Fundraising never stops for PTAs who want to create an enriching environment for students and their families. Coming up with creative ways to meet your goals year-round can be a lot of work—so our team at FutureFund put this master list together to help you get inspired!

Below, you'll find 150+ fundraisers, organized by season and campaign type—plus tips on how to run them with FutureFund.

Use donation campaigns to raise money for a specific event or cause—like a class field trip, a special guest speaker, or new classroom equipment. FutureFund lets your community donate online, and you can also tie donations to in-person events.

Learn how to run a donation campaign with FutureFund here.

Any fundraiser where physical items or event tickets are sold. In FutureFund, add each item to your online store by creating a specific Purchase campaign.

Learn how to run a purchase campaign with FutureFund here.

A special pledge campaign type in FutureFund. After you create the event, each student gets a unique link to collect donations from family and friends.

A-Thons fit every kind of student—athletes (fun runs, hit-a-thons), academics (math-a-thons), creatives (sing-a-thons, dance-a-thons).

Learn how to run a pledge campaign with FutureFund here.

Some ideas won't fit neatly above, but still raise money or engage your community—like seasonal events (e.g., Christmas tree disposal) or year-round ideas (e.g., Birthday Boards).

• Field Trip Fundraisers: Collect funds to pay for educational trips so all students can participate without financial barriers.
• School Band Fundraisers: Support instruments, uniforms, and equipment so the music keeps playing.
• Athletic Club Fundraisers: Cover sporting equipment, apparel, travel, and more to keep teams competitive.
• Booster Club Fundraisers: Run regular donation drives to back academics and extracurriculars underfunded by standard budgets.
• Can & Bottle Drive: Eco-friendly fundraising—collect recyclables or let folks donate money via a FutureFund campaign in lieu of containers.
• Letter Writing Campaigns: Students write to family, friends, or businesses about school needs—include your FutureFund donation link.
• School Treasure Hunt: Collect donations online, buy a prize, hide it on campus, and sell entry tickets in your store. Winner keeps the prize!
• Learn-At-Lunch Events: Use part of the proceeds to bring in guest speakers; enrich students while raising funds.
• Monthly Mystery Donations: Monthly draw—any donor gets a chance to win a mystery prize; keeps excitement (and donations) steady.

• Sell School Spirit Wear: Branded apparel builds pride and supports goals.
• Personalized Yearbook Sales: Offer an add-on for custom messages; more funds, more memories.
• School Dances: Sell tickets through a Purchase campaign (works year-round).
• Parent Appreciation Nights: Adults-only socials (see St. Patrick's crawl in spring section); sell tickets online.
• School Plays: Ticket drama productions—especially effective in winter, but solid anytime.
• Movie Nights: License screenings and sell tickets—lower lift than live shows.
• Parent-Child Celebrations: Ticket special meals, dances, or events that celebrate family bonds.
• Parent Gift Baskets: Curate easy-win baskets (bath bombs to golf balls).
• Bake Sales: Classic, delicious, and dependable.
• Lip Sync Battle: Sell tickets to a crowd-pleasing showdown.
• Battle of the Bands: Invite local bands; pre-sell tickets in FutureFund.
• Trivia Night: Sell tickets in advance for headcount and hype.
• PTA Coffee Shop: Morning stand + online coupon books in your store.

• Fun Run (Run-A-Thon): Popular and easy in FutureFund—students get pledge links in a few clicks.
• Swim-A-Thon: Pledges per lap; fitness + funds.
• Move-A-Thon: Pledges for continuous movement over time.
• Lift-A-Thon: Weightlifting challenge backed by pledges.
• Basketball Shoot-A-Thon: Pledges translate into shot attempts; prize for winners.

• Math-A-Thon: Pledged math challenges.
• Read-A-Thon: Pledges per book/pages/chapters.
• Spell-A-Thon: Pledged spelling bee—offer “lifelines” at milestones.
• Chess-A-Thon: Strategy marathons for pledges.
• Science Experiment Learn-A-Thon: Pledges fund materials; hold a judged fair with prizes.

• Sing-A-Thon: More pledges = more songs.
• Dance-A-Thon: Hours of dance backed by pledges.
• Head-Shave-A-Thon: High-visibility charity cut (e.g., donate hair for wigs).
• Laugh-A-Thon: Longer stand-up sets for higher pledges—put the “fun” in fundraising.

• Restaurant Nights: Partner with local restaurants and add them as sponsors in FutureFund.
• Birthday Boards: $10 donation to display kids' names during birthday week.
• Birthday Club: Encourage birthday-day giving to celebrate & support the school.
• Principal for a Day: Auction the role (with ground rules!).

• Back to School Supply Drive: Run a donation campaign to equip students with essential supplies.
• Thanksgiving Food Bank Donation Drive: Collect food + accept online donations for families in need.
• Classroom Improvement Fund: Raise funds for decor, furniture, and fresh starts.

• Halloween Costume Swap: Ticketed swap; sustainable and FutureFund-friendly.
• Fall Craft Sale: Student-made crafts sold in-person and online.
• Autumn Candle Sale: Seasonal scents in your online store.
• Handmade Scarf Sale: Cozy, community-crafted scarves.
• Pie Sale: Classic fall flavors to boost funds.
• Halloween Costume Dance: Pre-sell tickets; spooky fun.
• Halloween Decoration Sale: Student-made decor, in-person or online.
• Fall Festival: Carnival-style games/rides; sell admission.
• Corn Maze: Partner locally; sell school-only tickets.
• Haunted House: Transform school spaces; pre-sell tickets.
• Creepy Cupcake Sale: Halloween-themed treats with online vouchers.
• Autumn Hayride: Partner with a farm; sell tickets in advance.
• Creepy Movie Marathon: License films; sell entry.
• Murder Mystery Dinner Party: Drama students act; ticketed dinner-theatre.
• Pumpkin Sale: Carving/cooking pumpkins as a fundraiser.
• Turkey Dinner: Pre-Thanksgiving plates sold in advance.
• Spooky Bingo Night: Themed bingo with prizes; sell tickets.

• All Hallows Fun Run: Costumed run-a-thon with prizes.
• Turkey Trot: Pre-Thanksgiving fun run tradition.
• Fall Leaf Tour Walk-A-Thon: Educational nature walk during peak foliage.
• Halloween Costume Contest: Vote-by-donation for best costume.
• Pumpkin-Paint-A-Thon: Pledged pumpkin painting; PTA provides supplies.
• Scarecrow Build-A-Thon: Pledged builds with judged awards.

• Leaves For Change: Rake/haul leaves for donations; compost for spring.
• Fall Basket Auction: Auction autumn-themed baskets to top donors.
• Halloween Photo Booth: Paid photos with spooky-costumed staff.

• Winter Wish Foundation: Fund winter wishes for students in need.
• Sleigh Rides: Raise funds to treat classes to local sleigh rides.

• Holiday Gift Baskets: Curated festive baskets; sell online and at fairs.
• Poinsettia Sales: Seasonal corsages/centerpieces.
• Holiday Cookbook Sales: Print/bind school recipes; sell in the store.
• Coffee & Cocoa Sale: Morning stand + online “skip-the-line” vouchers.
• Ornament Sales: School-branded holiday ornaments.
• Breakfast with Santa: Ticketed pancake breakfast with Santa.
• Pictures with Santa: Photo vouchers sold online.
• Winter Wonderland Photo Booth: Festive backdrop + tickets.
• Handmade Sweaters, Mittens & Hats Sale: Handcrafted winter wear.
• Winter Storybook Sale: Student holiday stories printed as booklets.
• Calendar Sales: Sell next-year calendars online.
• Winter Craft Fair: Ticketed fair with bonus incentives.
• Diwali or Christmas Lights: Sell festive light sets.
• Ugly Sweater Party: Ticketed themed party.
• Christmas Cake Walk: Musical-number cake/cupcake wins.
• Snow Tubing: All-day hill passes; sell tickets in advance.

• Indoor Fun Run: Gym laps for pledges.
• Cold Weather Gear Fun Run: Outside in winter gear; safe fresh-air activity.
• Christmas Carol Sing-A-Thon: Neighborhood caroling for pledges.
• Bowl-A-Thon: Indoor lanes; throws scale with pledges.
• Ice-Skate-A-Thon: Minutes/laps pledged at a local rink.
• Snowman-Build-A-Thon: Build/decorate snowmen on school grounds.
• Gift-Wrap-A-Thon: Pledged holiday gift wrapping (pair with toy drive).
• Wreath-A-Thon: Decorate wreaths; sell finished items online/fair.
• Polar Plunge-A-Thon: Supervised cold plunge with strict time caps.
• Snow-Shovel-A-Thon: Pledged driveway shoveling.
• Gingerbread-House-Build-A-Thon: Pledged builds with holiday judging.

• Holiday Bottle & Can Collection: Post-holiday recyclable pickup.
• Holiday Chores Auction: Auction volunteers for seasonal chores.
• Christmas Tree Disposal: Donation-for-pickup service; sell vouchers or accept any amount.

• School Garden Fund: Plants, soil, fertilizer, & supplies.
• Spring Wildlife Fund: Support local wildlife shelters as animals emerge.
• Teachers vs. Team Tug-o-War: Separate donation pages; top earners compete.

• Prom Dress Swap: Ticketed sustainable swap.
• Kite Sale: School-color kites for spring breezes.
• Spring Bracelets & Jewelry Sale: Handmade accessories online.
• Hand-Painted Umbrella Sale: Student-painted umbrellas for April showers.
• Plant Sale: Sell garden starts; pair with delivery vouchers.
• Flower Delivery: Online vouchers with home delivery; partner with a greenhouse.
• Petting Zoo: Partner locally; ticketed school-exclusive event.
• May the 4th Star Wars Festival: Tickets + costume/viewing activities.
• Playoff Party: Ticketed sports watch-party; fund team gear.
• Spring Dance: Ticket the season's first school dance.
• Spring Cleaning Garage Sale: Collect donations; sell in-person/online.
• Spring Fashion Show: Students design & model; sell admission.
• Duct Tape the Principal to the Wall: Sell tape strips; lunchtime spectacle.

• Jump-A-Thon: Rope-jumping minutes pledged; prizes for winners.
• Jog-A-Thon: Laps inside or on the field.
• Track-And-Field-A-Thon: High/long jump courses + pledges.
• Hike-A-Thon: Nearby trail pledges for fastest or finishers.
• Easter Egg Hunt-A-Thon: Pledged egg-hunting time.
• April Fools Prank-A-Thon: Safe, approved pranks for pledges.
• Pi Day Pie-in-the-Face-A-Thon: Pledges for teacher pie-tosses on 3/14 or April 1.
• Community Spring Clean-A-Thon: Yard/park cleanup for pledges.
• Library Scavenger Hunt-A-Thon: Pledged hunt time; check out a book to enter.
• Earth Day Clean-A-Thon: Recycling/clothing drives & eco-activities.
• Umbrella Paint-A-Thon: Students paint pledged quantities of umbrellas.

• St. Patrick's Day Crawl (Parents Only): Partner pubs; sell tickets + jars for donations along the route.

• Sun Safety Awareness Drive: Fund sunscreen/sunglasses for students.
• 4th of July Fireworks: Raise funds for a safe, compliant display.

• Sports Equipment Swap Meet: Ticketed event for trading/selling gear.
• Summer Hat Sale: School-branded caps/visors for sun safety.
• Food Truck Breakdown: Invite trucks; sell wristbands/vouchers; share proceeds.
• Fresh Fruit Popsicle Stand: Sell treats + online vouchers.
• Summer BBQ Dinner: Ticketed grill-off under the stars.
• Dive-In Movie Day: Poolside screening; pre-sell tickets.
• Summer Yoga Night: Partner with a studio or host in the gym.
• Balloon Guess: Guess balloons in a car; prize for closest.
• Summer Community Art Gallery: Ticketed gallery + art sales/auction.
• Summer Movie Marathon: Age-appropriate screening day (permissions if needed).
• 4th of July Bake Sale: Stars-and-stripes treats.
• July 4th Pool Party: Decorated pool; ticketed event.
• Summer Tailgate: Potluck parking-lot dinner post-game; sell tickets.
• Summer Garden Sale: Warm-weather flora (hydrangeas, marigolds).
• Outdoor Concert: Ticket local bands or school band covers.
• Summer Camp Out in the Athletic Field: Ticketed overnight with s'mores and songs.

• 4th of July Fun Run: Patriotic run-a-thon with safe, supervised effects.
• No-Run Fun Run: Continuous slow movement; accessible for all.
• Water Balloon Toss-A-Thon: Team games/capture-the-flag; pledged balloons.
• Sand Castle Build-A-Thon: Beach builds with categories/prizes.
• Volleyball Serve-A-Thon: Pledged serves; summer sport vibe.
• Baseball Hit-A-Thon: Pledged hits; big crowd-pleaser.
• Bike-A-Thon: Pledged miles; decorate bikes for fun.
• Flower Plant-A-Thon: Pledged plantings (add trees for eco focus).
• Swim-A-Thon: Laps for pledges at school/community pool.
• Spin-A-Thon: Minutes on spin bikes; gym or partner studio.
• 24-Hour Relay: All-day relay; hydration/rest strongly emphasized.
• Summer Sports Day: Mini-Olympics with pledge-backed entries.

Not pure fundraisers, but great for growing involvement—leading to stronger participation in future campaigns.

• Holiday Toy Drive: New or gently used toys for families in need.
• Winter Coat Drive: Collect warm clothing for students/families.
• Pet Blankets: Donate/bulk-knit blankets for animal shelters (easy A-Thon tie-in).
• Library Book Birthday Donations: Students donate a birthday book inscribed with their name.

We handpicked ideas most school groups can run with minimal special equipment—and FutureFund makes them even more effective with less effort.

Learn more about using FutureFund to supercharge your fundraising activities by reaching out to get started with our platform. We're ready to help your school group raise more money all year long.