Club Fundraising Ideas To Raise Money For Students
Club Fundraising Ideas
“Where can we get some easy book club fundraising ideas?”
Maybe that’s what you were just wondering!
If you used your phone or tablet to search for the perfect book club fundraiser for their group, you came to the right place 🙂
Whether you meet at school, a local café, a library, or online in a chat room, via skype, zoom, or a group video chat, these tips to raise money for your book club will be helpful.
We know you will enjoy these profitable school club fundraisers.
What kind of book club do you have?
- Single-title club?
- Multi-title club?
- Open loans?
- Catch and release?
- Library book club?
- Online club?
- Author led club?
- Broadcast club?
- Book reading club?
No matter the genre, whether it is adult fiction, romance, mystery or horror, our book club fundraisers can help you to buy your best sellers.
Below we share some ideas for your considerations.
Which will be right for your nonprofit club?
Well it depends on the outcome you are going after. Each of these offer a different fundraising potential. However, they all are very popular for raising money. So look for ways to mix and match the ideas.
Our favorite school book club fundraising event ideas for parents and students
We hope you find our book reading club fundraiser ideas to be very helpful. We also invite you to check out these library fundraising ideas for some good tips too. Of course it’s always a good idea to get the okay from the principal and PTA before starting.
Each of these tips are a great way to pay for the books you want to read. Ready to get started?
Sell cookie dough — A very profitable fundraising idea!
In this classic school fundraiser, you sell a 2 pound tub of gourmet cookie dough for only $12 each. Your club can earn up to five dollars for every tub sold. Simply show the cookie dough brochure to your friends, family and neighbors. Let them decide which cookies look best to them.
Does it work during Covid? Yes this event also raises money online. Instead of “in person” you can use tools like your mobile cell phone, facetime, zoom, texting, messaging and email. Here is an easy fundraising idea… Simply post a photo of your cookie dough brochure order form online. This is virtual fundraising for clubs at its best!
This is a very easy fundraising idea for clubs. There are five simple steps to follow. Stick to the five step program and you will succeed.
Fee cost difficulty? ZERO! Fundraising zone provides free fundraising brochures and forms for your club. Additionally, you can qualify for free shipping when you meet the minimum order requirement. Just collect payment upfront for the cookie dough you sell. This makes it a risk-free offer to your customers.
Cost difficulty outcome? At only $12 for 2 lbs. of gourmet dough it is a great value for their donation.
Your club burns up to 50% profit on every sale. So the more you sell, the more your students will earn. Schools have raised thousands of dollars in this way during each campaign. Ready to get started? Call up today.
Interview an author! Unique school event fundraising ideas for clubs
Here is a unique opportunity. Imagine interviewing a famous author using YouTube, Google hangouts or facebook live. In this fundraising idea you could organize and schedule it to do a live stream at night after work so the most people can watch your interview.
You can also record it and take the audio to start a podcast for your interviews. There are many authors that would love to have some free publicity. All you have to do is ask!
A unique fundraising tip is to set up an Amazon affiliate program. This will allow you to get a commission on each sale. Next, either email a list of questions to the author or ask them to give you the questions they want to talk about. At the end of your video and podcast, have a link to buy his/her book on Amazon. You will earn a 4.5% commission on each physical book sale. They might even send you an autographed copy! How cool is that???
Now it’s time to email and text your participants on your list to tell them about your interview. Ask your students and supporters to spread the word about your fundraising event.
This isn’t a complicated project but will take some effort.
In this unique fundraising idea simply make a list of authors you’d be interested in interviewing.
Then you will need to follow these authors on social media and reach out to them to see if they are open to do interviews. Start out with newer authors that are not very popular yet. This is because they will be more apt to grant you an interview.
There is no cost to set up a Facebook page, YouTube channel, or pod cast. Furthermore it is free to set up an Amazon affiliate account.
You don’t make your money on one book sale. The popularity of this idea is because you earn a percentage of everything else the consumer buys on Amazon that day. This means you can earn quite a nice chunk of change by helping authors sell books.
Your podcasts and YouTube videos will continue to make money for your nonprofit cause into the future anytime someone clicks on your Amazon link and purchases something. In other words you do the work one time and it raises money automatically anytime they click on your links.
Joint venture fundraising ideas with a local book store in your community
In this fundraising idea you talk to the owners of a local mom and pop bookstore. Ask them if they would be willing to pay you a 10% commission for all the business you bring them. Then print up fundraising fliers and talk it up at school as well as on social media.
The hardest part will be contacting a book store owner. The good news is that they are always looking for ways to bring in new business.
Little to none. You might even get the book store owner to pay for the fliers.
This depends on how much business you can generate during this campaign. You should be able to earn a $100 for every $1000 you bring to the business.
Book swap fundraising ideas
In this fundraising idea simply have everyone bring in their books and comic books to the book swap. Charge a $1.00 fee for every book exchange. Make sure you work hard at getting the word out.
The hardest part will be organizing a place to do this.
Little to no overhead costs for this campaign if you can get a place for a swap meet. Use every free way of getting the word out as possible.
At a $1 donation per comic book, it will add up very quickly. You can easily make a few hundred bucks on a Saturday afternoon or a Friday night.
Book drive fundraiser
Everyone has some books on their shelf they no longer want or need. Ask friends and family for book donations. You can also ask for outright donations of money.
This will be quite easy because most people will be happy to donate some old books.
No overhead costs for this club fundraiser since the books are donated for free.
You can charge anywhere from .25 cents to a $1 per book. This can add up quickly. If you want to make some real money, than ask college students to donate their old text books. These sell for big money on eBay.
Miniature golf tournament challenge fundraiser
Looking for some outdoor event fundraising ideas? Golf is a great way to raise money for your club’s cause and have family fun at the same time.
Not everyone is a golfer. However everyone loves miniature golf. You can charge your entry fee for every player. Additionally you could come up with a family pass price for families so they can save money.
See if you can get local businesses to sponsor you for the grand prize at your mini golf tournament.
This depends on whether or not you have a local miniature golf course in your community. If not you’ll have to look at possibly building your own.
If you are fortunate enough to have a miniature golf course in your community, then you will have no upfront costs for this campaign.
If you have to build your own miniature golf course, you can easily spend a few hundred dollars for the materials. Why not reach out to local building contractors and lumberyards and tell them about your fundraiser project? Ask if they would be willing to donate some wood scraps you can use.
What about ticketing? You can either use the tickets you get from the golf course or print your own.
You make the most money by teaming up with an existing golf course. Simply tack on a few dollars more per donation for every entry ticket to cover your costs. The more tickets your participants sell, the more money your club will earn.
Virtual peer fundraising online— Ask for that donation during Covid!
Most people are big-hearted and happy to support a cause they believe in when they can. All you have to do is ask.
Crowdfunding doesn’t have to be difficult. Start out with your parents, family and friends. Talk to past alumni and people with similar interests about your campaign.
- Peer to peer fundraising
- Matching gifts challenge. (Many schools report success asking for matching donations.)
- Ask for donations from potential donors
- Text to give
- Virtual Crowdfunding campaign
- Explore sites like Fundly and Classy for options.
Design simple donation forms to make it easy for people to give. Give them several ways to support your club. Remember that some people don’t have a lot of extra money. So tell them you are happy to accept whatever they are willing and able to donate.
Donations cost difficulty? Understand that some online providers do charge a fee for using their software.
Dessert crawl fundraising
In this fun twist on a pub crawl you can hit all of the best restaurants and bakeries to taste their best dessert offerings. Create a desert treasure map listing all of the spots with the best treats to eat. Have your volunteer supporters show the map to the business owners when paying for their purchases so your club gets credit for every sale.
Can this be done virtually? Of course it can with a little ingenuity and creativity!
Reach out to some of the business owners to see if they’d be willing to support your crawl. Work out a percentage you will earn for every dollar of business you bring to the establishment. This will take a little organizing. However your supporters and participants will have a blast and the restaurant owners will thank you.
This may become a real hit and could possibly become an annual event in your community. The keyword here is “FUN”. Make it fun and your fans will be happy to support you.
Little to no overhead costs to your group because the patrons pay the restaurant for the desserts purchased.
If you use volunteers to organize this campaign, everything you earn is 100% profit to your nonprofit club. You can earn a few hundred dollars this way and generate a lot of goodwill in your community.
Organize a weight loss challenge
This is a great way to help your community lose weight after the holidays. Why not combine a New Year’s resolution with a fundraising event for your club?
Just suppose you were to find sponsors to donate one dollar for every pound you lost. Your club can earn our lot of money very quickly this way. Make it a challenge to see which participants raise the most money for your nonprofit cause.
There are many people that are looking for a gym to join or to hire a trainer. Why not set up a referral fee program and help send them business? People will feel good about going to the gym or using your trainer if it will help them reach their goal of getting in shape.
This will take a little bit of organization. Once you have a system that works, you can do it again next year.
That’s the beauty of the system. There is little to no overhead costs.
With proper planning and enough supporters, you can earn several thousand dollars this way.
Make a difference with a 5k race challenge
On your mark…Get set… Go!
Imagine having a 5k run where every contestant gets their sponsors to donate a specific dollar amount for every mile that’s run. The goal is to get as many sponsors as possible, This can quickly add up to help your club raise the money they need. Furthermore you could charge a money entry fee for each runner and give them a free T-shirt advertising your 5k event for next year!
Can this be done virtually? Of course! Every runner can log their own journey and time and then post it on facebook. Make it a tournament and reward your winners.
This is will require a little organization. However, with the right team of supporters and volunteers you can pull this off.
No overhead costs for this one. If you charge an entry fee donation you can use that money to buy custom shirts advertising the race.
Just suppose you got family and friends to donate $5 for every mile you run. If you complete the race you will raise $25 per sponsor. If every student got 4 sponsors, then you have the potential of raising $100 per student. This could easily become an annual event campaign.
Custom calendars
Visit the local businesses in your community and ask them to donate a coupon to add to your calendar. Why a calendar? Many people buy a calendar every year. So imagine assembling a calendar with money saving coupons every month. It is a twist on the discount books you may see sold.
Who could you reach out to for a coupon?
- Oil change
- Restaurant – Buy one get one free
- Free dessert with dinner purchase
You get the idea.
Since people love to save money you might as well make this an annual tradition.
You will need someone to contact local business owners to see if they would like some new customers. Additionally, you will need someone to volunteer to design the coupons and lay out your calendar.
If you take orders for your calendars, you can collect payment upfront. Then you can take that money and pay for your calendars. This way you have no money out of pocket.
If you pay $8 for your custom calendar you can sell them for $15 dollars. You may even be able to sell them for more. How can you do this?
Add up the dollar value of your coupons. Then tell them they can get $300 worth of coupons by purchasing a $15 calendar.
Shoe drives
This is a simple fundraiser for clubs. All you have to do is collect old shoes and sneakers. What do you do with them?
There are businesses that handle all the details for your shoe drive fundraiser. You simply advertise your shoe drive. They will weigh or count all of the shoes collected and send you a check for your club.
Since children’s feet are growing all the time, you can make this shoe drive an annual event.
Can this be done as a virtual event? Of course it can! Simply set up a drop- off point for people to leave their old shoes and sneakers.
This is very easy to do. The biggest decision will be for your club members to pick a shoe drive company to work with. After that all you have to do is spread the word about your shoe drive. You can do this on social media. Additionally you can use email and texting.
You will need to come up with a big bin for people to drop their shoes off. If you have something you can use already, then you will have no overhead costs.
Of course the more shoes you gather, the more money you earn. Many schools report raising $1000 or more this way.
Restaurant night out—Support the local mom and pop restaurants in your community.
Thousands of restaurants will be closing their doors permanently because of the corona virus Pandemic. They desperately need your help.
How can you make money with this? Restaurants will gladly pay you a commission on all the business you bring to them. You will just need to find one that is willing to work with you and negotiate a percentage fee.
Think of ways you can do this.
- Parties
- Make this an annual holiday tradition.
- Trivial pursuit
- Sports night
- Virtual night out.
Simply ask a volunteer to pick up the phone or go by and visit restaurants in your neighborhood. Talk to the owners and explain what your club is trying to do. Once you strike a deal, create a flyer telling people how they can support your fundraiser at the restaurant. You can even discuss the books you re reading while eating your dinner!
No out of pocket expenses for this restaurant fundraising event.
Your club can earn anywhere from 10 to 15% on all business generated.
Yellow ducky race
What? You never raced a yellow rubber ducky before? Well then you don’t know what you are missing out on!
Purchase yellow rubber ducks at the local dollar store or on Amazon. Give each of them a funny name. Showcase them on your Facebook page. Invite people to sponsor a yellow duck for only five bucks each. You can get multiple sponsors for every duck.
Find a small pond or a swimming pool in your community that you can race the yellow ducks at.
This can also be done as a virtual event. You can do a zoom broadcast or a Facebook live broadcast of the event for your spectators to watch.
With a few volunteers you can do this very simply.
Very little money needed here except a few dollars to purchase your rubber ducks.
You can earn several hundred dollars here if you can get enough sponsors and participants.
Try our easy fundraising brochures to raise funds for your book clubs cause
The ideas we shared so far will earn you anywhere from 6% – 10% profit on each sale. They are FUN to do and we encourage you to try them.
However, what if there was a way to earn a 50% profit on each sale?
Our easy fundraising brochures are designed to help you raise the most money to buy books with. Imagine showing people a beautiful catalog with pictures of awesome things to eat like chocolate chip cookie dough, popcorn drizzled with chocolate or an amazing Cinnabons fundraiser! Others love our new Statement Makers jewelry fundraiser.
Many school clubs appreciate the following benefits of our easy catalog fundraisers:
- No money upfront.
- Risk free opportunity. You pay from the money you collect up front.
- You also get FREE brochures, envelopes and shipping on all qualifying orders.
- Finally, you get FREE coaching to help your book reading club succeed.
Are these fundraiser ideas going to work for your Book Club?
YES.
- First of all, we have been helping high school clubs raise money for the last 50 years.
- In addition, our fundraising events are proven and profitable for schools.
- Finally, our fundraising merchandise comes with a 100% guarantee.
- So, here are 10 reasons to try our risk free program.
PLUS it is easy. Really easy!
Do we need any fancy software to get started?
No software necessary.
We have broken this down to 5 simple steps that will ensure your success. Of course, the amount of money your book group earns is up to how much you can sell. However, we have tons of SUCCESS stories to show you what is possible.
Furthermore, you get a personal coach to help you every step of the way. It is going to be fun because we are here to support you with all of our best book club fundraiser ideas.
Why not give us a try? It is risk free. Give us a call now to learn how we can help your school book reading club.