Making it easy to spread the word

GoFundMe’s social sharing tools make it easy for schools to spread the word via social media. Schools can quickly and easily raise the money they need for programmes and projects — and pupils participate in service learning. Schools can begin withdrawing funds as soon as the fundraiser starts receiving donations. There are no penalties for not reaching your goal, and you can choose your own deadline.

• Pupils learn leadership skills by taking charge and raising money for an important cause.
• Working with fellow pupils to run a fundraiser effectively is an opportunity to learn valuable team skills.
• Practising acts of kindness plants the seeds of compassion and sets a precedent for a lifetime of public service.

Six best-in-class ideas for school fundraisers

If you are racking your brain trying to come up with fundraising ideas, we are here to help. From enrichment programs to throwing a prom, we’ve listed the best fundraising ideas we could think of to get you started.

1. Enrichment programs

Field trips, summer learning programmes, study abroad and enrichment programmes are often costly — but they’re also an ideal fit for crowdfunding because your needs are so well defined.

Raise funds for one classroom, a specific programme or an entire school.

Pupils can promote the fundraiser by sharing it on social media, creating photos and videos for fundraiser updates, writing thank-you notes to donors and more.

 2. Support your school sports team

A large number of pupils are involved in sports and athletic clubs. Why not coordinate an event to  raise money for the equipment and supplies pupil-athletes need? A great way to raise funds is to have parents create a crowdfunding fundraiser that outlines the club’s needs.

 3. Prom and student activities

Proms and other special school events come with a price tag — decorations, food, entertainment and prize giveaways add up. Coordinate with those in charge of planning the event and come up with a creative crowdfunding fundraiser to make your plans come to life. Pupils can really make these events special and fun without dipping into the school treasury.

4. Computers or tablets for education

Classrooms often make use of laptops and tablets — for reading textbooks, doing homework, accommodating pupil learning needs and more. If you want to upgrade or expand your capacity in this area, start a crowdfunding campaign and make it happen.

• Talk with the person in charge of making purchases for the school to determine the budget.
• Then set a realistic fundraising goal — you can always increase it if you meet it right away.

5. Causes close to students’ hearts

Supporting humanitarian causes is a key component of service learning — one that teaches pupils about compassion and the value of helping others.

• Take a poll to find out what causes pupils at your school are passionate about or interested in.
• It could be local, national or international — there’s no shortage of wonderful causes to support.
• One popular option is for students to help other pupils who are in need elsewhere.

6. Memorial fund or scholarship fund

If a teacher, pupil or another community member who is important to your school passes away, honour that person by starting a scholarship fund in their name (with the permission of the person’s family, of course).

• Come up with ideas for appropriate ways to spend the funds you raise, such as creating a scholarship to be awarded to one pupil at the end of the year, dispersing donations to a group of students for summer camp or earmarking money for a special school event.
• Memorial fundraisers are a great way for your students to transform their loss into something positive and be involved in a legacy project.

Get your school fundraiser off the ground

No need to waste time trying to figure out how to raise funds for that important school event, class trip or worthy cause. GoFundMe is here to provide you with the best crowdfunding platform and unique fundraising ideas to help and support you and your school along the way. If you haven’t already launched your school fundraiser, create one today.

Note: if you’re 12 or younger, please have a parent or guardian start your GoFundMe. If you’re between 13 and 17, please get your parent or guardian’s permission to start an account.

 Start a school fundraiser

Primary school fundraising ideas

While many primary school fundraisers focus on meeting a school’s financial needs, consider using a crowdfunding fundraiser to give back instead. Launching a charitable crowdfunding fundraiser can provide amazing opportunities for personal growth. Teachers can use online fundraising as opportunities to engage students and encourage them to cultivate compassion inside and outside the classroom.

Four ideas for primary school fundraising

Are you stuck on how to raise funds for your primary school? We have compiled a list to help you get started. Read on to find out how you can start raising funds now.

1. Host a bake sale

Hosting a bake sale is a great way to get everyone involved and to raise some money. Ask each child in the class to bake something with their parents and then sell the delicious treats at lunchtime to the rest of the school.

• Make sure you have a good selection of cakes on offer – why not designate different baked goods to each parent so you don’t have any duplications
• Make sure you charge enough to cover your costs and make a profit

2. Hold a mock game show night

Hold a fundraiser in your school hall and invite parents or families to participate in a quiz-show contest.

• Before the event, form teams and have each team raise funds together.
• Ask a local business to donate the top prize.
• Get a staff member to MC.
• Set up a trivia competition like The Chase, but with a twist: focus on information that relates to your school or town history.
• Provide breaks in the competition for snacking and socialising.
• Have a station where guests can make a suggested donation.
• Publicise the event on social media. This is a great opportunity for teachers and parents to work together and give back.

3. Host a recycling-themed fundraiser

Organise a waste reduction project — for example, an e-waste drive where supporters donate money to your fundraiser and, in return, you pick up and safely recycle their electronic waste.

• You can also collect pledges for distance covered in a local litter pick, or pledges for a certain amount of energy or water saved within a certain timeframe.
• To double the impact, donate funds to an organisation that works to address the effects of climate change.

4. Organise a read-a-thon

Ask your class to gather donations in a read-a-thon fundraising event.

• For every page read by a pupil, sponsors agree to donate a certain amount of money to the fundraiser. This is a great way to encourage pupils to read while raising money for a cause.
• Have them record the number of pages they read, as well as the names of the books and a short synopsis of each.
• You can even collect some of their summaries and post them as updates to your fundraiser.
• Set a fundraising goal at the outset, so you know how many pages need to be read to reach the goal.
• At the end of your fundraiser, use the funds to improve your library, or donate the funds to an organisation that promotes child literacy.

The road to a better world

Children are the future and, by instilling compassion in them, we help find hope for a better tomorrow for people, animals and communities around the world. If you haven’t already started a fundraiser with your children or pupils, get together with them, pick a cause they’re passionate about and start giving back by launching a fundraiser today.

Note: to create a GoFundMe account, you must be at least 13 years old and have your parent or guardian’s permission.

 Start a school fundraiser

Secondary school fundraising ideas

It can be challenging to come up with fresh fundraising ideas that excite both pupils and parents. The start of the school year can be an incredibly busy time and parents who have spent money on school supplies and clothes may be reluctant to spend even more on a fundraiser — but raising money early on can give you resources to last throughout your academic year.

Six ideas for secondary school fundraising

Raising funds for a secondary school can seem like a daunting task but there are many ways to get those funds rolling in. From hosting a games night to hosting a themed breakfast, there are many options for you to choose from.

1. Hold a pancake breakfast

• Publicise your pancake breakfast in advance via email, school newsletters and social media.
• Invite members of the community to support your crowdfunding fundraiser.
• Charge a flat fee per breakfast in the form of a donation to your fundraiser (you can take donations with a mobile device).
• Solicit parent volunteers to help prepare the food in your cafeteria, like pancakes and other breakfast foods.
• Recruit pupils to serve meals and refill coffee.
• Encourage parents to bring extended family, friends or members of the school community.

2. Host a dance

Preteen pupils are often eager to socialise with classmates outside of school and fundraising dances provide an opportunity to do so while benefitting your cause.

• Offer alternative activities for children who aren’t comfortable dancing.
• Ask pupil representatives to take on an active role in planning and publicising the dance.
• Recruit parent and teacher volunteers to supervise.
• Ask families to make a donation to your fundraiser in lieu of buying a ticket.
• To reduce overhead, find a trusted alumni or community member to DJ, or recruit a local band to perform.

 3. Organise a tie-dye event

Here’s how to set up a tie-dye booth:

• Buy a low-cost fabric dye in a variety of colours.
• Invite pupils to bring their white t-shirts, socks or sweatshirts to dye in exchange for a donation.
• Have them write their name in marker pen somewhere inside each article of clothing.
• Fill buckets with cold water and a few dye packets to make bold colours.
• Teach students how to tie up their clothes for a bullseye or swirl pattern.

4. Give students a chance to leave their mark

If your secondary school fundraiser benefits a building project or other upgrade to your facilities, brainstorm ways you can raise money by letting students contribute a handprint, quote or some other artistic flourish to the building.

• You could ask them to find a sponsor for each tile in a garden mosaic.
• Or, you can charge pupils a small amount to leave their handprint in paint or cement or to make their own mini-mural on a small section of wall.
• Encouraging creative expression and simultaneously helping raise money in small amounts can add up to a huge success.

5. Host a cake-decorating contest

Here’s how to organise a cake-decorating contest.

• Participants can donate a set amount to your fundraiser to participate.
• Ask a local bakery or grocery store to donate plain, uniced cakes and see if any other businesses are willing to donate gift cards or goods for a winning prize.
• Have contestants make their own icing and decorate the cakes however they like, then bring the cakes to school on the day of the event.
• Gather a panel of judges to choose the winning cake, then auction off all of the contenders to benefit your fundraiser.

6. Arrange a game night

From Scrabble to Catchphrase, there are dozens of options for group games that help expand vocabularies and keep pupils entertained.

• Encourage families or groups to sign up for the game night as teams, making a minimum donation as an entrance fee.
• Host the event in a gym or auditorium. It can be tournament style, or groups can choose from different games.
• Provide snacks and ask for parent volunteers to keep the evening running smoothly.
• This can provide an opportunity for students to socialise in a low-pressure atmosphere and connect with peers outside their immediate friend groups.

 Blaze new trails

For many people, secondary school is a difficult time — an awkward in-between period in which pupils struggle to adjust to bodily changes as well as increased responsibility and freedom. But middle school fundraisers can actually be constructive projects that make this new territory less threatening for pupils. By organising a crowdfunding fundraiser that features events that allow children to socialise and express their creativity, you help them become more confident young people while raising money for the school. If you haven’t already, launch a school fundraiser today.

Note: to create a GoFundMe account, you must be at least 13 years old and have your parent or guardian’s permission.

Start a secondary school fundraiser

Private school fundraising ideas

It isn’t uncommon for private schools to have a large and active philanthropic programme that requires pupils and families to make contributions of time and money. For example, families may be required to volunteer a specific number of service hours to the school. Service learning builds community, encourages compassion and helps instill a sense of ownership and pride. As part of these efforts, pupils and parents can use crowdfunding to help finance extracurricular activities, sports, community service projects or add to the school’s endowment or the general fund.

Reach your goals with crowdfunding

Whether you’re a parent on the school’s fundraising committee or a pupil involved in a community service project, crowdfunding can help you reach your goals. Along with crowdfunding, many schools organise offline fundraising events, which can help boost awareness and encourage involvement.

• One of the biggest needs in private school communities is for need-based scholarships. Dedicate a crowdfunding fundraiser or event to the schools scholarship fund to take the pressure off stretched low- and middle-income families.
• Private-school pupils often have a wealth of supplies and resources. Raising money for supplies for a sister school, nearby or around the world, can help pupils appreciate their good fortune.
• Let pupils lead. When giving arises out of pupils’ passions and interests, it helps build commitment and motivation.

Five ideas for private school fundraising

Fundraising can be an essential part of funding for Private Schools as it can help keep the doors open. While this can feel a bit daunting, it also means that people are usually willing to give. Read on to see our top fundraising ideas for private school fundraising.

1. Host an auction

Ask students and parents to offer services in exchange for bids and the prize goes to the highest bidder. Services could include: babysitting, cleaning the bathroom, acting as a chauffeur or cooking the highest bidder dinner. 

2. Charity football match

Everyone loves football fever, why not create your own buzz and host a students vs teachers football match and raise some much needed funds for your school. Hold trials for the teams and then charge parents and students to come and watch. 

3. Sponsored silence

Host a sponsored silence to raise funds for your school. Put up posters around the school to let everyone know when the sponsored silence is taking place. Have a clear start and end time and make sure it is a long enough time frame for people to consider it a challenge. 

4. Host a cook-off

To start a friendly competition between pupils, faculty and parents, organise a cook-off to display cooking or baking skills.

• You can either charge an entrance fee (via a donation to your fundraiser) or require tasting fees from participants (in the form of a contribution).
• Find a venue such as your school’s dining hall or auditorium to host this event.
• The winner is awarded bragging rights as the best chef at your school.

5. Host an outdoor film night

Host a social gathering for parents and their children by organising an outdoor movie fundraising event.

• Pick a famous movie (or vote on one) and invite everyone to enjoy the film together from the comfort of deckchairs and blankets.
• Find an outdoor space, a powerful projector, a screen (or sheet, or flat white wall) and speakers that can fill the space with the right level of sound.
• Take donations with a mobile device. Whip up some popcorn and sell it for a small price.
• A fun variation: host a summer dive-in film in a swimming pool.

Get your school fundraiser off the ground

No need to waste time figuring out how to go about raising funds for your school event, class trip, programme, club or worthy cause. Get the ball rolling with a fundraiser on GoFundMe — because it has a 0% platform fee for organisers, you get to keep more of the funds you raise. We also offer a wealth of resources and unique fundraising ideas. If you haven’t already done so, create your school fundraiser today.

Note: to create a GoFundMe account, you must be at least 13 years old and have your parent or guardian’s permission.

Start a private school fundraiser