School fundraising ideas – How to secure the money you need
What fundraising avenues are available to schools and what does it take to generate revenue in an effective, sustainable way? Join us as we find out…
- by Teachwire
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Whilst we can’t do much individually to raise our per-pupil funding, the following ideas are things you can do to equip yourself with the school fundraising know-how needed to secure the resources your school truly needs…
Maximise your entitlements
There are two parts to this process. The first is to make sure that your school is getting all the funding to which it is entitled.
That means checking eligibility, understanding the rules around who gets what and making sure you get it.
The second part involves school fundraising – but first things first. Before embarking on any ambitious school fundraising ideas, ensure that your school is already receiving all the funding it could be. This might include, but not be limited to…
Free school meals
Your school’s eligibility for the Free School Meals (FSM) entitlement should be regularly reviewed as a matter of course.
Ensure that all eligible families are fully aware of the funds that are available, and are accessing this vital support accordingly.
Actively encourage families to apply by signposting them to the application process. Also, ensure your families are aware of the positive impact that just their applications will have on the school’s resources.
Simply by applying, their FSM entitlement may yet unlock additional funding streams for the school, such as the Pupil Premium.
SEND funding
Carefully review the needs of your students with SEND, and ensure that your Local Authority’s information is complete and accurate.
Also check that any funding you’re currently in receipt of is what you are owed. It can be difficult, but try to take time to understand the complexities of SEND funding across your LA.
Work closely with your SENCo, and make sure they’re fully up-to-date with any new Education, Health and Care Plans (as well any changes needed to other EHCPs already in place). This is so that you can plan your budgeting and staffing needs accordingly.
By diligently reviewing these two areas, you’ll be that much closer to maximising your school’s income, and ensuring that every pound is used to best support your students’ learning and wellbeing.
Raising those funds
Before embarking on any school fundraising ideas, it’s crucial to first identify your school’s most pressing needs. What are the biggest obstacles getting in the way of you providing an excellent education for your students?
Outdated playground equipment, perhaps? Limited access to technology? Insufficient resources for extracurricular trips, clubs or activities?
Remember that any needs you identify at this stage should be linked closely to your school’s development priorities and broader educational ambitions.
This is your cue to open up a dialogue with staff, parents and, most importantly, your students. What are their priorities? What new additions or revised offerings would genuinely enhance their school experience?
Sure, a brand new swimming pool might seem like an admirable, if lofty aspiration, but you may be better off considering a set of more achievable goals. This might include securing regular access to a visiting mobile swimming pool, for example.
Harness that energy
Let’s face it, your schedule is packed – which is why low-effort, high-impact school fundraising ideas tend be treated as easy wins.
These can, however, set the tone for a culture of regular giving that risks making some parents feel bad or inadequate for not being able to donate as often as they might like to.
For short, sharp cash injections, cake and jumble sales are typically easy to organise, universally enjoyed – and sometimes, surprisingly lucrative.
I’ve previously worked at a school that held an annual ‘Wear it Weird’ day, where students were encouraged to arrive at school wearing the most outrageous and unusual outfits they could come up with, in return for a small fee.
You should know the kind of thing that engages your school community, so harness some of that energy.
Try running a school-wide raffle, with prizes generously donated by local businesses – a simple, yet consistently engaging activity.
You could also try seeing if ‘Name the teddy’ competitions or similar can generate unexpected funds, whilst getting your community onto the school site and making emotional connections with your cause.
Non-uniform days remain an evergreen favourite, but maybe consider organising a few themed days – like ‘Superhero Day’ or ‘Animal Day’ to add an extra layer of excitement.
Apply for grants
Grant funding can be a genuine game-changer for schools. Begin by identifying potential funders. Explore any charities and foundations in your local area that support education initiatives. Remember that local knowledge is key.
After this, you can then try researching any national charities that are aligned with your school’s priorities. This might include those focusing on educational support or specific student needs.
Don’t forget to also investigate any government funding programs available for schools. Above all, don’t wait for grants to drop into your inbox. Because they won’t.
Instead, make use of online grant databases to search for any funding opportunities that match your school’s needs and location.
Attending grant writing workshops can further provide invaluable tips and insights from experienced professionals.
When crafting grant applications, be sure to emphasise those details that make your school and specific project truly unique. Articulate how the funding will be used as clearly as you can, while emphasising the positive outcomes it will achieve for your students.
Tell your story, and make sure it comes from the heart. Keep in mind the kind of people who will be reading your bid. What motivates them?
Meticulous proofreading and writing to the bid criteria will also be essential for maintaining your bid’s credibility and ensuring that it doesn’t end up getting rejected on a technicality.
Remember that grant applications often have tight deadlines, so early starts are crucial. Building up your relationships with potential funders – by attending events they’ve organised, for instance – can significantly increase your chances of success.
That said, it’s also important to remember that rejections are an inevitable part of the process. Learn from each setback, ask for feedback and be sure to refine your subsequent applications accordingly.
Get everyone involved
Fundraising isn’t solely about acquiring funds; it’s also about fostering a sense of community within your school. Encourage active participation from all members of the school community, from students, to parents and school staff.
If you eventually have cause to celebrate your school’s fundraising successes, see to it that you acknowledge and appreciate everyone’s contributions.
Maintain transparency with your school community by keeping them informed of any ongoing and upcoming fundraising activities, and by making them aware of how previously raised funds are being utilised.
Remember – school fundraising ideas should be enjoyable and rewarding. Embrace your school community’s creativity. Try out new approaches. Foster a spirit of collaboration wherever you can.
With enough dedication, and perhaps a touch of ingenuity, you too could unlock the funding your school truly deserves. Now, go forth and fundraise!
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Hilary Goldsmith is a school business leader, consultant and NAHT mentor.
How to run a successful school fundraiser
Ten tips from Lindsey Marsh, author of The School Fundraising Handbook, to help you dream up fruitful school fundraising ideas…
1 | Start at the end
When you’re thinking of school fundraising ideas, a good place to start is by working out your outcomes. What do you need to raise money for? How much do you need to raise? What are the end goals?
Think of fundraisers that would be a good match for your cause. If, for example, you would like to raise funds (and awareness) for your sports hall refurb, then get the ball rolling with a football fundraiser.
How much time do you have and when do you need to raise money by? Questions, questions! Factor in your schedule and any deadlines you need to work to. If time is short, cross big fundraisers off your list and focus on quick wins like bake sales and opportunities to fundraise at school events.
For example, you could invite parents along to breakfast club for a ‘family breakfast’ fundraiser, organise a raffle or tombola at a school performance, or even invite students to sing at community events (like Christmas light switch-ons and community fun days).
2 | Make the budget work
Work out your budget and generate school fundraising ideas that will work with it. If you are on a shoestring budget, then low- or zero-cost fundraisers like sponsored walks could be a step in the right direction.
Another alternative is to work with external partners; sports providers like Sports for Schools, for example, can organise free fundraisers in school (so far, they have worked with over 6,000 schools and raised over £4.2m).
You could also lean on local businesses for support; if you don’t have a big budget to organise a summer fair, then rather than running stalls in-house, why not invite local businesses to run these stalls instead?
Local face-painters and ice cream vans could bring their own resources and manage their own sales, and you could fundraise through stallholder fees and donations received based on a percentage of their profits.
3 | Get people onboard early
Once you have decided on a target audience, try to find out what type of events people would like. Organise polls or surveys and meet with potential supporters to ask key questions, get an idea of numbers and establish any special requirements they may have. The best school fundraising ideas are not only appealing but inclusive too.
Find out what ideas senior leaders and school governors may have for events and factor these into your plans. Engage other key staff too – for example, if you are planning a fitness fundraiser then invite sports teachers to support your project.
Go over ideas with the school administrator and site manager and get them on board too (especially if you need them to stay over late).
And don’t forget about you! What are your interests and what skills do you have? If you love music and can play the guitar, why not organise a evening meal and entertain guests with music you play?
Think about what help you have. If you are short of helping hands, then plan events where parents supervise their own children and explore low-key fundraisers like yard sales (which are outdoors and easy to manage if you don’t have too much going on).
Organise fundraisers that give students the opportunity to take on key roles too (for example, they could run their own stall at a fete or fair, or host a quiz or show). If you have time for DBS checks then you could invite parents, businesses, charity workers and other volunteers along to help too.
4 | Be resourceful
What resources do you have access to? Pull out those inventories and consider any resources you can use to generate income.
If, for example, you have old books hiding away in store cupboards then a story evening or book-turned-movie night could make great sense for your school.
Does your school have an orchard? If so, why not harvest those apples and make jam and chutneys to sell? Are there any other resources you can access?
If you can borrow bikes from your local council, or another school, why not get the wheels in motion with a bike relay or bike-a-thon?!
5 | Add extra value
Can you raise attainment as well as raise money? If you can add educational value to your fundraiser then you really are on to a winner! If for example, your school needs to boost literacy levels then a scrabble tournament or story evening could be just what you need.
Remember to involve students in organising the event too – they can gain all sorts of skills (leadership, money, teamwork, communications).
How fun is your idea? No one wants to attend an event that is boring and if you can make the idea unusual and different, it is more likely to gain attention too. So, rather than always organising traditional school discos, why not organise a glow party or rollerskating disco instead?
6 | Think wider
Think about what events would work great in view of your school calendar, the seasonal calendar and any wider fundraising plans you may have. Think back to past events your school has had too – is it time to repeat events that have proven successful in the past?
Or do you need to space things out a bit, to keep things varied and interesting? Look at any event evaluations too (to remind yourself of what worked and what could have been improved) and use this information to help you win!
What things are trending? Check what national awareness events are forthcoming and consider involving them in your fundraiser (by participating in them, you can often access free resources too).
What else is trending right now? Has a new well-known film or book just been released that everyone loves? If so, take the initiative to link your fundraiser to it.
7 | Think things through
Think about your school values and policies, and any messages ideas will send out. For example, is your school happy to organise a bingo night, or is there a concern it promotes gambling?
Think about safety too – what level of risks is your school willing to take? If your school is not risk-accepting then throw high-risk ideas like bungee jumps and abseils out!
8 | Generate ideas
Once you have considered these factors, you will have hopefully then identified suitable fundraisers. You could come up with your own fundraising ideas, but there are also A-Zs and lists of ideas online too.
9 | Think strategically
When you have an idea you like, work out what the return on investment is. Calculate the number of attendees you aim to attract and multiply this against the amount you hope to raise per person, then deduct any estimated costs.
Is the fundraiser likely to achieve your targets? If not, you may need to revise the idea or explore other fundraising channels instead. As well as generating income through entry fees, stallholder fees, raffles, tombolas and through any products or services you sell, you could also appeal for donations.
Millions of pounds have already been raised through fundraising sites like JustGiving and Crowdfunder – is your school one the many already signed up?
10 | Get a head start
Once you have settled on an idea that can work, get feedback on it and approval for it to go ahead. Give it a fun name and depending on your event, you may need to think about food, entertainment, dress codes, themes, decorations, guests lists and special guest appearances.
Create an action plan and maybe even set up a fundraising committee – there could be lots of things you need to work through health and safety, marketing, insurance and contingency plans.
There are a zillion free resources you can download off the internet to help make life easier when planning fundraising events (such as event toolkits, checklists, budget planners, risk assessments, event name generators, fundraising widgets, planning apps and more).
These resources can really help you save time, so that you can plan with ease and enjoy the process of fundraising yourself!
Lindsey Marsh is author of The School Fundraising Handbook (£16.99, Crown House Publishing).
