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7 Amazing PTO Fundraising Ideas for Every Age and Stage

By Christina Hidek

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Some fundraisers that work for elementary school age students just don't fly with high schoolers. Take a magic show fundraiser for example. The younger kids will flock to the show, but the high schoolers probably think they're too cool for that and won't attend in high numbers.

The best fundraisers are those that home in on the interests and needs of your audience. But sometimes you come across fundraisers that work for many different age sets and stages of schooling!

And those gems are exactly what will be highlighted in this post, so let's get to it!

Peer to Peer

First up for a fundraiser that'll work for any age and stage is a Peer to Peer fundraiser. Whether it's a class competition, an elevated Penny War, or engaging alumni in a fundraising effort, this method of filling your PTO's coffers is definitely one to consider.

An often overlooked category of potential donors to a primary or secondary school fundraiser are the alumni. Tapping into the nostalgia of their childhood is a powerful motivator for alumni to participate to ensure today's students have the same fantastic experience they remember.

Auctions

Auctions are another universal fundraising vehicle winner. The inherent flexibility of endless options of items to auction off is what makes this format shine for schools serving students of all ages!

Plus, adding an auction to another fundraiser, say an event like a carnival or gala allows PTOs to take another bite out of the fundraising apple, so to speak. Doubling up like this can eliminate the need for an entirely separate fundraiser.

Crowdfunding Campaigns

Have a big fundraising need you're working towards that requires a good chunk of money and many donors to accomplish, like a class trip, new playground or building addition? A Crowdfunding Campaign is a great approach to make your project happen, no matter the age of the students.

The smartest crowdfunding campaigns are specific and let donors see what they're giving towards. In the case of a building addition, set up a campaign to build a classroom and break down the big dollar amount into what'll physically go into the classroom to fully outfit it. This also makes it fund for donors to "buy" a piece of the classroom.

Raffle

Snag a really big prize that many people will be interested in? Like a car or trip? Run a separate fundraiser to take full advantage of the prize's value by running a raffle for it, especially since these prizes will appeal to a really wide audience, within the school and beyond! It also doesn't have to be something really big. A new grill, a lawn mower, a Peloton or Apple Watch can all motivate the masses to get involved.

A raffle is a classic fundraiser that works for all age sets because it's flexible by design. If your state doesn't permit raffles, consider tweaking this concept to a giveaway format instead, which BetterWorld offers automatically. Giveaways work almost exactly the same as Raffles, but have slightly different terminology and are more widely accepted across states.

Fund-a-Need

All schools and PTOs have various needs that pop up throughout the year. Maybe the STEM teacher came to you with an assembly idea for the whole school to enjoy? Or maybe the Middle School Student Council wants to put on another school dance but all other funding has been exhausted? Enter the Fund a Need fundraiser!

Asking for what you need is a good idea for a straightforward fundraiser without the frills. Many parents are more than happy to donate to your cause if it's specific and fills a need for the school community, so don't be afraid to ask.

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Events

Organizing an event and giving people something to do is a winning fundraiser idea every time and for all ages to boot! For the younger set, give parents a chance to get out of the house without their little ones. For the high schoolers, give them a chance to strut their stuff at a Winter Ball or stay safe and sober at an After Prom event.

Alternatively, consider adding a fundraising element to a non-ticketed event. Even an event like a Talent Show can easily be tweaked into a fundraiser by offering concessions during intermission or a pop up flower stand for audience members to give to show participants.

Galas

Similarly, giving people a chance to dress up for a night of fun and togetherness is always a good idea, no matter the age set of the students (or parents for that matter!). If you've not yet tried this sort of fundraiser, maybe now's the time to give a Gala a try. Note that modern galas don't require formal wear, so don't let the traditional dress code stop you from trying this fun-raiser!

Wrapping up

Hope these 7 different fundraising ideas for every age and stage have sparked some ideas for you. Sometimes going beyond the usual cookie dough or magazine fundraiser is just what you need to inspire tons of participation in your PTO's fundraiser!

If you need even more inspiration, be sure to check out the examples of BetterWorld campaigns linked in each section. There you'll see the fundraisers in action and this can help you imagine replicating the fundraiser for your PTO and school.




About the Author

Christina Hidek is Founder of PTO Answers, helping thousands of PTA/PTO leaders and volunteers run successful groups.

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