Parent/Teacher Organizations (PTOs) are found in most modern school associations. PTO groups allow parents and students to get more involved in the day-to-day function of the school. PTOs also help families connect with teachers and help the school raise money.
PTO educational fundraisers are incredibly common in schools today. But how can your PTO raise more money for your child’s school without holding the same dull event every year? If your donors are tired of participating in penny wars each year, keep everyone excited about giving with these 12 unique school fundraisers.
1. Theme Bake Sale
Bake sales are popular PTO fundraising ideas because they work. They are simple to organize, kids and families love to take treats home, and the school gets to keep the proceeds.
Regular bake sales each year can get monotonous. To cut the boredom, think about hosting a themed bake sale. Each time your PTO hosts a bake sale, organize the donations as a specific theme.
You can try bake sale themes like:
- Candy land
- All chocolate
- Local sports
- Rainbow colors
- Holidays
- Carnival foods
- Breakfast treats
- Around the world
2. Silent Auction
Silent auctions are another classic fundraising idea. They are always full of great items, and participants love figuring out what they can win with their bids.
Silent auctions work best when there are fantastic prizes that encourage competition and higher bids. Donations are sure to skyrocket if your PTO has connections to anyone willing to donate prizes such as:
- Vacation packages
- Sports tickets
- Furniture
- Entertainment tickets
- Dining packages
You can pair a silent auction with a dinner, musical performance, or raffle.
3. Designer Bag Bingo
Nothing gets moms more excited than a fun night out with other moms! Bingo nights are easy and inexpensive to organize, and when you add in the chance to win a designer bag, this event is a guaranteed winner.
Gather bingo supplies and set them up in the school cafeteria or gym. Solicit snacks, drinks, and smaller prizes from area businesses. Ask a local store to donate a designer bag as the grand prize! Raise funds by selling tickets or asking for a suggested donation to participate.
4. Haunted House
When the month of October and Halloween rolls around, invite the community to tour a haunted house. It is best to include a not-so-scary version for younger kids and a version for people who love to get scared.
An even more creative way to host this unique school fundraiser is to decorate the school like a haunted house and have teachers, parents, and students play the roles of ghosts, zombies, and goblins.
Raise money for the school by selling tickets. At the end of the haunted house, sell hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and caramel apples to raise donations even higher.
5. Dancing with the Local Stars
Who in your school community is a local star among the kids? Is it the school principal, show choir director, or soccer coach? Gather willing local “star” participants and collaborate with a dance studio in your town.
Local dance teachers can partner with your school’s local celebrities and help them prepare a dance. Sell tickets for a Dancing With the Local Stars event and let students, teachers, and parents cast votes for the winner.
6. Trivia Night
Allow parents, teachers, and students to test their knowledge through a fun trivia night competition. Participants can enter as a team of 2-10 people and put their knowledge to the test in order to win a prize.
Adults and students can form their own divisions. Find a few contributors to donate awesome prizes for first, second, and third place winners.
7. Parent or Teacher Spelling Bee
Put parents and teachers to the ultimate test and host a classic competition with a twist. Parents, teachers, and community members can pay a fee to participate in a spelling bee in order to win the ultimate bragging rights.
A local celebrity host is sure to make the event fun. Enlist spelling judges and ask some students to help run the event. This is another unique event that pairs great with a bake sale or silent auction.
8. After Hours at a Museum or Zoo
If your city has a museum, children’s museum, zoo, or aquarium, ask to host an after-hours event for parents, teachers, and community members. As long as the event doesn’t go past bedtime, these places are great for kids as well.
All admission proceeds go to the school. The best part is, all participants can enjoy an amazing experience without the regular crowds.
9. Theme Run or Walk
Spice up a regular running event with a fun theme. Run/walk events are great school fundraising events because entire families can get involved and exercise together. Maybe at your event, participants have the option to dance towards the finish line instead of just running or walking.
Fun running event themes include:
- Pajama run
- Zombie run
- Inflatable run
- Superhero run
- Bubbles run
- Disco run (or dance)
Charge a registration fee for participants, and always offer water and refreshments.
10. Murder Mystery Dinner
Murder mystery dinners take a lot of preparation to plan, but they are tons of fun if your PTO can pull it off! Stage a mysterious crime that takes place over the course of dinner.
Does your mystery take place in the Wild West or the Roaring 20s? Make sure that participants come dressed up to fit in with the theme of the story. If it’s not in the cards for someone in the PTO to write a script, there are many traveling theatre companies that will facilitate funny murder mystery dinners for your event.
Raise funds by selling tickets that cover entry and a nice dinner. Participants are sure to have fun trying to find the clues and guess the culprit.
11. Family Game Night
Family game nights are a simple and creative way to get the entire family to participate in fundraising. Your PTO can gather family-friendly board games and lawn games to set up at the school.
Raise funds by selling tickets, pizza, and other treats at the game night.
12. Giant Yard Sale
Neighborhood yard sales are fun for both parents and kids to go to. If regular yard sales are fun, can you imagine a super-sized yard sale at your child’s school?
This event is a great way for parents and teachers to participate by cleaning out their homes and donating what they no longer want. Be sure to start gathering donations at least 2 months before the event.
Hold the giant yard sale in your school’s parking lot or athletic field and recruit volunteers to keep track of the sales. All of the money made from the yard sale goes directly to your child’s school.
Your PTO Can Keep the "FUN" in Fundraising
Unique school fundraisers are a sure way to get students, parents, and teachers participating in the improvement of the school. The best way to raise money is to have fun doing it.
If your PTO is ready to meet your school’s fundraising goals, CheqrPay makes it easy to collect and keep track of donations. If you’re curious about how we can help your event run smoothly, request a demo today!
