10 Fall 2023 School Fundraising Ideas That Work

Ten ways to raise funds for your school this fall.

Fall brings the start of a new school year, and the new year brings new costs. School fundraisers are a great way to offset these upcoming expenses. Fall brings many themes and opportunities for product and event fundraisers. Between football, homecoming, and Halloween, the options are nearly endless. Let's look at ten creative school fundraisers to try this fall.

Fall Fundraisers for Schools

Seasonal fundraisers are both fun and profitable. Fall kickstarts the fundraising year. Start strong with these fall school fundraising ideas.

Fall Crafting Event

Crafting inspiration runs rampant at this time of year. The changing colors of the leaves and the cool sweater weather make you want to sit down and get crafty. Leaf printing, wreath making, painting, and flower arranging are all fall crafting options for your school fundraiser.

School Spirit Merch Sale

Students are excited to return to school in the fall, and new students begin their journey with your school. This is a popular and successful time to sell school spirit merchandise. This school fundraiser isn't only for students either. Parents, faculty, alum, and local community members will be interested in repping your colors too!

Homecoming Dance or Field Day

Start the school year strong with an event to unite the student body, have fun, and raise money for your cause. A homecoming dance or field day can greatly benefit your school's fundraising efforts. Charge entry and earn even more revenue by selling snacks and refreshments at the event.

Fall Food Sale

Food fundraisers are a profitable option at any time of the year. Fun options for the fall include snacks, popcorn, and candy bars. Sell by catalog, door-to-door, virtually, or combine channels to sell to your market. Don't stop at student sales. Get out there yourself and recruit help from parents, faculty, and community members.

Social Media Fundraiser

Celebrate the start of a new year with a fall social media school fundraiser. Share photos of students returning to school and announce big events planned for the year, including major sports games, assemblies, and dances. Use these to bring attention to your page and follow up by asking for donations to help support education, extracurriculars, and events this school year.

Bake-Off

A school bake-off is a fun way to kick off the school year. Everyone loves the opportunity to try an array of tasty treats. Bake-offs typically require minimal planning, draw a crowd, and bring in capital to help your cause. Cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, and other treats can be judged to see who bakes best.

Halloween Party

Our favorite fall theme is Halloween, and it seems students love it just as much as we do! Halloween parties are exciting school fundraising opportunities. Spice up your night with costume contests, bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving contests, and more.

Bike-A-Thon

Embrace the beautiful fall weather and get out on your bikes one last time before the winter hits. A bike-a-thon engages the local community, promotes exercise and healthy hobbies, and raises the funds you need. Other options include walk-a-thons and run-a-thons.

Pizza and Movie Night

Cozy up with warm slices of pizza and a movie this fall. Bonus points if your school can host the movie night outdoors or in a local park. If not, the school auditorium will do! Entrance fees and food and drink sales will quickly rack up capital for your cause. P.S. Don't forget to be mindful of dietary restrictions and preferences when ordering your pizza and snacks.

Trunk-Or-Treat

We had to end with another Halloween-themed fundraiser. This is a great option for your younger students. Set a date for parents, businesses, and community members to join your trunk-or-treat event. Participants stock the trunks of their cars with candy and other goodies, and kids go 'trick-or-treating' car by car.

School Fundraising FAQ

Below are frequently asked questions regarding school fundraising in the fall.

Is Fall a Popular Time to School Fundraise?

Yes! Fall is a prevalent time to fundraise for schools. We highly suggest taking advantage of this seasonal opportunity.

What Themes Are Associated with Fall Fundraisers?

Think spooky nights and sweater weather days. Halloween, changing the leaves, and football are all themes to consider. Get creative! There are many more themes out there.

Does BFI Offer Options for Fall Fundraising?

Yes, view our seasonal fundraising offerings on our website here.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.