Anytime is the right time to raise much-needed funds for school sports and clubs. But holiday fundraising ideas to end the Fall semester can become a little repetitious. So how can your booster club come up with holiday fundraising ideas for schools that rouse excitement?
The secret is to be creative. The most enjoyable and profitable holiday fundraiser ideas catch the attention of schools and communities. Step one is to ensure the booster club fundraising event is relevant to its audience. And the buildup should highlight the element of fun to give people something to look forward to.
Spirits are high towards the end of the year. That’s why Christmas fundraisers for schools are usually a huge success when done well. Of course, not all campaigns at the end of the year need a holiday theme to succeed, but it often helps. This guide presents nine fundraisers for booster clubs that work. But try to add your own twist to make them a little unique.
3 Holiday Fundraising Ideas for Products
Don’t expect people to line up just because you’re selling something for a worthy cause. You need to provide a compelling reason to pull out their wallets. So, when choosing which festive items to sell, ask yourself how appealing they are to potential buyers. And always opt for quality over cheap wares where possible. Also, look for creative ways to sell that incentivize people to buy.
- Hand out eye-catching flyers to promote your products
- Don’t wait for potential buyers; reach out to them (in a fun way)
- Hold raffles for large one-off items
- Be creative, make your social media pages or stall really stand out
- Hold live, silent, or online auctions
- Throw in a little something extra with their purchase
Booster club concession stands are ideal platforms for running fundraisers, but you’re not limited to live events. There are ample opportunities to raise money online and in the community as well. This guide covers options for all three.
| Remember, booster club fundraising events should be fun. Therefore, put your most outgoing volunteers on the front line to maximize your sales. |
OK, here are our easy-to-sell booster club fundraising ideas for the holiday season.
The Holiday Candy Grams Concession Stand
Candy gram fundraisers can work any time of the year, but they really fly during holidays when you theme the promotion around the holiday. That means offering a choice of candy with a customizable holiday-themed message. So, get your artistic volunteers to make some eye-catching templates for your buyers to choose from. And extra points if you use holiday-themed candy.
School Spirit Items
Selling high school spirit wear at holiday fundraisers can yield your club healthy profits. However, the custom merchandise and apparel will only sell if buyers find it appealing. So, it’s best to avoid cheap, tacky items to display the school’s name, colors, logo, etc. Remember, at this time of year a buyer isn’t necessarily looking to purchase for themselves, but as gifts for someone special. People don’t mind paying a little extra for quality, especially during holidays.
Here are seven best-selling spirit items for booster club fundraisers:
- School-branded T-shirts
- Custom sweatshirts
- Hoodies and beanies
- Athletics/Gym bags
- Pom-poms and shakers
- Spirit or cheer sticks
- Custom stationery items
Teachers, parents, and students love spirit wear because it helps create a sense of belonging and togetherness. It also boosts the visibility of the school’s brand in the local community.
Traditional Seasonal and Unique Items
Think wrapping paper, poinsettia, Christmas ornaments, etc. Seasonal sportswear can be another hot seller. The best approach is to highlight the holiday theme in your offerings. And the more unique and diverse your seasonal items are, the more customers you attract.
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4 Holiday Fundraising Ideas for Services
Nothing raises the profile of a high school in the community more than students getting involved. It’s hard to say no to young, happy, smiling faces supporting a good cause.
Here are our five recommended holiday volunteer opportunities for fundraising services.
#1 Caroling— A Low-cost, Festive Fundraiser
Carol singing adds a beautiful festive spirit to school fundraising. Your student choir can sing at events, in the street, or on the doorsteps of homes in the neighborhood. And the sweeter the sound, the more generous people tend to be. For the most success, get students to practice a collection of popular carols in the lead-up to Christmas.
It pays to stick to the old favorites like the seven classics listed here.
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
- Silent Night
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- Jingle Bells
- Once in Royal David’s City
- The Little Drummer Boy
Singing carols that everyone knows unlocks emotions and wallets. The well-known classics often connect to fond memories of nostalgia that evoke feelings of goodwill.
#2 Snow Shoveling Drives
Removing snow from drives is a necessary evil for many homeowners and tenants. It’s also a job that can take considerable time after a heavy snow. That’s why it’s a popular service for booster clubs to raise funds. It’s also a job that younger people seem to enjoy, so there shouldn’t be any shortage of student volunteers.
Splitting your volunteers into teams to compete makes the job more fun and helps raise extra money. Your club leaders should supervise these campaigns and coordinate which group covers which neighborhoods. The more driveways your volunteers clear, the more they earn.
#3 Gift Wrapping Services
Not everyone enjoys wrapping gifts, and many are happy to pay someone to do it on their behalf. Hence, gift wrapping is a great holiday fundraising service. However, it can take a while to perfect the art. Identify the wrapping experts in your group and have them help inexperienced volunteers practice beforehand.
If you really want to highlight this service, make it a high-profile event. For instance, see if your local mall will allow you to run the gift-wrapping fundraiser there.
You will need a simple price chart based on the size of the gifts you wrap. And remember to display a board or banner telling passersby who you are and why you’re fundraising. And be specific. Fundraising for the high school band is good, but fundraising for new band uniforms is better. Advertising a specific worthy cause has a better chance of bringing you more business.
#4 Holiday Yard Cleanup Service
The yard cleanup is another welcome service people can use, and a great alternative to snow shoveling in warmer parts of the country. The great thing about this particular fundraiser is it’s quick and easy to put together. The person in charge only needs to make a simple list of instructions for the booster club volunteers to follow. You then promote the service through your regular channels, explaining what you offer. You can either list prices for individual tasks or suggest a minimum donation.
2 Holiday Fundraising Ideas for Booster Club Raffles
Charity auctions and raffles can bring a real boost to your organization’s holiday fundraising efforts. You can hold them at live events or run online campaigns year-round. For example, consider the 50/50 fundraising raffle, which can be incredibly popular and simple to organize.
In a 50/50 raffle, the grand prize is 50% of the total ticket sales with the other 50% received by your group. It is a simple event to coordinate and easy to spin with a holiday theme.
#1 Holiday-Themed Items
Holiday-themed raffles are always a well-received idea. The draw of any raffle is the appeal of its prizes, which directly influence ticket sales. See if previous or potential sponsors would like to contribute. Some businesses will happily donate a quality product or service as the main prize in return for publicity. The closer your raffle prize theme aligns with the holidays and gift ideas, the more successful it will be.
Some holiday-themed raffle prizes may include:
- Quality Christmas and tree decorations
- Movie tickets
- Shopping vouchers
- Meal for two in a popular restaurant
- Club merchandise gift set
The newest tech items are always a big hit. If your budget stretches, raffling the latest brand-name television, tablet, or popular tech toy should have tickets selling like hotcakes.
#2 Custom Holiday Meal Baskets
Holiday fundraising ideas that always work are beautifully presented seasonal meal baskets. They’re especially popular for Thanksgiving and Christmas raffles. A well-stocked basket often includes turkey or ham, with all the traditional holiday trimmings. Of course, a nice bottle of wine to wash it down adds to the basket’s appeal.
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Closing Comments
People tend to give more during holidays, which is great for booster club fundraisers. But your campaigns must be exciting if they’re to draw attention. The suggested fundraisers in this guide are all proven moneymakers. The only caveat is that they need a little creative thought to make them more unique and aligned with your cause.