6 Profitable High School Fundraising Ideas That Actually Work

Proven ways to raise money for high school groups.

There are tons of fun and easy school fundraisers to choose from, but the question is: Which ones work? For a fundraiser to be considered a success, it needs to be profitable. This article shares six profitable high school fundraising ideas that work. What are you waiting for? Let's get started.

Check out these profitable high school club fundraiser ideas:

1. Snack Fundraising

Selling snacks is a great way to raise funding for high school programs. Common snack fundraisers include selling candy, fruits, nuts, and popcorn. There are several ways this can be done. Snacks can be sold directly to students during passing periods, in the cafeteria at lunch, or near the school entrance at the start and end of the school day.

Ensure you are familiar with any nutritional standards your school district may require you to follow.

Snacks can also be sold to parents, other family members, and local community members. This can be facilitated using school fundraisers online or door-to-door selling through a catalog.

2. Product Fundraising

Direct sale fundraisers are another effective method of raising funds for high school groups. Unlike selling items online or through a brochure, products can be sold at school or on-site at a local business. Students can talk to local businesses about setting up a table outside their establishment to reach more community members.

Popular items to sell include candy bars, beef jerky, and lollipops. Bonus points if your items promote your school spirit, like school tumblers and customized discount cards!

3. Discount Cards

Speaking of cards, the discount card fundraiser is a favorite among parents. This fundraiser offers real value to those that partake in your raise. Buyers receive discounts at several businesses for goods and services. These cards often offer regional discounts, meaning your fundraiser supports your school and your community's local businesses.

There is also the option of a digital savings card. These savings cards work for businesses nationwide and are accessible digitally. This means that you can extend your raise to anyone, anywhere.

4. School Events

Events hosted by the school can be transformed into high-profit fundraiser events for schools. These events can be just for the students, or they can be opened to the larger community. You can charge an admission fee and have concession, raffle, and merchandise sales. You can even have a faculty member accepting additional donations for participants who want to give more.

Fun events to raise funding include Battle of the Bands, auctions, art exhibits (can display student art), field day, and late-night student programs.

5. Service Day

Organizing a service day is a great way to encourage students to get involved in the community and learn new skills while raising capital for the school. This works by having organizations and individuals submit job requests. Encourage job submissions for typical high school student jobs.

For example, a local bakery may request an assistant baker for the day, or a parent may request a half-day of yard work. Students, faculty, and other participants volunteer their time to the chosen job. The organizations and individuals then donate the volunteer's 'pay' to the fundraiser.

6. Prom Dress Drive

A prom dress drive is a fantastic example of a high-profit fundraiser for high schools. This fundraiser is all-profit. Plus, it helps the school and your students by providing them with low-cost dress options for their big night. Host this drive pre-prom season, but remember to ask your students to donate their old dresses post-prom! You can also ask community members, faculty, and alums to donate their used formal wear.

Frequently Asked Questions About High School Fundraising

Check out our team's answer to some commonly asked questions about school fundraisers below:

What Is the Difference Between Elementary and High School Fundraisers?

The major difference between raising funding for elementary and high schools is the ability of the students to get involved. Older students often find it safer to reach out to people they know in their community.

Additionally, high school students are more apt to participate in events and fundraising drives such as car washes and prom dress drives. Schools can also use these students' connections with social media for online fundraising and fun social media challenges.

How Can Schools Get Students Involved in Fundraising?

A great way to get students involved in your campaign efforts is to offer incentives for fundraisers. This can be a school dance, a movie day, or even a prize to the highest-selling individual or class. Ensure student fundraising efforts are goal-oriented with small achievable goals to reach throughout.

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.