How to Fundraise for Schools: A Step-by-Step PTO Guide

By Clay Boggess on Nov 11, 2026

To fundraise for a school, start with a specific goal, budget, and timeline; choose a format that fits your volunteers and calendar; build a small team with clear roles; promote the fundraiser with a simple communication calendar; handle money through your school's approved process; track net proceeds, which are income minus expenses; and thank supporters with a report of the impact. These steps work the same for a PTO, PTA, booster club, or parent group.

Quick stats from Big Fundraising Ideas' product pages: Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough lists 40% profit, no order requirements, and no upfront cost. Candy bars list a one-case minimum, free shipping, and up to 55% profit. Scratch cards list a 10-card minimum. Online stores have no minimum.

A school fundraiser works best when families understand exactly what they are supporting, volunteers know their roles, and the plan fits the time and energy available. A group funding classroom resources, field trips, playground improvements, or other end-of-year activities can follow the same fundamentals: set a clear goal, choose the right format, communicate consistently, and account for every dollar.

This guide gives PTOs, PTAs, booster clubs, parent groups, and school staff a practical way to plan, run, and review a school fundraiser.

A quick note on terms: a PTA is a chartered local unit of the National PTA, while a PTO is an independent local parent group with its own bylaws. The steps below apply to both.

Big Fundraising Ideas has supported school fundraising products and the groups that run them since 1999. For a complete planning resource, see our School Fundraising Guidebook.

Start with a Specific Fundraising Goal, Budget, and Timeline

A clear purpose, amount, and deadline give families a reason to say yes. Vague goals make it hard to decide why to participate.

Vague goals make it difficult for families to decide why they should participate. Put the purpose in plain language and connect it to a defined amount and deadline.

For example, a goal might be to fund transportation for a grade-level field trip, replace worn recess equipment, purchase materials for a school musical, or cover the cost of a student activity. The appropriate school or parent-group leadership should approve the intended use before you begin promotion.

Use this planning checklist before selecting a fundraiser:

Define what the funds will support and who will benefit.
Set a fundraising target based on the expected expense, including a reasonable contingency if your group uses one.
Establish a campaign start date, end date, and any event or delivery dates.
Identify the expected costs, such as supplies, venue needs, payment processing, printing, prizes, or vendor charges.
Decide who handles approvals, communications, money, volunteer coordination, and final reporting.
Confirm how the group will measure success beyond dollars raised, such as participation, new family involvement, or a repeatable process for next year.

A goal statement can be brief: "Help fund new library seating by the end of the fall semester." The key is that supporters can see both the purpose and the finish line.

Turn the Goal into a Number Each Family Can Picture

Here is a worked example. If your group wants to raise $5,000 in profit with the Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser, it should calculate the profit per item. The fundraiser lists an average price of about $22 and 40% profit; that is about $8.80 profit per item. Dividing $5,000 by $8.80 gives about 569 items, or about 6 items per 100 participants. A per-participant number is easier to share than a total.

For help with targets, see how to set realistic fundraiser goals and the fundraiser goal setting guide.

Choose a School Fundraising Approach that Fits Your Community

The best school fundraising idea is rarely the most active one. It matches your audience, volunteer capacity, calendar, and financial goal.

The best school fundraising idea is rarely the most active one. It matches your audience, volunteer capacity, calendar, and financial goal.

Events

Carnivals, fun runs, talent shows, auctions, family nights, and similar events can create school spirit while raising funds. They often require substantial planning, on-site staffing, approvals, and contingency plans for weather or attendance. Events are a good fit when the school has an engaged volunteer base and enough lead time.

Product Fundraisers

Product sales give supporters something tangible in return for their purchase. They can work well when families and community members are comfortable sharing order information with their networks and when the group can manage order collection, distribution, and customer questions.

Big Fundraising Ideas offers brochure fundraisers such as Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough through school brochure fundraisers, direct-sale products such as candy bars and popcorn through direct-sale fundraisers, scratch cards, and online stores. If a product fundraiser suits your group, review the program details, timing, and responsibilities before committing so the campaign aligns with your school calendar.

Direct-Donation Campaigns

A direct-giving campaign asks supporters to contribute toward a defined school need. This approach may involve less product distribution and fewer event logistics, but it requires a clear message, a trusted collection process, and frequent reminders. It can be especially appropriate when the community values a simple ask tied to a visible outcome. An online donation page is one way to collect gifts, and you can compare the two approaches in a donation drive versus a product fundraiser.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

In a peer-to-peer campaign, students, families, alumni, or community members invite their own contacts to support the school. This format broadens reach beyond the immediate parent list, but it requires clear guidance about appropriate outreach, privacy, and approved payment channels.

Community Partnerships

Local businesses may support schools through sponsored activities, donation drives, or designated fundraising nights. Partnership fundraising can reduce the burden on families, though it often requires outreach, coordination, and written confirmation of how proceeds will be calculated and delivered. See engaging local businesses in school fundraisers.

Before choosing, compare each option against four practical questions: How much volunteer time will it take? Can it happen within the available window? Will the audience respond to it? What will remain after all costs are paid?

Approach	Volunteer Time	Lead Time	Main Risk	Good Fit When
Events	High	Longer	Weather, attendance, and staffing	The school has an engaged volunteer base
Product fundraisers	Medium	Several weeks	Order collection and distribution	Families are comfortable sharing orders with their networks
Direct-donation campaigns	Low	Short	Needs a clear message and reminders	The community values a simple, visible ask
Peer-to-peer	Medium	Short to medium	Outreach and privacy	The school wants to reach beyond its parent list
Community partnerships	Low to medium	Medium	Outreach and written agreements	Local businesses are willing to partner

General guidance for comparison. Your results depend on your school, volunteers, and calendar.

Big Fundraising Ideas Option	Format	What to Know
Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough	Brochure and online	No order requirements, no upfront cost, 40% profit, and a two-week default sale
Candy bars	Direct sale	One-case minimum, free shipping, and up to 55% profit
Popcorn	Direct sale	One-case minimum, with profit tiers from 40% to 60% by order size
Scratch cards	Direct sale	Minimum of 10 cards, with profit up to $90 per card
Online store	Online	No minimum, and supporters order from anywhere

From Big Fundraising Ideas' product pages. Confirm current terms before you order. For terms, see No Upfront Cost Fundraisers.

EXPERT INSIGHT: Compare Fundraisers by What Remains, Not by What Comes In

Parent groups often compare fundraising ideas by how much money they bring in, because that is the number people announce. But the number that pays for the field trip is what remains after every cost is paid, and two fundraisers with the same gross can leave very different amounts: an event that brings in six thousand dollars and costs thirty-eight hundred leaves twenty-two hundred. A product fundraiser that collects twenty-two thousand dollars and pays a vendor invoice and printing costs can leave much more, but it also takes weeks of order handling. A donation drive may cost very little and require few volunteers, but it depends on how well the message lands. To compare, ask four questions for each option: how many volunteer hours will it take, can it fit your calendar, will your audience respond, and what is left once everything is paid? Write the answers in a simple table, with your own estimates. Choose the option whose answers fit the group you actually have, and not the one with the biggest headline.

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Build a Team and Assign Ownership Early

Fundraising becomes difficult when one coordinator handles every task. A small group with defined responsibilities works better than a large committee with unclear ownership.

Fundraising becomes difficult when one coordinator handles every task. A small working group with defined responsibilities is usually more effective than a large committee with unclear ownership.

Assign a lead for each area: school or district coordination, volunteer scheduling, family communications, financial tracking, event logistics or product distribution, and supporter thank-yous. Give each lead a deadline and a simple way to report progress. For a smaller campaign, one person may cover multiple roles, but the group should still see the responsibilities.

Area	What the Lead Does
School or district coordination	Gets approvals and confirms rules and dates
Volunteer scheduling	Recruits and schedules volunteers
Family communications	Writes and sends messages through approved channels
Financial tracking	Records income and expenses, and prepares the report
Event logistics or product distribution	Runs the event, or handles orders and delivery
Supporter thank-yous	Thanks families, staff, partners, and volunteers

Keep a shared campaign document with the goal, dates, contact list, approved messages, expense tracker, and task assignments. It prevents last-minute confusion and makes the next fundraiser easier to run.

For more on involving families, see how to get parents to support your school fundraiser and PTA fundraising tips.

Create a Promotion and Participation Plan

Families are busy, so one announcement is rarely enough. Repeated messages should add useful information.

Families are busy. One announcement is rarely enough, and repeated messages should add useful information rather than merely repeat the same ask. Use the channels your school community already relies on, such as school newsletters, email, classroom communications, printed flyers, announcements, and approved social media accounts.

A simple communication calendar might look like this:

When	What to Do
Two to three weeks before launch	Announce the purpose, goal, dates, and how families can participate. Recruit volunteers and share any key logistics.
Launch week	Send the main fundraiser message through school-approved channels. Include one clear action, such as making a donation, registering, attending, or placing an order.
Mid-campaign	Share a progress update, answer common questions, and remind families of the deadline. Highlight the school need rather than pressuring individual students.
Final days	Send a concise deadline reminder with the correct payment or participation instructions.
After the campaign	Thank supporters, report the outcome, and explain what happens next.

Participation incentives can build momentum when they fit school policy and your budget. Keep them simple and inclusive. Class participation recognition, a schoolwide celebration, or a thank-you announcement may be more manageable than complicated prize structures.

For more ideas, see Exciting Fundraiser Kickoff Steps and How to Improve School Fundraiser Participation. For student safety, see School Fundraising Safety Tips.

Collect Funds Responsibly and Follow School Rules

Approval and money-handling requirements vary by school, district, state, and fundraiser type. Confirm the rules before collecting money.

Approval and money-handling requirements vary by school, district, state, and fundraiser type. Confirm the rules that apply to your group before collecting money, promoting an activity, or entering into an agreement with a vendor or community partner.

Work through the school's approved process for financial collection and recordkeeping. Avoid using personal accounts to receive school funds. Establish who can accept payments, who records them, where funds are stored, how deposits are made, and how receipts or confirmations are provided. A second adult review of cash counts and reconciliations can help reduce errors.

Some activities may involve additional requirements, including tax, raffle, permit, insurance, food-service, or payment-processing rules. Ask your school or district office for guidance on the requirements that apply to your fundraiser. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. For background, see fundraising regulations for school stakeholders, the school brochure fundraising tax guide, and school food fundraiser rules.

For tracking, see the sales tracking sheet and how a school gets paid after a fundraiser.

Track Income, Costs, and Net Proceeds

Gross sales or donations do not show the full result. Net proceeds equal total income minus total fundraiser expenses.

Gross sales or donations do not show the full financial result. To understand whether a fundraiser was worth repeating, track both money received and every direct campaign cost.

Use this basic calculation:

Net proceeds = total income - total fundraiser expenses

Expenses may include product costs, shipping, venue fees, supplies, printing, payment fees, permits, entertainment, prizes, and other campaign-specific purchases. Also document volunteer effort. A fundraiser that produces a good net result but requires extensive staff time may not be the best fit for every school.

Example	Income	Expenses	Net Proceeds
Product fundraiser: 100 participants sell 10 items at $22	$22,000	$13,200 vendor invoice plus $400 other costs	$8,400
Event: tickets, games, and concessions (sample numbers)	$6,000	$3,800	$2,200
Donation drive: online gifts (sample numbers)	$4,000	$200 fees and printing	$3,800

The product example uses the Otis Spunkmeyer 40% profit, so the vendor invoice is 60% of sales. The event and donation examples use sample numbers for illustration. Your costs will differ.

At the close of the campaign, review:

Total income collected
Total expenses paid or still expected
Net proceeds available for the stated purpose
Number of participating families or supporters
Volunteer hours and operational challenges
What should be retained, changed, or removed next time

This record gives future PTO, PTA, and booster-club leaders a more useful starting point than a single headline number.

Thank Supporters and Report the Impact

Trust grows when supporters hear what happened after they gave, bought, attended, or volunteered.

Trust grows when supporters hear what happened after they gave, bought, attended, or volunteered. Send a prompt thank-you to families, staff, business partners, and volunteers. It can be a school newsletter note, email, social post through an approved account, or a message at a school gathering.

Straightforwardly share the final result: state the amount available after fundraiser expenses, restate the purpose, and explain the next step for the funds. When the project is completed, follow up with a photo, update, or short story that shows the benefit to students, provided you have the appropriate permissions.

That closing communication matters. It shows that the group followed through and gives families a reason to participate again.

EXPERT INSIGHT: Make the Impact Report Part of the Plan, Not an Afterthought

Most fundraising guides end when the money is counted, but the next fundraiser begins the moment families decide whether they trust you. A short, specific report builds that trust more than any reminder. Decide before the campaign starts who will write the report, what numbers it will contain, and when it will go out. A good report is short: the amount raised, the amount available after expenses, the purpose, and what happens next. When the project is finished, add a photo or short note showing the benefit to students, with family permission. Put the report date on the campaign calendar, next to the launch date and the deadline. Then use the same wording in your next promotion, so families can see that the last gift made a difference. This is also the cheapest way to improve participation. A parent who sees a finished library corner or a new set of recess equipment is far more likely to say yes next year than one who only saw an announcement of a total.

Make the Next Fundraiser Easier

Save your records while the campaign is fresh. They are the best starting point for the next leader.

Save the timeline, communications, budget, volunteer notes, and final report while the campaign is still fresh. Record which messages generated responses, where volunteers needed more support, and whether the fundraising method matched the community.

If you are considering a product fundraiser, explore the school fundraising options from Big Fundraising Ideas and compare the program details with your goal, schedule, and volunteer capacity. For a broader planning resource, download our free School Fundraising Guidebook for additional guidance on organizing a fundraiser from start to finish. See also how to start a fundraiser with no upfront cost and the one-week school fundraiser plan.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Fundraise for School

How do you fundraise for a school?

Start with a specific goal, budget, and timeline; choose a format that fits your volunteers and calendar; build a small team with clear roles; promote the fundraiser with a simple communication calendar; handle money through your school's approved process, track net proceeds, and thank supporters with a clear report of the impact.

How do you raise money for a school PTA?

The steps are the same for a PTA or a PTO. Define the purpose and amount, get approval from your leadership and the school, choose a fundraising approach, assign roles, promote it, and track every dollar. A PTA should also follow its own bylaws and its state and national PTA guidance.

What is the difference between a PTA and a PTO?

A PTA is a chartered local unit of the National PTA and follows its guidelines. A PTO is an independent local parent group that writes its own bylaws and has no national umbrella organization. Both raise money and support schools in similar ways.

How much should a school fundraising goal be?

Base it on the expected expense, plus a reasonable contingency if your group uses one. For example, to raise $5,000 in profit with the Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser, which lists about $8.80 profit per item, a group would need about 569 items, or about 6 items per participant for 100 participants.

What are the best ways to raise money for a school?

The best fit depends on your community, volunteer time, calendar, and goal. Events build spirit but take heavy planning; product fundraisers give supporters something tangible; and direct donation campaigns are simple but need clear messages. Compare each against volunteer time, the available window, audience response, and what remains after costs.

How long should a school fundraiser run?

It varies by type. The Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser runs for two weeks by default, with delivery about three to four weeks after order forms are submitted. A direct-sale product such as candy bars or popcorn is usually recommended for about a week. Events usually need three to four weeks of planning.

What are net proceeds?

Net proceeds are what remains after every direct fundraiser cost is paid. The formula is total income minus total fundraiser expenses. Tracking them shows whether a fundraiser was worth repeating, since gross sales or donations don't show the full result.

Who should handle fundraiser money?

Use your school's approved process. Decide in advance who can accept payments, who records them, where funds are stored, and how deposits are made. Avoid personal accounts and have a second adult review cash counts and reconciliations.

Do we need approval before we start a school fundraiser?

Usually yes. Approval and money-handling requirements vary by school, district, state, and fundraiser type, so confirm them with your school or district office before you collect money, promote an activity, or sign an agreement. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

How do you thank supporters and report the impact of a fundraiser?

Send a prompt thank-you to families, staff, business partners, and volunteers. Share the amount available after fundraiser expenses, restate the purpose, and explain the next step for the funds. When the project is complete, follow up with a photo or short story, with the appropriate permissions.

Need more info? Reach out today for a FREE consultation with an expert. Contact Big Fundraising Ideas or call (866) 980-9930, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST. To compare formats, see Catalog Fundraisers Versus Candy Bars and our fundraising ideas guide.

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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.

How to Fundraise for School: A Step-by-Step Guide for PTOs, PTAs and Parent Groups

Start with a Specific Fundraising Goal, Budget, and Timeline

Turn the Goal into a Number Each Family Can Picture