What Is the Minimum Order for a School Fundraiser?

When a committee compares fundraising companies, one of the first questions is whether there is a minimum order. It matters most for small groups, who worry that a minimum will force them to buy more than they can sell. But the minimum is only half the story. Your order size also determines how much of each sale your group keeps.

This guide provides the minimum for each fundraiser type, shows what a one-case order looks like, explains how order size affects profit, and lists questions to ask any company. Big Fundraising Ideas has supported school fundraising programs since 1999, and each program below has no upfront cost.

Minimum Order by Fundraiser Type

From the live product pages and the online fundraisers page. Smencils, scratch cards, discount cards, lollipops, and the catalog programs list their own minimums, so check each page.

See direct sale fundraisers, brochure fundraisers, and online fundraisers. The Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough fundraiser page notes free shipping applies when a group sells 350 or more frozen food products. That is a shipping threshold, not a minimum order.

What a One-Case Order Looks Like

From each product's case pricing table at the lowest tier. This assumes every item sells. Confirm the figures on the live product page.

For example, four sellers can run a whole fundraiser on one case of the $3 Premium Variety popcorn. The four sellers sell 120 bags for $360; the invoice is $216, and the group keeps $144. Payment is due within 15 days of receiving the product, and public schools can use a purchase order. See how a school gets paid after a fundraiser.

A Minimum Is Not the Same as the Highest Profit

Participants equal the top-tier case count multiplied by the carriers per case, with one carrier per seller. These are the top tiers for live product pages.

That is why a headline like "up to 60% profit" needs context. The top tier on the $3 Premium Variety popcorn starts at 75 cases, about 300 participants at one carrier each. A group of 30 sellers will not reach it, and they don't need to run a good fundraiser. What matters is the percentage at your own order size.

The Otis Spunkmeyer fundraiser is different. Its page lists a flat 40% on brochure and online sales, so the percentage does not change with group size. See how much a school can make from an Otis Spunkmeyer fundraiser.

What Groups of Different Sizes Can Earn

Cases equal participants divided by 4, rounded up, with one 30-bag carrier per seller. Illustrations only. See the popcorn profit guide for the full tier table.

Even a group of eight can raise a meaningful amount, and a group of 40 reaches the 45% tier. For the full tier table, see how much a school can make from a popcorn fundraiser.

Options for Small Groups

• Order One or Two Cases of a Direct-Sale Product: This works well for a team, club, or classroom with a defined sale period. See popcorn, candy bars, and meat sticks.
• Choose a Program with no Minimum: The Otis cookie dough fundraiser has no order requirements, and online stores have no minimum order requirements.
• Compare Profit at Your Own Size: Look at the tier your group would actually reach, not the top tier.
• Ask About Combining Orders: If several small groups run a fundraiser together, ask whether their orders can be combined for a better tier.

For more small-group ideas, see small fundraiser group profit tips and fundraising ideas that work for small schools.

What Happens If You Order Too Little or Too Much

• Too Little: You can reorder. Reorders ship free on the popcorn, candy bar, and meat stick pages checked, but they still take shipping time, and you should ask whether they count toward your volume tier.
• Too Much: Unsold products aren't accepted back, and you owe the invoice for every case ordered. See what to do with leftover products.
• The Fix: Order from sign-ups, not enrollment.

Questions to Ask Any Fundraising Company About Minimums

1. Is there a minimum per product or per order?
2. Does my profit percentage change with order size, and where do the tiers change?
3. Can I reorder, and does a reorder count toward my tier?
4. What happens to unsold products, and do you accept returns?
5. Is there an upfront cost, and when is payment due?
6. Which fees apply, such as supply, shipping, or late-order fees?
7. Does the company ship to the school or directly to supporters?

Frequently Asked Questions About Minimum Orders

Is there a minimum order for a school fundraiser?

It depends on the fundraiser. The popcorn, candy bar, and meat stick fundraisers each have a one-case minimum. The Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough brochure fundraiser has no order requirements, and online stores have no minimum order requirements.

What is the smallest order you can place for a fundraiser?

For the direct-sale products checked, the smallest order is one case. That is 120 bags of popcorn, 240 or 200 candy bars depending on the product, or 144 meat sticks. A brochure or online fundraiser has no minimum, because you order what your sellers sell.

Can a small group run a fundraiser?

Yes. A small group can order a single case of a direct-sale product or choose a brochure or online program with no minimum. The tradeoff is that tiered products pay a lower profit percentage on small orders, so small groups should compare programs based on their order size.

Do I need a big order to earn the highest profit?

On tiered direct-sale products, yes. The top profit tier starts at 50 to 75 cases, which requires roughly 240 to 300 participants, one carrier each. The Otis cookie dough fundraiser lists a flat 40% regardless of group size, and online stores have no minimum.

How many cases do we need for the top profit tier?

On the $3 Premium Variety popcorn, 75 or more cases earn the 60% tier. For the $1 America's Variety candy bars and the $2 Gourmet bars, the top tier starts at 60 cases; for the Bold Teriyaki meat sticks,s it starts at 50 cases.

What happens if we order too little?

You can reorder. Reorders ship free on the popcorn, candy bar, and meat stick pages checked, but they still take shipping time. Ask whether a reorder counts toward your volume tier.

What happens if we order too much?

Unsold direct-sale products are not accepted back, and you owe the invoice for every case ordered, so size your order based on real sign-ups. See the order-size guide.

Is a minimum order the same as a free shipping minimum?

No. The Otis cookie dough page states there are no order requirements, and it separately says free shipping applies when a group sells 350 or more frozen food products. That is a shipping threshold, not a minimum order.

What should I ask a fundraising company about minimums?

Ask whether there is a minimum per product or per order, whether the profit percentage changes with order size, whether reorders count toward the tier, what happens to unsold product, when payment is due, and what fees apply.

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.