are another great elementary school fundraising idea. But instead of the usual setup, why not inject more excitement and let kids dress up as superheroes? Whether it’s Batman, Captain America, The Atom, Catwoman, Wonder Woman, or Thor, it’s sure to be adorable. Your students can run laps around the playground or a track.
Families and friends can pledge donations for each lap completed. To make it more lively, consider including music and a photo booth for families.
Donorbox Peer-to-Peer fundraising makes it easy to empower your supporters to raise more on your behalf, the way this school did for their walk-a-thon. Parents created their own fundraising pages to share why they want to raise money for their child’s school.
Are you looking for an elementary school fundraising idea that combines creativity, fun, and outdoor play? A DIY kite festival is the answer! Families can make kites at home or in a school-hosted workshop and then participate in a kite-flying event. You could also offer prizes for the most creative kite.
Gather your teachers and staff members and assemble kite creation kits you can sell to parents and families participating in the event. And don’t forget to set up a refreshments stand on the day to boost your fundraising!
This easy fundraising idea brings the magic of fairy tales to life in the kitchen! With a magical twist on the traditional bake sale, families can bake treats inspired by fairy tales — think gingerbread houses, poison apple cupcakes, or a “Rapunzel’s braid” bread loaf.
Ask parents to donate the necessary ingredients and your elementary school can sell the delicious creations at your fairy tale bake sale.
Bring some zen to your elementary school fundraiser! A family yoga fundraiser is a great way to encourage movement, connect with parents, and raise critical funds for your school. Partner with a local yoga instructor to lead a family-friendly class. Remember to check that they’re certified to teach children.
This fundraising idea has great potential as a recurring event. You could make it a monthly occurrence or once a semester. Bring the mats outdoors in summer and turn your school gym into a serene space in winter.
Your school can charge a participation fee, and sell branded yoga mats or water bottles. Parents, teachers, and children will leave feeling relaxed and happy, knowing they contributed to a good cause.
This easy elementary school fundraising idea is perfect for the creative souls in your community. Students can make their own shadow puppets and tell stories during a fun-filled performance.
Ticket sales and a popcorn stand will contribute to your fundraising goals while your students entertain parents and spectators. This fundraising idea would work well as a parent-child storytelling competition too!
There’s something so wonderfully nostalgic and delightful about board games — especially during the holiday season. Invite parents and students to bring their favorite games and set up tables in your school’s gym or courtyard.
You could charge a small entry fee and offer prizes for games where there’s a clear winner, like chess or Scrabble. Selling snacks and drinks on the night can help boost your fundraising efforts.
The secret sauce to a successful elementary school fundraising event is engagement. These fundraisers are great because they encourage active involvement from parents, teachers, and students, which can go a long way to helping you build a more meaningful connection with your school community.
Ticket sales and special add-ons like snack sales and raffles are always a huge focus for school fundraisers, but remember to include quick and easy ways to receive donations on the day of your event too. Parents, community members, and event attendees are often moved to contribute more on the day. This is why including QR codes that lead to your donation page, giving kiosks, and text-to-give shortcodes on event signage can help you raise even more.
Fundraising for your elementary school doesn’t have to follow traditional or mainstream ideas – and it definitely doesn’t have to overwhelm your staff or PTA fundraising team. With a little creativity, you can host memorable events that boost your school’s income and keep parents and the community engaged.
Plus, Donorbox is here to help. Our powerful Events platform takes the hassle out of hosting in-person events. Whether you need a seamless ticketing system or a customized events page, or if you’re interested in collecting donations on top of ticket sales — our system is equipped to handle it all. Find out more about our full range of fundraising tools here or sign up and start fundraising for free today!
Visit our Nonprofit Blog for more great school fundraising tips and advice!
Nicole’s professional background is rooted in the nonprofit sector, where she’s honed her skills in communications, marketing, and fundraising. She has extensive experience in various fields, such as social media, content strategy, public relations, and more. Nicole has a deep passion for writing, editing, and gaining knowledge about the many causes that tirelessly advocate for essential societal change.
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Nicole Human
