Whether it’s finding money for new equipment or raising the cash for a class trip abroad, schools across the UK are usually busy organising events and fundraisers throughout the year. It can be difficult coming up with new ideas that catch the attention and, better still, fundraising that gets everyone energised.

If your school is raising money for something this new term, here are just a few ideas to get you started.

• Sponsorship: A sponsored walk, run or something else can get the whole community engaged. People can pledge small amounts and the more kids you have involved the better. It doesn’t have to be the standard 5K walk either – what about a sponsored dance-athon? Or a sponsored penalty kicking contest?
• Have a street party: It might seem like a less cost effective way to raise money but if your negotiation skills are working well you can often get local business to help with useful things like stalls, bouncy castles and advertising. Include stalls selling second hand goods, cakes, jams and other goodies and you can find your fundraising quickly totting up.
• The traditional raffle: Another way to make money is to run a raffle. It might be old school but people can sometimes find this a little easier than attending an event. You can even go high tech and allow them to buy their tickets online. This can work well especially if you have a school app that can sends notifications and links to the fundraising site.
• Try a little crowdfunding: With so much help online nowadays, it would be remiss to ignore crowdfunding. Not only can it give kids experience in pitching a business idea but it can also teach them about marketing and other aspects of running a business. It can also have a broader reach than some other kinds of fundraising.

Spreading the Word

You might have the best fundraising idea in the world but if you don’t get your message out there, you won’t find money coming in. Here are a few things you should keep in mind for any event:

• Contact local papers. They’re always looking for filler stories and will probably be only too happy to promote your fundraiser.
• Get local businesses involved. Many small companies look at ways in which they can get involved with the local community and they might even be willing to give you equipment free of charge for a day or two. Most will have social media accounts and can send a post out to their fans and followers to give you extra coverage too.
• Get children involved: They can boost your fundraising profits quite considerably – they tend to be less backward in coming forward than adults when it comes to getting people involved. They are also likely to be the most enthusiastic.
• Engage parents: Communication is key when you are running a fundraiser. Running a school app that can keep parents, staff and children up to date with how things are going and can help encourage donations. It can also prompt parents to spread the word and get more involved themselves, especially when they see it is for a very good cause.

If you are planning a fundraising event this year, using a bit of imagination and getting as many people involved can go a long way to making sure that you reach your target. Don’t be afraid to get your campaign out there any way you can.