13 Amazing Holiday Fundraising Ideas for Schools (2023 Updated)

You can almost feel the holiday season coming. Schools are decorated with red and green, favorite songs are on a loop, and kids can’t wait to get home to check their stockings. The holiday season is not only the perfect time for children to learn about love, joy, and giving but also a great opportunity for schools to raise funds for new projects or educational programs. 

With so many different activities going on simultaneously in the same school building from September through January, there are plenty of opportunities to add a Christmas party or class party as well as a holiday fundraiser. These fundraising events involve parents, students, and teachers, making them an enjoyable way of raising money for your school.

Here are 13 amazing holiday fundraising ideas for schools:

Christmas Baking Sale

A Christmas baking sale is a great way to raise funds for various projects and causes. This is a great activity for the whole family or class to get involved in, from baking to selling. The types of items that could be sold at a baking sale depend on the kids’ ages. For younger kids, sell non-perishable ready-made items. Older kids could make and sell baked goods. 

For example, cookies, cupcakes, and muffins are popular choices for kids to sell. If a school is hosting a large bake sale, it’s a good idea to have at least two different shifts so there are no long lines. A Christmas baking sale can take place during the actual Christmas season, or you can organize this fundraising event in advance.

Holiday Dinner fundraiser

Hosting a holiday dinner is a great way to raise funds for your school. Invite parents, family members, and the community to attend this event. You could either have a sit-down dinner or a buffet-style meal. You could also have a guest speaker to make this event even more special.

To host a successful fundraising event like this, you’ll need to promote it well in advance to your community. Parents could host a table or invite friends or family members to join them at the event.

Depending on the cost of the meal you decide to offer, you can set a suggested donation or charge a specific amount per person.

Secret Santa or White Elephant Fundraiser

A Secret Santa or White Elephant fundraiser is a great way to get the community involved in supporting your school. This is a perfect event for a class party or parent-only event. During the event, participants draw tickets with their names on them.

The person who receives a ticket with the name of a gift is expected to bring that gift to the person whose name is written on the ticket. 

To host an effective Secret Santa or White Elephant fundraising event, you’ll need to set a budget for the gifts that everyone brings. Depending on the amount you spend on gifts, you can decide whether each gift is for a specific person or if there’s a gift exchange.

Cookie Walk Fundraiser

A Cookie Walk fundraising event is a great way to raise funds for your school. This event is best suited to be held at a community center or publicly accessible space. 

The cost of hosting this event depends on the space you need and how many volunteers and staff members you have to assist with the event. You can charge a standard admission fee or let people pay what they can.

To make sure you get a good turnout, it’s a good idea to promote your event in advance.

Book Fair Fundraiser

Hosting a Book Fair fundraising event is a great way to support your school’s library while raising funds. You could either have a Book Fair in your own school or host one at another. 

To host a Book Fair fundraiser, you’ll need to find a supplier and arrange to host the event. It’s a good idea to have a Book Fair at an off-peak time to ensure you have as many visitors as possible. 

Depending on the terms and conditions of your Book Fair event, you can either charge a fee or let people pay what they can.

Cookie Dough Fundraiser

A Cookie Dough fundraiser is a perfect event for a youth group or parent-only event. Hosting a Cookie Dough fundraiser at your local store can help you raise funds while giving back to your community. 

To host a successful Cookie Dough fundraiser, you’ll need to identify a nearby store willing to host your event. Once you’ve found a location, you can create a poster to tell people about your fundraiser. To make sure your event is successful, you should promote it.

Coaching for a Cause

This is a great event to help raise funds for your school while supporting the community. With coaching for a cause fundraiser, you can bring together people from your school and the community to play sports like soccer, volleyball, or basketball. 

To host successful coaching for a cause fundraiser, you’ll need to identify a sport open to everyone. 

You can also host this event at a nearby sports facility. Once you have all the details sorted, promote your event to encourage people to participate.

Car washes and Muffin Break-athon

Hosting a car wash event or muffin break-athon is a great way to engage the community and raise funds for your school. You could host a car wash event at the school or have someone host it for you. 

If you host the event yourself, you’ll need to make sure you have permission from the school board. To host a successful car wash or muffin break-athon, you’ll need to promote your event in advance. You could organize a car wash event when there isn’t a lot of traffic.

You could also decide to host your muffin break-athon event during a time when most people are at work.

School Holiday Concerts

If you have a musical group at your school that performs during the school year, you can host a holiday concert. This is a great way to bring the community together while raising funds. Make sure to charge a low enough price so everybody can attend, while also covering your costs. 

Many schools host their Christmas concert at the end of the year, but if yours doesn’t, it’s a great way to get students and parents involved and excited about the holidays.

If your school has a choir, band, orchestra, or other music groups, encourage them to put on a special music program during the holiday season, such as a carol or other holiday program.

Teacher Appreciation Events

Teachers work tirelessly throughout the year, so it’s important to remember to show them that you appreciate their hard work. Hosting a teacher appreciation event is a great way to show gratitude while raising funds for your school. You can choose to have a holiday dinner, bake sale, or a gift exchange.

Alternatively, you can host a potluck dinner and ask the guests to bring a gift card or gift certificate to a store. The gift can be for the teacher’s favorite store or gift cards for their favorite store.

Secret Santa

If you want to spread the Christmas cheer, a secret Santa gift exchange is a great way to collect gifts and donations with minimal effort. You can organize a secret Santa gift exchange at any event or party, including a holiday dinner. 

All you need to do is ask guests to bring a gift worth between $5 and $10. Every guest will write their name on a gift and put it under the tree. Then, each guest will draw a name, and the person whose name they drew will receive the gift under the tree. 

You can also collect donations on behalf of a charity and then donate the money at the end of the year.

Host a Holiday Dinner and Auctions

A holiday dinner is a great way to celebrate the season and raise funds for your school. Hold a holiday dinner for parents, teachers, or other school community members. You can charge a small admission fee and have a live auction at the night’s end. Alternatively, you can host a silent auction before the dinner begins.

You can charge admission for the dinner and auction or collect donations instead. If your school is hosting a holiday dinner, you can also collect donations at the same time by adding a gift basket as an admission fee.

Gift baskets can include anything from gift cards to goodies for the guests to enjoy during dinner.

Ring in the New Year With a Dance-a-thon

A New Year’s Dance-a-thon is a great way to raise funds for your school while celebrating the New Year. You can host a dance-a-thon as an after-school activity or event or partner with other schools to host a dance-a-thon on New Year’s Eve. If you host a dance-a-thon on New Year’s Eve, you can also use it as a New Year’s party for students and parents.

You can charge a small admission fee or collect donations. Alternatively, you can host a dance-a-thon and charge a small entrance fee. You can have a live auction at the end of the night or during the dance-a-thon on New Year’s Eve. 

You can also have a bake sale or ask guests to bring a gift card or gift certificate to a store.

Wrapping up

Regarding holiday fundraising, there are plenty of ways to get involved and make an impact. From bake sales to dance-a-thons, these events are a great way to celebrate the season and collect funds for your school. Whether you’re hosting a holiday concert or organizing a shoe drive, these festive fundraisers are a great way to show your school spirit.