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Have the primary goal in mind, take note of your resources, and more by using these five questions to give yourself direction before planning your next fundraising event. Our team at FutureFund is here to help you prepare and execute all your fundraising events with ease.
It’s easier than ever for students to sign up for your school fundraiser activities, thanks to this participation waiver form template for schools and PTAs! Download it here, then use the instructions provided to upload it to your FutureFund campaigns.
Use FutureFund to streamline ticketing for sporting events, performing arts, school dances, and more with this guide from our team that includes steps and best practices.
Bus drivers are the unsung heroes of many schools—making sure kids get to school on time and safely back home at the end of the day. Taking a moment to celebrate their efforts (either during Teacher Appreciation Week or another time of year) lets these important staff members know you value them and brings your whole school community closer together.
Here at FutureFund, we came up with a list of 25 school bus driver appreciation ideas for a variety of different budgets and timelines. Find your inspiration below—then use our free fundraising platform for school groups to raise the money you need while giving time back to your volunteers.
More Teacher Appreciation Resources
The ideas presented below run the gamut from inexpensive to more budget-oriented—but FutureFund can help you raise all the money you need. Our platform gives you free access to powerful tools like:
Get Started with FutureFund to see how these tools can work for you, or keep reading for our list of bus driver appreciation ideas.
Students create personalized thank you cards for their bus drivers.
Why it’s great: Shows personal gratitude and appreciation for the drivers’ daily efforts.
Requirements: Cardstock, markers, and other craft supplies.
Set up a banner near the bus parking area with a welcoming and appreciative message.
Why it’s great: Brightens the bus drivers’ morning and starts their day with positive energy.
Requirements: Large banner or poster paper, markers, a place to display it.
Organize a contest where students create posters promoting bus safety, dedicated to their drivers. It’s easy to make this an A-Thon fundraiser as well!
Why it’s great: Raises awareness about bus safety and honors the drivers’ commitment to safety.
Requirements: Poster materials, a small panel of judges, and space to display posters.
Host a simple breakfast event for bus drivers at the school.
Why it’s great: Provides a warm, communal start to the day and a chance for staff and students to interact with drivers.
Requirements: Breakfast foods, a space for the event, volunteers to help set up.
Give bus drivers mugs personalized with messages or drawings from students.
Why it’s great: A useful gift that drivers can use daily, reminding them of their impact.
Requirements: Plain mugs, ceramic markers, or services that print designs on mugs.
Spotlight different bus drivers in the school newsletter. You can also send out an eblast with FutureFund’s messaging system.
Why it’s great: Highlights the drivers’ stories and contributions, fostering a sense of community.
Requirements: Access to the newsletter publication, coordination with drivers for interviews.
Assemble small gift bags with items like hand cream, lip balm, and stress balls.
Why it’s great: Offers a bit of relaxation and care, acknowledging the stress of their job.
Requirements: Gift items, bags or containers to package them in.
Organize a day where students help to clean and decorate the school buses.
Why it’s great: Shows appreciation through action and makes the buses a more pleasant environment.
Requirements: Cleaning supplies, decorative items, coordination with the school for a suitable day.
Make special announcements over the school PA system or in assemblies recognizing the bus drivers.
Why it’s great: Public recognition can boost morale and show school-wide appreciation.
Requirements: Access to the school’s announcement system or assembly time.
Organize a workshop where bus drivers share road safety tips with students.
Why it’s great: It is educational for students and allows drivers to share their expertise.
Requirements: Coordination for workshop timing, space, and any needed materials.
Students bring in snacks that are favorites of their bus drivers.
Why it’s great: A personal touch showing they’ve paid attention to what the drivers enjoy.
Requirements: Coordination with students and parents, understanding drivers’ snack preferences.
Host a bus-themed art exhibit with student artworks displayed in the school.
Why it’s great: Celebrates bus drivers through creative expressions related to their profession.
Requirements: Art supplies, space for the exhibit, coordination for artwork collection.
Use the school’s social media platforms to post stories and thank-you messages for bus drivers.
Why it’s great: Engages the wider community and gives drivers public recognition.
Requirements: Access to the school’s social media accounts, content creation.
Fundraise to provide comfort upgrades for the buses, like new seat covers or steering wheel grips. Run a donation campaign with FutureFund to make this easier!
Why it’s great: Directly improves drivers’ work environment, showing care for their daily comfort.
Requirements: Fundraising, identifying, and purchasing appropriate upgrades.
Distribute hand-warmers to bus drivers during colder months.
Why it’s great: A thoughtful, practical gesture especially appreciated in winter.
Requirements: Bulk purchase of hand-warmers.
Arrange sessions where bus drivers can share road stories or career experiences with students.
Why it’s great: Builds connections between students and drivers and enhances understanding of the drivers’ roles.
Requirements: Organizing a schedule, a comfortable setting for storytelling.
Create and present appreciation certificates to each bus driver.
Why it’s great: Formal recognition of their hard work and dedication.
Requirements: Designing and printing certificates, a small ceremony to present them.
Set up a temporary station offering coffee, tea, and hot chocolate on chilly mornings.
Why it’s great: Provides a warm, comforting start to the drivers’ day.
Requirements: Beverages, cups, a station setup at the bus lot.
Establish a monthly recognition program for outstanding bus drivers.
Why it’s great: Regularly highlights and rewards exemplary service.
Requirements: Criteria for selection, a small reward or recognition item.
Have students decorate fabric steering wheel covers for the bus drivers.
Why it’s great: Personalizes the drivers’ workspace and involves students in a creative project.
Requirements: Plain steering wheel covers, fabric markers, or paints.
Students create collages or drawings of the bus routes, highlighting memorable stops or landmarks.
Why it’s great: Celebrates the unique journey each bus driver takes and shows student engagement with their daily routes.
Requirements: Paper, art supplies, information about bus routes.
Compile playlists or audio books tailored to the drivers’ preferences for them to enjoy on the road.
Why it’s great: Personalizes their driving experience and provides enjoyable entertainment during long routes.
Requirements: Understanding drivers’ music or audiobook preferences, a means to share the audio files or playlists.
Create a fun and interactive challenge where students, guided by clues or a treasure map, follow a route within the school or grounds that recreates key stops along their bus route, discovering facts and trivia about their bus drivers along the way. Think of it like a bus-driver themed scavenger hunt!
Why it’s great: Celebrates bus drivers in a unique and engaging way while educating students about the drivers’ daily routes and responsibilities.
Requirements: Designing a route map or clue sheet based on the bus routes, gathering interesting facts or trivia about the bus drivers, setting up stations or checkpoints along the route, and supervising the activity.
Collect thank-you notes from the community, including parents and local businesses, for the drivers.
Why it’s great: Shows a broader community appreciation and extends gratitude beyond the school.
Requirements: Collection of notes, a display area or method to present them.
Provide day passes for local relaxation spots like spas or leisure centers, specifically for bus drivers.
Why it’s great: A treat for drivers to unwind and enjoy some leisure time.
Requirements: Funding or donations for passes, coordination to distribute them.
Whether you want to show them a small token of appreciation or plan a larger celebration, the ideas above should be more than enough to help you on your way. And when it comes to raising money to cover the costs of these plans, FutureFund is here to help.
We can help set you up for fundraising success with ready-made custom campaign templates, built-in messaging tools, one-click financial reporting, and more. Get started here with a brief discovery call where we show you how to use our tools to streamline your fundraising efforts and fund the activities that make your school a better place for everyone.
See what other parents and schools are saying about us!
Find out when Teacher Appreciation Week happens this year and get resources you can use to make Teacher Appreciation Day a success at your school. FutureFund provides a survey you can send to teachers at your school, a supplies checklist, and more.
As Treasurer for your PTA, an audit shouldn’t stress you out. Make sure you know when to expect audits, what documents to have ready, and what steps to take with this guide to audit survival from the team at FutureFund.
What documents will you need to hand off to your PTA’s incoming Treasurer before you leave the role? What tools should they know how to use? Use this complete kit from Future Fund to help new Treasurers transition smoothly and keep your organization’s finances in capable hands.
How can you make the best possible treasurer report for your PTA, what should you put in it, and how can you format it effectively? Find out here with help from the FutureFund team and benefit from our years of experience helping PTAs streamline their financial duties.
What should you do to make your PTA or PTO’s next pledge campaign succeed? Learn all about setting up and running a pledge campaign here, with help from the Future Fund team.
Find out when Teacher Appreciation Week happens this year and get resources you can use to make Teacher Appreciation Day a success at your school. FutureFund provides a survey you can send to teachers at your school, a supplies checklist, and more.
As Treasurer for your PTA, an audit shouldn’t stress you out. Make sure you know when to expect audits, what documents to have ready, and what steps to take with this guide to audit survival from the team at FutureFund.
What documents will you need to hand off to your PTA’s incoming Treasurer before you leave the role? What tools should they know how to use? Use this complete kit from Future Fund to help new Treasurers transition smoothly and keep your organization’s finances in capable hands.