50 Best Middle School Fundraising Ideas

Getting students and parents actively involved in your middle school activities is essential to providing an effective educational experience. Offering extracurricular activities, updating outdated equipment, and upgrading your facilities can all help offer a healthy learning environment and instill a sense of pride in your local community.

Unfortunately, public funding and school budgets can't always support these essentials -- which is why so many middle schools need to hold fundraising events and raise needed revenue. However, with the aftereffects of inflation still affecting family pockets in 2026, finding middle school fundraising ideas that are innovative, fun and easy to execute isn't just a good idea -- it's a prerequisite to making your middle school fundraisers a success.  

The 50 middle school fundraising ideas below offer an array of benefits and innovative approaches that follow current trends and relate to typical issues. We'll provide anecdotes of personal experiences with each one, along with pro tips to make your fundraiser more effective. Whether you're a PTO officer, educator or parent volunteer, you’ll find real-world advice on how to succeed with your fundraiser. 

Here's a brief rundown on what middle school fundraising usually tries to accomplish:

• 5 Top Goals of Middle School Fundraising:
  • Sponsor educational excursions (e.g., museum outings for historical studies).
  • Enhance school facilities (e.g., new gym equipment for PE classes).
  • Support extracurricular activities (e.g., band uniforms for the school band).
  • Supply classroom items (e.g., art supplies for creative activities).
  • Boost technology access (e.g., tablets for STEM programs).

Let's take a peek at how these fundraisers function, why they are important, how they raise money and how you can make them a success at your school!

(BONUS! Need more planning inspiration? Check out this blog on PTO strategies.)

What Are Middle School Fundraising Ideas?

Middle school fundraiser ideas help design events that raise money for school programs with the help of students, parents, and the greater community. These events are specifically created to engage students between the ages of 11 to 14 and blend fun with intention to raise money for a specific cause (purchasing new computers, raising money for a school trip, buying uniforms etc.) 

These events differ from elementary or high school events. Elementary events tend to be parent-driven. (Think of a candy sale where kindergarteners end up selling most of their candy bars to their parents.) Meanwhile, high school events are more elaborate and can involve students in larger roles, such as when they host a community car wash or alumni event. 

Middle school events are a balancing act. They can't be too big for tweens to handle, but they should still be fun enough to make them want to participate. Your PTO usually organizes these events while students, faculty, and local businesses provide support.

So, how does this look in action? Think of a talent show where students pay $5 to watch their peers sing, perform magic tricks, or put on a martial arts demonstration. Or a bake sale where your neighborhood bakery donates enough cupcakes for you to raise hundreds of dollars in an afternoon. Or a dance-a-thon where students dance the day away to their favorite tunes and collect pledges for new library books.

Here’s a comparison of fundraising across school levels:

Top Middle School Fundraising Ideas for 2026

The following middle school fundraising ideas are designed to engage students, parents and the community while raising funds for your school’s needs. Let’s start with a quick overview, then dive into each one:

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Read-a-Thon

In a read-a-thon, students ask family and friends to help raise money by sponsoring their reading efforts. Participants can offer either a flat donation or pledge a set amount for every book read. Some read-a-thons even base their pledges on every page read or every minute a student spends reading.

To keep everyone motivated, use an online platform to track and share everyone's progress. Platforms also help process payments after the end of your event, keeping everything organized.

We used the PayBee platform which provided a leaderboard that turned the experience into a game. Kids could see which students were the top readers or which classes read the most, which motivated them to keep reading. Offering prizes like a pizza party for the top reader provided additional incentive, and the event ended with each each student collecting an average of $25 in pledges, raising $3000 for new textbooks.

Pro tips: Involve parents by asking them to read alongside their kids. This builds family bonding while boosting pledges. To make it even more engaging, consider hosting a kickoff event where students can share their favorite books with others. Use social media to share daily reading updates with hashtags like #ReadForOurSchool.

Talent Show

Every kid has a talent they can share -- from singing to dancing to performing magic tricks. Let kids audition for a school sponsored talent show where family, friends, fellow students, and community members can pay $5 per ticket to watch their peers and children perform on stage.

Work out an effective timeline for this fundraiser, blocking out time for auditions, promoting the show, and tech rehearsals. Make sure to have a support team in place to keep everyone organized and get a skilled volunteer (or hired professional) to work as your show's MC and keep the performance moving. 

Our middle school raised $1500 from our talent show, with local businesses sponsoring prizes like $25 gift cards for the winners. We held auditions a week before to ensure a variety of acts, and parents loved seeing their kids shine.

Pro tips: Add a concession stand with snacks to increase profits. We also livestreamed the event for $3 per virtual ticket, bringing in an extra $200 from grandparents who couldn’t attend in person. Make sure to have a backup plan for tech issues- ours glitched during the first act, but we had a pre-recorded video ready to play while we fixed it.

Color Run

This is a variation on the popular 3K fun run where the kids start the run wearing white (preferably old) clothes. At different points in the run (usually at each kilometer), volunteers throw or spray colored, non-toxic powder at the runners, leaving them looking like walking rainbows at the end. For a visual of one of these runs in action, check out this video of a color run.

Where other fun runs are promoted as races, color runs aren't really about running fast but about participating in a fun, inclusive, and messy event that often becomes the highlight of the school year. Participants raise money for their school by collecting pledges from friends and family members for every lap completed (there's usually also an option for a flat donation). You can also raise money by charging each runner to participate.

When holding your color run, be sure to check local regulations for permits -- we almost got fined because we didn’t realize we needed one for the public park where we held ours. Make sure the powder you use is safe and washes off easily (cornstarch-based powders are usually a good bet). 

We charged $20 per runner for our color run, raising $3500 from our 175 participants. Local business sponsors covered powder costs.

Pro tips: Provide goggles and remind kids to wear old clothes. Promote your event on social media with hashtags like #SchoolColorRun to draw a crowd. We also set up a photo booth at the finish line, charging $2 per picture, which added $150 to our total. 

Discount Card Sales

Discount card sales let students sell cards that offer special deals at local restaurants, shops, and other businesses (e.g., 10% off at a pizza place). You can partner with each local business and get them to agree to honor the discount to anyone showing them the card.

We sold cards for $10 each, earning $2000 with just 200 sales. Students went door-to-door in pairs (with parents), and we offered a small prize for the top seller.

This is a low-effort but high-return middle school fundraising idea, especially if you pick popular businesses.

Pro tips: We learned to focus on family-friendly spots. Cards for fancy restaurants didn’t sell well (although this might be different for your local community). Follow up with businesses after the fundraiser to thank them and share your success; it builds goodwill for future partnerships.

Virtual Silent Auction

Virtual (or online) silent auctions provide all the revenue-raising advantages of an in-person auction without the expense of securing a venue or getting everyone into the same room at the same time. You can use the PayBee platform to highlight and auction off donated items and even hold your silent auction over a period of several days, allowing more people to participate and raise bids.

Start collecting donated auction items at least a month in advance. You can ask parents for gift cards or put out a request for unused items like electronic devices and games. To increase the perceived value of your items, you can collect them into themed gift baskets. Make sure to also share your auction link on social media and email to reach more families and community members.  

We raised $4000 by offering gift baskets like “Game Night Galore” (board games, snacks) and “Spa Serenity” (candles, bath salts). We also used Paybee’s QR codes at school events, raising an extra $300 from last-minute bidders.

Pro tip: Some parents don't know how to bid online, so we created a quick video tutorial and sent it out via email, which helped a lot.

Dance-a-Thon

Like the read-a-thon and color run, dance-a-thons raise money by getting students to collect pledges (or flat donations) from family and friends based on how long they dance at a school event. Pledges can be based on how many minutes, hours, or songs the kids dance for. 

Use PayBee's peer-to-peer platform to track pledges easily. You can also raise more money by selling concessions (pizza, drinks) or holding a raffle during the event.

Our dance-a-thon raised $2000 for library books, and the kids loved picking the playlist- lots of Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish! We set up a hydration station and had teachers join in for extra fun. We also sold glow sticks for $1 each, adding $100 to our total.

Pro tip: Schedule breaks every hour to keep kids energized. We didn’t the first time and some students got too tired to continue.

Bake Sale

Sell homemade treats at school events or after classes. Set up a colorful table with signs listing prices (ex. $1 per cookie, $3 for a brownie). Be mindful of allergies by labeling items (e.g., “Nut-Free”). Donate leftovers to a local shelter to teach kids about giving back.

We made $800 in one afternoon with our bake sale, allowing 7th-graders to bake cookies alongside their parents.We also offered a “Baker’s Dozen” deal- buy 12 cookies, get one free- which encouraged bigger purchases.

Pro tip: Buyers can pay in cash, so be prepared to accommodate them. We didn’t have enough change on hand the first time, so now we remember to bring plenty of small bills. You should also have a mobile card reader to accept credit card and other payment options.

Penny Wars

In a Penny Wars fundraiser, classes compete to collect the most pennies in jars. Display several large jars in a public area like the cafeteria and label each with a different team name for every class (or grade level). When the fundraiser starts, kids can bring in pennies or paper money to put in their own class' jar, with each penny earning positive points for their team (usually 1 point per penny or 100 points per dollar).

However, competing classes/teams can sabotage other classes by placing silver coins (dimes, nickels, quarters) into a rival team's jar. Each silver coin's value subtracts from the team's positive points. (So, a nickel would reduce the team's point total by 5, a dime would take off 10 points, and a quarter would remove 25 points).

At the end of the event, the team with the most positive points wins a prize (like a pizza party for their class). This is a fun way to involve every student, even those who can’t contribute much. And of course even students who sabotage other teams end up raising more money for the school. We raised $1,200 in spare change over two weeks at our school.

Pro tip: Offer the kids some extra perks/incentive. At our school, the winning class got to pie a teacher in the face, which got everyone hyped. And watch out for cheating- some kids tried to sneak in fake coins, so we checked jars daily.

Spirit Wear Sale

Spirit wear sales help you raise money while improving your school's brand awareness. You can sell all sorts of branded merchandise at your sale, like school-branded hoodies, tees, and water bottles.

Let students vote on designs while creating your branded merchandise - we went with a bright blue hoodie with our mascot, a tiger. Offer pre-orders to avoid overstock, and sell extras at school events. We also offered personalization options (e.g., adding a name to the merch for an additional $5), which brought in an extra $200.

Pro tip: Order a variety of sizes. Our first batch ran out of mediums too quickly.

Scavenger Hunt

Host a scavenger hunt at your school by hiding clues around your campus and charging each team of students $10 to participate.

Create age-appropriate clues- ours included riddles about school history. Have teachers supervise for safety, and award prizes to the top three teams. We raised $1000, with teams of five racing to find treasures like candy or school swag. We also added a bonus clue for an extra $2 per team, raising another $100.

Pro tip: Have backup clues ready in case some clues get lost. One of our clues got misplaced by a janitor.

Movie Night

Screen a family-friendly film in the gym for $5 per ticket (or a family pack of 4 tickets for $15).  

Lay out blankets for seating, and let kids vote on the movie to boost turnout. Offer concessions to raise more money. Be sure to check licensing rights to the movie so you don't encounter any legal issues.

We raised $900 showing by showing the Disney Pixar movie "Inside Out 2" and selling popcorn and soda for $1 each. 

Pro tip: Add a themed activity to your movie night to encourage participation. Our first movie night had low attendance, so we invited students to dress as their favorite character for the second movie night and participate in a costume contest. It worked -- our attendance doubled. 

Art Auction

Build an auction around student-created art pieces for their parents and other community members to bid on. Display the art in the school hallway for a week before the auction and frame each piece in an inexpensive frame from the dollar store to make them look nice. The auction itself can be done in a silent auction format with bidding sheets (you can also use PayBee's virtual silent auction platform if you want to reach people online -- just promote the artwork through high-definition photographs).

At our art auction, our 8th-graders’ watercolor paintings raised $1500! Parents just couldn’t resist buying their child’s masterpiece. We also sold prints of the top pieces for $5 each, adding $150.

Pro tip: Start bidding low ($5) to encourage participation- at our auction, some pieces went for $50 by the end!

Teacher Challenges

Have different teachers at your school commit to performing a funny public dare (like singing karaoke or getting dunked in a dunk tank) if students reach certain fundraising goals. Students can then collect pledges and/or donations from friends or family members over a set period of time.

You can also combine the teacher challenge with another pledge-based fundraising activity (like a read-a-thon or dance-a-thon) and challenge different student teams or classes to collect more pledges/donations -- with the group that collects the most funds winning the right to get their teacher to perform the dare. To keep kids motivated, announce fundraising progress during assemblies, or use a platform like PayBee to share progress via leaderboards.

We raised $1200 by getting our principal shaved his head after we hit $1000 in donations. We then livestreamed the head-shaving on Instagram, which got 300 views and $100 in extra donations.

Pro tip: Make sure teachers are on board with performing these dares - ours were hesitant until we promised to donate $50 to their classroom funds.

Recycling Drive

Collect cans and bottles for cash at a local recycling center.  Set up bins around school labeled “Recycle for Our Future,” and teach a mini-lesson on sustainability. Offer a small prize (like a sticker) for the class that collects the most. 

We earned $700 in a month, with kids bringing in bags from home. We also partnered with a local grocery store that matched our total with a $100 donation.

Pro tip: Some of our bins overflowed, so empty them regularly.

Holiday Craft Fair

Take advantage of the season of giving by holding a Holiday Craft Fair during November and December. Students can make crafts like Christmas tree ornaments, wreaths, snow globes, and bracelets. Set up booths in the gym, play holiday music, and sell hot cocoa to create a festive vibe. Parents loved buying handmade gifts, and students felt proud of their creations.

Our December fair raised $1800, with kids selling snowflake ornaments for $3 each.  We also had a “make your own ornament” station for $2, which brought in $200.

Pro tip: Plan for extra supplies- our glitter ran out halfway through!

DIY Craft Kits

If you find your craft fairs do well, consider selling $8 DIY craft kits during your events and offer a table where kids can learn and practice new crafting skills. You can offer craft kits for everything from bracelet-making to origami to rock painting.

We raised $1,200 by selling 150 kits. We then offered a $5 workshop that added $200 and taught valuable crafting skills to kids.

Pro tip: Make sure each kit includes clear, step-by-step instructions and provide all the necessary pieces for each project. If you're assembling the kits yourself, use a checklist to avoid mistakes.

Dress-Up Day

Offer students a chance to participate in a themed "dress-up day" where kids can come to school dressed in their pajamas, beachwear, or as their favorite superhero. Charge a minimal fee like $2 to participate and offer related activities like a costume contest, parade, or photo challenge. Additional themes might include "Crazy Hair Day," "Dress as your Dream Job," or "Wacky Tacky Day" (clashing colors and styles).

Announce the theme a week in advance, and take photos for the school newsletter. Be inclusive by allowing creative outfits for those who can’t pay. 

We raised $600 in one day. The kids loved showing off their costumes! We added a “best costume” vote for 50 cents per vote, raising an extra $50. 

Pro tip: Have a backup theme in case of weather issues. Our “Beach Day” got rained out, so we switched to “Crazy Hat Day.”

Trivia Night

Come up with a list of fun trivia questions and host a family trivia event. Build each round around a specific theme (like school history, music, or pop culture) and host the event in the school cafeteria, gym, or community center to secure plenty of space. Use a projector to display questions on a screen and obtain prizes like gift cards or fun themed baskets for the top team(s). You should also get a good volunteer MC (or even hire a professional) to keep the energy level up at your event.

Promote your event on your school newsletter and social media channels. Charge each team $10 to participate and offer a pre-event sales period where families can purchase discounted tickets.

We raised $1000 with questions like “What’s the capital of Florida?” and pop culture ones like “Who sings ‘Anti-Hero’?” Teams of five (kids and parents) competed, and we sold snacks to boost profits. We also had a “lightning round” for $1 per entry, adding $100.

A lesson: Test your questions beforehand. Some of ours were too hard for 6th-graders.

Car Wash

Spend the weekend raising money by getting student volunteers to wash cars. You can set up your event in the school parking lot and get some local businesses to donate essential supplies (hoses, sponges, soap etc.)

Promote your event by posting flyers in your neighborhood and sharing it on your social media channels. Suggest a $5 minimum donation per car. 

We made $1200, with parents helping supervise. We added a “deluxe wash” for $10 (with wax), which brought in $300 more.

Pro tip: Watch the weather forecast- our first attempt got rained out, so we rescheduled.

Candy Bar Sales

Sell candy bars for $2 a piece through programs like JustFundraising. Just be mindful of school policies on candy sales and offer sugar-free options if needed.

We sold 500 bars at our candy sale, earning $1000 profit after costs. Students sold to family and friends and the top seller received a prize (a $10 gift card).  We set up a booth at a school game, selling an extra 50 bars.

Pro tip: Track inventory closely- some bars went missing during our first sale.

Fitness Challenge

Another pledge-based fundraiser, fitness challenges let students collect pledges for activities like jumping jacks or running laps. You can host this challenge during PE classes and let participants and spectators track progress with a leaderboard or chart displayed in the gym.

We raised $1500 during our fitness challenge, with kids competing for “Most Active” badges. Parents loved seeing their kids get active while supporting the school. We also had a teacher join the challenge, which motivated more kids to participate.

Pro tip: Some kids forgot their pledge sheets at our first fitness challenge, so we used PayBee's digital form the next time. These forms let donors pledge from their phones, avoiding issues with checks or cash. PayBee's system also automatically tracks pledges, payments, and donor info, making organizing your event easier. Finally, students can easily share digital links to the fundraiser with their social network, helping the school reach more potential donors.

Game Tournament

Kids love playing games, so why not host a video game tournament to let them raise money for their school by playing? You can use your gym, cafeteria, or library as a venue and secure gaming equipment from your sponsors (or ask participants to bring their own setups). Select age-appropriate games like Super Mario Bros, Mario Cart, or Minecraft and make sure the school administration approves of your choices. And make sure to establish clear rules for gameplay, sportsmanship conduct, and penalties to avoid any conflict.

To raise money, you can charge an entry fee to participate ($5 is fair). You can also sell concessions, hold a raffle, and post QR codes for those attending to donate online. If you have local business sponsors, you can see if any of them would be willing to match donations or offer an additional donation if your fundraiser reaches a certain goal. This can encourage more generous giving.

Our Minecraft tourney raised $800- kids played in the computer lab while parents cheered. We added a “spectator ticket” for $2, raising $100 more.

Pro tip: Ensure your Wi-Fi can handle multiple players- ours crashed mid-game, but we had board games as a backup.

Board Game Day

If you want to go more low-tech for your gaming fundraisers, board game days are still really popular! Secure a bunch of popular board and card games (Monopoly, Uno, Clue etc.) and secure a venue to hold your games, like the library, gym, or cafeteria. Charge $5 per team.

We raised $900 with 180 players. We also sold $1 snacks, allowing us to raise $150 more.

Pro tip: Vary games to maintain interest and cater to different skill levels throughout the day. Also, monitor games and keep them securely locked when not in use to prevent losses.

Pet Parade

Let your students show off their pets by hosting a "pet parade.Kids can parade their pets around the school field and participate in a costume contest for added fun. Students without pets can also show off their stuffed animals. Take photos for the school website and highlight ribbon winners like "Cutest Pet" or "Best Costume." Ensure safety by requiring leashes and parent supervision.

We raised $700 at our pet parade, with dogs in costumes stealing the show. We also sold pet treats for $1, adding $50.

Pro tip: Have a vet on speed dial- we had a minor dog scuffle but resolved it quickly.

Cookbook Sale

Allow students to share favorite family recipes or their own culinary creations by collecting classic dishes and secret formulas (like "Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies"). To encourage submissions, offer a recipe contest and offer a free copy of the completed cookbook as a prize. Use a print-on-demand service to compile the recipes into a cookbook and let students design the cover for extra engagement. You can sell the final product at school bake sales, fairs, and PTA events.

We priced our cookbook at $10, sold 150 copies, and raised $1500 for art supplies.

Pro tip: Be sure to review each recipe before printing. Some recipes can be incomplete.

Eco-Friendly Product Sale

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important topic in 2026, so let your school promote sustainable products by selling reusable items like straws or tote bags at school events and fundraisers. Partner with a sustainable supplier to obtain your products (you can arrange to have them printed with your school logo to promote your brand), and include classroom lessons on reducing waste. Offer a discount for buying multiples. 

We earned $900 by selling $5 tote bags with our school logo. We also gave a free sticker with each purchase, which kids loved.

Pro tip: Highlight the environmental impact of your sale. We shared that our sales saved 500 plastic bags from landfills. Promote these facts on your website, e-newsletter, and social media. This can encourage more people to buy at future sales.

Eco Art Sale

Here's a fundraiser that can be offered in tandem with the eco-friendly product sale above. Have students build art from recycled materials and then sell their creations at your eco-friendly product sale (or a related event) for $5 each. To encourage purchases, donate some of the proceeds (we recommend 10%) to an environmental group and let parents and other shoppers know their dollars will support an important cause.

We raised $800 with 160 eco art pieces and donated to an environmental group, fostering a sense of purpose among participants.

Pro tip: Use sturdy bases to ensure the art lasts in new homes and withstands display. Some pieces fell apart under handling, so we had to reinforce them with stronger materials.

Karaoke Night

Raise money by having kids belt out their favorite tunes at a school karaoke night! Rent a karaoke machine for $50, and set up in the cafeteria with a stage area. Provide an MC and a staff to let kids sign up for songs in advance to keep things organized.

We charged a $5 entry fee and raised $1000, with parents cheering their kids on for every off-key rendition of “Let It Go.”  We also sold glow sticks for $1 each, adding $100.

Pro tip: Have a backup microphone ready. Our microphone died halfway through, but luckily a teacher had a spare.

Science Fair

School science fairs are popular events, and you can make yours more exciting by partnering with local science museums. Not only can they donate prizes and sponsor your event, they can supply you with actual scientists and experts who can add credibility to your event and entertain and educate the kids with their own experiments and knowledge.

Charge $2 per project and $5 per spectator. We raised $1200 with 200 entries and 100 visitors, showcasing experiments like vinegar volcanoes that amazed everyone. I loved seeing parents judge, and a local science museum donated $100 for prizes.

Pro tip: Set a two-week deadline and promote this through signs, regular announcements, and social media to make sure everyone turns their science projects in on time. This will help you avoid a lot of last-minute chaos.

Book Swap Event

Make money and promote literacy by hosting a book swap where kids donate their used books to trade for others. Set up donation tables at the school office a week or more in advance to collect donated books. Recruit volunteers to sort the books by reading level or genre and store the books in clearly-labeled boxes for the event. Promote the event in advance via your newsletter, announcements, and social media, and indicate what you're raising money for (new books for the school library etc.)

At the event, set clear rules for the book swap. You can offer a ticket to students for every book donated, allowing them to use these to get new books. Charge an entry fee (like $3) to participate and promote your book sale/swap at used bookstores, local libraries, and book-themed Facebook groups to attract additional book lovers.

We raised $600 at our book swap. Extra books sold for $2 each adding $150. Unsold books were donated to a library. The genre-sorted tables were a hit, and our parent group’s Facebook post drew 50 extra families.

Pro tip: Inspect all donated books carefully. Some may be damaged and unfit for resale or swapping.

Talent Clinic

You've got a lot of talented students at your school, so why not allow them to teach their special skills to their peers? Get kids to volunteer teaching a workshop on juggling, drawing, magic, or some other unique skill. Interested learners can pay $10 per workshop and learn alongside other students.

We raised $800 with 80 attendees, using classrooms to host the sessions. Class sizes were kept to 15 students to keep sessions manageable and we used PayBee's online platform to streamline the sign-up process.

Pro tip: Coordinate with sport coaches and extracurricular activities to make sure your talent clinic doesn't clash with previously-scheduled events.

Talent Swap 

Not every student talent is meant to be performed on stage -- but that doesn't mean they can't use their special skills to help their school. In a "Talent Swap," students offer items they make -- like baked goods, crafts, digital art -- to be sold or offered at school-sponsored auctions. Other students might offer services, like tech support, gardening, or tutoring. Unlike the talent clinic, students don't actually have to teach their skills to other students, but can simply offer products or services built around their skill sets. 

Provide sign-up sheets for participating students and set fair prices for students to offer their talents. We raised $850 at our event with 170 swaps.

Pro tip: Confirm attendance with reminders to avoid no-shows and maintain the schedule. Follow up with calls and if students still don't show up, adjust the roster.

Holiday Card Sale

This one pairs well with the holiday craft sale above. Get students to design holiday cards,vote on their favorite designs, and then print the winners through a print service. You can sell the cards for $5 per pack.

We raised $1000 selling 200 packs for our winter fundraiser. Our PayBee online store helped us reach even more buyers and raise an additional $200.

Pro tip: Block out enough time to avoid delays and accommodate late orders. We start designing cards in October. 

Fitness Boot Camp

Make getting in shape fun and profitable by hosting a fitness boot camp at your middle school. Come up with fun, age-appropriate fitness challenges (like an Amazing Race fun run, agility ladders, teamwork challenges, or aerobics routines set to upbeat music) and provide some gamification by using leaderboards to show everyone's progress. Offer prizes to the top competitors.

Raise money by charging $10 for each competitor and/or have people collect pledges per workout via peer-to-peer fundraising websites. You can also secure sponsorships from local businesses who can supply equipment, prizes, and/or financial aid.

We raised $1300 with 130 participants, using the gym and hiring a $50 trainer who made it fun with upbeat music. Water bottle prizes motivated kids, and the teamwork spirit filled the air with energy.

Pro tip: Offer virtual options via Zoom for absentees to join the fun remotely.

Plant Sale

Do you have any students with green thumbs who enjoy raising plants? You can turn this into a plant sale where potted plants or seedlings grown by students get sold to parents and community members for $5 each. This is a good opportunity to teach students about planting basics.

We raised $900 with 180 plants, thanks to a garden club donation. Displaying the plants outdoors helped draw crowds.

Pro tips: Label each plant with care instructions to boost sales. Also, over watering can ruin plants, so monitor watering closely.

Music Jam Session

Turn your music room into an open jam session by providing instruments to kids and letting them perform in front of an audience. Charge $5 for each kid to join in.

We raised $700 with 140 kids playing drums and guitars in the music room. A local band allowed us to borrow their instruments, allowing us to provide loaner instruments to kids who didn't already have theirs. Parents watched, adding to the lively atmosphere.

Pro tip: Be careful with the timing of your jam session to prevent noise complaints. Work out a good schedule with administration before performing. 

Tech Challenge

Help students develop STEM skills by holding a tech challenge where they can design, build, and program robots or create software to perform tasks like maze navigation or transporting objects. You can use platforms like LEGO Spike Prime or VEX Robotics to provide the necessary hardware and software.

Raise money by charging entry fees or holding a "Robot-o-Thon" Pledge Drive where students collect pledges from family and friends every task their robot successfully performs in the challenge. You can also get local businesses to sponsor a robot in an "Adopt-a-Bot" program where they donate the money needed to cover robotic parts and software.

We raised $800 with 160 participants, using school computers. A tech company provided judges and top performers won prizes. Livestreaming the event allowed us to sell $2 virtual tickets which added $100.

Pro tip: Test software setups to avoid glitches. Software crashes delayed us, so we upgraded tech for the next event.

Storytelling Contest

Storytelling contests allow students with interest in the performing arts to strut their stuff on stage and present an original or adapted story in front of an audience. 

There are many different ways you can present your contest. Some schools have students submit original essays, poems, or short stories based on a set theme. Kids with the best stories can read them aloud to a live and/or online audience. Other versions have students read to a virtual audience and collect pledges for reading from peer-to-peer campaigns. You can also offer a "story slam" or open mic night where students share a brief, five-minute personal story using only their improv skills (this last one may be best offered to experienced storytellers, public speakers, and performers). 

Raise money by charging $3 per storytelling entry and $5 to watch (and possibly vote on) a storytelling contest. You can also offer prizes (trophies, gift cards etc.) for the best storytellers. Sell concessions to raise even more money. 

We raised $950 from 100 attendees at our storytelling contest. We then recorded the contest and offered a $1 podcast download that added $50 and reached more listeners. A local poet’s visit brought a special spark to the occasion.

Pro tip: Use themes like “Adventure” to spark creativity and draw out unique tales from participants. Some students may forget lines in the heat of the moment, so allow notes and offer rehearsal time to boost confidence.

Poetry Slam

If you have students who enjoy reading and writing poetry, a poetry slam can be a lot of fun. Invite students to perform their original poems on stage in a competition where they're rated not only on their poems but on how well they perform them with gestures, facial expressions, and vocal rhythm.

This can be a great activity for your drama club or any student groups that love performing. Limit each performance to three minutes and provide clear rules about how audiences should react -- cheering for great lines, not booing a student who stumbled over their words etc. You can also get teachers, parents, and community members to judge each performance and award prizes. 

Charge $3 per entry and $5 to watch the slam.

We raised $850 with 100 attendees. We also sold $2 poetry books for $100 more, and got a local poet to donate $75.

Pro tip: Allow notes to boost student confidence and help them perform at their best. While poetry slams don't always allow rehearsals, we adjusted rules and held practice sessions to help students prepare.

Charity Soccer Match

Pit students against teachers or different classrooms against each other in a charity soccer match. Charge $5 for spectators to watch the game and/or collect pledges that can be paid per goal.

We raised $1100 with 220 attendees at the soccer match held on the school field. We also sold snacks for extra cash while a sports store donated professional uniforms, saving us $200.

Pro tip: Get community judges to bring extra cheers and excitement to the sidelines. And don't forget to have first-aid kits and trained volunteers to deal with any injuries that may occur during the match.

Photo Contest

Build a school-wide photo contest around a fun theme that students can get behind -- like "School Spirit" or "Seasonal Moments." Charge $2 per entry along with a $5 fee to vote on favorite shots. Top photos can earn prizes while many favorite pictures can appear on the school's Instagram account to be shared with a wide online audience.

We raised $700 by displaying 150 photos at our contest. We also sold $3 prints adding $200 to capture memories. Our “Best School Moment” theme resonated deeply with the community.

Pro tip: Check photo quality before displaying to ensure every shot is clear. Offer a chance for reshoots for any students that provide blurry or poorly shot photos.

Math Olympiad

Spelling bees are popular events -- but did you know that math competitions can be equally exciting? Math Olympiads (aka Math-a-Thons or Math Marathons) give the math geniuses in your classrooms a chance to exercise their skills by completing challenging, competitive math problems. You can raise money with this event by collecting pledges for every math problem solved and/or charging an entry fee for every "mathelete." Although Math Olympiads don't always take place in front of an audience, if your students are willing to solve problems in public, you can charge spectators $3 to watch the competition.

We raised $950 with 190 attendees at our Math Olympiad. We also sold $2 math workbooks for $120 more, sparking a love for numbers.

Pro tip: Adjust question levels for all ages to ensure everyone can participate and enjoy. Use proctors to monitor the event and prevent cheating.

History Day Fair

Educate and entertain students and the local community by holding a history fair that celebrates the past. You can theme your fair around a specific historical era ("The American Revolution") make it local ("History of Our Town"), or go broad ("Reaction and Reform Throughout History: A Look at Major Historical Turning Points"). Another approach is to select a popular historical movie (Titanic, Pearl Harbor etc.) and offer a "History vs. Hollywood" theme where students research and share what the movie got right and wrong about the actual event.

Contact local historians to see if they can offer talks during the event or help students with their research, adding more depth to your fair. Provide students with as many primary sources as you can find (original documents, oral interviews, photos etc.) to show them the value of in-depth research. 

Encourage students to wear costumes representing key figures in their research for the fair. You can also make the event more interactive by including student performances of historical events or creating "passports" that visitors can have stamped after visiting each exhibit/booth. Your History Day Fair fundraiser can turn your school into a living museum. 

Charge $3 per booth and $5 entry for a history fair celebrating the past. We raised $1000 with 100 visitors. We also sold $1 history bookmarks for $100 more.

Pro Tip: Pre-build booths to save time and set up efficiently on the big day. Make sure to enlist plenty of extra hands.

Fashion Show

Give the fashionistas in your classrooms a chance to strut their stuff in a student-led fashion show. Work with local boutiques to secure outfits in exchange for publicity, or let the students design their own outfits using discarded clothes, wearable art, or even cardboard, newspapers, and aluminum cans that can be repurposed into dresses, outfits, and accessories to create a "recycled fashion show."

Charge $5 to spectators. We raised $1100 with 220 attendees. We sold $2 photos for $200 more. A local designer’s fabric donation also elevated the runway. The creativity was stunning to behold.

Pro tip: Reinforce seams to handle the runway walk and multiple wears. Include a dress rehearsal to catch any issues with the outfits and make sure they all have strong stitching.

Cookie Decorating Party

Bake several sheets worth of sugar or gingerbread cookies and then provide kids with icing bottles, sprinkles, candies, and edible glitter to make their own cookie creations. Use quick-hardening royal icing and squeeze bottles to minimize mess and provide aprons to keep clothes clean.

Create several "decorating stations" in your room with the decorating materials to keep things organized. If you like, you can offer a specific theme like "School Pride" or "Holiday Greetings" that can influence the cookie designs and award prizes to the funniest or most creative designs.

Charge $8 per child to participate and sell any extra cookies for additional revenue. You can also sell "Decorate Your Own" kits with baked cookies, icing bags, and sprinkles for any kids that can't attend the actual event.

We raised $1000 with 125 kids. We also sold extra cookies for $1 each, adding $100.

Pro tip: Cover tables with plastic to manage the sticky mess and speed up cleanup. Make sure to have plenty of volunteers to help with cleanup.

Virtual Escape Room

Escape rooms are popular with both kids and adults, but if creating a physical escape room is too expensive and time-consuming, why not create an online version? Virtual escape rooms allow teams to solve puzzles and look for clues together online in a shared virtual space -- like those provided by Zoom platforms.

You can do this by having a live host livestream the experience from a physical room displaying props and clues. Players direct the host to interact with objects and reveal hidden items, allowing the team to solve puzzles together and find a way to escape the room. (This is a good option for teams that aren't as familiar with online gaming controls.)

Alternatively, you can create a fully digital escape room with Google Forms or Slides, complete with 360° images, videos, and interactive elements. If you have a lot of tech savvy staff and students, you might even use virtual reality headsets that immerse players in a complete 360° world for a fully interactive experience.    

Charge $5 (or more depending on the sophistication and expense of your game) per team for a testing wits.

We raised $900 with 180 players. We also sold $1 hints for $150 more. The online format expanded our reach.

Pro tip: Test tech setups early to avoid frustrating lags and technical glitches that could ruin the fun.

Dance Off

Dance offs allow student dancers and dancing teams to showcase choreographed routines on stage for spectators. This is different from a dance-a-thon where the focus is more on donating money based on how long students can dance than the dancing itself. However, you can also raise money through a dance off by getting friends and family to pledge donations for every dance routine completed.

Charge a $5 entry fee and $3 spectator tickets. We raised $1050 with 200 participants. We also sold $1 water bottles for $150 more, with community judges adding excitement to the beat.

Pro tip: Have a backup playlist ready to keep the music flowing without interruptions. Test equipment thoroughly before the show.

History Quiz Bowl

Collect fun history trivia questions about different topics, such as World War II, European history, or even community history. Let students form teams and compete for prizes in front of an audience by demonstrating their history knowledge.

Charge $5 per team and $3 for spectators to watch a history quiz celebrating the past.

We raised $950 with 190 attendees. We also sold $2 trivia cards for $120 more.

Pro tip: Set clear rules from the start to prevent any cheating attempts during the game.

Art Gallery Night 

Art gallery nights let your art classes showcase their best paintings, sketches, sculptures, and multi-media works. Unlike art auctions, the artwork is meant to be viewed, not sold, although you can sell prints of popular pieces. You can display the art in classrooms, or secure a larger venue, like the library, cafeteria, gym, or community center, if you need to accommodate a lot of foot traffic. Make sure the pieces all given good lighting.

Charge $5 to enter the art gallery and offer drinks and other concessions to raise more money. (Tiny hors d'oeuvres -- deviled eggs, sausage balls, or pizza rolls) can add a classy feel to the event.

We raised $1100 with 220 visitors. We also sold $2 postcards for $200 more.

Pro tip: Use sturdy frames to display their work proudly and protect it from damage.

Community Clean-Up

Raise money for your school and teach kids about community service while beautifying your local parks, trails, or other public areas with a community clean-up event. Also known as a Trash-a-Thon, this fundraiser lets students collect pledges from family or friends for every pound of trash they collect or every bag they fill during the cleanup.

Work with your local government, community organizations, and businesses for this event. Secure permission if required to gather at your location for the cleanup. Arrange for proper disposal and/or recycling of collected materials with local recycling companies and waste disposal centers. Get local businesses to donate gloves, trash bags, water, and snacks for student volunteers.

We raised $1,200 with 240 participants. We sold $3 eco-bags for $150 more and got $100 from a park partnership.

Pro tip: Be safe! Provide gloves and masks to keep everyone safe from debris, sharp objects, and air pollutants. Have volunteers alert you to any environmental or contact allergies that could negatively impact your cleanup during sign up.

These ideas offer a mix of in-person, virtual, and hybrid options to fit any school’s needs. They’re also scalable. You can start small with a bake sale, or go big with a color run. For more on virtual fundraisers, see this blog post.

Strategies for Successful Middle School Fundraising

Organizing a fundraiser can feel akin to herding cats, but with the proper strategies, it’s possible to make it doable -- even enjoyable. Utilize online platforms, solicit sponsors, advertise through social media and organize themed events, and you'll find a plethora of useful tools that can help manage any fundraising event.

Here are five strategies that have done wonders for us:

1. Use Digital Platforms for Fundraising

Online tools make it easier to donate to fundraisers. When we held our school talent show, 60% of our contributions -- $1200 -- was collected online through the PayBee platform.

Use your platform to create a campaign page with a definite goal, and mail reminders to parents by email. You can also use PayBee to manage your guest list, track RSVPs, process payments, and build peer-to-peer campaigns. We used PayBee to build and manage our online auction, and it made it very easy to track bids.

A word of advice: test your donation link before you go live. Ours didn’t work when we started, and we lost a fundraising day.

2. Involve Sponsors in Your Fundraising Process

Local businesses can be cost offsets. For our color run, a local gym sponsored us and provided $500 for the color powder. As a thank you, we printed their logo on our event tees.

Go to businesses with a strong pitch that shows how they benefit by sponsoring your school. For example, let them know that, “Your $100 sponsorship puts new uniforms on kids, and we’ll publicly thank you on social media!”

We also gave sponsors a shout out during assemblies, prompting more to step up. Make sure to solicit support early though -- some businesses take a month to “okay” sponsorships.

3. Share Your Event Online

Social media and Google Ads amplify your reach, helping you attract more donors and supporters. Create a Google Ad for your event and use a hashtag like #SupportOurSchool or #[Your Town]parents to target parents in your area.

We spent $50 on a Facebook ad for our talent show, which brought in 50 extra attendees.

Pro tip: Post at peak times (e.g., 7 PM) for better engagement -- we saw double shares for our ads then.

4. Host Themed School Fundraisers

Themes make events memorable -- and profitable. Our “Winter Glow” dance-a-thon generated $2000. Kids enjoyed the glow sticks and neon atmosphere!

Choose themes related to seasons (e.g., “Spring Fling” for a fair) or popular culture (e.g., “Superhero Day”). Themes also make promoting easier- consider posters and social media posts that catch the eye with their colors and images. We made free posters using Canva and parents posted them online, helping us reach other social networks.

Be sure to be consistent with your theme in all your marketing materials -- it communicates a unified effect and a recognizable brand that invites people to attend.

5. Track and Share School Fundraising Progress

Transparency gets everyone excited. By sharing information on our fundraising progress, we show everyone how close we're getting to our fundraising goals and encourage greater participation.

For our Penny Wars, we used a thermometer chart in the cafeteria and posted any changes daily. Beating $1200 became a team win because everyone got to see our progress.

Post milestones in newsletters and publicly recognize donors at assemblies to get others to donate more. We made frequent updates in our Instagram Stories account to share our fundraiser progress and received 500 views for each story.

And while everyone at school is excited to learn when we reach our main fundraising goals, don't forget to celebrate the small wins too! When we passed an early $500 goal in one of our fundraisers, we rewarded the school with a "Spirit Day." This helped sustain fundraising excitement and got others to donate more.

• 5 Essential Strategies for Middle School Fundraising Success:
  • Use digital tools like Paybee for easy donations.
  • Get sponsorships from community businesses.
  • Promote events on social media and via Google Ads.
  • Create themed events to boost participation.
  • Track and share progress to maintain momentum. 

Two more suggestions: Engage students in fundraising idea planning. When our 7th-grade students proposed a costume contest during movie night, attendance doubled because they had a sense of ownership for the event.

And don’t underestimate the impact of thank-yous! After our color run, we sent individual emails to donors, and 15% gave again at our next event. For more advice about digital tools, look at this post on fundraising platforms for schools.

FAQs: Middle School Fundraising Ideas

1. What are easy middle school fundraising ideas?

Easy middle school fundraising ideas include dress-up days, read-a-thons and candy bar sales. These require minimal setup and high engagement to be successful.

2. How can middle school fundraisers engage parents effectively?

Engage parents by hosting a family fundraising event like a trivia night. Send regular email updates and offer volunteer roles that fit their schedules. Make it easy for them to sign up by using a platform like PayBee to manage your event.

3. What are some eco-friendly middle school fundraising ideas?

Eco-friendly ideas include recycling drives for cans and bottles or selling reusable products like straws. This promotes sustainability while raising funds. You can also look into a community cleanup or even a recycled fashion show that lets students repurpose recyclable materials like cardboard and cans.

4. What role do students play in middle school fundraising?

Students participate by organizing events, collecting pledges, creating items to sell (like artwork or crafts), fostering leadership and engaging in teamwork.

5. How can middle schools track fundraising progress?

Digital platforms like PayBee let students track donations in real-time. You can also share progress with a visual thermometer that can be posted during assemblies or in public areas like the cafeteria. 

These FAQs cover the basics, but there’s always more to explore. For additional questions and answers, check out our blog.

Wrapping Up: Empowering Your Middle School Fundraising Journey

Middle school fundraising ideas are a highly effective method to support your school, enrich the student experience and create a more vibrant community. The 50 ideas I’ve listed vary in cost and complexity, allowing you to choose from a range of options that suits your school’s budget and objectives.

Whether you’re raising $500 for art materials or $5000 for new equipment, each of these ideas has its own unique allure: the fun of a color run, the creativity of an art auction or the camaraderie of a penny wars event. Tactics such as using online platforms, lining up sponsorship and publicizing online can help you achieve maximum success, and innovations such as virtual events, green drives, and gamification keep things fresh and new in 2026.

All set to begin? Schedule a free demo with the PayBee platform to see how its online tools can help you build, manage, and improve your middle school fundraisers!

Here’s a final list to guide you:

5 Actionable Takeaways for Middle School Fundraising:

• Establish SMART goals for focus and clarity.
• Use online fundraising platforms like Paybee for efficiency.
• Engage the community through fun, themed events.
• Promote through various channels for maximum outreach.
• Track and post updates to maintain strong momentum.

Fundraising isn’t just about the money- it’s about showing students what’s possible when we work together. Let’s make 2026 an impactful year for our middle schools!