PTA fundraising ideas

[Youkilledmyfatherpreparetodie]

Hello - would any PTA members or parents share with me any interesting events they've organised? Ours is a bit struck in its ways and I would like to try something new. Thank you!

@Youkilledmyfatherpreparetodie Im sure lots of people will have brilliant ideas. However my experience has been that pta committees love the tried and tested! If you suggest other ideas, it might be down to you to run them!

Our pta (at 2 schools) ran a quiz night, annual summer and Christmas fairs, tea and coffee at parents assemblies/Christmas show, a craft fair, school disco and “hot dog day”. All of which took a huge amount of work!

Yes, I know what I'm letting myself in for 😂. I already run a couple of events. Thanks, we do most of these but a craft fair could be interesting.

Used to do curry & quiz night. Got local curry house to cater. Made money on drinks. Funniest was 'generation game' night with teams. Cake icing, dancing etc. Murder mystery night. Ball at local hotel or hall. Netball or tennis tournament.

There's a really good Facebook group on this topic.
We do one bake sale per class per year, and one of the end of term dress up days is PTFA fundraising (others are world book day, and a charity).
Next year we're considering a "one hour challenge" where we ask parents and carers to commit to donating either one hour of their time or one hour of their wage per year.
We also have some decent passive fundraising such as Stikins labels.

@Youkilledmyfatherpreparetodie We sold tables to exhibitors. We had lots of local people exhibiting and I’ve no doubt the space was cheaper than big organised events. It was busy with parents and local people and the exhibitors kept their takings. We didn’t rake money off. We provided tea, coffee, wine and refreshments for visitors at a charge. I seem to remember it was in November. That school didn’t have a Christmas fair though. Just a summer one.

Our independent secondaries did balls but at state primary, many parents definitely could not afford it. So we always had events that everyone could reasonably go to. Tombilas always made money and the “money tree”.

Smaller scale and for later in the year, but our PTA does an annual Halloween costume and Christmas jumper sale. People donate outgrown items and they are sold for a couple of quid to younger kids. Nice recycling vibes too.

The one our school which raised the most money in the last couple of year was just an email saying the school would like to but new books for the reading scheme please donate if you’re able to and a link to pay.

Refreshments at school events.

I’m a parent, not an active organizer. Our school does, “please send us money”. They tell us the total fundraising goal and an average amount they would need per student to reach that goal but make it very clear it is not a bill. As a family that can afford more, we send more than the average. Enough families send money that the pta meets its fundraising goal and then doesn’t bother us the rest of the year.

Our school is planning a silent disco for the kids. We have things like Elfridges shop for Christmas presents, a mother and fathers day shop, the usual fairs at Christmas and summer. Our PTA tend to stick to what they know works. For world book week I think they did something called Books at Bedtime where the children paid a £1 I think and came into school in the PJs and had hot chocolate and had an hour of stories with their teacher.

Kids disco on a Sunday in the hall
One bake sale
Hire in a bouncy castle and kids get sponsored
Wine tasting
Quiz night
Treasure hunt
Fun day with each class running a stall

And the thing I love best - this year they did a plastic tat amnesty so you handed in all your stuff and then it's a lucky dip for kids to choose prizes when they're needed.

@Ponderingwindow PTAs have traditionally been about more than raising money. It’s a way for parents to meet and dc to join in. I never just sent in money. I’m also very against parents and dc being given household “targets “ for raising money. My parents had no spare money and I was always bottom of that pile. It’s simply wrong when schools and PTAs do that because it certainly alienates the less well off.

A few ideas we have found good.

We sold second hand books in a local shopping centre - that was a big hit.

1990s night in local nightclub.

Pizza family party, local takeaway provided a lot of free food.

Sponsor a brick in a wall.

I once did a witness protection scheme.
For a certain amount of donation the PTFA were not allowed to contact a person who paid into the scheme in anyway.
Was very funny and hugely successful.
Central London and it was £150 per family at the start of the academic year, for one year..
PTFA then used this money to buy items for other events.

Treasure hunt - people have a route around town and en route have to solve clues.

eg. Which king or queen was in the thrown when post box was put in place? (GR -King George)

• who does the blue plaque commemorate?
• Also, there were posters of letters in houses to spell a word
• Ag end of route, barbecue, a few odd stalks etc.?

Badge machine - people paid to colour in pictures etc, and make badges

Themed Dinner Nights
Outdoor Movie Night
Cook-Off Competition
DIY Workshops
Fitness Challenge
Art Auction
Community Garage Sale
Talent Show
Holiday Gift Wrapping Service
Dine-Out Night
Virtual Fundraising Events
Family Fun Day
Recipe Book
Photo Contest
Plant Sale

Virtual balloon race/duck race. (Like a real one but more ecologically sound)

Our school tried this - we were only donated two Halloween costumes and six Christmas jumpers (I guess everyone sells their outgrown stuff on Vinted or gives it away to friends and family?). We had to cancel the Halloween one and the Christmas sale was done in two minutes!

Raising money from selling donated school uniform works well though, people are happy to donate school uniform they no longer need and other people are happy to buy it as it saves money buying new.

It's a bit out there but it actually raised loads of money - jumble sale on a Saturday morning in the school hall. The school kept the money raised. There was all sorts, baby clothes, toys, adult clothes, books, kitchen stuff. Some of the toys that were not sold were given to the nursery and reception classes. The older kids toys were given to the after school club.

2nd hand uniform sale also does really well.

Ours also did a school disco at the local village hall. Village hall allowed the school to have it for free 4-6.

Then it's the traditional bake sale, Xmas fair.

Orienteering course around the school playing field with timings etc. Teamed up with the local orienteering club to do it.

Those with no costs are the best!
2nd hand uniforms
Tombolas eg chocolate one at Easter, toiletries at Christmas
Bonus Ball lottery. £50 up front in September and run boards with 50 people per board for 50 weeks. 50% winnings/profit.

I suggested this at our school, we could pay not to have the Christmas fair. I was told it wasn't quite in the spirit.

I think the problem with this is you need to let the parents know ahead of time or it will all be swept up into the charity bag when it’s out grown.

I've often thought ours should do this and I'd happily set up a monthly DD to the school. I'm sure I'm not the only parent that would be happy to.