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30+ School Fundraising Ideas for UK PTAs and School Charities (2026)
July 3, 2026
Here are Zeffy's 30+ fundraising ideas for schools. It is a long list of tips and resources to help your school plan its next fundraiser and raise funds.
We have compiled 30+ of the best school fundraising ideas for every phase from primary to university, and we are confident you will find at least one idea here to help your school raise funds for your cause.
Let's start with a few of the best school fundraising ideas. There is a lot to explore below, so take your time to browse or jump right to the best idea for your school phase and fundraising goals.
Fundraising ideas for your school
Easy to set up
Most profitable
Creative and unique
To raise money fast
Elementary school
Recycling drive.
Read-A-Thon or Dance-A-Thon.
Petting zoo.
Bake sale.
Middle school
Photography contest.
School merch. sale.
Candy grams.
Movie night.
High school
Photo booth.
Benefit concert.
Community night.
Car wash.
College
Penny wars.
Talent show.
Human library.
Peer-to-peer fundraising competition.
Before you start: three checks every UK school fundraiser needs to make
Before diving into ideas, take a moment to confirm the following. Getting these right unlocks Gift Aid, protects your volunteers, and keeps your fundraiser on the right side of UK law.
1.Is your PTA a registered charity? Most PTAs with income above £5,000 must register with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (or OSCR in Scotland, or CCNI in Northern Ireland). Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) must register regardless of income. Registration unlocks Gift Aid, public-liability insurance access, and business-rate relief on premises. You can search the Register of Charities to check your PTA's current status. In Scotland, all charities must register with OSCR regardless of size.
1.Are you HMRC-recognised for Gift Aid? This is a separate step from charity registration. Once your PTA or school charity is HMRC-recognised (you receive a Charities Reference Number), you can reclaim 25p for every £1 donated by a UK taxpayer through Gift Aid. That uplift can add thousands of pounds to a single campaign at no extra cost to donors. Note that Gift Aid does not apply to raffle ticket purchases, event-ticket prices, or auction lots at fair value.
1.Do your raffles need a licence? A raffle where tickets are sold in advance is legally a small society lottery under the Gambling Act 2005 and must be registered with your local council (£40 initial fee, £20 annual renewal). A raffle drawn entirely at the event, with tickets sold and the prize awarded on the night, is an incidental non-commercial lottery and needs no registration at all. Full details from the Gambling Commission.
Getting started: the state of school fundraising
You are likely here because you are curious about how to get started with school fundraising, or ready to take things to the next level with fresh ideas. As you think about which idea would work best, these current trends in school fundraising will help.
Schools are using new methods and technology to enhance fundraising. They are also drawing on traditional and well-loved approaches with proven success.
The current state of school fundraising showcases a dynamic and evolving landscape. That makes it exciting to get involved and let your creativity shine.
School fundraising trends to help you stay competitive with the ideas you choose:
Product fundraising is powerful. Schools raise significant amounts through product sales. There are creative ways to go from a classic sales approach to a fun and engaging event that incorporates an online shop or live merchandise sales.
Charity matters to university alumni. UK universities run structured alumni-giving programmes through their development offices, and RAG (Raise and Give) societies run student-led fundraising for chosen charities each year. This showcases the opportunity to engage alumni to help staff, promote, and enhance university fundraisers.
Recurring donations add up. Online fundraising is gaining popularity alongside traditional methods. Tools like peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdfunding, and mobile-optimised donation pages are becoming increasingly popular and easy to manage for schools.
Community is the heart of school fundraising. Community-focused events that raise funds and involve the local community are thriving. These events can bring in new supporters, build awareness, and increase fundraising potential for the future.
Corporate partnerships are a fast way to scale. While underutilised, getting businesses to partner up and sponsor a school fundraiser greatly increases profitability. Sponsors can be local businesses or larger corporations with a charitable interest in education.
Donor relationship-building happens year-round. Building long-term relationships with donors and supporters for one school fundraiser impacts turnout and advocacy for all others. Personalisation and automated communications are helping schools reach donors more frequently with messages that align with their interests.
Adoption of AI. Many UK charities and PTAs now use AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude for grant-writing, event-agenda drafting, and volunteer communications. These tools are streamlining personalised interactions and helping cut down on administrative tasks that make school fundraisers time-consuming.
4 steps to choose the best school fundraising idea
If you are looking for more guidance before jumping into our list of ideas, check out these steps to choose the best school fundraiser.
1. Create and define your goals
When you think about the specific purpose for your school fundraiser, what are you raising money for? What would it look like to be successful? Who would show up, and how many people would give?
These are all questions you can ask yourself to ensure the fundraising idea you choose fulfils your vision. More importantly, you want to set financial goals to determine how much you can spend to make the profit you are hoping for.
A few things to consider include:
Whether you will pay staff to support your fundraiser or rely on volunteers
Your budget for supplies and logistics
Your budget for marketing and promotional materials
Your budget for technology, from supporter management to online fundraising pages
2. Understand your school community
Another important step in choosing the best school fundraising idea is to know what your community members (parents, neighbours, students, staff) will respond well to. You want to consider demographics like age and income levels and what has excited people in the past.
You could even send out a poll with your top five ideas and have your community choose their favourite.
3. Evaluate resources
A fundraising idea might require a lot of supplies, space, and time, but it does not always mean you have to start from scratch. Consider where you may already have these resources or where they are available through the school's network.
It is helpful to take inventory of:
A volunteer network the school already assembles, or a class that is looking for volunteer hours and can help you out
A school-owned space you can use to save money on a venue, such as a sports hall, auditorium, or even a high-traffic corridor for things like bake sales
Technology the school already uses for fundraising or other event-management tasks, such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Excel, and Canva
4. Plan and organise
Understanding the roles and responsibilities within your fundraising team and the timeline you want to adhere to will help you narrow down ideas for your fundraiser. If you want to turn things around quickly, you might need to stick to easier ideas.
Similarly, you may know you have plenty of time and can look at something more creative and elaborate to make the biggest impact possible.
Explore our best fundraising ideas based on your school phase
Browse our fundraising ideas based on your school phase:
Primary school (ages 4 to 11)
Secondary school (ages 11 to 16)
Sixth form and college (ages 16 to 18)
University (higher education)
In Scotland, primary is P1 to P7 and secondary is S1 to S6.
Or explore more fundraising campaign ideas:
Most profitable school fundraising ideas
Easy fundraising ideas for schools
Unique fundraising ideas for schools
Fundraising ideas to raise funds fast
Primary school fundraising ideas
Recycling drives are surprisingly profitable school fundraisers
A recycling drive is an environmentally friendly way to raise money for your school community. There are two types of recycling drives you can organise during the school year:
Invite students to take part in a bottle and can collection drive. It is a simple and profitable school fundraising idea, can be run by students of any age, and teaches them about the environment and littering.
Encourage students to take part in an electronics recycling drive to collect computers and electronics from the local community. This option will require a partnership with your local eco-centre to recycle the collected electronics responsibly, but it can be a very profitable school fundraiser.
Book fairs are an educational way for primary schools to raise money
There are two kinds of book fairs schools can encourage students to participate in:
A book fair or used book fair where books are sold or auctioned to raise money for your school community.
Whichever approach you choose for your school fundraiser, there are a few tips to keep in mind
Put together a planning committee made up of local community members. Organising a book fair is probably going to be more work than you anticipated.
If necessary, research and contact a book vendor or publisher. Scholastic Book Fairs UK and Travelling Books are both well-established UK primary-school book-fair operators. Confirm the vendor's ability to provide a variety of books suitable for your primary-school students.
Remember to promote your event. Invite students to make some posters and put them up around town. Get everyone (including family members) to share the school fundraiser info on their social media. Make announcements over the PA.
Set up a table per genre (fantasy, fiction, non-fiction, young adult, etc.).
Set up a few reading nooks for donors to try before they buy.
Sell homemade bookmarks, school tote bags, snacks, and drinks to raise even more money.
Get creative with mini-events at your book fair: a snack table, live readings by teachers of their favourite books, or a bookmark-making table.
A sponsored read is a great primary school fundraising idea
When it comes to raising money for schools, there are not many educational fundraising efforts that appeal to a wide range of students, ages, and interests. A sponsored read is one of them.
A sponsored read is a great fundraising idea. Here are a few tips to help you get started
Begin planning your sponsored read by deciding what you want it to accomplish.
Set your sponsored read's date and timeline.
Lay out what readers should achieve during the event. You can define various levels with appropriate awards, fun activities, and group goals.
Create a reading list to get students engaged.
Create a registration process so readers can sign up. Use social media, posters, your email newsletter, and other promotional materials to generate interest, spread the word, and ensure a successful fundraiser.
Offer prizes and incentives to get students excited.
Provide readers with reading logs so students and their families can track their reading time. This could be a physical reading log or an online platform. (We like Zeffy's free peer-to-peer fundraising platform, which allows you to create your own fundraising pages.)
Start fundraising. Readers can request sponsorship from donors, parents, friends, and neighbours based on the number of books read, pages turned, or time spent reading.
If you have the time and energy, hosting events during your sponsored read is a good idea.
Regularly update students, parents, and donors on your fundraiser's progress.
This one is simple and super important: say thank you.
Ask for feedback to make your next sponsored read an even bigger success.
A petting zoo is a unique fundraiser for primary schools
We all know how excited young students and, if we are honest, most parents and teachers get when there is a petting zoo! That excitement makes it profitable and one of the top school fundraising ideas.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your petting zoo school fundraiser
Your school gym might not be the best place to host a petting zoo. Consider local parks, community centres, and similar venues. They may have more green space and facilities to accommodate your school fundraiser.
Contact wildlife sanctuaries and farms before choosing the date, time, and location of your petting zoo fundraiser.
If you can, contact local food trucks or plan a BBQ to raise even more money during your event.
Consider including other mini-events throughout the day: carriage rides, craft tables, and more.
Charge an admission fee. You can come up with various price tiers.
Leave time for clean-up. A petting zoo will leave behind quite a mess.
A themed bake sale is a classic school fundraising idea
A bake sale might not be the most ground-breaking school fundraising idea on this list, but it is still a great one because bake sales are very popular with everyone. Check out this article if you are looking for things to sell for a school fundraiser.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Work with your school to choose a date and location.
Make sure you follow any health and safety regulations. (You can check with your school's cafeteria.)
Recruit more student volunteers than you think you are going to need.
Coordinate your bakers! (You do not want everyone bringing Rice Krispie Squares.)
Get some students or volunteers to make posters advertising your bake sale and share the news on their socials.
Set up a good-looking table with a few deals to encourage people to buy more. (For example, buy two, get one free; buy a brownie and get a hot drink at a reduced price.)
A lunch box auction is a fun event for primary schools
This is a fun twist on classic fundraising campaigns. Most students will want a new lunch box every year.
So, instead of parents throwing away used lunch boxes, ask them to donate them for a lunch box auction to raise funds for your school and help meet your fundraising goals.
Try hosting an early bird auction online.
It is always fun to have an auctioneer host a portion of your auction. They add entertainment and a sense of urgency.
Host a series of lunch-making tutorials to give parents and students some fresh new lunch ideas.
Consider selling lunch-themed snacks and refreshments to raise some extra money.
Run a Christmas Jumper Day or Red Nose Day
These national campaign days are tailor-made for schools and come with free fundraising packs, trusted brand recognition, and minimal planning overhead.
Christmas Jumper Day (Save the Children) takes place every December. Students and staff wear their most festive (or most ridiculous) jumpers and make a donation. Visit savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day to register and download free resources.
Red Nose Day (Comic Relief) brings schools together every other year in March. Themed challenges, fancy dress, and sponsored activities are all part of the tradition. Find resources at comicrelief.com/rednoseday.
BBC Children in Need (November each year) is a third national hook. Pudsey-themed bakes, sponsored silences, and classroom challenges all work brilliantly. Visit bbcchildreninneed.co.uk for the official school fundraising pack.
These three national campaigns are the fastest way to mobilise an entire school community around a fundraiser with almost no lead time.
Secondary school fundraising ideas
Photography contests make great secondary school fundraisers
Students, teachers, and parents love taking pictures. Why not put those pictures to work by hosting a photography contest during the school year? Participants can submit their best pictures (for a small entry fee) and win a week without homework, a new camera, or whatever your school community would find most exciting!
Offer various entry packages: one image, two images, and so on. You can also get a photo framed and have stickers made from the pictures.
Get your school community to make posters advertising your contest and share the news on their socials.
A school merchandise sale is a great way to raise money for your secondary school
Partnering with local artists or community figures to create limited-edition merchandise is an excellent way to promote your school and boost school spirit while raising money.
You can offer the merchandise online for a limited time or produce a limited number of each piece.
Keep things interesting with a few tips to get you thinking outside the box
Reach out to parents, teachers, community members, and students to ask for help with fun designs.
Host a fashion show where students, teachers, and parents can model and buy your merchandise.
Have drinks and snacks available for a small donation at your event.
Set up a photo booth where students, teachers, and parents can take photos with your merchandise and creative props.
Candy grams and message deliveries make for entertaining school fundraisers
Candy grams, that is personalised shout-outs, are messages sent via notes, carollers, code, or whatever theme fits your school.
Each message is sent for the cost of a donation and can be related to a theme or holiday such as Christmas candy, Easter chocolate eggs, or end-of-term carollers.
Come up with a theme that is related to your school or the time of year.
Reach out to students, teachers, and parents. You could even devise a headteacher challenge and ask them to deliver messages.
Get some students to make posters advertising your event and share the school fundraising event on their socials.
Consider offering various packages: a handwritten note, a note with a sweet treat, or having your note sung by a small group of singers.
A non-uniform day (own-clothes day) raises money with almost no effort
Non-uniform days are one of the most beloved UK school fundraising staples. Students pay a small voluntary contribution, typically £1 to £2, to come in wearing their own clothes for the day.
Choose a theme to make it more memorable: Christmas jumper day, pyjama day, decades day, or your school's colours.
Set a suggested donation amount and a straightforward way to collect it, such as an online donation form to avoid handling cash and cheques.
Announce the day via the school's communication channels with enough notice for students and parents to plan.
Get creative and increase fundraising potential by linking the theme to a local cause or school project so donors know exactly what their contribution will fund.
Movie nights can be a fun way to raise money for your secondary school
There is nothing quite like being in school at night. Take advantage of that novelty by hosting a movie night at your school.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Work with your school to choose a date, location, and film.
Get some students or volunteers to make posters advertising your school fundraising idea and share the news on their socials.
Consider hosting it in the school sports hall and, if you can find enough willing parents, turn it into a school sleepover.
Putting on a school play or talent show is a great fundraising idea for secondary school students
Putting on a school play or talent show can be an entertaining way to boost school spirit and it makes a great annual fundraiser. It is a bit more work than your average school fundraising idea, but it is a great way to build awareness and do something nice for your community.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Work with your school to choose a date, location, and play or theme.
Scout out your performers. You can even hold auditions. Encourage talented students, community members, and family members to participate.
Get some students or volunteers to make posters advertising your great school fundraising idea and share the news on their socials.
Sell tickets online and at the door.
Sell custom merchandise, snacks, and drinks for a small donation.
Host a raffle or a 50/50 draw. See the UK raffle rules section below for what you need to know before selling tickets.
Sixth-form and college fundraising ideas
Photo booths are easy sixth-form fundraising ideas
Photo booths are nostalgic and fun fundraising ideas. They can work as a stand-alone fundraiser or as an added activity at almost any event, such as a talent show or school merchandise sale.
Reach out to local event-rental businesses to find a photo booth. Make sure to let them know it is for a good cause.
Include a props table so students and teachers can get as creative as possible with their photos.
For help raising money, offer to print select pictures in larger formats.
Host a benefit concert to raise money for your sixth form or college
A benefit concert might sound like an organisational nightmare, but it does not have to be. The potential profitability can make the effort worthwhile.
You can reach out to sixth-form students or local musicians and host an entirely local benefit concert. Think Britpop nights, indie sessions, folk performances, brass band evenings, choral showcases, or a Now-That's-What-I-Call-Music decade night themed around a particular era.
A note on music licensing: if you are playing recorded music or hosting live performances at a ticketed event, PRS for Music licensing may apply. Check prsformusic.com for schools and charities licence guidance before your event.
Set up a snacks and drinks table to raise even more money for your fundraising efforts.
Get custom merchandise made for the concert to boost school spirit.
Offer to sell the band's merchandise for a share of the profits.
A community night is a fun way to introduce students and their families to your sixth form or college
A community night is a fair that takes place at your school or college. It is a fun evening that everyone is invited to, making raising funds easy.
Games, food, crafts, walking tours of the building, a photo booth, an eating contest, a community car-boot sale. The list of possibilities is as long as your creativity and volunteer numbers.
Reach out to local restaurants and businesses to ask for help. Maybe the sports shop will want to bring a climbing wall or host a table-tennis tournament. A local restaurant might agree to host a BBQ or a pie-eating contest.
Choose a date. We recommend the beginning or end of the school year.
Make sure to reach out to volunteers early. You are going to need more than a few, and you never know what secret skill set they have up their sleeves.
Recruit students to make posters and share the community night on social media.
Consider hosting a raffle or a 50/50 draw (see the UK raffle rules section).
Hosting a car wash to raise money for your sixth form or college is a classic fundraiser
There is nothing wrong with the line-up of classic fundraising events. No one will complain about making a donation to drive away with a sparkling clean car.
But that does not mean you should not explore a few other money-making possibilities to make it more memorable.
You can make your fundraising campaign memorable by
Offering to wash their dog while you wash their car.
Offering a dog-washing photoshoot for a small additional donation.
Getting the photography class involved by asking them to take pictures of people with their cars.
Setting up a refreshments stand with treats available.
Recruiting students and family members to make posters and share the car wash info on social media.
Asking local businesses to donate the cleaning products.
Contacting local restaurants to ask them to host a BBQ or concession stand.
University fundraising ideas
Penny wars (coin wars) brings competition and fun to university campuses
Penny wars (or coin wars) invites anyone to get involved cheaply and with minimal supplies. They are easy to set up, foster community, and raise funds quickly.
Here is a look at the steps involved in organising your penny wars
Choose teams to play against one another (clubs, halls, courses, societies, and so on).
Gather a large, clear container for each team and place them in a designated spot such as a student union, cafeteria, or another area with high foot traffic.
Establish rules that help people play the game. Different coin values score differently:
1p and 2p coins: +1 point each
5p coins: -5 points each
10p coins: -10 points each
20p coins: -20 points each
50p coins: -50 points each
£1 and £2 coins, and notes: -100 points each
Choose a period to host the event, keeping it shorter to encourage participation and create a sense of urgency.
Promote the event widely across the university's social media channels, online groups, and physical flyers.
Choose a day to end the competition. A non-biased judge can collect the containers per team, count the points, and announce the winner.
Share the total amount raised from all containers to unite participants in the good you were all able to create together.
RAG (Raise and Give) week or campaign
RAG societies are a cornerstone of UK university fundraising. Most UK universities have an active RAG society running week-long or year-long peer-to-peer fundraising for chosen charities, including jailbreaks, hitchhikes, sponsored head-shaves, colour runs, and Three-Peaks challenges. RAG typically distributes proceeds to a portfolio of national and local charities each year.
If your university does not have an active RAG society, consider setting one up. The National Student Fundraising Association is the umbrella body supporting university RAG groups across the UK.
Define a clear fundraising goal and the charities that will benefit.
Recruit a committed committee to coordinate events, social media, and donation pages across the week.
Use peer-to-peer fundraising pages to allow individual students to raise money from their own networks.
Promote widely across halls, societies, and the student union.
Talent shows help bring in funds and create an opportunity for university students to get together
Talent shows attract a large group of participants and even bigger audiences. The large venues on university campuses allow for an impressive turnout that maximises fundraising potential through ticket sales.
A few ways to make your talent show a success include
Assemble a committee of students, faculty, and staff who can help lead the management of your talent show and split tasks up so it is more efficient.
Create a clear fundraising goal and purpose so that you can rally participants to come and support you.
Choose your date, time, and venue so that it does not coincide with other campus events. It may be best to choose a weekday so students do not have to sacrifice their weekend plans.
Recruit performers by encouraging anyone to contribute their talent. It is a good idea to vet the acts beforehand to create an ideal line-up that keeps the audience engaged and includes various types of talent.
Choose a host who will excite students and who can keep the crowd going through the night. Bring someone in from outside or find an enthusiastic committee member.
Sell tickets at varying prices to raise more and boost participation.
Pre-sale tickets at a discount when purchased in the first week
Standard ticket sales that kick in at the regular price after that week
On-site ticket sales can be discounted once again to encourage last-minute attendance
Offer attendees the option to donate in addition to their ticket purchase to hit your goals. An online donation form that can be accessed with a QR code scan is a great way to secure more giving.
Human libraries are a creative and unique university fundraising idea that fosters understanding of others while raising money
A human library invites participants to come and explore people and their unique stories, knowledge, and backgrounds, just like a book. Participants can browse the human library and find a "book" (an interesting person) with whom to have a one-to-one conversation.
How to set up a human library
Recruit volunteers amongst students and staff to be your "books." This may ask them to share their stories, interesting life experiences, skills, or fun facts.
Choose a venue, date, and time to host your human library event that offers privacy for multiple conversations.
Create a registration system where participants can sign up to speak with your "books" and have conversations lined up before the event begins. You might ask them to donate to the stories they are most curious to learn more about.
Promote the event with video content on social media or with a few on-campus student influencers to build moments of education and buy-in for this unique fundraising concept.
Prepare your "books" with key thought questions and advice on sharing their stories as they embark on new conversations.
If you are wondering what a "book" might look like, here are a few examples:
A student who has overcome significant challenges
An international student sharing about the culture of their home country
A professor with unique travel experiences
Alumni with unconventional career paths
Staff with inspirational life stories
Peer-to-peer fundraising challenges are engaging and unlock a sense of competition to raise more, even outside of the campus walls
Peer-to-peer fundraising challenges invite individual participants or teams to create their own fundraising pages, set a goal, and recruit support from their networks on and off campus.
How to create a peer-to-peer fundraising challenge at your university
Define your overall fundraising goal, and map out how many individual fundraising pages would be needed to achieve it. You can suggest a minimum fundraising amount to enter the competition.
Offer a strong story to tell with your challenge, relating donations to impact. For example, every donation goes towards a new student study space or a bursary fund.
Recruit individuals or teams such as course groups, sports teams, clubs, or societies to compete against one another and see who can raise the most.
Define a timeframe for fundraising to encourage participants to network and share their fundraising pages with as many people as possible.
Choose a prize that excites people to participate and encourages donors to contribute to their team's success.
How to leverage technology to make it easy
Free fundraising software like Zeffy can offer you everything you need to get your peer-to-peer fundraiser up and running. Technology supports fundraiser management and communication throughout the challenge.
Peer-to-peer technology can help you:
Create campaigns that invite people to fundraise or donate
Invite teams to form and use a single fundraising link to collect donations
Accept all major credit cards and payment apps with no transaction fees
Share your fundraiser through a QR code on a physical flyer around campus
Offer teams a way to add photos and their personal story to entice more donations
Capture Gift Aid declarations at the point of donation so your university charity or linked registered charity can reclaim 25p for every £1 given by a UK taxpayer
Automatically share communications of appreciation or a final push to give throughout the challenge
A halls-of-residence escape room challenge will leave people talking about how good your university fundraiser was
Imagine transforming halls-of-residence rooms into themed escape rooms full of puzzles that students need to solve in teams to "escape" within a certain time period. The popular escape room concept pairs entertainment with testing your knowledge, making it an amazing and creative idea for your university.
How to bring your halls-of-residence escape room challenge to life
Choose the rooms you have available and map out how many participants you can have at once.
Select a theme that is either timely, like a holiday wonderland with tradition-filled trivia, or another topic that will get people queuing to get in.
Design your puzzles, a series of challenges, and questions that unlock various aspects of the escape room concept. Think about leaving envelopes around labelled in order of how you want people to proceed, and helping them indicate when they have officially escaped.
Gather decorations and materials to fully express your theme and help people feel immersed in the experience. You can use existing decorations or ask for donations to keep costs low.
Determine an entry ticket price to help you reach your fundraising goal. Give people time to form teams and save the date.
Have volunteers on hand to guide teams to a waiting area, get them in the room at the right times, and time their escape.
The most profitable school fundraising ideas
A Dance-A-Thon is an active and fun way to get students and teachers involved in your school fundraising
Sponsored events (sponsored reads, sponsored walks, sponsored dances, and more) are profitable, fun, inclusive, and educational, and a Dance-A-Thon is among the best of them.
Here is a look at the steps involved in organising your Dance-A-Thon
Decide what dancers should achieve during the Dance-A-Thon. You can define various levels with appropriate awards, fun activities, and group goals.
Create playlists to get dancers moving.
Create a registration process so participants can sign up. Use social media, posters, email newsletters, and other promotional materials to generate interest and spread the word.
Reward dancers with prizes and incentives.
Provide dancers with dance logs so students and parents can track their dancing time. This could be a physical dancing log or an online platform.
Start raising money. Dancers can ask for donations from donors, parents, friends, neighbours, and local businesses based on the number of dances, hours danced, or dance classes participated in.
If you have the time and energy, hosting mini-events during your Dance-A-Thon is a good idea.
Regularly update students, parents, and donors on your fundraiser's progress.
This one is simple and super important: say thank you.
A pancake breakfast is a delicious and profitable school fundraising idea
A delicious pancake breakfast always attracts a crowd. You can host one almost any time, for any reason, but the perfect UK peg is Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), which falls in February or March each year. It is the ideal opportunity to host a pancake-race challenge alongside your breakfast, a beloved village-fete and school staple that students, parents, and staff will love.
Here are a few tips to help you collect donations
If your school has a cafeteria, make sure to check with them. They might be able to help out, donate the ingredients, or volunteer their time.
Consider turning your pancake breakfast into a school picnic.
Set up a few board games to keep students and their families entertained.
Recruit students to make posters, share the breakfast info on social media, and volunteer.
Host a pancake-flipping competition or a pancake-making competition where participants are challenged to make pancakes in various shapes.
Accept multiple payment types.
A Christmas gift-wrapping service is a great school fundraising idea
Every year, we all go through the stressful present-buying and wrapping season. Why not transform some of that stress into a school fundraising idea by offering to wrap everyone's gifts for a small donation? You can even get custom wrapping paper or gift tags made.
Get started with these fundraising campaign ideas
Set up tables in local shopping centres and supermarkets so people can drop off their gifts to be wrapped while they shop.
Get students and their families to collect gifts during the morning drop-off and hand them back during pick-up.
Ask local businesses to donate tape and wrapping paper. You can also get classes to make their own wrapping paper or order custom wrapping paper in your school's colours.
Accept multiple payment types.
Raffles and 50/50 draws are quick fundraising campaigns that can raise a lot of money for your school
A raffle where tickets are sold in advance is legally a small society lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. To run one, you must register with your local council (Gambling Commission guidance):
Registration fee: £40 initial, £20 annual renewal
Single-lottery ticket-sales cap: £20,000
Annual aggregate cap: £250,000 across all lotteries run by your society
At least 20% of proceeds must go to the good cause
Maximum single prize: £25,000
Submit a return to the local authority within three months of the draw
A raffle drawn entirely at the event, where tickets are sold and the prize is awarded on the same evening, is an incidental non-commercial lottery and needs no registration at all. This is the format most school fetes use.
Important: Gift Aid never applies to raffle ticket purchases, because the buyer receives something of value (a chance to win) in exchange.
A quick-fire raffle is a raffle where the tickets are sold and the winning number is drawn in a short period, for example within 10 minutes to half an hour. This is a great way to create a sense of urgency and add a twist to your next raffle. You can learn more about running a raffle here.
A 50/50 draw is a simple fundraising tool to add to any event. All you need is an enthusiastic crowd, a group of volunteers, and raffle tickets. The prize is half of the money collected, so everyone should be interested in purchasing a ticket. The more tickets you sell, the higher the pot!
Partnering with students and local artists to create custom school merchandise is a great fundraising idea
Partnering with students, teachers, local artists, or community figures to create limited-edition merchandise is an excellent way to promote your school and raise money. You can offer the merchandise online for a limited time or produce a limited number of each piece.
Keep things interesting with a few tips to get you thinking outside the box
Reach out to students and teachers to ask for help with fun designs.
Make merchandise design a class project, with the best designs being produced and sold.
Host a fashion show where students, teachers, and parents can model and buy your merchandise.
Sell tickets to your event, and have drinks and snacks available for sale at the event as well.
Set up a photo booth where students, teachers, and parents can take photos with your merchandise and some creative props.
Host a benefit concert to raise money for your school
A benefit concert might sound like an organisational nightmare, but it does not have to be. The potential profitability can make the effort worth it.
You can also reach out to local musicians and bands and host an entirely local benefit concert. Consider themes like a Britpop night, an indie session, a folk evening, or a Now-That's-What-I-Call-Music decade show.
Consider a theme or genre of music, especially if you are reaching out to local artists.
Set up a snacks and drinks table to raise even more money.
Transform your school fundraiser into a school picnic by hosting it outside.
Get custom merchandise made for the concert.
Offer to sell the band's merchandise for a share of the profits.
Easy school fundraising ideas
Organising a pet photography contest is an easy and great school fundraising idea
Students, teachers, parents, everyone loves taking pictures of their pets. Why not put those pictures to work by hosting a pet photography contest?
Participants can submit their best pictures (for a small entry fee) and win a day at a pet spa, a matching human and pet wardrobe, or whatever your community would love.
A few things to keep in mind
Find a free fundraising platform that can help you plan your event and sell tickets to your finalists' photography show.
Offer various entry packages: one image, two images, and so on. You can also get a photo framed or have stickers made of your pet's face.
Get some volunteers to make posters advertising your contest and share your school fundraising idea on their socials.
A photo booth is an easy school fundraising idea
A photo booth is a nostalgic and fun fundraising idea for your school. It can work as a stand-alone fundraiser or as an added activity at almost any event: a talent show, a school merchandise sale, and so on.
Reach out to local event-rental businesses to find a photo booth. Make sure to let them know it is for a good cause.
Include a props table so students and teachers can get as creative as they want with their photo shoot.
Themed bake sales are delicious and easy ways to raise money for your school
Choosing a theme for your next bake sale will add an extra layer of fun and creativity to your good old-fashioned bake sale.
We have come up with a few themes to sweeten your school fundraiser ideas
Cupcake wars
Movie magic
Superhero themed
Rainbow delights
Fairytale feasts
Under the sea
Emojis
DIY decorating station
Outer space
Garden party
Washing cars is an easy way to raise money for your school
There is nothing wrong with the line-up of classic fundraising events. No one will complain about making a donation to drive away with a sparkling clean car.
But that does not mean you should not explore a few other money-making possibilities to make it a little more memorable.
You can make your fundraising campaign memorable by
Offering to wash their dog while you wash their car.
Offering a dog-washing photoshoot for a small additional donation.
Getting the photography class involved by asking them to take pictures of people with their cars.
Setting up a refreshments stand with treats on offer.
Recruiting students and family members to make posters, share the car wash info on social media, and volunteer.
Asking local businesses to donate the cleaning products.
Hosting a BBQ or concession stand.
Hosting a friends and family photo day is an easy way to raise money
Family photo days are a memorable way to get members of your community to drop by and support your school.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning yours
First things first, choose a date and book a photographer! You can even turn it into a school project if you have an art or photography class.
Use your school's communication channels to get the word out.
Enlist some of your creative students and teachers to make posters and props for the photo shoot.
It is fun to set up multiple stations with various backdrops, props, and themes.
It is nice to set up a welcome and registration table so donors know what to do when they arrive, and to sell any additional pictures.
You can set up an online shop to sell school merchandise and encourage participants to get a photo wearing your school's colours.
Showing a film can be a fun way to easily raise money for your school
There is nothing quite like being in school at night. Take advantage of this by hosting a movie night at your school.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Work with your school to choose a date and a film or two.
Turn it into a school sleepover!
Get some students or volunteers to make posters advertising your movie night and sharing the news on their socials.
Sell tickets online and at the door.
Sell snacks and drinks to raise even more money.
A dress-down day motivates staff and faculty with the added benefit of raising money
In UK schools, non-uniform days (sometimes called own-clothes days or dress-down days) are a quick and popular way to raise money. Students pay a small voluntary contribution, typically £1 to £2, in exchange for permission to come to school in their own clothes for the day.
You can set your suggested donation amount and announce the day via a faculty email, a school board meeting, or any other communication channel. Linking the day to a recognisable national campaign such as Christmas Jumper Day or Red Nose Day makes promotion even easier.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Choose dates to occur monthly, quarterly, or on special occasions like the last day of term or the day before a school holiday. The more non-uniform days you have, the more potential you have to raise additional funding.
Offer a dress code for these days to ensure it is not a free-for-all. Maybe you list acceptable clothing (for example, jeans are allowed, tracksuit bottoms are not; all tops must have sleeves and closed-toe shoes are required).
Set a participation fee and a process to collect contributions through an easy online donation form to avoid having to track cash and cheques.
Get creative and increase fundraising potential by adding a theme and allowing students to vote on the theme with a small additional donation.
Take the effort out of your fundraiser with a "no bake" bake sale
When you do not have time to bake or manage which students and parents are contributing what to your bake sale, consider a "no bake" bake sale. Instead of selling baked goods, you can gather donations of baking supplies and cookware to sell instead.
The value of a fun project to bring home and make with families adds a unique twist. The lack of perishable items can also extend the life of the fundraising idea so that you can host it over a week or a series of days each month as donations come in.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Ask for supply donations from staff and students, ensuring that what you sell goes to your fundraising totals.
Set up your table with organised items that mimic a shopping experience (for example, all icing in one basket, all cake mix in another). You could also create themed baskets, such as "everything you need to make a classic Victoria sponge."
Have fun with decorations and themes, creating a shop people enjoy and want to return to.
Plan your timing around when baking is more prevalent, such as before Christmas, Valentine's Day, or Easter.
Unique fundraising ideas
Candy grams and message deliveries make for entertaining school fundraisers
Candy grams, that is personalised shout-outs, are messages sent via notes, carollers, code, or whatever theme fits your school and the time of year.
Each message is sent for the cost of a donation and can be related to a theme or holiday such as Christmas candy, Easter chocolate eggs, or end-of-term carollers.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Come up with a theme that is related to your school or the time of year.
Reach out to students, teachers, and parents to find volunteers to deliver messages.
Get some students to make posters advertising your event and share the news on their socials.
Consider offering various packages: a handwritten note, a note with a sweet treat, or having your note delivered by a small group of singers.
A community night is a creative way to introduce the community to your school and raise some money while you are at it
A community night is essentially a fair that takes place at your school. Think of it as a fun evening that everyone is invited to.
Games, food, crafts, walking tours of the school that tell forgotten or famous stories, a photo booth, an eating contest. The list of possibilities is as long as your creativity and volunteer numbers.
We have made a list of a few things to keep in mind
Reach out to local businesses and restaurants to ask for help. Maybe the sports shop will want to bring a climbing wall or host a table-tennis tournament. A local restaurant might agree to host a BBQ or a pie-eating contest.
Make sure to reach out to volunteers early. You are going to need more than a few, and you never know what secret skill set they have up their sleeves.
Recruit students to make posters and share the community night on social media.
Consider hosting a raffle or a 50/50 draw (see the UK raffle rules section above).
A preloved uniform and clothing sale is a brilliant UK PTA staple
A preloved uniform and clothing sale is one of the most popular UK PTA fundraisers. Parents donate outgrown school uniform, blazers, sports kit, and PE bags. The PTA resells them at £1 to £5 per item, often at the school gate during parents' evenings or transition days.
This fundraiser serves a dual purpose: it raises money for the school and provides affordable kit for families feeling the cost-of-school-uniform pressure, a real concern highlighted following the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021.
Promote the collection of donations well in advance via the school newsletter and social media channels.
Ask parents and students to wash the clothes before they bring them in.
Organise items by size and type so families can find what they need quickly.
Consider selling snacks and drinks alongside the uniform sale to raise more money.
Host the sale at a well-attended school event such as a parents' evening to maximise footfall.
Recruit students to make posters and share the sale on social media.
A podcast series is an innovative way to fundraise for your school
It may sound daunting at first, but a podcast series is a great way to share stories, spread the word, encourage multiple voices and points of view, and connect with current and new audiences. The trick is to ask for help.
A podcast can seem daunting, so we made a list to help get you started
Reach out to students and teachers to work together to write an interesting narrative and plan out your episodes. You could make it a school contest or a creative writing project.
Turn it into a class project where each group has to write and produce an episode.
Ask around if anyone has any relevant experience or wants to be a guest on your podcast.
Reach out to local studios or invest in some quality equipment.
Come up with a release schedule (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or all at once).
Contact local businesses for sponsorship.
Get some volunteers to share the podcast on their socials and reach out to local media to help spread the word.
This fundraiser idea is really good. It has everything you could ever want: adorable puppies and kittens, stress relief, and an amazingly worthy cause.
Consider hosting yours during stressful times for students, such as during exams, the first week of school, or end-of-term revision periods.
Here are a few tips to get you started
Consider making some custom merchandise for people to purchase while they wait.
Reach out to food trucks or restaurants to provide snacks and refreshments and earn a little more money for your cause.
Use your social media and the social media of the venue to spread the word.
Think up a few different packages: five minutes of cuddle time, ten minutes, cuddle time plus a cosy hoodie or blanket, and so on.
Fundraising ideas to help your school raise money fast
Raise money quickly with a penalty shootout peer-to-peer fundraiser
This fundraising event is a bit more complicated to organise, but the pay-off will be worth it.
A peer-to-peer penalty shootout is a fun way to get opposing teams together, parents and students to participate in the game, and community members to come out for a good time.
Here are a few things to keep in mind
Find a free peer-to-peer fundraising platform to help you organise it all and allow participants to set up and run their own mini-campaigns.
Plan prizes for donors and participants to encourage everyone to take part.
Get some students to make posters and share the event on their socials.
Host a BBQ or bring-and-share at the same time to raise even more money and make the event even more of an occasion.
Organise a raffle or a 50/50 draw to raise more money during the fundraising event.
Host a themed bake sale to quickly raise money for your school
A bake sale might not be the most ground-breaking idea on this list, but it is still a good fundraising idea because bake sales are great ways to raise money quickly.
Here are a few tips to help get your fundraising idea started
Work with your school to choose a date and location.
Make sure you follow any health and safety regulations. (You can check with your school's cafeteria.)
Recruit more volunteers than you think you are going to need.
Coordinate your bakers!
Get some students or volunteers to make posters advertising your bake sale and sharing the news on their socials.
Set up a good-looking table or two with a few deals to encourage people to buy more. (Buy two, get one free; buy a brownie and get a hot drink at a reduced price.)
A movie night can be a fun way to easily raise money for your school
There is nothing quite like being in school at night. Take advantage of this by hosting a movie night at your school.
And do not be afraid to get a bit creative. Turn it into a picnic or a sleepover. Host a "predict the ending" lottery that students pay to enter.
Here are a few tips to help get you started
Work with your school to choose a date and a film or two.
Get some students or volunteers to make posters advertising your movie night and sharing the news on their socials.
Sell tickets online and at the door.
Sell snacks and drinks to raise even more money.
A balloon pop can raise money fast for your school
Balloon pops are exciting and fun fundraisers for students of all ages, but particularly younger students.
All you have to do is fill balloons with small prizes or messages and sell them. Participants pop the balloons they have bought to find out what they have won!
A few things to keep in mind when you are planning your balloon pop
Choose a busy day and time in a location with higher foot traffic.
Reach out to local businesses to ask for donations and prizes.
Recruit students to make posters and share the event on social media.
Offer various balloon types. (Different colours have different prize levels; buy two, get one free, and so on.)
A summer or Christmas fete is the UK PTA fundraising staple
A school fete is the quintessential UK school fundraiser. A well-organised fete, whether at the end of the summer term or in the lead-up to Christmas, can raise £500 to £5,000 in a single afternoon depending on your school size and volunteer numbers.
Classic stalls include a tombola, hook-a-duck, coconut shy, cake stall, second-hand book stall, face painting, and a BBQ. Add a raffle (see the small society lottery rules above if tickets are sold in advance) for a significantly bigger take.
Choose a date well in advance and confirm the venue with the school.
Reach out to local businesses to donate prizes and supplies; many are happy to support local schools.
Recruit parent volunteers early and assign clear roles.
Sell entry tickets or wristbands online in advance using a free ticketing platform to gauge attendance.
Promote across the school newsletter, social media, and local noticeboards.
For more guidance, Parentkind (the umbrella body for UK PTAs) offers free resources for PTA fundraising events.
A gently used clothing sale is a creative way to fundraise for your school while doing some good for the planet
Students are always growing, and that means they outgrow their clothes in a matter of weeks or months. Why not host a preloved clothing sale? Parents, teachers, and students can donate clothes that no longer fit or that they simply do not want, and you can organise an afternoon of shopping and events. As an added bonus, you will be teaching students about the importance of reusing.
A few things to think about when planning your preloved clothing sale
Ask parents and students to wash the clothes before they bring them in.
Consider selling snacks and drinks to raise more money for your school.
Host a fashion show where students and teachers can show off their preloved finds.
Recruit students to make posters and share the sale on social media.
A community bring-and-share supper is a great way to get the community involved with your school and raise money fast
Everyone loves a delicious bring-and-share supper! It is a great way to raise money quickly and get together for a good time. Remember to check with your school's cafeteria; they might want to participate.
A few things to think about when planning your community bring-and-share supper
Book some live entertainment to keep the party going.
Host a silent auction where you auction off favourite family recipes.
Host a community car-boot sale at the same time.
Recruit students to make posters and share the event on social media.
Online tools and platforms to help you with your school's next fundraiser
When it comes to online platforms and tools to help your school plan and run its next fundraiser, there are several options that stand out for UK charities, PTAs, and school groups.
UK fundraising platforms to help your school
You are not alone in planning a school fundraiser. Technology is here to turn your ideas into modern campaigns that delight students and keep things easy for everyone.
Zeffy is the only 100% free fundraising, ticketing, and event-management platform covering everything from donation pages and raffles to peer-to-peer campaigns, memberships, and auctions, with Gift Aid handling built in. No platform fee, no transaction fee. Ever.
Automatically generate and send scannable e-tickets
Track scans at the door
Accept all payment types (credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and contactless)
Customise your ticketing forms with your logo, colours, and a custom banner
Capture Gift Aid declarations so your registered charity can reclaim 25p per £1
Create multi-date ticketing forms
Add group or individual tickets
Offer a discount code
Accept payments in person with Tap to Pay
Automate emails to communicate with participants
JustGiving is the household-name UK donation platform. Brand recognition still helps with donors who recognise the URL, though the suggested donor tip (around 17%) is a well-documented conversion drag. Strong for peer-to-peer sponsored events.
Ticket Tailor is a UK B Corp with a flat per-ticket fee, the clear winner above £10 per ticket for fetes and concerts. No percentage taken, no monthly subscription.
TryBooking UK is free for free events and popular with PTAs and community groups. Includes free Tap to Pay for door sales, which is ideal for school fetes.
Wonderful.org offers genuinely 0% fees via Open Banking. Narrower reach, but strong for straight donation pages where donors are comfortable authenticating via their banking app.
Crowdfunder UK is best for time-bound project campaigns (new playground, new library, minibus appeal) with match-funding partners from the National Lottery and local authorities.
What to look for in fundraising software for schools
Ease of use. Make sure the software is easy to navigate for students and administrators. Look for good onboarding resources and responsive customer support.
Customisation. Look for the ability to customise your fundraising campaigns around any of the ideas here or whatever you come up with in future.
Mobile optimisation. Students and parents may need to access fundraisers on their phones, so it is important to have donation forms and ticketing pages that work just as well on mobile as they do on desktop.
Multiple types of campaigns. Learn the campaign types you can host and ensure you can scale with various fundraisers that engage students. These may include peer-to-peer, crowdfunding, events, memberships, auctions, and raffles.
Gift Aid capture and reclaim support. For any PTA or school charity that is HMRC-recognised, the platform should capture Gift Aid declarations at the point of donation and produce an HMRC-ready export for your reclaim. This alone can add 25% to every eligible donation.
UK GDPR and ICO compliance. Collecting parent and donor data means your platform must comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. UK VoC confirms that "Are you GDPR compliant?" is one of the first questions charities and PTAs ask before adopting a new platform. Check your provider's data-processing agreements before signing up.
Card and Open Banking payment support. UK parents increasingly pay by card or digital wallet rather than cash or cheque. Ensure your platform accepts card payments at the school gate, including contactless Tap to Pay for fetes and events.
Tips for organising your school's next fundraising event
Maybe you are a checklist person and maybe you are a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person. If you are a checklist person, this section is for you. If not, we definitely recommend taking a look anyway.
A few additional things to keep in mind:
Check with your school's cafeteria if you are planning on offering food. They may have first dibs on any food contracts within your school.
Remember to clear everything with your school's PTA board and headteacher.
Our checklist is not meant to be set in stone. Use it as a guideline to get started:
(Oh, and it is a good idea to check any local rules and regulations. Especially when it comes to raffles, alcohol, and food!)
Leverage local businesses for sponsorships and in-kind donations
Approach local businesses to sponsor the event or donate goods and services, depending on your needs. Offer your sponsors promotional opportunities, such as featuring their logos on school fundraising event materials or acknowledging them during the event.
This reduces costs and builds a sense of community support and partnership.
Utilise student-generated content for promotion
Encourage students to create promotional materials such as posters, social media posts, or videos to increase engagement. Student-generated content provides authentic and relatable content that resonates with parents and the school community.
You can also highlight student involvement in your promotions to showcase school spirit and creativity.
Include educational and interactive elements
Incorporate activities that align with your school's mission, such as science experiments, art projects, or reading. Interactive elements, like DIY craft stations or student-led workshops, can enhance the experience and provide even more value, making the event even more appealing to attendees.
Add in a visual fundraising thermometer
Display a physical fundraising thermometer in a prominent location within the school and update it regularly to show progress towards the goal. You can also create a free fundraising thermometer to feature on your online donation page or campaigns.
A visual representation can motivate students, staff, and parents to contribute and provide a tangible reminder of the collective effort and progress.
Appeal to different age groups
Remember that students and their families at all school phases can benefit from fundraising participation across a wide range of age groups. Plan a range of activities that cater to more age groups and interests so everyone can feel included.
For example, you can create separate zones or times with age-appropriate games, challenges, and entertainment for young children, secondary students, sixth formers, and parents.
Host an appreciation event
Saying thank you to donors is hugely important for relationship building. Organise a small appreciation event or assembly after the fundraiser to publicly recognise and thank participants, volunteers, and donors.
Present certificates or small tokens of appreciation and share the results of the fundraising efforts. This fosters a sense of accomplishment and encourages future participation.
Ready to host your next school fundraiser?
You may feel excited to try out a specific fundraising idea for your school, or perhaps this list sparked a new idea you would not have thought of otherwise. This is the creative process we love and what keeps the work of fundraising for good causes enjoyable, fresh, and new.
Remember, hosting your first or next fundraising event does not have to be a daunting task. With a little creativity, a lot of help (just ask!), and a fundraising platform for your school like Zeffy, you can make your next fundraising event a success.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.