26. Art Auction

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Art auctions are dynamic fundraising events where donated artworks are auctioned off to support charitable causes. They showcase a diverse range of artistic styles and mediums, including paintings, sculptures, photography, and more, often donated by both established and emerging artists.

• Creative Showcase: An art auction highlights the artistic talents of students, teachers, and local artists, offering a platform to showcase their work and talents.
• Cultural Appreciation: Art auctions celebrate cultural diversity through various artistic expressions while raising funds to support artistic endeavors within the school community.
• Virtual: This can easily also be turned into a virtual auction fundraiser for convenience.

Art auctions provide a vibrant showcase of creativity and cultural diversity, uniting artists and supporters in fundraising efforts to enrich the school community through artistic expression and appreciation.

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27. Photography Family Sessions‍

Photography family mini sessions are a memorable and personal fundraising initiative. These sessions appeal to families looking to update their home wall canvases or create personalized gifts or cards, while also supporting a charitable cause.

• Appeal: Family sessions appeal to a wide audience interested in capturing memories and supporting a cause at a fair price.
• Personalization: Participants receive personalized, professional-quality digital images.
• Flexibility: Can be organized in various locations and tailored to different preferences.
• Local: Partnering with a local photographer who would be willing to split or donate profits in a central community event makes this a successful event. Doing a mini shoot in advance is essential for advertising on social media to gain traction.

Photography family sessions offer a personalized and versatile fundraising opportunity that appeals to families seeking professional-quality photos while supporting charitable causes with memorable keepsakes. Who doesn’t like updating their social media with fresh family pics?

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28. Parent-Teacher Game Night

A Parent-Teacher Game Night is a fantastic fundraising idea because it creates a lively and inclusive environment where parents, teachers, and students can come together for a night of fun and community building. It offers a variety of games and activities that cater to different interests and age groups.

• Community Bonding: Bringing parents and teachers together for a game night strengthens relationships within the school community.
• Interactive Fundraising: By incorporating games into the fundraiser, participants can enjoy a fun-filled evening while actively contributing to the school's financial goals.

A Parent-Teacher Game Night fosters community bonding through interactive fundraising activities that unite parents, teachers, and students in a lively and inclusive atmosphere.

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29. Family Photo DIY Backdrops

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Creating DIY family photo backdrops can be a wonderful fundraising idea because it combines creativity with personalization and community involvement.

• Affordability: DIY backdrops are cost-effective, requiring minimal investment in materials, which maximizes the fundraising potential.
• Creativity: Participants can unleash their creativity by designing and crafting unique photo backdrops using affordable materials like fabric, paper, or props.
• Fundraising Potential: Funds are raised through entry fees, donations for materials, or fees for professional photographers who collaborate on the project.
• Reasonable: Charge a small reasonable fee that is a win-win for both families and the school.
• Reuse: Reuse the items for another event or to decorate the school entrance when done!

Family Photo DIY Backdrops offer a creative and affordable fundraising opportunity that engages participants in crafting personalized photo settings while maximizing fundraising potential through entry fees and collaborative donations.

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30. Opt Out Letter

Instead of requiring students to sell items door-to-door, the opt-out letter fundraising approach allows parents to make a monetary donation instead of participating in sales. This alternative fundraising method appeals to parents who may not have the time or desire to sell products.

• Allows parents to make a monetary donation instead of selling items: By giving parents the option to opt out of traditional fundraisers, you're respecting their time and preferences. This flexibility encourages more parents to participate in fundraising efforts, ultimately leading to higher fundraising revenue for the school.
• Respects parents' time and avoids discomfort associated with sales: Traditional product-based fundraisers can be time-consuming and uncomfortable for both students and parents. Opting out eliminates the need for sales efforts, alleviating stress and discomfort for families.
• Saves time and resources for both the school and families: Without the need to handle and distribute products, the opt-out letter fundraising approach saves time and resources for both the school and families. This streamlined process makes fundraising more efficient and cost-effective.

This is a rather new idea becoming popular the last few years amongst school communities. The opt-out letter fundraising approach respects parents' preferences and saves time by offering a convenient alternative to traditional sales-based fundraisers, ultimately enhancing participation and efficiency in fundraising efforts.

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31. Karaoke Night

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Karaoke night is a fantastic fundraising idea that combines entertainment with community engagement in a lively and interactive setting, appealing to a wide range of people and offering opportunities for social interaction and fundraising.

• Musical Entertainment: Karaoke nights provide a fun and entertaining platform for participants to showcase their singing talents and enjoy an evening of music and laughter.
• Audience Engagement: Participants pay to sing their favorite songs, creating a lively atmosphere and encouraging audience involvement while contributing to the fundraiser.

Karaoke night brings together community members for an entertaining and interactive fundraising experience, where participants showcase their talents and engage in musical fun to support the cause.

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32. 50/50 Sale

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The 50/50 sale is a straightforward and transparent fundraising method. Participants purchase raffle tickets with the chance to win a prize, while also supporting the school through their ticket purchase.

• Provides an exciting opportunity for participants to win a prize while supporting the school: The chance to win a prize adds excitement and incentive for participants to buy raffle tickets. This excitement can lead to increased participation and higher fundraising revenue for the school.
• Encourages more people to buy tickets, increasing overall fundraising potential: The prospect of winning a prize encourages more people to buy raffle tickets, ultimately increasing the overall fundraising potential of the event. Higher participation rates translate to more funds raised for school programs and initiatives.
• Can be adapted to fit various events or occasions throughout the school year: The 50/50 sale is a versatile fundraising method that can be adapted to fit various events or occasions throughout the school year, such as sports games, concerts, or community festivals. Its flexibility makes it a valuable addition to the school's fundraising toolkit.

The 50/50 sale offers an engaging opportunity for participants to support the school while potentially winning a prize, enhancing fundraising efforts through increased ticket sales and adaptability to various school events.

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33. Fashion Show/Trashion Show Fundraiser

The Trashion Show Fundraiser is a creative and eco-friendly event that blends fashion with environmental consciousness to support a charitable cause. This unique fundraiser encourages participants to showcase their creativity by designing and modeling outfits made from recycled materials, promoting sustainability and community engagement.

• Creative Expression: Fashion shows featuring donated clothing or student-designed garments allow participants to express their creativity and showcase the latest trends in fashion.
• Fundraising Elegance: Ticket sales from the fashion show contribute to the fundraiser while providing attendees with an opportunity to enjoy a stylish and glamorous event.
• Green: Take it one step further and make this a green eco friendly recycled “trashion” show. This gets students creatively thinking of ways to upcycle items. This makes one unique fashion show!

The Trashion Show Fundraiser transforms recycled materials into runway-ready fashion, showcasing the beauty of sustainability and community spirit. This innovative event promotes environmental stewardship, creativity, and philanthropy, making a positive impact on participants, supporters, and the planet.

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34. Photography Contests

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Photography contests are compelling fundraising opportunities that engage participants in showcasing their creativity while supporting a cause. These contests invite photographers of all levels to submit their best work based on specific themes or categories. Participants typically pay an entry fee, which contributes directly to the fundraising goal or the photographs and printed and sold online virtually.

• Artistic Exploration: Photography contests encourage participants to explore their creativity and capture unique moments and perspectives through the lens of a camera.
• Competitive Fundraising: Entry fees and prizes for the best photos incentivize participation and contribute to the fundraising effort while promoting artistic talent within the community.

Photography contests blend artistic exploration with competitive fundraising, encouraging creativity while supporting the cause through entry fees and prizes.

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35. Parent’s Night Out

Parent’s Night Out is a beneficial event where everyone has a ton of fun! Plus, it’s an amazing low cost fundraiser.

• Break for Parents: Give parents a break by hosting an evening school lock in, where students have fun while parents relax, shop or check off their to do list.
• Fun Night Out: Students love being in the school and gym after school hours and having fun with crafts, games and music.
• Volunteers: Remember to solicit some volunteers from the high school and set up fun stations such as nail polish, sticker temporary tattoos, and karaoke.

This event, when priced right, is such a fun night out for students and parents. Especially when done around the holidays, it’s truly a help to give families a break.

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36. Cooking Competitions

Cooking competitions are exciting fundraising events that combine culinary skill with community engagement. Participants, often amateur chefs or local food enthusiasts, compete to create the best dishes based on specific themes or ingredients.

• Culinary Creativity: Cooking competitions like chili cook-offs or bake-offs challenge participants to showcase their culinary skills and creativity in the kitchen.
• Tasty Fundraising: Entry fees and prizes for the winners make cooking competitions a deliciously fun way to raise funds for the school while satisfying appetites and taste buds.

Cooking competitions unite culinary creativity with tasty fundraising, offering a fun way to showcase skills and support the school through entry fees and prizes.

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37. Corporations & Stores

Cooking competitions are exciting fundraising events that combine culinary skill with community engagement. Participants, often amateur chefs or local food enthusiasts, compete to create the best dishes based on specific themes or ingredients.

• Culinary Creativity: Cooking competitions like chili cook-offs or bake-offs challenge participants to showcase their culinary skills and creativity in the kitchen.
• Tasty Fundraising: Entry fees and prizes for the winners make cooking competitions a deliciously fun way to raise funds for the school while satisfying appetites and taste buds.

Cooking competitions unite culinary creativity with tasty fundraising, offering a fun way to showcase skills and support the school through entry fees and prizes.

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38. Wine Tasting Events

Did you know many stores offer programs that allow you to shop while they give back to your organization of choice?

• Locate: Check stores in your area. In Michigan, Meijer and Kroger give back percentages of all purchases directly to your school.
• Share: Once you identify who does this, spread the instructions and get the community excited to support this by doing what they already do, shopping!

Post in local social media groups to find out what stores support these types of programs in your area.

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39. Outdoor Adventure Trips

These trips appeal to outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers, and individuals seeking adventure, providing a memorable experience while supporting a cause. They offer opportunities for team-building, skill development, and personal growth in an outdoor environment.

• Nature Exploration: Outdoor adventure trips such as hiking, camping, or rock climbing allow participants to connect with nature and explore the great outdoors while supporting the school's fundraising goals.
• Sponsored Excursions: Participants gather sponsorships for the journey, turning outdoor adventures into fundraising opportunities that promote physical activity and environmental appreciation.

Outdoor adventure trips combine nature exploration with sponsored excursions to support fundraising efforts, offering participants memorable outdoor experiences while promoting physical activity and environmental appreciation.

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40. DIY Beauty Workshops

DIY beauty workshops are engaging fundraising events that empower participants with practical beauty skills, offering hands-on learning, personalized experiences, and promoting community engagement through affordable entry costs and direct contributions to charitable initiatives.

• Glamorous Learning: DIY beauty workshops offer participants the chance to learn beauty skills like makeup application, skincare, or hairstyling, empowering them to enhance their personal grooming routines.
• Stylish Fundraising: Participants pay to attend workshops, gaining valuable beauty tips and techniques while contributing to the school's fundraising efforts.

DIY beauty workshops provide a hands-on opportunity for participants to learn essential beauty skills while supporting charitable causes through affordable entry fees and direct contributions.

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41. Comedy Night

A comedy night is an entertaining and effective fundraising event that brings laughter and community support together. It typically features professional comedians or local talents performing stand-up comedy routines in a relaxed and jovial atmosphere. Attendees purchase tickets to enjoy the comedic performances, with proceeds going towards the fundraising cause.

• Laughter Therapy: Comedy nights featuring local comedians provide attendees with a night of laughter and entertainment, relieving stress and boosting mood while supporting the fundraiser.
• Humorous Fundraising: Ticket sales from the comedy night contribute to the fundraiser while offering attendees a chance to enjoy a night of comedy and fun.

Comedy nights provide a lighthearted and enjoyable way for attendees to support fundraisers through laughter and entertainment, making them both a fun social event and a valuable fundraising opportunity.

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42. Science Fair

A science fair is an engaging educational event that can also serve as a fundraiser, showcasing students' scientific projects and experiments. Participants, typically students from schools or educational institutions, present their research and findings to judges and attendees.

• Scientific Inquiry: Science fairs showcase student projects and experiments, encouraging scientific curiosity, creativity, and innovation within the school community.
• Educational Fundraising: Entry fees and donations collected at the science fair support the fundraiser while promoting STEM education and inspiring future scientists and inventors.

Science fairs combine educational enrichment with fundraising by promoting STEM learning through student projects, and innovation while raising funds to support school initiatives.

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43. Virtual Events

Virtual events are innovative fundraising opportunities that leverage online platforms to engage participants and raise funds for a cause. These events can include virtual auctions, online concerts, webinars, or virtual runs/walks, among others. Participants join from anywhere with an internet connection, making them accessible to a global audience.

• Global Participation: Virtual events such as online auctions, talent shows, or game nights allow participants to join from anywhere in the world, expanding the reach of the fundraiser beyond the local community.
• Digital Fundraising: Hosting virtual events generates revenue through ticket sales, donations, or sponsorships, providing a convenient and accessible way for people to support the school fundraiser.

Virtual events represent a modern approach to fundraising, enabling global participation through online platforms while generating funds via ticket sales, donations, and sponsorships. This digital format offers convenience and accessibility, facilitating widespread support for school initiatives.

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44. Outdoor Movie Screenings

Outdoor movie screenings are popular and enjoyable fundraising events that bring communities together under the stars. These events typically involve screening popular films in an outdoor setting, such as parks, schools, or community centers.

• Open-Air Cinema: Outdoor movie screenings in the school courtyard or park offer attendees a unique and enjoyable cinematic experience under the stars.
• Cinematic Fundraising: Charging for admission and concessions at outdoor movie screenings generates revenue for the fundraiser while providing attendees with a memorable and entertaining evening.
• Football Field: This is a great district location to host the movie night.\

Outdoor movie screenings create memorable evenings under the stars, blending cinematic charm with community spirit while raising funds through ticket sales and concessions, ensuring a delightful experience for all attendees. Be sure to check licensing movie fees.

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45. DIY Home Décor Workshops

These events attract DIY enthusiasts, homeowners, and individuals interested in enhancing their living spaces, building a sense of community and creativity. DIY home décor workshops not only raise funds through workshop fees but also promote sustainable living and community engagement. They provide a platform for sharing knowledge, creativity, and supporting charitable initiatives within the community.

• Creative Enhancement: DIY home décor workshops offer participants practical skills in interior design, furniture refurbishing, or DIY crafts, allowing them to personalize and beautify their living spaces.
• Stylish Fundraising: Participants pay to attend workshops, gaining valuable home décor tips and techniques while contributing to the school's fundraising efforts.

Outdoor movie screenings create memorable evenings under the stars, blending cinematic charm with community spirit while raising funds through ticket sales and concessions, ensuring a delightful experience for all attendees. Be sure to check licensing movie fees.

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46. Storytelling Night

Storytelling nights appeal to individuals who enjoy listening to and sharing stories, creating an intimate and engaging atmosphere. They provide a platform for storytellers of all backgrounds and experiences to connect with listeners and convey meaningful messages through narrative.

• Narrative Expression: Storytelling nights provide participants with a platform to share their favorite stories, poems, or monologues, creativity and self-expression within the school community.
• Artistic Fundraising: Donations collected at the door support the fundraiser while allowing participants to connect with others through the power of storytelling and narrative.

Storytelling nights weave together personal narratives and community support, offering a platform for artistic expression while raising funds through the power of storytelling and shared experiences. Surprise guest readers are always fun!

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47. DIY Pet Accessories Workshop

DIY pet accessories workshops not only raise funds through workshop fees but also promote responsible pet ownership and support charitable initiatives related to animal welfare. They provide a platform for sharing knowledge, and enhancing the bond between pets and their owners within the community.

• Pet Pampering: DIY pet accessories workshops offer participants the chance to create toys, beds, or clothing for their furry friends, promoting pet care and bonding.
• Animal-loving Fundraising: Participants pay to participate in workshops, learning valuable pet accessory-making skills while supporting the school's fundraising efforts.

DIY pet accessories workshops combine creativity with compassion, responsible pet ownership while supporting fundraising efforts through hands-on learning and community engagement.

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48. Fitness Exercise Workout Classes

Fitness exercise workout classes are dynamic fundraising events that promote health and community support. Led by certified instructors, these classes typically include activities such as yoga, Zumba, aerobics, or strength training.

• Active Participation: Fitness classes such as yoga, Zumba, or boot camp sessions offer participants an opportunity to engage in physical activity and improve their health and fitness levels.
• Healthy Fundraising: Participants pay to join fitness classes, benefiting from professional instruction while contributing to the school's fundraising goals.

Fitness exercise workout classes provide a healthy and engaging way for participants to support fundraising efforts while improving their fitness and well-being through professional instruction and active participation.

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49. Santa Photo Fundraiser

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Santa photo fundraisers appeal to families, children, and holiday enthusiasts, creating a joyful atmosphere and providing lasting memories. These events not only raise funds for charitable causes but also promote community spirit and engagement during the festive season. They offer a fun and memorable way for families to support a cause while enjoying a traditional holiday tradition with Santa Claus.

• Magical Atmosphere: Creates a festive ambiance with decorations, holiday music, and Santa's presence, making it a memorable experience for families.
• Fundraising Impact: Raises funds through photo session fees, donations, and possibly sales of related items like holiday cards or ornaments.
• This can be partnered with a local photography studio, local photographer on site at school, or completely diy backdrops with a parent Santa that would allow parents to capture their own photos.

Santa photo fundraisers infuse the holiday season with joy and community spirit, offering families a cherished tradition while supporting charitable causes through photo session fees and festive merchandise sales.

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50. Community Cookbook

A community cookbook is a collaborative fundraising project that gathers diverse recipes from local contributors, celebrating culinary traditions while generating funds through cookbook sales at community events and online platforms. It engages community members in preserving cultural heritage, and providing a practical resource for cooking enthusiasts.

• Culinary Collaboration: A community cookbook featuring favorite recipes from students, parents, and teachers celebrates the diversity of culinary traditions within the school community.
• Tasty Fundraising: Sales of the community cookbook generate revenue for the fundraiser while providing a collection of delicious recipes for community members to enjoy and share.

A community cookbook celebrates diverse culinary traditions and raises funds through recipe sales, community pride and providing a practical resource for cooking enthusiasts.