OT - Good school fundraiser ideas needed...

[Minnie's Pal]

Anyone have any good school fundraiser suggestions? We don't like to do those gift catalogs, etc. we try to go with as useful things as possible.

We are not allowed to do any food or drink fundraisers in our area. T-shirts, coats, etc. are done by a club at our school, so we don't want to do that and take away from them. We can't do the printer cartridge/cell phone collection, another group is already doing that. The discount cards are over done in our area, so that's out.

I had a friend tell me of a fundraiser her child did at school where they did some kind of keepsake with her child's artwork but she never got back with me on what company did this. I thought that would be interesting, anyone know who does this? Or how this is done?

Maybe a cookbook...anyone have any luck with that? You don't see those offered much anymore.

We are signed up for goodsearch.com and linking local grocery stores' discount cards. And we normally do invest-a-kid, a fall fest. & BBQ plates fundraisers annually. So we're looking for at least one, maybe two more good ideas. I figured you budget-wise people would have some good ideas to help both ends of this.

[mickeylove2]

Scrip program, Entertainment books, and cook books! Are you a member of the PTO??

[feedindy]

The artwork fundraiser is called Art to Remember.

http://www.arttoremember.com/

Our school does this every year. I buy the magnet that comes home to preview because I can't bear to send it back. My mom also orders the magnet, bookmarks and quilt squares so keep the grandparents in mind with your promotion if you do it. We do it in the fall so they make great holiday gifts too!

[Bildmouse]

We have had Avon, Pampered Chef, Tupperware and other home party people do book parties as fund raisers for schools in our area.

[homedad]

our sons school has back to school supply kits, we don't use them as a fund raiser but it seems like it would be a good one...

[horseshowmom]

Avon is a good one (as already mentioned).

Another one is the photography settings. There are several different options: Glamour Shots, family photos, heirloom pictures. You sell them the coupons, they get a "free" photo, and they're under no obligation to buy anymore. I'll see if I can find some websites.

ETA: Just google photography fundraisers. I did that and found lots of options.

[BabyTigger99]

Our school does a Knowledge-a-thon. We had our first in the Spring of 2006, and because it was so successful (I believe our net was somewhere around $10,000), that is now our only fundraiser! Basically, the teachers of each grade level get together and come up with 100 questions on things that grade has learned throughout the year. The kids get 6 weeks to study the questions, and to also solicit pledges. You can either pledge a flat fee or an amount per question they get right. We got business to donate either money or prizes. The day of the Knowledge-a-thon is a big deal at school. It takes the whole day. This year we had kids from the nearby high school come in and administer the tests to the kids (in turn the high school kids were able to use that time towards their community service requirements). Pizza and ice cream were donated. The kids love it. This is just a quick overview of how it went, but it has been HIGHLY successful for us!

[LizinSTL]

Originally Posted by Minnie's Pal

Anyone have any good school fundraiser suggestions? We don't like to do those gift catalogs, etc. we try to go with as useful things as possible.

We are not allowed to do any food or drink fundraisers in our area. T-shirts, coats, etc. are done by a club at our school, so we don't want to do that and take away from them. We can't do the printer cartridge/cell phone collection, another group is already doing that. The discount cards are over done in our area, so that's out.

I had a friend tell me of a fundraiser her child did at school where they did some kind of keepsake with her child's artwork but she never got back with me on what company did this. I thought that would be interesting, anyone know who does this? Or how this is done?

Maybe a cookbook...anyone have any luck with that? You don't see those offered much anymore.

We are signed up for goodsearch.com and linking local grocery stores' discount cards. And we normally do invest-a-kid, a fall fest. & BBQ plates fundraisers annually. So we're looking for at least one, maybe two more good ideas. I figured you budget-wise people would have some good ideas to help both ends of this.

http://www.originalworks.com/ is another art work program. I think those are great in theory but they are rather pricey and appeal more to the young elementary age range.

Trash bag sales are an amazing fundraiser. See if they are available in your area. Google it, there are several companies that offer it. Basically you preorder cases of trash bags and then sell them at a premium to your customers. You keep the profit *usually around $3-5/roll or $36-60/case. They are typically much better trash bags than you find at the supermarket (think contractor bags from the hardware store thickness). When a band stopped selling them in our old neighborhood people went crazy and were begging local schools to start the fundraiser!

Cookbooks seem like a TON of work for not a lot of profit, IMO. I know that our parenting organization still has cookbooks left from almost 2 years ago. Unless people are begging for them, I'd skip that one.

All food stuff is out? Like Krispy Kreme cards? Pizza Hut cards? etc? Is that a healthy eating policy from the school district? If so, that stinks because those make good money.

You can stalk this site with me for the details on 2007-2008 school year directv4schools.com Last year they gave the school $100 for every new or existing Direct TV customer who called and gave the school code.

Market Day is a lot of work and ongoing but it's a grocery program that comes to the school- you preorder groceries and they deliver them to the school for pick up. If you get a lot of people to order, you can make decent $$. marketday.com

Our PTO does Entertainment books. Apparently it's a big enough fundraiser that they only need to do that one big one a year with a few smaller ones tossed in sometimes but those tend to be more interactive for the families ex: Movie nights, Trivia night, Fall Festival, School Picnic, etc.

Our Mother's Club does Santa Shoppe (the big one!), Market Day, Direct TV, Grocery Cards, Box Tops, etc.

[majimikate]

I am on the Parents Association Board of my son's high school and my younger 3 kids elementary school. Both are private and Catholic, so we fundraise all year for everything from activites for the kids to contributing to the bottom line of the operating budget. At the elementary school level, we had a lot of success last year with an auction. We solicited donations from parents, area businesses and individuals, and the parish bulletin. We rented out a banquet room at the local Holiday Inn, had some food, a cash bar, and charged $15 per person. For the smaller items we received, we had a fisherman's auction, an arm's length of tickets for $10, and you could drop your ticket into any item offered in that auction. One ticket pulled, one winner. We also had a silent auction for larger items, (massages, photo shoots etc.) and a live auction for the really big stuff, such as sporting event tickets and a week at a condo in Florida. It is a bit of work, but we made over $11,000.

We also do Christmas greens, wreaths etc at Christmas, pies at Thanksgiving, candy at Easter etc., but the auction was our largest and most successful fundraiser this year. If you're looking for more ideas or info, PM me and I'll get you any info you need. Good luck!! We're always looking for newer, better more successful ideas every year too. I hope you find something that works.

Chris

[Fire14]

What I like and support is gift card program. the school sells Gift cards to various places and school gets % of sale. I support my friends niece who attends a private school. Niece gets amout put in her school account to use towards tution, books, what not. For me it's matter of I'm buying gas at speedway, kohls etc. anyway why not support school

[ktkerber]

Our PTA sells an "entertainment"-like book, but it is called "Kidstuff". It is full of discount coupons that are focused on things to do or go with your kids in your area. It also has stores that you would go to buy kids things. There several large stores and restaurants that participate like Dick's Sporting Goods, Boscovs, and TGI Fridays. It also has discount tickets to the children's museums, science center, and other places like that. I am pretty sure these are sold by a national company. They have a pretty good program as you can return the books you don't sell. The books sell for $25 and we make $12.50 per book. We try to get every family in our school to buy one. We did really good with these last year. I am not the fundraising chairperson, but from what she said they were easy to deal with. The fundraising committee found this company at a PTA convention.

[Hannathy]

Our school has a knowledge a thon also but last yr and this yr the proceeds are going straight to a new playground so the PTA needs something else this yr. so they are trying a "no selling anything fundraiser" every family is asked to donate $20. a child (or more if they can) or what the wish, if they want to participate and then not have to sell anything if enough is raised. Last time I spoke to any of the officers it was being well received! Everyone is sick of selling stuff and would much rather just write a check and more money actually goes to the kids this way.

[DisneyWorld Delight]

A fundraiser I've heard of out west, but never experienced is selling toothbrushes. I guess the children went door to door and the buyers loved it.

[KAPTink]

Last year, our school held a raffle for one child from each grade to decorate a 'legacy' ceiling tile. Kids purchased the raffle tix to have a chance to win, and then the prize was that the winner from each grade was provided a ceiling tile from the hallway to decorate that would remain in the building permanently. My children have never won, but love the chance. I think that there is a 'painting party' where all of the winners come together to paint their tiles one day after school. Our school does not participate in anything that requires the children (or their parents) to sell door to door or cubicle to cubicle. I really appreciate that.

Another thing our school does is a carnival, which requires a ton of work.(I don't recommend that part!) The two most popular items at the carnival, again, are 'free' raffle items, and they make a fair amount of money relative to the cost. One, which I won and am thrilled about, is a front row parking space for the school year. I get a parking spot that says "reserved for the XXXfamily". On back to school night and all school events it's fun to have that space all reserved just for you. Everyone wants to win this space. The other is front row reserved seats for school functions, like 5th grade graduation, for example. The winner of that prize is always happy, and it doesn't cost the school/PTO much $$ to provide!

[writersblock42]

I am pregnant right now so I read a lot of magazines while waiting for my appt and one of the magazine either parents or parenting just did an article about this. One of the ones that I remember were having a penny war between girls and boys. Some ones that we have done in the past at our school are:
1. Sumo wrestling-you can order the suits and can collect money in two ways. The first way is to put teachers names on cans to see who gets the most money to do it or sell tickets to the event.
2. Basket Bingo-not very original but it always brings in the money.
3. Selling ads in plays and programs or yearbook
4. Breakfast with Santa (money can be earned by the actual selling of the breakfast and then pictures with Santa. If somebody has a digital camera and a photo printer this works well.)
5. Spaghetti dinner
6. Put in a water machine in the school