Things to Sell for School Fundraiser
Master List: Best Things to Sell for School Fundraiser (Some Never Seen Before!)
Quick Answer
The best things to sell for a school fundraiser are items families already use, enjoy, or find meaningful, such as gourmet snacks, spirit wear, everyday essentials, seasonal home goods, and creative student-made products. Pairing proven classics with modern digital or tech-enhanced ideas helps schools raise more money with less effort while keeping students and parents excited to participate.
Key Takeaways
- Choose fundraisers that match your community. The most successful ideas align with what families already buy and the volunteer capacity your school actually has.
- Mix classic sellers with modern, digital options. Food, spirit wear, and gift items remain top earners, but online stores, tech-based products, and AI-enhanced ideas can boost excitement and profit.
- Use pre-orders to avoid waste and protect your budget. Especially for food, apparel and seasonal items, pre-orders reduce risk and increase efficiency.
- Mind the legal basics. Check local rules on raffles, food permits, sales tax, student privacy and digital payment compliance to prevent avoidable issues.
- Student engagement drives results. Let kids participate creatively, designing merch, creating art, promoting online, or helping with setup to build ownership and community spirit.
- Track your results for next year. Record profits, participation and what sold best so each fundraiser becomes easier, smoother and more profitable.
Understanding School Fundraisers: Definitions and Basics
School fundraisers are organized events where students, families, and community members come together to raise money for specific yet essential school needs. These needs can include classroom supplies, sports equipment, field trips, technology upgrades, arts programs or special projects when school funds can’t otherwise cover their costs. This is when local communities band together in order to show their report, usually by purchasing something they already enjoy or value.
Most fundraisers fall into two main categories, product based and experience based events. Product based fundraisers focus on selling items such as baked goods, custom school merchandise, gourmet snacks, eco-friendly products or seasonal goods. They usually do very well as people perceive themselves as getting value for their donations and they’re often easy to set up and pull off.
In contrast, experience based fundraisers raise money through events like fun runs, talent shows, carnivals, read-a-thons or community dinners. These activities combine fundraising with social connection which makes them ideal for schools that want to build spirit while generating revenue at the same time. And although events like these can have a higher profit margin compared to product based ones, they’re also a bit harder to successfully pull off.
But of course raising money for a school isn’t always glitch free, even though it should be in our opinion, there are laws and ordinances that need to be adhered to, even if your organization is a legal nonprofit. Your group may still need approval before hosting raffles or games of chance as they’re often highly regulated through the states. If you’re dealing with food, you may even need to obtain a permit. And if you’re selling physical stuff, it's important to look into your local policies on taxes, handling donations or working with third party vendors.
The last thing you need is to run an event and then end up paying more in fines than you raised, so take this aspect seriously!
One last thing to note about these types of fundraisers, they’re always meant to be inclusive, meaning every student should be able to participate in some way whether they’re five or fifteen. they should be able to participate by sharing links, helping with setup, contributing creativity to the promotional effort or simply help baking some brownies. It’s meant to bring a school’s student body together just as much as raising funds for a project.
Top 68 Tried and True Ways For a School to Raise Funds
We underrated that some school organizations may need some guaranteed ways to raise money, ideas that are tried and true, that’s what we’re starting with, fifty of them. These ideas have worked for many years and practically every school in America has held some sort of event based on them. They’re perfect for any sized school and they can all be tweaked to fit your towns local flavor. And why they may not be the most progressive ideas, they’ll get the job done.
If you are looking for more interesting or futuristic ideas, skip down to our futuristic ideas that take advantage of technology to create entirely new opportunities currently evolving as you’re reading this. They are definitely the future and someday most likely the norm. If you want to truly stand out, they may be exactly what you’re searching for.
Classic Food & Treat Fundraisers
Everyone eats, so why not turn hunger into donations! Food sells fast, requires minimal setup and delivers 50–70% profit margins in some cases. Plus everyone can get involved, from actually creating the food to setting up the tables and taking in the cash. These are great for schools or even class specific projects and pretty much work every time.
Gourmet Popcorn
What it is: Those irresistible bags or tins of flavored popcorn, caramel, cheddar, kettle, chocolate-drizzled even seasonal favorites like pumpkin spice.
How it works: Most schools either buy big bulk orders (think 1,000 bags at around $1.50 each) and sell them for $5–$7, or they make their own batches for pennies. Kids sell them at events or through order forms.
Why it’s worth it: It keeps forever, everyone buys multiple bags, and the profit margin is ridiculous. One school cleared $12K in two weeks just selling popcorn.
Cookie Dough Tubs (Ready-to-Bake)
What it is: Frozen tubs of cookie dough in family-friendly flavors, chocolate chip, sugar, peanut butter, etc. And yes, the “safe to eat raw” versions are the most popular.
How it works: Most schools partner with a national brand, then students take home catalogs and orders arrive a couple weeks later.
Why it’s worth it: Parents buy this without thinking twice. Families stock up, and the school typically keeps 40 to 50% of each sale.
Chocolate Bars
What it is: Classic $1 to $2 fundraising bars like milk chocolate, dark, almond, crispy.
How it works: You buy cases of 60 bars for around $30 to $40 wholesale and let students loose selling them door-to-door or at games or other events.
Why it’s worth it: Pure impulse buying. Kids run out fast, and some schools sell thousands. One elementary sold 8,000 bars in 10 days.
Doughnuts
What it is: Fresh glazed or chocolate doughnuts from a local bakery or made by hand under supervision as they’re fried in hot oil.
How it works: Take pre-orders whenever possible so there’s no waste. Either pick everything up fresh or make your own and sell for $1 to $2 each.
Why it’s worth it: They never, ever go unsold. Lines form on their own, and bakeries usually offer generous discounts if you’re unable to make your own.
Cupcakes & Brownies
What it is: Fun, themed cupcakes and brownies with unicorn swirls, sports colors or holiday designs to give you a few ideas.
How it works: Parents bake in bulk or a local bakery helps out. Sell individually or in bulk packs depending on how hungry your crowd is.
Why it’s worth it: Cheap to make, easy to theme and they disappear quickly at school concerts and family nights.
Candy & Lollipops
What it is: Suckers, gummy packs, mints, all the “small treats” kids gravitate toward.
How it works: Set up a small candy table at every event or in the lunch room each day.
Why it’s worth it: The markup is huge and younger kids happily spend pocket change over and over.
Pretzel Rods & Snack Packs
What it is: Chocolate dipped pretzel rods or snack mix bags.
How it works: Students assemble, dip, package and decorate the bags themselves to increase the perceived value.
Why it’s worth it: A salty alternative that parents appreciate, and it stores well.
Pizza Fundraiser (Slices or Take-&-Bake Kits)
What it is: Hot pizza slices at events or frozen take-and-bake kits for families.
How it works: Team up with a local pizzeria, most will donate a cut or sell wholesale.
Why it’s worth it: Families are buying pizza anyway, so they’re happy to support the school while doing it. Plus it may be the only decent thing to eat at the big game.
Hot Dogs, Corn Dogs & Sandwiches
What it is: Ballpark style food! Think hot dogs, corn dogs, PB&Js or anything else you might find in a park or at a baseball game.
How it works: Rent a grill, buy in bulk and serve at games or other events that usually don’t have food available.
Why it’s worth it: Very low cost, yet very high demand. Booster clubs can make thousands per game if you have a large enough student body.
Pancake Breakfast, Spaghetti Dinner, or “Meal Night”
What it is: Community meals priced for families.
How it works: Sell tickets early to get the most people. Then prepare and host it in your school cafeteria. Can eve double as a ‘bring your family to lunch’ day!
Why it’s worth it: Low cost per plate, high turnout and a great community feel.
Lemonade, Iced Coffee & Hot Drinks
What it is: Seasonal drink stands. Think lemonade in the heat and cocoa and coffee in the cold.
How it works: Sell drinks according to the weather. Upsell with cookies, special flavorings or creamers.
Why it’s worth it: Costs almost nothing to make and sells like crazy outdoors, even to people that may not be hungry, they’ll still grab a drink.
Macarons, Marshmallows & “Fancy Treats”
What it is: Eye catching treats like colorful macarons and dipped marshmallows look yummy and expensive.
How it works: Make in house or partner with a local baker. Dipped marshmallows literally cost pennies to make.
Why it’s worth it: The “cute factor” drives sales, especially at galas and parent events.
Fresh Fruit & Healthy Snacks
What it is: Fruit cups, bananas, protein bars or even granola clusters.
How it works: Buy wholesale or make yourself by pairing with sweets to give some options.
Why it’s worth it: Health minded parents appreciate it and students training for the team will buy without hesitation.
School Spirit Wear & Apparel
People love being a part of something while also showing off their support, so take advantage of this and use it to sell school spirit aligned items that can be worn by both student and parent alike. Items like branded t-shirts and hoodies are always in demand, as are club and team specific souvenirs like Eco friendly cups and even dog tags! Find the artists in your school and have them design limited editions or special anniversary editions for a larger profit margin.
Custom School T-Shirts
What it is: Classic school tees featuring mascots, class years, club logos or special event designs by school artists. These are the staple items students and parents love wearing year round.
How it works: Use an online vendor to handle printing and pre-orders so you don’t have to guess sizes or stock inventory. Let students vote on designs to boost excitement.
Why it’s worth it: T-shirts are inexpensive to produce, universally appealing and families often buy multiple to replace lost ones or support different clubs. Plus using print on demand there are no up front costs!
Hoodies, Crewnecks & Sweatpants
What it is: Cozy, heavier spirit-wear pieces that are perfect for fall sports, winter mornings and “school pride” outfits.
How it works: Offer one clean, simple design per season and take pre-orders to avoid holding extra sizes. Bundle hoodies and sweatpants for team discounts.
Why it’s worth it: These items have a higher price point and students genuinely want them, especially athletes which also means strong profit margins and consistent demand.
Game Day Weather Gear (Hats, Beanies & Scarves)
What it is: Practical outdoor items like embroidered beanies, knit scarves and classic caps that families reach for during chilly games and outdoor events.
How it works: Stock one-size-fits-most pieces and set up a small sales table at football games, track meets, band competitions and field days.
Why it’s worth it: These sell extremely well when people are cold and unprepared and are the very definition of reliable impulse purchases.
Small-Item Collectibles (Socks, Wristbands & Minis)
What it is: Fun and inexpensive spirit accessories students love collecting. Think patterned socks, silicone motto bands, small charms and spirited color bracelets.
How it works: Sell them individually or in mix-and-match packs during lunch, Spirit Week or club events. Keep the price low so students can buy multiples and trade with others.
Why it’s worth it: High volume, low cost items with nearly universal appeal. Kids trade them, collect them and come back for more. Just think of the 3 sock craze!
Daily Use Essentials (Lanyards & ID Accessories)
What it is: Everyday school items students rely on and are even required, breakaway lanyards, badge reels, ID sleeves and key clips, all branded with your school’s colors.
How it works: Offer them at orientation, back-to-school nights and registration days when students receive their IDs. Restock mid year for replacements.
Why it’s worth it: These get lost constantly, so parents buy extras. Simple to store, easy to price and always in demand.
Seasonal Health & Safety Packs (Masks + Add-Ons)
What it is: Small seasonal kits that include a branded reusable mask, mini hand sanitizer, tissues or winter lip balm all bundled together for convenience.
How it works: Package these in clear bags with a school label and offer them during flu-season events, winter concerts or holiday fairs.
Why it’s worth it: Practical items families actually use, and bundling them increases perceived value with minimal cost.
Dog Tags, Pins & Buttons
What it is: Collectible club, team, or event themed tags and pins that are highly popular with band, drama, sports teams and student leaders.
How it works: Create limited run designs for each club or event. Some examples would be, “Choir 2026,” “State Champs,” or “Robotics Team.” Sell them at performances, banquets or pep rallies.
Why it’s worth it: Low production cost, strong emotional appeal and the limited edition factor pushes quick sales and many students can go on to collect them yearly.
Everyday Essentials Families Actually Need
When you can ‘sell’ families products that they need anyway, but spruced up with school colors and emblems, you have a great selling angle that usually can’t be beat. These fundraisers work because you're not trying to convince anyone to buy something extra, you’re simply offering families the everyday items they already use, but with a school connection or built-in savings. That “we already need this” angle makes these some of the easiest and most reliable sellers.
Discount & Coupon Cards
What it is: A handy card packed with real discounts from local restaurants, shops, and services parents already use.
How it works: A vendor handles printing and redemption, and the school sells the cards through students or online.
Why it’s worth it: Families easily save far more than the cost of the card, which makes it one of the few fundraisers people are genuinely excited to buy every year.
Scratch Cards
What it is: A simple card covered with small donation amounts, usually pocket change amounts from 50¢ to a few dollars.
How it works: Students take the cards to neighbors, relatives and family friends and donors scratch off a square and give whatever amount appears.
Why it’s worth it: No inventory, no delivering products and the totals add up fast. A classroom can raise hundreds in a single afternoon if enough students participate.
Trash Bags, Paper Towels & Household Staples
What it is: Bulk household products like heavy-duty trash bags and paper towels are the things every household burns through constantly.
How it works: A supplier ships orders directly or via school pickup, and families typically order multiple rolls or packs at once.
Why it’s worth it: People don’t debate whether they “need” these. They’re buying them anyway, so it’s an easy yes and a dependable annual seller.
Water Bottles, Tumblers & Mugs
What it is: Reusable drinkware stamped with school colors, mascots, or event branding.
How it works: Offer single items or bundle them with cocoa packets or tea bags for seasonal gift sets.
Why it’s worth it: These are items families use daily and are eco-friendly which is also a growing trend. Plus parents, teachers and even students love them for holiday gifts.
Coffee Beans, Tea & Cocoa
What it is: Custom roasted coffee, specialty teas or hot cocoa mixes packaged with school branded labels.
How it works: Partner with a local roaster or supplier to create a “school blend,” then sell near holidays or during winter events and even sell by the brew at winter games.
Why it’s worth it: They make effortless gifts for parents, teachers and grandparents as seasonal products always drive strong sales.
USB Drives, Mouse Pads & Tech Items
What it is: Small tech accessories like USB sticks, mouse pads, charging cables or portable styluses, all the little things students are constantly misplacing.
How it works: Stock up before back to school nights, tech pick ups and curriculum events where families naturally need them.
Why it’s worth it: These items stay in constant demand because kids lose them monthly making repeat sales surprisingly easy.
Phone Grips, Covers & Wallets
What it is: Stick-on phone grips, branded covers, magnet wallets and other small phone add-ons.
How it works: Sell them at school events or put a small selection at the front office for quick purchases throughout the year.
Why it’s worth it: Students love changing up their phone accessories, and these low-cost items create high turnover and fast profits.
Backpacks, Duffel Bags & Drawstring Bags
What it is: Branded bags are ideal for gym class, sports teams, overnight trips or everyday school use.
How it works: Offer pre-orders so you don’t overbuy and create versions specific to sports teams or clubs.
Why it’s worth it: They’re durable, useful, and nearly every student needs at least one which makes them easy sellers.
Lunch Boxes & Snack Containers
What it is: Insulated lunch bags, bento-style boxes or snack containers for younger students.
How it works: Sell at the start of the school year or during kindergarten orientation when parents are buying new supplies.
Why it’s worth it: These need replacing annually as kids grow or wear them out, and parents appreciate something practical over another “extra.”
Everyday Essentials Gift Packs (Optional Add-On)
What it is: A small bundle of a few essentials like a water bottle, lanyard and snack container all packaged as a “Back-to-School Pack.”
How it works: Offer it as an upsell in your online store or at registration tables.
Why it’s worth it: Bundles increase average order size and make parents feel like they’re getting a ready made, useful set ready to go for the school year.
Stationery, Printables & Desk Items
Seeing this is school, things like stationary, calendars and other desk items are a completely natural fit when it comes to sales. Somethings can be offered to parents and directly to students throughout the school year. And many of these items will be used up and need constant replenishment making for even a better profit margin that other one time offerings.
Notepads, Journals & Personalized Stationery
What it is: Custom notepads, journals and stationery sets with the student’s name, class year or a school logo added for a personal touch are always special keepsakes.
How it works: Order through an online printer that offers personalization options. Families choose names or designs and pick up their items at school.
Why it’s worth it: These make thoughtful teacher gifts, keepsakes for grandparents and practical everyday tools for students making these easy wins across all age groups.
School Calendars
What it is: A 12 month wall calendar featuring student artwork, sports photos or snapshots from school events documenting their child’s experience.
How it works: Print calendars over summer and start selling before school begins or during back to school nights.
Why it’s worth it: Parents love something both useful and sentimental and it stays on their wall all year while quietly promoting your school.
Photo Magnets & Magnet Sets
What it is: Class photos, team pictures or club portraits printed as durable fridge magnets.
How it works: Sell them in small bundles or themed sets. Grandparents and extended family members often buy multiples as they’re often cheap yet still special.
Why it’s worth it: Very low production cost with strong emotional appeal and one of the easiest fundraisers to mark up.
Bookmarks, Postcards & Cards
What it is: Simple printed keepsakes like laminated bookmarks, inspirational postcards or thank-you cards with student art are often easy sellers.
How it works: Perfect for book fairs, literacy nights and front office impulse buys.
Why it’s worth it: Costs pennies to print and provides steady and dependable revenue throughout the year.
Stickers, Car Decals & Fridge Magnets
What it is: Mascot stickers, bumper worthy car decals, laptop stickers and decorative magnets all make for small sales fast.
How it works: Print themed sheets or single pieces and sell at events, in the office or even online.
Why it’s worth it: Kids love collecting and trading stickers while parents proudly display decals, a great combo for consistent sales to both parties.
Stress Balls & Desk Toys
What it is: Logo branded stress balls, fidget cubes and small desk toys are always fun to have around.
How it works: Place them near checkout tables at events or in teacher lounges for easy impulse purchases.
Why it’s worth it: Testing season makes these incredibly popular and teachers often buy several for classroom use.
Home, Seasonal & Kitchen Items
Things for school aren’t the only easy sellers, items meant to be used at home can bring in funding just as easily as printed t-shirts or school calendars. Trying pairing your items to themes like holidays or kitchen supplies and you’ll have much more success than pitching things at random times.
Candles (Seasonal Scents)
What it is: Holiday scented candles with custom school labels. Think cinnamon, pine or vanilla sugar on a cold evening.
How it works: Partner with a local candle maker for small batches or create simple poured candles in-house for maximum profit.
Why it’s worth it: A tried and true item for teacher gifts and holiday shoppers. Plus people love buying handmade seasonal products.
Holiday Wreaths, Flowers & Greenery
What it is: Fresh wreaths, poinsettias, table greenery or spring flower baskets depending on the season and what’s available.
How it works: Take pre-orders, coordinate pickup day and let a local nursery or farm supply the goods.
Why it’s worth it: These are already high demand seasonal items and buying them through the school makes families feel good about supporting students.
Seasonings, Spices & Recipe-in-a-Jar Mixes
What it is: Mason jars layered with chili mix, soup ingredients, cookie dough components or handmade spice blends all complete with recipe cards.
How it works: Students assemble jars in class or clubs turning it into a hands on project everyone can take part in.
Why it’s worth it: These “homemade” jars are charming, inexpensive to assemble and sell instantly at holiday fairs.
Coasters, Frames & Wall Art
What it is: Have student create things like decorative tile coasters, framed prints, thumbprint art or small wall hangings.
How it works: Showcase them at art shows, concerts and parent nights.
Why it’s worth it: Parents and grandparents love anything that features student artwork which means these emotional purchases translate into excellent profits.
Garden Stones & Outdoor Décor
What it is: Painted or stamped stepping stones, plant markers, and small outdoor decorations made by students or volunteers.
How it works: Create the pieces during art class or club projects and sell at spring plant sales or garden events.
Why it’s worth it: Anything handmade by students becomes a cherished keepsake and families happily pay premium prices.
Sunglasses & Umbrellas
What it is: Bulk sunglasses, umbrellas, or sun hats branded with school colors or logos.
How it works: Set up stands at field days, track meets or outdoor festivals when the weather flips unexpectedly.
Why it’s worth it: You’ll sell out the moment someone realizes they forgot theirs sincethey’re the ultimate last minute impulse buy.
School Merchandise & Spirit Bundles
School Merch Bundles (“Spirit Packs”)
What it is: A pre-packaged bundle which typically includes a T-shirt, lanyard, decals, wristband and maybe a sticker sheet all sold as a discounted set.
How it works: Offer small, medium and deluxe versions in your online store or at big events.
Why it’s worth it: Parents love one and done options and bundles make it easy to get it all done at a discount for parents and a great mark up for the students.
Wristbands, Keychains & Small Accessories
What it is: Glow-in-the-dark bands, mascot keychains, zipper pulls and other small accessories students love and are low cost impulse buys.
How it works: Display them at entrances, concessions or checkout tables where kids can make quick small purchases without even thinking about it.
Why it’s worth it: Super low cost items that move fast and perfect for students using leftover lunch money.
Lapel Pins & Collectible Buttons
What it is: Limited-edition pins and buttons designed for clubs, sports teams, graduations, or special events.
How it works: Release small batches throughout the year to keep collectors engaged.
Why it’s worth it: Students love trading them and the collectible aspect encourages repeat buyers.
Events, Services & Experience Based Fundraisers
You don’t need to only ‘sell’ merchandise in order to raise money. Offering needed services like gift wrapping during Christmas or simply holding a raffle can also bring in the bucks. And often these are ideas that don’t need any start up capital for inventory, so they can happen even when your group doesn’t have a penny to spend otherwise.
Gift Wrapping Service & Wrapping Paper
What it is: A simple gift wrapping station run by students offering wrapping for a few dollars per item, plus festive rolls of custom school paper for extra sales.
How it works: Set up on December weekends in the school lobby or at a community event. Parents drop off gifts to be wrapped saving them a ton of time.
Why it’s worth it: Busy families are thrilled to outsource their wrapping and paper sales add extra profit with almost no effort.
Raffle Tickets for Big Prizes
What it is: Cheap raffle tickets, usually $1 to $2 offering the chance to win donated prizes like an iPad, gift basket or “principal for a day.”
How it works: Sell tickets all month and announce winners at a pep rally, concert or halftime show during the big game.
Why it’s worth it: When prizes are donated, nearly every dollar goes straight to the fundraiser with unbeatable margins. Just be careful about local raffle laws so there aren’t any problems.
Photo Booth with Props
What it is: A fun backdrop plus printable photo strips or digital downloads complete with silly hats, glasses or themed props.
How it works: Rent or borrow simple photo booth equipment and let students run it during dances, fairs, or performances.
Why it’s worth it: Quick, memorable photos generate nonstop traffic and are perfect for events with plenty of traffic flow.
Caricature or Portrait Stations
What it is: A sketching station where art students or hired artists draw quick caricatures or portraits.
How it works: Set up at fairs, carnivals or open houses. Each drawing only takes a few minutes so no long lines!
Why it’s worth it: A unique keepsake families treasure and the “live art” factor attracts crowds instantly.
Homemade Jewelry & Craft Booths
What it is: Creative DIY stations where kids make bracelets, necklaces, slime, candles, lip gloss, or other craft items.
How it works: Provide bins of supplies and charge per project, letting kids take home whatever they create.
Why it’s worth it: It’s both an experience and a product that kids pay to make it and they leave excited about what they made.
Hyper Original Things to Sell That No One Else is Doing!
If your school has a bunch of savvy tech students, these futuristic ideas are perfect. They are not only completely original, but they can help bring your entire student body into the future, right now. And the best part is that many of the tools you’ll need to create thee are completely free. Plus you’re teaching and sharing true skills for the next generation of students.
AI-Generated “Future Me” Portrait NFTs
Students upload a selfie and list three dreams or goals like their ultimate career, a hobby and what they see as their future lifestyle. An AI model blends those inputs to generate a hyper realistic portrait of what they might look like 10 to 20 years from now. The portrait becomes a1-of-1 digital collectible (NFT) stamped with the student’s class year so it can never be duplicated. Buyers get both a printed matte version and a scannable QR that leads to the NFT online. Since AI creation costs a dollar or less, almost the entire sale is profit.
Voice-Activated “Locker Legend” Audio Tokens
Students record short audio messages. They can be anything from secret messages to jokes or funny “teacher roast” lines. Those recordings are then saved onto small NFC keychains. Tapping the keychain against any smartphone instantly plays the audio. You can sell them as collectibles or as a special communication source between students to raise funds. They’re low cost to produce and feel futuristic but simple to use.
Digital Time Capsule Flash Drives (Sealed Until 2035)
Students upload photos, short videos, letters to their future selves, playlists, and predictions about their futures and then saves everything onto a USB drive. Then the USB is sealed in a clear plastic block and engraved with their name and the date they will open it, so now it becomes their own sealed time capsule. The blocks could be kept at the school or given to each student to be opened at a future date. Students can pay for the capsule themselves or have their parents or other family members sponsor it for them.
AI-Predicted “Class of 2035” Yearbooks
Use an AI model to generate a humorous “future yearbook” with all sorts of funny content. Think imaginary careers, future headlines, predicted fashion trends, mock awards for each student in the school. It’s satire, not serious, think “The Onion” meets yearbook parody. Printed cheaply but hilarious to read at reunions.
“Glow-in-the-Dark Ceiling Stars” (Constellation of Grad Year)
Gather the birthdays of all the school’s seniors and map their positions as a star chart. Once you have all the information, turn that into glow-in-the-dark ceiling stickers. When arranged on a ceiling, it recreates the constellation of their entire graduation class.
“Future News Headline” Personalized Posters
A bit like the yearbook, each buyer fills out a quick form. AI generates a mock New York Times-style front page from 2040 with them as the headline (“Local Hero [Name] Invents Cure for Boring Mondays”). Printed on premium matte paper with tomorrow’s date. Looks legit enough that grandparents frame them.
Free Tools
- Anchor: “Create AI art with NightCafe” → https://nightcafe.studio/ (Tool for “Future Me” portraits).
- Anchor: “Mint NFTs free on Polygon” → https://opensea.io/blog/guides/non-fungible-tokens (Low-cost blockchain).
- Anchor: “AR app builder: Lens Studio” → https://ar.snapchat.com/lens-studio (For seed bomb tracking).
The Legal & Tax Minefield Section
School fundraisers are a powerhouse for community building and program funding, but ignoring the legal side can turn a $5,000 cookie dough drive into a $10,000 headache. Most articles gloss over this, leaving PTOs and boosters blindsided by fines, audits, or worse and all without them even understanding they’ve done anything wrong. So we’ve included this section to make sure you’re not in the dark and can run your event completely legal. We're focusing on U.S. federal and state rules (always verify locally), drawing from IRS guidelines, state attorney general offices, and health departments. But please, always do your own local research.
Pro tip: If at all possible, consult your school's legal counsel or a nonprofit attorney early as it's cheaper than the cleanup will be!
Raffle & “Chance-Based” Laws by Region
Raffles, 50/50 drawings, and prize wheels count as "games of chance" under gambling laws, so they're heavily regulated to prevent fraud. Only qualified nonprofits like 501(c)(3) schools or PTAs can typically run them, and even then, rules vary wildly by state. And most states do not play around with this!
What makes a raffle illegal in many states? Selling tickets across state lines since it violates federal wire laws, no charitable purpose, or exceeding prize limits without a license are just a fe of the main reasons. And do any of these and fines can hit $1,000+ per violation, plus misdemeanor charges in strict states.
- Key Rules Breakdown:
- Permitted States (e.g., CA, TX, NY): Need a license/registration (e.g., CA's $30 fee via Attorney General). Limits on prizes (e.g., TX caps at $50K/year for nonprofits over 3 years old) and ticket sales (no online interstate).
- Restricted States (e.g., AL, HI, UT): Outright banned for nonprofits, no raffles, period. Use "free-entry sweepstakes" (donations optional) instead.
- Gray Areas: Small events (<$5K prizes) often fly under radar, but report winnings over $600 to IRS via Form 1099.
For a state-by-state map and official links, check the National Council of Nonprofits' 2026 Raffle Compliance Tool: ncnonprofits.org/raffle-map-2026. Download, screenshot, and share at your next meeting as it can be a lifesaver.
When You Need a Temporary Food Permit vs. Cottage Food Law
Food fundraisers, think the above popcorn, cookies or pizza ideas scream profit but trigger health codes. And don’t think they won’t come to your school and jump in, and fines typically start at $250 plus they’ll shut you down.
- Temporary Food Permit: Required for any on-site serving/prep at events (e.g., pancake breakfast, hot dog sales at games). Covers 1–14 days; apply via local health dept (fees $50–$200). Rules: Handwashing stations, temp logs (hot food >135°F), approved sources (no home kitchens for perishables). Exempt: Pre-packaged, non-hazardous snacks sold off-site.
- Cottage Food Law: For home-baked/prepped goods (e.g., cookie dough tubs, spice jars) sold directly to consumers. 49 states allow it (NJ's the holdout); no commercial kitchen needed, but caps sales ($50K/year in most). Label with "Made in a home kitchen" warning; no dairy/meat. For fundraisers, donate to events (not sell on-site) to stay compliant.
Quick Check: If it's cooked/served hot on-site >3 days? Permit. Home-baked, shelf-stable, direct sale? Cottage OK. See AFDO's 2026 state map: afdo.org/cottage-foods-2026.
Sales Tax Rules for School Fundraisers
Good news: Most states exempt school sales if proceeds benefit education in some way, think supplies or school trips. But you must file exemption forms. If you don’t either willingly or unwillingly, you can be audited and fined. No state sales tax in DE, MT, NH, OR; AK has local only.
|
State Example |
Exemption? |
Key Rules |
Form Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
TX |
Yes, for public schools/PTAs |
2 tax-free days/year; all proceeds to school. Bulk buys exempt. |
AP-204 (one-time exemption cert) |
|
CA |
Partial (charitable orgs) |
Exempt if <75% taxable items; file annually. |
CDTFA-230 (resale cert) |
|
NY |
Yes, for occasional sales |
Up to 5 events/year; vending machines taxable. |
ST-119.2 (exempt org cert) |
|
CO |
Full for school-approved groups |
No license if 100% to school; preschools ineligible. |
DR 0563 (sales tax license if needed) |
