Introduction

Fundraising is the lifeblood of every nonprofit organization, but the process can be challenging, time-consuming, and often overwhelming. Between finding donors, managing outreach, and tracking results, many teams struggle to balance it all. Fortunately, platforms like Shareway are transforming how nonprofits raise funds by simplifying every stage of the process. From discovering corporate sponsors to submitting donation requests and managing responses, Shareway gives organizations the tools they need to fundraise smarter, faster, and more efficiently. Let’s explore why more nonprofits are turning to Shareway to simplify their fundraising efforts.

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1. A Centralized Donation Directory

One of the biggest frustrations in fundraising is not knowing where to find the right sponsors or donors. Shareway solves this problem by offering a centralized directory of verified companies that provide donations and sponsorships to nonprofits.

Instead of searching the web for hours, fundraisers can log into Shareway and instantly access hundreds of corporate giving programs. Whether your nonprofit is looking for auction items, financial support, or in-kind donations, Shareway organizes everything in one easy-to-navigate platform.

This level of convenience saves valuable time and ensures that fundraisers are always targeting legitimate opportunities.

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2. Simplified Outreach and Application Process

Every nonprofit knows how tedious it can be to locate and complete individual donation request forms. With Shareway, that hassle is eliminated. The platform provides direct links to company-specific donation portals and clearly outlines eligibility requirements.

This means your team can send requests efficiently and confidently. No more guessing whether a company accepts applications or spending hours hunting for contact information. Shareway streamlines the outreach process, allowing nonprofits to submit more applications in less time—significantly increasing their chances of success.

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3. Built for Teams of All Sizes

Whether you’re a small local nonprofit or a large national organization, Shareway caters to every team size. Smaller nonprofits benefit from its easy setup and intuitive interface, while larger teams appreciate the collaboration features that allow multiple members to track requests and progress.

Fundraising is often a group effort, and Shareway ensures that everyone stays organized. Users can log notes, update application statuses, and assign responsibilities—all within one platform.

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4. Better Organization and Tracking

Keeping track of donation requests manually can quickly become messy. Shareway offers built-in tools that help you monitor which companies you’ve reached out to, when follow-ups are due, and which applications have been approved or denied.

This clear overview helps fundraising teams stay proactive rather than reactive. No opportunities are missed, and progress is easily measurable. With Shareway, nonprofits can manage dozens of sponsorships simultaneously without losing focus.

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5. Proven Time and Cost Savings

Time is one of the most valuable resources for nonprofits, and Shareway helps preserve it. By consolidating research, contact details, and donation links, the platform reduces the time spent on administrative tasks by up to 70%.

Instead of managing spreadsheets and emails, fundraisers can focus on building relationships, planning events, and advancing their mission. The efficiency of Shareway not only saves time but also saves money, allowing every dollar raised to go further toward community impact.

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6. Trusted by Nonprofits Nationwide

Over the past few years, Shareway has grown into one of the most trusted tools in the nonprofit sector. Thousands of schools, charities, and community organizations rely on it to simplify their fundraising. Users consistently praise its accuracy, ease of use, and the quality of connections it helps them build with corporate sponsors.

By combining technology with human-centered design, Shareway empowers even the smallest organizations to achieve professional-level results.

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Conclusion

In a world where nonprofits are expected to do more with less, Shareway stands out as a game-changing solution. It simplifies every stage of fundraising—from finding the right donors to submitting applications and tracking progress—all in one user-friendly platform. By eliminating guesswork and saving time, Shareway allows organizations to focus on what truly matters: making a difference in their communities.

If your nonprofit is ready to take its fundraising to the next level, it’s time to embrace the smarter, simpler way to raise money—through Shareway.

Sporting Clays began in England in the early 1900s as a training method for driven-game hunts. Initially, live pigeons were used, but clay targets soon replaced them, making the sport more humane and widely accessible. In 1925, the first British Open Sporting Clays Championship was held, solidifying the sport’s growing popularity.

Unlike trap and skeet, which use standardized target paths, Sporting Clays offers diverse target presentations—varying in speed, angle, elevation, and distance—closely imitating real hunting scenarios.

Introduction of Sporting Clays to the U.S.

The sport was introduced to America in 1980 when Bob Brister wrote about it in Field & Stream. Later that year, the first U.S. Sporting Clays shoot took place at Remington’s Lordship Gun Club in Connecticut, attracting ninety shooters, including NSSF executives.

In 1981, British shooting expert Chris Cradock designed a Sporting Clays venue at Remington Farms, further promoting the sport to outdoor enthusiasts. By 1985, the United States Sporting Clays Association (USSCA) was founded in Rick Kennerknecht Houston, Texas, to govern the sport and host competitions. That same year, Orvis sponsored the first U.S. National Sporting Clays Championship, marking a major milestone. By 1989, the National Skeet Shooting Association (NSSA) formed the National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA), which became the official governing body.

Rick Kennerknecht’s Early Impact

Rick Kennerknecht entered the Sporting Clays arena in 1988, during the sport’s early growth phase in the U.S. His debut was extraordinary—winning the California State Championships in his very first competition. This victory earned him a place on the USSCA All American Sporting Clays Team, a position he proudly held for three consecutive years.

International Achievements of Rick Kennerknecht

Kennerknecht’s influence extended well beyond the U.S. He represented Team USA in international competitions held in Switzerland, Portugal, and England. Among his most prestigious victories was securing back-to-back Team Gold Medals in Ball Trap Pro against France, solidifying his status as a world-class competitor.

Alongside fellow shooters Dan Reeves and John Cloherty, Rick Kennerknecht also performed shooting exhibitions across the U.S. and Europe. These displays showcased the precision, excitement, and accessibility of Sporting Clays, inspiring countless new participants.

Contributions Beyond Competition

Rick Kennerknecht’s legacy is not limited to his championships. His role on the USSCA All American Team and as an international representative elevated the profile of Sporting Clays during its foundational years in America. His exhibitions and outreach efforts introduced the sport to broader audiences, bridging competitive shooters and recreational hunters.

When the USSCA gave way to the NSCA in 1989, Kennerknecht remained a respected ambassador for the sport. He later expanded his influence through business ventures, including Global Sporting Safaris and Charity Safaris, both of which promote hunting, shooting sports, conservation, and charitable causes.

Rick Kennerknecht’s Lasting Legacy

From his competitive victories to his international representation and promotional work, Rick Kennerknecht played a vital role in shaping Sporting Clays in America. His efforts not only advanced the sport’s competitive edge but also fostered a community that continues to grow today. Through his sporting achievements and business initiatives, Kennerknecht remains a lasting figure in the world of shooting sports.

School Fundraising Ideas

A well-planned fundraising strategy creates excitement and pride for the school and gets the community to play a more active role in the student’s education. So, if you’re looking for new ways to reach a larger audience and boost your efforts, choose from these school fundraising ideas and make the most of your event.

    T-Shirt Fundraising

Bonfire – Design your own Shirt on Material you’ll Love

Don’t we all love a good T-shirt? What’s excellent about t-shirt fundraising is combining it with an in-person event. About a month before, have t-shirts made with the school’s name, logo, and event name, so all attending can wear their shirt on the big day.

Getting custom-made t-shirts is easier than you think. There are companies such as Bonfire and personal fundraising ideas Printful that will boost your campaign, help you save money on printed shirts, and create custom print designs everyone will love. Both sites are free to use, have templates and a step-by-step guide to help you with the design process, and will fulfill and ship the orders, so there is one less thing for you to worry about!

    Online Donations

Receiving online donations is one of the best ways to expand your reach. Create a fun donation landing page and express your school’s needs. What are the objectives of the online donations, the target amount, and how do you intend to use the money to improve the school?

Remember that spreading the word is the tricky part and requires attention. Create a Facebook page for the school if you haven’t got one already, and start promoting your donation requests. In addition, you can send a note home with each student and ask them to spread the word. The great thing about social media is how quickly word can spread. When people start to share your posts, you get more reach and increase funding. That leads us to the next fundraising idea for high schools – social media.

Social Media

Social media ranks as one of the best school fundraising ideas. You can utilize various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Create an exciting post, express your needs, and use hashtags to further your reach.

You can spotlight your initiatives and get followers involved in the school’s fundraising events. Instagram lets you add a donation sticker to your posts. You can go live on social media platforms with a Livestream fundraising event with an easy-to-add donate button so viewers can donate throughout the live event. Lastly, don’t forget the Geotag. This allows your donation requests to be shown to people in your community and establishes your credibility.

    Text-to-Give

Who doesn’t have a cellphone these days? Texting-to-give is a great new way for schools to communicate financial needs to parents and guardians. The average donation for text-to-give fundraising is $107, which can significantly impact your bottom line.

Text-to-give helps you gain ongoing support from the community when school fundraising. Use a text-to-give platform, such as Snowball, that gives you unlimited text, personalized campaigns, and low-cost recurring gift options. Donors will text a word like “donate” to the school’s text-to-give phone number and confirm the donation amount. Their credit card information is saved for future donations, and a recurring donation option will help maximize the funds raised.

    Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is one of those valuable high school fundraising ideas that are a must for any money-raising initiative. An online crowdfunding campaign is conducted on various platforms such as Livingtree and DonorsChoose. Fundraising management software allows you to monitor the progress, tell your school’s story, and get the whole community involved in the efforts.

Here’s how online crowdfunding works:

• Develop a plan for your campaign and build the outline
• Create an account on your preferred crowdfunding site
• Set up the campaign with the fundraising goals and tell your story
• Make the campaign live and start sharing it on social media platforms
• Monitor the progress of the campaign and adjust if you are not on track to meeting your financial goals

    Corporate Philanthropy Programs

Corporate philanthropy is a different school fundraising idea many aren’t aware of, but it can be highly effective. You can contact parents or guardians to inquire whether they own or work for a company with philanthropy programs and find out how to apply.

Three corporate philanthropy programs could benefit a school fundraising program:

Matching gifts: Many companies will match an employee’s donation to a nonprofit. For example, if an employee gifts $100 to the school, the company will match the donation with $100. Each company is different, and some may have higher contributions than the traditional 1:1 ratio, such as 1:2 or 1:4 contribution ratios.

Volunteer grants are a great way to raise money and get the much-needed hands-on help many schools require. Employees volunteer their time to a nonprofit, and the company donates financially. Corporate sponsorships: Companies can sponsor events in exchange for favorable publicity. For example, a company can fund an event such as a bikeathon or fun run; the school can promote the business in return.

    Cookie Dough Fundraising Ideas for High Schools

Palmetto Fundraising Cookie Dough, Chocolate chip, cookies, and cream, or peanut butter – whatever your flavor, we all love cookie dough! Not only is cookie dough a comfort food that takes us back to the sweet memories of growing up, but it can also be added to your list of school fundraising ideas. Host a cookie dough fundraiser and get parents, guardians, students, and the community involved in this tasty idea.

So, how does a cookie dough fundraiser work? It’s simple. Use a company such as SavoryFoods or Palmetto Fundraising. You won’t have to pay any money upfront; they will fulfill the orders for the sale of cookie dough, and you get to keep most of the profits. Give customized catalogs of the various products for sale or host the sale online. This idea takes very little work, and you can raise money for your school in a fun way.

    Pledge Fundraising

Pledges and donations are different. Pledges are promises to donate. For example, you can plan a bike-a-thon, walk-a-thon, or fun run, and people can pledge donations for the distance the participant goes. The pledge is made and paid at a future date.

Pledge fundraising is a great way to raise money for schools and organizations. It is a volunteer-driven program that raises funds in an annual, one-time gift through a personal fundraising campaign. Through pledge fundraising, you collect donations from friends, family members, and neighbors who support your school financially before the event occurs.

The first step to organizing a successful pledge fundraiser is simply organizing the people who will participate. Second, you should decide on the goal of your campaign and how much money you want to raise during that period. Finally, set goals for the number of pledges you wish to receive and divide those tasks accordingly.

    Silent Auctions

Silent auctions are becoming increasingly popular for school fundraising because they offer a fun way for people to bid on items and raise money for the school at the same time. Proceeds from silent auctions help schools solicit more funding, provide more enrichment, and enable more learning. They’re a fun way to socialize and mingle with new people at the event.

Charity Safaris is an excellent company to help raise funds for your school. We can help with the entire process, including auction display, online bidding logistics, and catalog production. Sell one of our hunting trips in South Africa, Argentina, or New Zealand multiple times for the event and raise thousands of dollars for your school. Fill out an online donation request and sell the trip of a lifetime at your school fundraiser.

If you’re looking for other types of silent auction items, TheShareWay provides a guide on 400+ companies that donate hotel stays, beauty products, gift cards, and more.

Email Campaigns

More than 4 billion people use email, and 77% of marketers say they have seen an increased engagement with their email marketing campaigns over the last year. So, if marketing companies and businesses leverage emails to gain followers’ support, why not do the same for your school and community?

An email fundraising campaign is simple once you have an email list. You can send reminders to subscribers of fundraising events, express the school’s needs, and request help from the community. What’s great about email campaigns is that you aren’t just driving traffic to your fundraising page but can also gain ongoing financial support.

Fundraising Ideas for School

It’s no secret that public schools are underfunded, and there is a spending gap between wealthier districts and low-income areas. In fact, the wealthiest districts spend three times more per pupil than low-income district schools.

Spelling Bee High School Fundraising Ideas

There are many reasons why a spelling bee is a great fundraising idea for schools, including:

• Friendly competition among students
• Educating students
• Highly affordable to host the event
• Community involvement

You can combine a spelling bee fundraiser with a pledge campaign. Students can get family and friends to pledge funds accurately for every word they spell. You can print certificates online and request donations from local businesses for prizes for the winners.

Walk-a-thon

A walk-a-thon is an excellent event for students of all ages, and there are many ways to host one. Color runs have become highly popular over the years, and platforms such as MyFunRun are making it easier and easier to do. They offer all the digital materials, personal fundraising pages, and pre-registering participants.

Students are not the only ones who can participate. Family, friends, and community members can all participate in the walk-a-thon. You may even switch things up, do a zombie run, and see the community show up in their best outfits and spooky makeup. There are no limits to what you can do with this school fundraising idea – have fun with it.

Prom Dress Drive

The best way to host a prom dress drive is a couple of months before prom or homecoming season. Shopping for the perfect dress can be time-consuming, stressful, and expensive. Instead, reach out to the community through social media posts good fundraiser ideas and send notes home with the students. Ask them if they have gently used dresses of all sizes to donate for the prom dress drive. You can also approach second-hand clothing stores and see if they can part with dresses!

Hand out pamphlets to local businesses and the community with information on the event, such as date, time, location, and whether it will be a cash or card-only event. Remember to have private facilities for students to try on the dresses and hanging racks for easy displays. To guarantee attendance, sell tickets to the event. This is also a great way to maximize profits and know how many volunteers you’ll need.

Cook-Off

What better way to get the students involved in the school fundraiser than a cook-off? Kids can pay a small fee to enter the competition, and attendees pay to be taste testers. In addition, tasters will make donations for the foods they love the most, and the winner will be crowned by the amount of money they raise.

Students can make simple but tasty meals such as chili, mini burgers, tacos, and baked goods for those with sweet teeth. These meals are easy to make and won’t need much kitchen space. These high school fundraising ideas don’t have to be the “typical” event. Spice things up with live music, host fundraising raffles, and sell drinks to get the most out of the event.

Lip Sync Showdown

Consider lip sync showdown if you’re looking for a unique high school fundraising idea. The kids have a lot of fun choosing a song, practicing, preparing dance moves, and performing their favorite songs. Friends, family, and the community will be privileged to see the lip-sync showdown by paying an entrance fee. The winner can be determined by how loud the applause is.

School Carnival

School carnivals require all hands to be on deck as they are involved in events. There are games to create and run, lots of fair food to make, and entertainment to plan. Carnival games and booths to consider are:

• Cornhole
• Mini Golf
• Ring toss
• Picture booth
• Tattoo booth
• Face painting

A school carnival fundraiser will require student committees, parents, guardians, and volunteers to participate in planning the event. First, browse company websites such as Rode Island Novelty to find bulk carnival prizes that everyone will love at a low cost. Then, maximize profits by charging admission tickets and charges per activity. These are very popular Fundraising Ideas for School.

Pajama Day

Pajama Day is a simple and effective way to raise money for school fundraiser ideas. The costs are low because there is not much to organize. Have each student pay a small fee to come to school in their pajamas. This fee can be as low as $1 or $2.

Add more fun to the day by letting the students watch a movie during lunch in the cafeteria and having a prize for the class that participates the most.

Principal Challenge

Involving the principal is a fantastic and fun way to raise money for your school. Principals are typically known to have serious and authoritative reputations. While fundraising for your school, this exciting fundraiser will influence pupils’ perspectives and foster a sense of camaraderie.

Ideas for prizes include:

• Sliming the principal
• Principal kissing a pig
• The principal gets pied in the face
• Principal colors their hair in their school’s colors

Schools set fundraising goals that students must attempt to meet. The fundraising target must be realistic for the students to see the results.

A class wins the prize when they reach a certain amount. The school gets to watch the hilarious act of the principal facing their demise if they reach the specified target.

Prospect Research

Performing prospect research, you will better understand who in your school can donate and will most likely donate regularly. In addition, through research, you can find the parents or guardians who participate in philanthropic work and may see what you are doing in your school that is worth donating to.

Specific wealth indicators will help you determine who to approach:

• Profession
• Foundation affiliations
• Real-estate and assets

Prospect research is most effective in affluent communities and allows you to change your marketing tactics to target the right people.

Field Day

Field days are ideal for the spring semester, when the weather is warmer and kids want to enjoy themselves outdoors. They are perfect for younger elementary school children.

This fundraising opportunity can have several activities for the students and their families to enjoy.

• Tug-of-war
• Water games
• Dodgeball
• Bounce house
• Obstacle courses
• Potato sack race

To make money, charge for both general entrance and individual game participation. Concession stands and a donation booth can be set up for additional fundraising opportunities.

School Fundraising Ideas

A well-planned fundraising strategy creates excitement and pride for the school and gets the community to play a more active role in the student’s education. So, if you’re looking for new ways to reach a larger audience and boost your efforts, choose from these school fundraising ideas and make the most of your event.

    T-Shirt Fundraising

Bonfire – Design your own Shirt on Material you’ll Love

Don’t we all love a good T-shirt? What’s excellent about t-shirt fundraising is combining it with an in-person event. About a month before, have t-shirts made with the school’s name, logo, and event name, so all attending can wear their shirt on the big day.

Getting custom-made t-shirts is easier than you think. There are companies such as Bonfire and Printful that will boost your campaign, help ways to fundraise you save money on printed shirts, and create custom print designs everyone will love. Both sites are free to use, have templates and a step-by-step guide to help you with the design process, and will fulfill and ship the orders, so there is one less thing for you to worry about!

    Online Donations

Receiving online donations is one of the best ways to expand your reach. Create a fun donation landing page and express your school’s needs. What are the objectives of the online donations, the target amount, and how do you intend to use the money to improve the school?

Remember that spreading the word is the tricky part and requires attention. Create a Facebook page for the school if you haven’t got one already, and start promoting your donation requests. In addition, you can send a note home with each student and ask them to spread the word. The great thing about social media is how quickly word can spread. When people start to share your posts, you get more reach and increase funding. That leads us to the next fundraising idea for high schools – social media.

Social Media

Social media ranks as one of the best school fundraising ideas. You can utilize various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Create an exciting post, express your needs, and use hashtags to further your reach.

You can spotlight your initiatives and get followers involved in the school’s fundraising events. Instagram lets you add a donation sticker to your posts. You can go live on social media platforms with a Livestream fundraising event with an easy-to-add donate button so viewers can donate throughout the live event. Lastly, don’t forget the Geotag. This allows your donation requests to be shown to people in your community and establishes your credibility.

    Text-to-Give

Who doesn’t have a cellphone these days? Texting-to-give is a great new way for schools to communicate financial needs to parents and guardians. The average donation for text-to-give fundraising is $107, which can significantly impact your bottom line.

Text-to-give helps you gain ongoing support from the community when school fundraising. Use a text-to-give platform, such as Snowball, that gives you unlimited text, personalized campaigns, and low-cost recurring gift options. Donors will text a word like “donate” to the school’s text-to-give phone number and confirm the donation amount. Their credit card information is saved for future donations, and a recurring donation option will help maximize the funds raised.

    Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is one of those valuable high school fundraising ideas that are a must for any money-raising initiative. An online crowdfunding campaign is conducted on various platforms such as Livingtree and DonorsChoose. Fundraising management software allows you to monitor the progress, tell your school’s story, and get the whole community involved in the efforts.

Here’s how online crowdfunding works:

• Develop a plan for your campaign and build the outline
• Create an account on your preferred crowdfunding site
• Set up the campaign with the fundraising goals and tell your story
• Make the campaign live and start sharing it on social media platforms
• Monitor the progress of the campaign and adjust if you are not on track to meeting your financial goals

    Corporate Philanthropy Programs

Corporate philanthropy is a different school fundraising idea many aren’t aware of, but it can be highly effective. You can contact parents or guardians to inquire whether they own or work for a company with philanthropy programs and find out how to apply.

Three corporate philanthropy programs could benefit a school fundraising program:

Matching gifts: Many companies will match an employee’s donation to a nonprofit. For example, if an employee gifts $100 to the school, the company will match the donation with $100. Each company is different, and some may have higher contributions than the traditional 1:1 ratio, such as 1:2 or 1:4 contribution ratios.

Volunteer grants are a great way to raise money and get the much-needed hands-on help many schools require. Employees volunteer their time to a nonprofit, and the company donates financially. Corporate sponsorships: Companies can sponsor events in exchange for favorable publicity. For example, a company can fund an event such as a bikeathon or fun run; the school can promote the business in return.

    Cookie Dough Fundraising Ideas for High Schools

Palmetto Fundraising Cookie Dough, Chocolate chip, cookies, and cream, or peanut butter – whatever your flavor, we all love cookie dough! Not only is cookie dough a comfort food that takes us back to the sweet memories of growing up, but it can also be added to your list of school fundraising ideas. Host a cookie dough fundraiser and get parents, guardians, students, and the community involved in this tasty idea.

So, how does a cookie dough fundraiser work? It’s simple. Use a company such as SavoryFoods or Palmetto Fundraising. You won’t have to pay any money upfront; they will fulfill the orders for the sale of cookie dough, and you get to keep most of the profits. Give customized catalogs of the various products for sale or host the sale online. This idea takes very little work, and you can raise money for your school in a fun way.

    Pledge Fundraising

Pledges and donations are different. Pledges are promises to donate. For example, you can plan a bike-a-thon, walk-a-thon, or fun run, and people can pledge donations for the distance the participant goes. The pledge is made and paid at a future date.

Pledge fundraising is a great way to raise money for schools and organizations. It is a volunteer-driven program that raises funds in an annual, one-time gift through a personal fundraising campaign. Through pledge fundraising, you collect donations from friends, family members, and neighbors who support your school financially before the event occurs.

The first step to organizing a successful pledge fundraiser is simply organizing the people who will participate. Second, you should decide on the goal of your campaign and how much money you want to raise during that period. Finally, set goals for the number of pledges you wish to receive and divide those tasks accordingly.

    Silent Auctions

Silent auctions are becoming increasingly popular for school fundraising because they offer a fun way for people to bid on items and raise money for the school at the same time. Proceeds from silent auctions help schools solicit more funding, provide more enrichment, and enable more learning. They’re a fun way to socialize and mingle with new people at the event.

Charity Safaris is an excellent company to help raise funds for your school. We can help with the entire process, including auction display, online bidding logistics, and catalog production. Sell one of our hunting trips in South Africa, Argentina, or New Zealand multiple times for the event and raise thousands of dollars for your school. Fill out an online donation request and sell the trip of a lifetime at your school fundraiser.

If you’re looking for other types of silent auction items, TheShareWay provides a guide on 400+ companies that donate hotel stays, beauty products, gift cards, and more.

Email Campaigns

More than 4 billion people use email, and 77% of marketers say they have seen an increased engagement with their email marketing campaigns over the last year. So, if marketing companies and businesses leverage emails to gain followers’ support, why not do the same for your school and community?

An email fundraising campaign is simple once you have an email list. You can send reminders to subscribers of fundraising events, express the school’s needs, and request help from the community. What’s great about email campaigns is that you aren’t just driving traffic to your fundraising page but can also gain ongoing financial support.

Fundraising Ideas for Schools

Whether you are a school looking to raise money or on a fundraising journey for a school you love, you’ll need to know the best fundraising ideas for schools in 2025 to maximize your funding. Hosting a fundraiser for schools is an excellent way for staff, parents, students, and teachers to come together for the good of the community and its school.

However, getting people excited about a fundraising event can be challenging when you have the same ideas each year. Since the pandemic swept through in 2020, fundraisers have had to think outside the box for unique ways to make money with exciting virtual fundraising ideas. This shift from in-person to virtual became a huge success, but you need the best fundraising ideas for schools to get the job done.

Explore the many profitable school fundraising ideas and why you need them!

1. Bake Sale
Who doesn’t love a bake sale? Bake unique fundraising ideas sales are one of the most popular—and delicious—ways to raise much-needed funds for schools. They’re also a great opportunity to get the parents involved and to show off their baking skills.

To raise money for your cause, ask the parents at your school to prepare a yummy treat to sell. Children can participate by helping their parents bake these treats or selling baked products at lunch or recess.

You can take it a step further with a raffle, where one prize winner can win a beautifully designed and baked cake of their choice from a local bakery willing to provide a voucher.

2. Talent Show
Showcase your school’s many talents with a talent show! Let there be various categories, such as singing, dancing, and comedy. Get local businesses to sponsor prizes for each category and the grand prize of the best winning act at the night’s end.

Prizes can range from:

A local pizza restaurant sponsored a pizza for the winner and 2 of their friends
Tickets to see a movie at the theater
Mall vouchers
Charge a small participation fee and a spectator entry fee. And don’t forget to put together a panel of judges!

3. Guessing Jar

Guessing jars is a cost-effective and easy fundraising idea for schools. All you need is a clear jar, which you can fill with candy, beads, marbles, paper clips, or anything else that will fit in the jar. To increase your potential fundraising opportunities, have several jars in various sizes and allow participants to pay to guess each jar’s contents.

Keep the jar in a busy school area like the primary office for a few weeks. Parents, teachers, and students should be encouraged to enter their estimates into the competition for a small cost.

Allow multiple entries per person, with each try costing them. Let participants pick up the jar and turn it around to look closer.

Ensure you have enough prizes for each winner and runners-up for each jar you have. When the fundraiser ends, the closest guesser receives the candy jar.

4. Virtual Parents Party
Sometimes, parents and guardians need adult time, too! A virtual parent’s party involves virtual cooking classes, happy hour, or live streaming of a local musician’s concert. In addition, you can host an art party, such as painting with a twist. These events are hosted online via Zoom, and parents purchase the tickets. You will mail the items to the attendees’ homes a couple of weeks before the event and have a scheduled itinerary.

To prevent the virtual parent party from getting too crowded, you can set up virtual rooms and divide the groups. After a specific time, switch up the people in the room and keep the entertainment going.

5. Battle of the Bands

Battle of the Bands takes high school fundraising ideas to the next level. There may be many talented students in your school who would love the opportunity to share their talents. This fundraising idea is easy because you have all the means to host the event: the PA system, venue, and teachers and volunteers who can help.

Charge a small fee for each band to enter and an admission fee for attendees. Involve local celebrities to be judges for the event, such as the local weatherman or radio host, to participate. In addition, you could ask local business owners to be judges and help sponsor the event. There are countless opportunities to reach your fundraising goals.

6. Dog Wash

Not everyone takes their pups to the groomers, and many find bathing their dogs tedious. So why not host a dog wash fundraiser? The kids will love spending time with your furry best friend, too. Post about the fundraiser to local groups and encourage parents, guardians, teachers, and community members to bring the pups for a good wash by student volunteers.

Purchase all the supplies and use the school’s parking lot as the venue. Ensure plenty of kiddie pools to bathe the dogs, hoses, towels, and tasty treats. To take your fundraiser a step further, have music, some food trucks, and sell drinks.

7. School Dance

School dances are just as exciting as prom or homecoming. Students get to go out and shop for new outfits and let loose with their friends. It’s a simple fundraising idea that everyone will love, and almost all the proceeds go back into the school. In addition, students pay a small attendance fee, and you can request donations for décor, food, and drinks from parents and guardians.

Put together a student committee for the dance and have them select a fun theme, such as a masquerade ball, under the ocean, or a Hollywood theme. There is no need to spend a fortune on expensive photo booths or décor. Instead, the committee should be tasked with finding an inexpensive solution.

8. Discount Card Fundraiser

A discount card fundraiser can involve the entire community. Students sell discount cards in their neighborhood, and the donors receive coupons or special offers from local businesses, such as restaurants. These discount cards cost around $10-$20 but can save the purchaser hundreds of dollars.

Making discount cards to sell for a school fundraiser is reasonably straightforward. In addition, it draws a lot of attention to small businesses, and many business owners are happy to get exposure.

9. Car Wash

Car wash fundraisers have proven to be excellent ways to raise funds for local charities, including schools. They are also a fantastic way to get the community involved while students have fun washing cars. The school’s parking lot can be used to set up the car wash.

Partner with local businesses to sponsor cleaning materials and supplies in exchange for free advertising on the day of the car wash.

Get your local radio station to advertise the school’s fundraising efforts. Have loud music for entertainment and snacks available for individuals to purchase while they wait for their cars to get cleaned.

Assign shifts to students to wash cars, and designate a few students to collect money for the car washes and any extra donations. Set up an online donation page on the school’s website to receive additional contributions.

10. Auction off Parking Spots

Ask every high school or college student what their worst nightmare is, and they will all say that parking at school or on campus is the worst! On a busy day, students are likely to circulate the parking lot in the hopes of a spot becoming available.

For a successful fundraising idea, select a few parking spots the school won’t mind reserving for the winning students. Host a live auction or an online bidding war, and see how far students are willing to go for a parking spot reserved for them for the semester or school year.

11. AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile is a minimum-effort way to raise funds for your school. The process is simple:

Register your school with AmazonSmile
Once your school has been accepted to the program, notify your student’s parents and the local community.
Shoppers can add your school as their chosen charitable organization and shop items that are eligible for AmazonSmile.
That’s it! Your school will then receive 0.5% of every eligible purchase they make. No fees or costs exist for your school and shoppers donating to you.

School Fundraising Ideas

A well-planned fundraising strategy creates excitement and pride for the school and gets the community to play a more active role in the student’s education. So, if you’re looking for new ways to reach a larger audience and boost your efforts, choose from these school fundraising ideas and make the most of your event.

    T-Shirt Fundraising

Bonfire – Design your own Shirt on Material you’ll Love

Don’t we all love a good T-shirt? What’s excellent about t-shirt fundraising is combining it with an in-person event. About a month before, have t-shirts made with good fundraising ideas the school’s name, logo, and event name, so all attending can wear their shirt on the big day.

Getting custom-made t-shirts is easier than you think. There are companies such as Bonfire and Printful that will boost your campaign, help you save money on printed shirts, and create custom print designs everyone will love. Both sites are free to use, have templates and a step-by-step guide to help you with the design process, and will fulfill and ship the orders, so there is one less thing for you to worry about!

    Online Donations

Receiving online donations is one of the best ways to expand your reach. Create a fun donation landing page and express your school’s needs. What are the objectives of the online donations, the target amount, and how do you intend to use the money to improve the school?

Remember that spreading the word is the tricky part and requires attention. Create a Facebook page for the school if you haven’t got one already, and start promoting your donation requests. In addition, you can send a note home with each student and ask them to spread the word. The great thing about social media is how quickly word can spread. When people start to share your posts, you get more reach and increase funding. That leads us to the next fundraising idea for high schools – social media.

Social Media

Social media ranks as one of the best school fundraising ideas. You can utilize various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Create an exciting post, express your needs, and use hashtags to further your reach.

You can spotlight your initiatives and get followers involved in the school’s fundraising events. Instagram lets you add a donation sticker to your posts. You can go live on social media platforms with a Livestream fundraising event with an easy-to-add donate button so viewers can donate throughout the live event. Lastly, don’t forget the Geotag. This allows your donation requests to be shown to people in your community and establishes your credibility.

    Text-to-Give

Who doesn’t have a cellphone these days? Texting-to-give is a great new way for schools to communicate financial needs to parents and guardians. The average donation for text-to-give fundraising is $107, which can significantly impact your bottom line.

Text-to-give helps you gain ongoing support from the community when school fundraising. Use a text-to-give platform, such as Snowball, that gives you unlimited text, personalized campaigns, and low-cost recurring gift options. Donors will text a word like “donate” to the school’s text-to-give phone number and confirm the donation amount. Their credit card information is saved for future donations, and a recurring donation option will help maximize the funds raised.

    Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is one of those valuable high school fundraising ideas that are a must for any money-raising initiative. An online crowdfunding campaign is conducted on various platforms such as Livingtree and DonorsChoose. Fundraising management software allows you to monitor the progress, tell your school’s story, and get the whole community involved in the efforts.

Here’s how online crowdfunding works:

• Develop a plan for your campaign and build the outline
• Create an account on your preferred crowdfunding site
• Set up the campaign with the fundraising goals and tell your story
• Make the campaign live and start sharing it on social media platforms
• Monitor the progress of the campaign and adjust if you are not on track to meeting your financial goals

    Corporate Philanthropy Programs

Corporate philanthropy is a different school fundraising idea many aren’t aware of, but it can be highly effective. You can contact parents or guardians to inquire whether they own or work for a company with philanthropy programs and find out how to apply.

Three corporate philanthropy programs could benefit a school fundraising program:

Matching gifts: Many companies will match an employee’s donation to a nonprofit. For example, if an employee gifts $100 to the school, the company will match the donation with $100. Each company is different, and some may have higher contributions than the traditional 1:1 ratio, such as 1:2 or 1:4 contribution ratios.

Volunteer grants are a great way to raise money and get the much-needed hands-on help many schools require. Employees volunteer their time to a nonprofit, and the company donates financially. Corporate sponsorships: Companies can sponsor events in exchange for favorable publicity. For example, a company can fund an event such as a bikeathon or fun run; the school can promote the business in return.

    Cookie Dough Fundraising Ideas for High Schools

Palmetto Fundraising Cookie Dough, Chocolate chip, cookies, and cream, or peanut butter – whatever your flavor, we all love cookie dough! Not only is cookie dough a comfort food that takes us back to the sweet memories of growing up, but it can also be added to your list of school fundraising ideas. Host a cookie dough fundraiser and get parents, guardians, students, and the community involved in this tasty idea.

So, how does a cookie dough fundraiser work? It’s simple. Use a company such as SavoryFoods or Palmetto Fundraising. You won’t have to pay any money upfront; they will fulfill the orders for the sale of cookie dough, and you get to keep most of the profits. Give customized catalogs of the various products for sale or host the sale online. This idea takes very little work, and you can raise money for your school in a fun way.

    Pledge Fundraising

Pledges and donations are different. Pledges are promises to donate. For example, you can plan a bike-a-thon, walk-a-thon, or fun run, and people can pledge donations for the distance the participant goes. The pledge is made and paid at a future date.

Pledge fundraising is a great way to raise money for schools and organizations. It is a volunteer-driven program that raises funds in an annual, one-time gift through a personal fundraising campaign. Through pledge fundraising, you collect donations from friends, family members, and neighbors who support your school financially before the event occurs.

The first step to organizing a successful pledge fundraiser is simply organizing the people who will participate. Second, you should decide on the goal of your campaign and how much money you want to raise during that period. Finally, set goals for the number of pledges you wish to receive and divide those tasks accordingly.

    Silent Auctions

Silent auctions are becoming increasingly popular for school fundraising because they offer a fun way for people to bid on items and raise money for the school at the same time. Proceeds from silent auctions help schools solicit more funding, provide more enrichment, and enable more learning. They’re a fun way to socialize and mingle with new people at the event.

Charity Safaris is an excellent company to help raise funds for your school. We can help with the entire process, including auction display, online bidding logistics, and catalog production. Sell one of our hunting trips in South Africa, Argentina, or New Zealand multiple times for the event and raise thousands of dollars for your school. Fill out an online donation request and sell the trip of a lifetime at your school fundraiser.

If you’re looking for other types of silent auction items, TheShareWay provides a guide on 400+ companies that donate hotel stays, beauty products, gift cards, and more.

Email Campaigns

More than 4 billion people use email, and 77% of marketers say they have seen an increased engagement with their email marketing campaigns over the last year. So, if marketing companies and businesses leverage emails to gain followers’ support, why not do the same for your school and community?

An email fundraising campaign is simple once you have an email list. You can send reminders to subscribers of fundraising events, express the school’s needs, and request help from the community. What’s great about email campaigns is that you aren’t just driving traffic to your fundraising page but can also gain ongoing financial support.

Fundraising Ideas for Sports Teams

1- BBQ Fundraiser

Who doesn’t love a summer barbeque? BBQ fundraisers are a great way to raise funds for your cause while bringing the community together. Your team can set up tables and yard games and help serve food, drinks, and other refreshments for supporters to enjoy. You can host a BBQ virtually anywhere, making it an affordable fundraising option.

2- Shaved Heads Fundraiser

Are you looking for a fundraiser that makes a statement? Shave your heads for donations! Your team can create an online campaign stating that all members will shave their heads if you reach your fundraising goal.

Supporters can donate, write an encouraging note, and share the campaign online to spread the word. This fundraiser can build camaraderie amongst teammates and build team spirit across your community.

3- Earth Day Cleanup
An Earth Day Cleanup fundraising ideas for youth sports teams fundraiser will boost your sports team’s and the community’s spirits. It allows community members to care for the earth while supporting their local sports team. While this fundraiser works best on Earth Day, you can host a thriving community cleanup at any time of the year.

4- Ice Skate Fundraiser
Are you looking for fundraising ideas for a hockey team? Consider hosting a fundraiser at your local ice skating rink! With permission from the rink, you can sell tickets for an evening of skating and refreshments. The community will love spending a night on the rink with family and friends while supporting their local team.

5- Community Hike
Sports teams can check cardio and fundraising off their to-do list with a community hike fundraiser. To host a hike, pick a location, advertise your fundraiser on social media, and require donations to sign up. Team members can also collect pledges to increase revenue. This provides a perfect opportunity for supporters to get outside and active and is an awesome fundraising idea for sports teams.

6- Rent-a-Mover Fundraiser
Perfect for college sports teams, offer to help students move into their dorms in exchange for donations. Your team can distribute flyers and hang out in drop-off parking lots for direct outreach. Parents will love the opportunity to hire helping hands while showing some school spirit.

7- Date Auction Fundraiser

Another excellent option for college sports teams is to auction off players for a date in exchange for donations.

The highest bidder wins a date with their favorite player, and your team keeps the proceeds. Date auctions can be a fun way to fundraise while spending one-on-one time with the community.

8- 10,000-Step Challenge
A 10,000-step challenge is a perfect fundraiser for busy sports teams as it is a virtual event. Your team can set up an online page advertising your 10,000-step challenge. From there, participants can sign up and collect pledges to increase motivation (and profits). Team members should also participate in the challenge to build camaraderie.

9- Host A Tournament
Tournaments are some of the most profitable fundraising ideas for sports teams. Your team could host different types of tournaments for a profitable fundraiser.

10- Wiffle Ball Tournament
Perfect for baseball or softball teams, a wiffle ball tournament is a fantastic way to raise funds and bring the community together. Advertise your wiffle ball tournament online and require a donation for teams to sign up. You can also sell refreshments and auction off raffle baskets to increase profits. The event will likely draw large crowds and be a memorable experience for guests.

Conclusion
Finding fundraiser ideas for sports does not have to be a challenge. With these fundraising ideas for sports teams, your team can organize an event that helps you meet your fundraising goals while creating an excellent experience for your supporters.

Fundraising Ideas for Sports Teams

Whether your team needs funds for traveling or new gear, plenty of fundraising ideas will help you meet your fundraising goals.This article covers 10 fundraising ideas for sports teams of all ages that are guaranteed to bring your supporters together. 

1- Exercise Class

An exercise class is a great way for the community to get active alongside local athletes. What’s more, an exercise class can be tailored to fit the needs of any sports team. For example, if you are fundraising for a basketball team, you can incorporate dribbling into the class! Team members can lead fundraising opportunities for sports teams the exercise class and provide expert guidance throughout the lesson. 

2- Bingo Night

A sports-themed bingo night can be perfect for your sports team to fundraise. Planning is easy and allows supporters to enter the competitive spirit while supporting their local sports team. Having themed prizes available for winners to increase engagement and bring in more supporters. 

3- 5k Walk Or Run 

While a 5k Walk or Run requires a lot of planning and helping hands, this tried, true fundraiser is perfect for an active audience. Promoting healthy lifestyles while supporting a local sports team is a great way. Moreover, you will not have to search hard for volunteers, as your team members can fulfill those roles!

4- Karaoke Night 

A karaoke night is the perfect fundraiser for sports teams looking for an unconventional way to raise funds. It is a fundraising event that any supporter can participate in, as it does not require participants to get active. You can also sell refreshments or partner with a local restaurant to increase your fundraising potential. 

5- Field Day 

Let your supporters showcase their athletic skills by hosting a Field Day fundraiser. You can set up games, including tug-of-war, sack race, and obstacle course, for participants to enjoy. Your sports team members can also take the sidelines by running the events and playing referee. Having prizes for winners can build excitement and bring in a larger crowd. 

6- Car Wash 

Perfect for warm weather, a car wash is a tried and true fundraiser that can bring in profits while making a splash. Your team can set up at your school parking lot so community members can easily stop by and show support. Don’t forget to make signs and have team members stand on the street to grab drivers’ attention!

7- Pancake Breakfast 

Like a barbeque, pancake breakfasts are great fundraising ideas for sports teams. Ask your school or local fire hall to host your pancake breakfast and spread the word on social media. Team members can put their cooking skills to the test by serving pancakes and other refreshments to the community. 

8- Football Tailgate 

In exchange for donations, supporters can attend a tailgate before the big game, which includes music, games, and refreshments.

Your team can also sell merchandise and have raffle baskets available to increase profits. 

9- Mow Lawns for Donations

If you want to raise funds for a male high school sports team, consider mowing lawns for donations! This fundraising idea benefits both the sports team and the community. Older community members will love supporting their local sports team while crossing something off their to-do list. 

10- Bag Groceries For Donations

This is a simple fundraiser that any sports team can do. Ask your local grocery store if your team can bag groceries in exchange for donations. This allows your team to interact directly with the community and reach a wide range of people. The busier the local grocer, the better!

Fundraising Ideas for Sports Teams

1- BBQ Fundraiser

Who doesn’t love a summer barbeque? BBQ fundraisers are a great way to raise funds for your cause while bringing the community together. Your team can set up tables and yard games and help serve food, drinks, and other refreshments for supporters to enjoy. You can host a BBQ virtually anywhere, making it an affordable fundraising option.

2- Shaved Heads Fundraiser

Are you looking for a fundraiser that makes a statement? Shave your heads for donations! Your team can create an online campaign stating that all members will shave their sports team fundraisers heads if you reach your fundraising goal.

Supporters can donate, write an encouraging note, and share the campaign online to spread the word. This fundraiser can build camaraderie amongst teammates and build team spirit across your community.

3- Earth Day Cleanup
An Earth Day Cleanup fundraiser will boost your sports team’s and the community’s spirits. It allows community members to care for the earth while supporting their local sports team. While this fundraiser works best on Earth Day, you can host a thriving community cleanup at any time of the year.

4- Ice Skate Fundraiser
Are you looking for fundraising ideas for a hockey team? Consider hosting a fundraiser at your local ice skating rink! With permission from the rink, you can sell tickets for an evening of skating and refreshments. The community will love spending a night on the rink with family and friends while supporting their local team.

5- Community Hike
Sports teams can check cardio and fundraising off their to-do list with a community hike fundraiser. To host a hike, pick a location, advertise your fundraiser on social media, and require donations to sign up. Team members can also collect pledges to increase revenue. This provides a perfect opportunity for supporters to get outside and active and is an awesome fundraising idea for sports teams.

6- Rent-a-Mover Fundraiser
Perfect for college sports teams, offer to help students move into their dorms in exchange for donations. Your team can distribute flyers and hang out in drop-off parking lots for direct outreach. Parents will love the opportunity to hire helping hands while showing some school spirit.

7- Date Auction Fundraiser

Another excellent option for college sports teams is to auction off players for a date in exchange for donations.

The highest bidder wins a date with their favorite player, and your team keeps the proceeds. Date auctions can be a fun way to fundraise while spending one-on-one time with the community.

8- 10,000-Step Challenge
A 10,000-step challenge is a perfect fundraiser for busy sports teams as it is a virtual event. Your team can set up an online page advertising your 10,000-step challenge. From there, participants can sign up and collect pledges to increase motivation (and profits). Team members should also participate in the challenge to build camaraderie.

9- Host A Tournament
Tournaments are some of the most profitable fundraising ideas for sports teams. Your team could host different types of tournaments for a profitable fundraiser.

10- Wiffle Ball Tournament
Perfect for baseball or softball teams, a wiffle ball tournament is a fantastic way to raise funds and bring the community together. Advertise your wiffle ball tournament online and require a donation for teams to sign up. You can also sell refreshments and auction off raffle baskets to increase profits. The event will likely draw large crowds and be a memorable experience for guests.

Conclusion
Finding fundraiser ideas for sports does not have to be a challenge. With these fundraising ideas for sports teams, your team can organize an event that helps you meet your fundraising goals while creating an excellent experience for your supporters.