When it comes to class trip fundraisers, some take a lot of planning (a talent show or auction) and others take relatively little time to get off the ground. Today, we’re highlighting fundraising ideas that have a short start-up time, but can still help raise a lot of dollars.
Fundraising letters
Simply asking is a great (and easy!) way to grow funds. Sending a simple sponsorship letter to local business garnered $1,800 for one Smithsonian Student Travel group leader. See a sample fundraising letter.
Raffle
Ask for donations from local businesses, advertise and sell tickets. Try to hold your raffle at an event you know will be well attended, or give it a holiday theme: Maybe your group can raffle off a Thanksgiving turkey or a Thanksgiving centerpiece.
School night out at a local business
Get a favorite local business to donate a portion of their profits to your trip!
- Select a local business frequented by your students and parents (e.g. a pizza place, clothing store, ice cream parlor).
- Ask the owner or manager to designate a night of the week to your trip. On that particular day, a portion of the profits from each sale will go to fund your tour.
- Students and parents can offer to work that evening scooping ice cream, taking orders, helping to bag items, etc.
- Be sure to advertise well, so patrons know when they can make their purchases count for your group!
Penny drive
Spare change can help fund your trip!
- Put a penny drive container (e.g. a decorated coffee tin or shoe box) in each classroom.
- Establish a point system. For example, make pennies count as one positive point and silver coins or dollars as negative points.
- Classes will bring pennies into their own containers and put silver coins into other classes' containers.
- The classroom that has the greatest number of points at the end of the week wins. Let them celebrate with an in-class movie or enjoying a pizza party.
Sponsor-an-hour
One group leader said this fundraiser is “as easy as hitting print.” He creates a breakdown of the itineraries for his students and then they find family members, friends or businesses to sponsor an hour (or sometimes a whole day!) of the tour. For an extra donation, students send postcards while on tour.
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