5 Easy School Fundraising Ideas

Simple ways to raise funds for your school's co-curricular activities.

K-12 schools nationwide rely on fundraisers to supplement traditional government funding, cover co-curricular programs, or update educational equipment. Unfortunately, traditional school fundraising can fail to meet budget goals due to poor products and lack of people power, minimal planning, or poor planning.

Here at Big Fundraising Ideas, we want your students to have the resources they need to thrive inside and outside the classroom. The new tech-savvy fundraisers of our children's generation can overcome many of the pitfalls of traditional fundraising. Thanks to the convenience of smartphones, many modern school fundraisers can be conducted from home.

Keep reading for five easy school fundraising ideas that require little investment, preparation, or administrative time:

1. Grocery cards

Thanks to the community rewards program at many major grocery chains, schools can quickly raise the funds they need without families spending a dime more on their monthly grocery budget.

Retailers like Kroger, Safeway, and Albertsons donate a portion of the proceeds when buyers connect their rewards cards to a school they choose. Contact your local grocery store to learn more about these free community-giving programs.

2. AmazonSmile

When you join AmazonSmile, you can quickly generate donations during everyday shopping. Customers select the school of their choice and shop. Schools can quickly get started to receive 0.5% of proceeds from participating purchases.

"Especially for frequent Amazon users (and who isn't?), it's an effortless way to give back to charities," explains PTO Today. The amount raised can vary greatly depending on the size of the school community, how well families remember to designate the school as a recipient, and the time of year.

3. Box Tops for Education

Do you remember cutting the Box Tops logo from your cereal boxes and storing the cardboard clippings in a sandwich bag to take to school? The Box Tops for Education of our childhood has grown up.

Students and families can now scan their store receipts, find participating products, and instantly add cash to their school's earnings online. Your school can use this money from playground equipment to library books to help teachers and students get the necessary supplies.

4. Shoe Recycling

A sneaker recycling drive is an easy fundraiser that benefits schools and the environment. Agencies like GotSneakers, Sneakers4Funds, and Angel Bins make reducing waste socially and financially rewarding while raising money for a good cause with free sneaker recycling programs.

Partnering with a specialized program will help outsource the logistics and ensure that your school has the information and resources needed to make the fundraiser successful.

5. Big Fundraising Ideas' Online Fundraisers

Keep fundraising simple by partnering with Big Fundraising Ideas. Sell popcorn, cookie dough, candles, wrapping paper, customizable gifts, and more online! Instead of asking for donations, sell products online with no inventory requirements.

Expand your market to family and friends nationwide using our touchless fundraisers with a built-in email generator, social media tools, and text features.

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Since 1999, Big Fundraising Ideas has been helping schools nationwide raise millions. We believe superior products, more exciting prizes, and a more straightforward ordering process create better fundraisers. With over 100 fundraising programs, we can help you find the right one for your group.

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.