School Fundraisers

[ski_mom]

When my kids were in elementary school, they had a spelling bee each year and got donations for it.

You could either donate so much per word they spelled or do a flat donation.

 

[samheatherwhite]

These are great guys. I really appreciate all the ideas and input, keep them coming!

 

[aprilgail2]

New this year our school is having a night where the Parents' club cooks a takeout meal for a family of 4 for $25. A few parents cook and refrigerate the meals the day before then the following day the meals are picked up by those who preordered. I love that I don't have to think about what to cook that night and it raises money for the school.

Wow- things like this would never fly at our schools- when we have an event they serve food at it has to be done by a licensed board of health certified business. Parents are not allowed to cook any food. You can't being in anything made at home to be severed in the kids classes either. For field day they have parents buy oranges and watermelon for the kids but it has to be cut up by the school kitchen staff, parents are not allowed to handle the food.

 

[samheatherwhite]

We have talked about a possible fundraiser that involves school shirts/hats etc. Does anyone have an idea of where most organizations have these things made?

 

[barkley]

if you have any chain bookstores near you see if they do holiday gift wrapping booths.

in 2 states we've lived in barnes and nobles and some of the others do a sign up for schools and npos where the store sets up a table and provides all the wrapping supplies. the groups sign up for blocks of time during which the stores tell the customers (as they pay at the register) that there's free gift wrapping with "x" (name of the group/school) who is accepting donations. people come over, get their purchases wrapped-and it's very unusual to not see at least $1.00 donation for each item wrapped. during the holidays it's common for these groups to earn a few hundred dollars for every 3 or 4 hour block of time they sign up for (groups try to sign up for multiple blocks-esp. on the weekends).

one school near us did 'muffin mondays'-they went to Costco and bought a variety of the huge muffins. advertised it to the staff/kids and sold them a couple of Mondays a month for $1 each (so it was affordable for everyone). leftovers get frozen and sold at the next bake sale (though it wasn't unusual for a staff member to buy them up to freeze for themselves).

 

[Mommee]

The (mascot) hustle. The kids get sponsors (put whatever amount you want in an envelope) in exchange for walking a mile. All proceeds go directly to the Pta.
In the winter we have a carnival- paid admission with a family cap, then pizza/pop available for purchase. It's extremely popular, and lots of high school kids help out to get their required volunteer hours in.

Our middle school had to cancel last years fundraiser due to lack of participation. Iirc they ended up asking for direct donations, which is what the high school does.

 

[SydSim]

Our PTA did their first bingo fundraiser this year and we grossed over &12000. We only had $7000 in the bank before that! We spent about $2000 for everything. During the bingo breaks, we had raffles for Michael Kohrs (sp?) bags and at the end we auctioned off about 75 baskets (that we made up from donations around town and school clubs). All of this with only about 15 parents organizing! It was a blast!

 

[aprilgail2]

Our PTA did their first bingo fundraiser this year and we grossed over &12000. We only had $7000 in the bank before that! We spent about $2000 for everything. During the bingo breaks, we had raffles for Michael Kohrs (sp?) bags and at the end we auctioned off about 75 baskets (that we made up from donations around town and school clubs). All of this with only about 15 parents organizing! It was a blast!

We do something like that but its supermarket bingo- they win bags of food and we also have about 50 baskets to raffle off plus 10 "deluxe raffles" (like the Disney tickets that Disney gives free every year). We also do a 50/50 and usually make at least 10,000 on this. Plus we do a Chinese Auction and that usually makes at least 12,000. So just those 2 fundraisers bring in 22,000+ a year.

 

[mom2grace]

Wow- things like this would never fly at our schools- when we have an event they serve food at it has to be done by a licensed board of health certified business. Parents are not allowed to cook any food. You can't being in anything made at home to be severed in the kids classes either. For field day they have parents buy oranges and watermelon for the kids but it has to be cut up by the school kitchen staff, parents are not allowed to handle the food.

I think that gets around the new laws because it's parents, not kids. We can still do homemade for teachers & staff within the new federal law.

 

[kkandaj]

Another family here that loves the buyout option! We have had 2 fundraisers already this year (coupon books and food/gift wrap). We bought something but I NEVER ask family to pay for that stuff! This week we got a letter stating that we could donate money to go to the PTA (their suggestion was $20/family) if we didn't want to participate in anymore fundraisers. I couldn't write that check fast enough!!!

 

[Poipu]

I think that gets around the new laws because it's parents, not kids. We can still do homemade for teachers & staff within the new federal law.

No clue about the law. The parent volunteers do cook the food at the school so maybe that's how it's allowed.

 

[Jedana]

I just remembered another one. Movie night. They tried to do it one Friday a month, I think. Set up a family movie in the cafeteria (librarian can help you get permission and a movie choices). Move the tables, allow families to bring in folding chairs and blankets to set up on the floor for comfort. Charge a small fee for each person, and then sell popcorn, hot dogs, sodas, etc.

DS's school does a movie night during late November. Parents can drop the kids off about 5pm, costs $20 per kid, PJs are fine to wear. Pick up is by 10pm, and dinner, popcorn, games and a movie are included. They have a group of teens from the high school (who are in the early childhood education program) come in and supervise the kids (and they are supervised by their teachers and our school staff).

 

[taitai]

The best fundraiser we do, hands down, is a 5K run (with a 1 mile option and a mini-run for preschoolers). It is active, involves the whole family and doesn't involve buying or selling junk. It is one morning and you are done. Social. Really, it is all good. Look into pulling one of those off.

 

[Pikester]

The best fundraiser we do, hands down, is a 5K run (with a 1 mile option and a mini-run for preschoolers). It is active, involves the whole family and doesn't involve buying or selling junk. It is one morning and you are done. Social. Really, it is all good. Look into pulling one of those off.

This! Our PTO has had a 6 mile trail run for quite a few years now.

 

[Bearvet]

Our school is going back to the gift wrap catalog sale - we live in a fairly poor area and people do not donate when asked - but they seem to manage to buy from a catalog?

We also do a walk-a-thon, but after many years it is losing momentum...

Visit ptotoday.com for lots of great ideas (you do NOT have to be a PTO to view the site or participate).

Be cautious with Bingo nights - it is considered "gambling" in the eyes of the IRS and can lead to big problems if caught.

 

[SydSim]

Be cautious with Bingo nights - it is considered "gambling" in the eyes of the IRS and can lead to big problems if caught.

I'm not quite sure how ours handled it. I do know that things had to be done a certain way to meet certain standards. Nobody won money - all wins were large pocketbooks and raffles were wristlets. I believe we have a non-profit status (or whatever they call it). It was held in the school cafeteria so things must have been legit! Or at least I hope so!!

 

[madge]

How much money are you trying to raise?

I was PTO president for 2 (+1 unofficial) years at my DD elementary school, now serving as VP at her middle school.

At the elementary school level, the biggest event that raised the most money (but was also the most work) was/is the annual school festival. We also raise a lot of money via Market Day.

At the middle school, we're in the first week of a 2 week UN-fundraiser. It was successful last year, so they put it on the calendar for this year. Too soon to tell how much money we'll make.

 

[mnrose]

I hate anything that's sold, and I mean anything.

Waste of money, most of which does not go to the school. These fundraisers make someone rich and I wish it were the schools.

The ones I feel best about are the Walk-a-thon or carnival. At our old elementary school, they held a walk once a year. Each kid raised so much money per loop of the track. And, 100% of the money went to the school. That was an excellent way to go.

They combined it with a carnival and garage sale. Both of these were a lot of work for the organizers, but again, all the cash went to the school.

Finally, they also had a silent auction....where there were baskets, stuff donated by community merchants, and stuff donated by parents (weekend at a cabin, for example). Big money maker. At the silent auction, they also sold artwork customized by each classroom in the school...for example, my D's class made a "tray" that had a piece of art embedded in the bottom ...the art work was done by her kindergarten class. I paid big money for that thing. LOL! And, I still love it. The room mother for each classroom was responsible for coming up with that classroom's "art." My son's class sold "custom" notecards. There were enough sets that each parent could buy one.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

We have talked about a possible fundraiser that involves school shirts/hats etc. Does anyone have an idea of where most organizations have these things made?

Our school uses a local screen printing business. They give us a good deal on prices.

 

[kirstenb1]

The best fundraiser we do, hands down, is a 5K run (with a 1 mile option and a mini-run for preschoolers). It is active, involves the whole family and doesn't involve buying or selling junk. It is one morning and you are done. Social. Really, it is all good. Look into pulling one of those off.

Excellent suggestion. Little overhead, high $$.

One year our school teamed up with Virginia Diner. They have a mail-order nuts and candy division. They do a 50-50 split with the school. Our school of 350 kids made 14,500 after the split. They allow companies etc to order custom tins with their company name/logos, and some of the parents have sizeable small businesses, and used them as customer gifts at the holidays.