5 School Fundraising Ideas that Raise Money Fast

How to Raise Emergency Funds for Your School.

There may come a time when your school needs to raise funds fast, such as an unavoidable expense that comes out of the blue. Or it may be a last-minute purchase you need funding for, such as bringing in a guest speaker at an upcoming assembly. If you find yourself in either of these situations, you must raise money fast. What are the fastest ways to fundraise for schools? In this article, we share five last-minute fundraising ideas for schools, plus answer your top questions on fundraising fast.

Emergency School Fundraising Ideas

Emergency school fundraising is rare, but it certainly can be managed. Whether you need to install accessibility accommodations, raise funds for a student in dire need, or recover your property from a natural disaster, you can quickly raise funds for your school.

How to Raise Funds Fast

Below are six effective emergency fundraising strategies for schools, plus an extra tip to ensure you have your capital in hand as soon as possible.

1. Direct Solicitation

A fast way to earn donations is to ask for them directly, which takes little to no planning or campaigning. Reach out to past and potential donors, explain why you are in need and why it is urgent, and ask for their support. You can reach out in person, on the phone, by email, or send a letter in the mail.

2. Social Media Campaign

Share your fundraising story on your social media accounts. Encourage students, faculty, and other supporters to share the social media campaign with friends, family, and professional networks. Social media campaigns can earn significant funds quickly, so long as you advertise and share what you plan to use for.

3. Set Up a Donation Page

Create a donation page and share it with your supporters. You can write about your cause, post pictures, and share updates here. Donation pages are like social media campaigns; only your fundraising page is an independent site, which is another fundraising method that takes minimal planning and minimal management yet has the potential to bring dollars in quickly.

4. Host an Event

Event hosting takes planning, time, dollars, and hands on deck. However, there is potential for a high reward. Fundraising event ideas that are fast and easy to set up include hosting a bake sale, setting up a movie night, and asking a local expert to volunteer to teach their skill at a workshop such as painting or yoga.

5. Matching Donations

Matching donations is a great way to double your donations, which does not work as a standalone fundraiser and must be paired with another fundraising method, leading to some planning and management. It is worth the hassle, however. In a matching donations campaign, individual donors or, more often, corporations sign up to match donations made. For example, if a parent’s work offers a matching donation program and the parent donates $1,000, their employer will match that amount and donate an additional $1,000.

Bonus Tip: Expedite Money Collection

Fundraising fast means getting the money in your account as quickly as possible so you can use it for your cause. Speed this process up by expediting money collection. Set deadlines and goals, and plan to ensure you get the money you need quickly.

Fast Fundraising FAQs

Below are a few of the most commonly asked questions about emergency school fundraising.

How Long Do School Fundraisers Last?

How long a fundraiser lasts depends on several factors, including your chosen fundraising method. Product fundraisers may be as quick as two weeks. An event can be as short as a few hours; however, you may spend two or more weeks planning.

What Are Other School Fundraising Ideas?

Another great fundraising idea is product fundraising. Products to sell include t-shirts, food, jewelry, candles, and more.

What’s Faster- Fundraising Alone or With a Fundraising Company?

Choosing which way to go is a toss-up and depends on the type of fundraising plus the school’s experience with planning and executing fundraisers. In most cases, however, partnering with a fundraising company will save you time as they have executed their fundraisers many times and have already worked out all the kinks. Partnering with a fundraising company also saves time researching, planning, collecting money, packing, and distributing products.

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.