Student Participation in School Fundraising: 4 Ways to Get Students Involved

Not involving students in your school's campaign is a missed opportunity. Student registration and participation are critical to success and also provide learning and growth opportunities. Students can help in several ways and step into many roles. This guide covers the benefits to your fundraiser and students, then offers ideas to engage your student body in your next campaign.

Big Fundraising Ideas has supported school fundraising programs since 1999. For ways to raise your participation numbers overall, see school fundraising participation tips and how to increase school fundraising participation. For the teacher side, see teacher fundraiser participation ideas.

How Student Participation Helps Your Fundraiser

• It Reduces the Committee's Workload: Delegating tasks to students frees up committee time for bigger jobs, like communicating with potential sponsors and top donors.
• It Tends to Improve Results: When students are visibly involved, supporters see that the cause matters to the people it serves, and they often respond more readily. Students also extend the campaign's reach, creating more opportunities for supporters to get involved.
• It Expands Visibility: Involving students in sales and marketing brings the campaign into families, neighborhoods, and networks the committee couldn't reach on its own.

Benefits to Students

• Life Skills: negotiating, business and sales practices, bookkeeping, budgeting, and project planning. See the benefits of school fundraising.
• Responsibility and Accountability: A campaign is a good setting to practice following through on a commitment.
• Better Morale and Confidence: Trusting students with important tasks shows you believe they can do it, which builds confidence.
• A Sense of Accomplishment: Students feel proud when a campaign they helped run succeeds and benefits their fellow students.

4 Ways to Involve Students in Your School Fundraiser

1. Brainstorming

Students can test their creativity by joining brainstorming. They can vote on fundraising ideas, such as selling products or hosting an event. You can also let a small group of students sit in on a committee meeting to experience a live brainstorming session. This gives them a say in the plan, and students who helped choose the fundraiser are more likely to feel invested in it.

2. Marketing

Encourage students to help market the campaign. Ask them to share an approved fundraising page, hand out flyers, or call alumni and local businesses. Keep marketing safe and supervised, as described in the safety section below.

3. Sales

Encouraging students to engage with people during the selling process helps them build confidence while supporting the campaign. A personal fundraising page or an online store lets each student share a link with family and friends, including relatives who live far away. If you are selling tickets to an event, recruit students to work at the box office. For tips on teaching students to sell, see the N.O.W. selling method and the fundraiser prospecting sheet.

4. Volunteering

Ask students to volunteer. They can help set up and tear down event fundraisers, work merchandise tables or concessions, and greet guests. They can also help organize inventory or hand out goods on pickup day for a product fundraiser. See school fundraiser delivery for how pickup day works.

Matching Roles to Age Groups

Keeping Students Safe

• In-person Selling: Remind students of the risks of door-to-door sales and have a parent or older sibling accompany younger students. See school fundraising safety tips.
• Phone Calls to Alumni and Businesses: Give students a short script, have an adult present, and use contacts the school has chosen.
• Social Media and Privacy: Follow your school's social media policy, get parent permission before posting any student's name or photo, and never share personal details. For younger grades, have a staff member or parent post.
• Money Handling: Under supervision, students can help count and record, which teaches bookkeeping, but adults should collect, deposit, and report funds, preferably with two adults counting. See collecting fundraising money promptly.

Making Sure Every Student Can Take Part

• Offer Roles Beyond Selling: Design, announcements, setup, inventory, and greeting guests all count as participation.
• Recognize Effort, Not Only Totals: Celebrating each role and group milestones keeps students who sell less from feeling behind.
• Keep Participation Optional and Low Pressure: A student's role should never affect how they are treated at school.
• Use Simple Formats: A scratch card fundraiser gives each student one card to share with family and friends, with no product to carry; a discount card fundraiser or candy bar fundraiser also works well for students who enjoy selling.

Incentives That Keep Students Motivated

• Group Goals: When the whole school reaches a goal, the class earns a reward such as extra recess, a dance, or a movie day.
• Fun Leadership Challenges: A principal or teacher agrees to a silly challenge if the goal is met. See school fundraiser engagement ideas.
• Structured Prizes: See traditional prize programs and cash prizes for options that cost the school nothing.

How to Get Started

1. Decide Which Roles You Will Offer: Aim to have at least one role in each of the four categories so every student can find a fit.
2. Brief the Committee and Teachers: Make sure adults know the roles, the safety rules, and who supervises each one.
3. Hold a Short Student Kickoff: Explain the goal, what the money funds, and the roles available. Let students choose where to help.
4. Send Families a Clear Note: Explain how students will take part, what is optional, and the safety guidelines.
5. Check in During the Campaign: Share progress and recognize every role, not only sales.
6. Debrief with Students Afterward: Ask what worked and what they would change. This builds ownership for the next campaign. See what participation rate your school fundraiser should hit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Student Participation

Why should students be involved in school fundraising?

Students reduce the committee's workload, widen the campaign's reach, and give supporters a reason to take the cause seriously. They also gain real skills, such as sales, planning, budgeting, and responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment when the campaign succeeds.

What roles can students take in a school fundraiser?

Four roles cover most campaigns: brainstorming ideas, helping with marketing, selling, and volunteering at events and on pickup day. Each can be adapted to a student's age and comfort level.

How do you involve students who are shy or uncomfortable selling?

Offer other roles. Students can design flyers, help a staff member post social media content, count and sort inventory, set up tables, or greet guests. A role that fits a student's strengths keeps them engaged without pressure to sell.

How young can students be to take part in fundraising?

Students of any age can participate in the right role. Younger students can color posters, deliver announcements, or help hand out items, while older students can plan, market, and manage tasks. Always ensure adult supervision is appropriate for the age.

How do you keep students safe when they help with fundraising?

Keep adults involved. Have a parent or older sibling accompany younger students to any in-person selling, supervise phone calls, avoid sharing students' personal information online, follow the school's social media policy, and have adults handle money.

Should students handle the money?

Students can help count and record under adult supervision, which teaches bookkeeping, but adults should collect, deposit, and report funds. Using two adults to count and keep a written record protects both students and the school.

Can students use social media to promote a fundraiser?

Yes, with limits. Follow the school's social media policy, get parent permission for any student's photo or name, share an approved campaign link, and avoid posting personal details. For younger grades, a staff member or parent can post on students' behalf.

What fundraiser works well for getting every student involved?

Simple formats let everyone take part. A scratch card fundraiser gives each student a card to share with family and friends, with no product to carry, and an online store lets students share one link with relatives who live far away.

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.