When it comes to back to school fundraiser ideas, we love a good PTA fundraiser over here at Cheddar Up HQ, and some of them are too good not to share. In honor of another new school year, we’re giving you 10 ideas to run yourself, including five real examples created by our Cheddar Up community. We even turned those five into ready-to-use templates so you can get started right away
Already have your fundraiser planned, but need help getting volunteers to sign up? Check out our sign up templates to get started!
5 back to school fundraisers from real Cheddar Up groups
Cookie Grams
The Holman Elementary PTA in Jackson, New Jersey, sold individually-wrapped custom cookies from a local bakery as their back to school fundraiser. The $5 cookies were delivered to the school for pickup, and the PTA took home $1 of every sale.
Grab this Valentine Grams template and rename it to fit any grams fundraiser, cookies included!
Seniors - Chalk Your Parking Spot
On the eve of the first day of school, the Chesapeake High School PTSA in Pasadena, Maryland, hosted parents and students to decorate parking spots as a back to school fundraiser. Tickets, including a box of chalk, cost $22 —and the collection also solicited sponsored spots for students who might be unable to pay.
Yard Sign Fundraiser
Back to school means back to football too, and to celebrate the first game, the team at Fair Lawn High School in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, offered $25 yard signs that said, “You have been SACKED by the FLHS football team.” For this back to school fundraiser, donors could select a specific date to surprise a friend, or for their own yards, and signs were removed after 48 hours.
Birthday Fundraiser
For $25, the Old Bethpage Elementary School PTA in Old Bethpage, New York, will special deliver a box filled with a Happy Birthday certificate, snack of choice, water bottle, and surprise favors for each classmate. Orders are accepted throughout the year — at least two weeks in advance and no longer than two months.
Build-a-Mascot Fundraiser
This back to school fundraiser roars! The PTO at Elizabeth Ide School in Darien, Illinois, offered students their very own DIY mascot. Each $20 bag included a no-sew unstuffed lion, stuffing, Ide baseball shirt, birth certificate and wishing heart.
5 more back to school fundraiser ideas
These back to school fundraisers don’t require booking a gym, planning a big event, or coordinating volunteers all day. Most are simple presales or donation campaigns that run online, making them easy to launch and even easier to manage. Some wrap up in a few weeks, while others can keep raising money throughout the school year.
Clothing and Blanket Drives
Sell a school-year calendar families keep on the fridge. Include holidays, early release days, spirit weeks, picture day, PTA meetings, and other important dates. Sell printed copies or digital versions, and give families a helpful resource while raising funds. Looking for more options? Our calendar fundraiser guide also covers raffle calendars, pick-a-date fundraisers, and other creative formats.
Fall mums sale
Nothing says back to school like colorful fall mums. Partner with a local nursery to purchase mums at wholesale prices, then sell them to families for a profit. Since many people decorate their porches each fall, this fundraiser is an easy seasonal favorite. Start from the flower and plant sale template and swap in your mum varieties and prices.
The unfundraiser
Not every family wants to sell products or collect orders. An unfundraiser (sometimes called a no-fuss fundraiser) gives supporters the option to simply make a donation instead. Set a suggested giving amount, share your collection page, and let families contribute in just a few clicks. It’s one of the simplest ways to raise money while saving everyone time.
Gift card fundraiser
Gift card fundraisers make giving easy because supporters buy gift cards they’ll already use, for groceries, gas, restaurants, coffee, and more. Your school earns a percentage of each purchase, and families don’t spend anything beyond their normal budget. Our gift card fundraising guide explains how to choose retailers and launch a successful campaign.
Coffee fundraiser
Coffee is practically a back-to-school essential. Set up a grab-and-go coffee stand during morning drop-off, or sell bags of locally roasted coffee online so supporters can order anytime. Either option fits naturally into families’ routines, making it an easy fundraiser with broad appeal. Our coffee fundraiser ideas guide shares five creative ways to make it a success.
How to start a back to school fundraiser
Launching a fundraiser doesn’t have to take weeks of planning. With the right tools, you can go from idea to collecting payments in minutes.
Pick one fundraiser
Choose the idea that best fits your school’s goals, timeline, and community. A single, well-run fundraiser is usually more successful than trying to manage several at once.
Set a fundraising goal
Start with a clear dollar amount based on your needs or last year’s results. A visible goal helps motivate supporters and gives everyone something to work toward.
Create your collection page
Add your fundraiser items, donation options, forms, or waivers in one place. With Cheddar Up, you can collect payments and information together, so families can complete everything in a single transaction. No app or account required.
Share your fundraiser
Send your collection link wherever families already stay connected. Email, newsletters, class group chats, social media, or your school website. The easier it is to find, the more participation you’ll see.
Track everything automatically
Watch payments, orders, and participant information update in real time. Built-in reporting helps you stay organized and eliminates the need to reconcile spreadsheets by hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a back to school fundraiser?
A back-to-school fundraiser is a campaign held at the beginning of the school year, when family engagement is typically at its highest. Schools, PTAs, PTOs, and booster clubs often use product sales, donation drives, gift card programs, and community favorites like cookie grams or reserved parking spots to raise money for supplies, student programs, and events throughout the year.
How do I start a back to school fundraiser?
Pick one idea, set a dollar goal, and create an online collection page where families can pay and sign up in one place. From there, share the link through your school’s usual channels and track payments as they come in. Most groups can go from idea to live fundraiser within minutes using a platform like Cheddar Up.
What are easy back to school fundraiser ideas?
The easiest back to school fundraisers skip inventory and event planning entirely: the unfundraiser, which is a direct donation ask, or a gift card fundraiser that runs on shopping families already do. Each one runs almost entirely from a single shareable payment page.
When should you start planning a back to school fundraiser?
Start planning 4 to 6 weeks before the first day of school so your fundraiser is live during registration and open house season. Product presales like a school-year calendar or a mum sale need the most lead time for design, printing, or ordering. An unfundraiser can launch within a week.
How much money can a back to school fundraiser raise?
It depends on your school size, the format, and your profit margin per sale. Product fundraisers typically return a fixed share per item (Holman Elementary PTA kept $1 of every $5 cookie in the example above), while donation-based fundraisers like the unfundraiser have no per-item cost, so more of each dollar goes to your group. Set your goal from last year’s results rather than a generic benchmark.
Inspired?
Host your back to school fundraiser on our free, foolproof online platform. We automatically track all payments and forms!
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Getting elected PTA president is equal parts exciting and terrifying. One minute you’re celebrating, and the next you’re wondering what comes next. So what does the job involve? As PTA president, you’ll lead the organization, keep the board working together, and help your group stay focused on supporting students and families.
This guide walks through what to expect, from working alongside the rest of your board to navigating a typical school year. You’ll also find tools and tips that can make the administrative side of the role easier.
A PTA president is the elected leader of a parent-teacher association who guides the organization, leads meetings, and serves as the main point of contact between the PTA, school leaders, and your community. You help keep the board aligned, members informed, and everyone working toward the same goals. Local PTAs are part of a nationwide network connected to the National PTA, which offers resources and guidance for leaders at every level.
PTA vs. PTO: Which Parent Group Is Right for Your School?
PTA and PTO are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually two different types of parent organizations. The difference matters because it affects everything from where membership dues go to how your group is governed and what resources are available.
Starting a new parent group? Joining the board? Just curious what all those letters mean? This guide breaks down the PTA vs. PTO difference, compares each option side by side, and helps you decide which is the best fit for your school.
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PTA Virtual Fundraising: 10 Ideas That Raise Real Money
Running a fundraiser entirely online isn’t a backup plan anymore. For a lot of PTAs, it’s the smarter plan. No venue to book, no weather to worry about, no families who can’t make it because of work or a conflict on the calendar.
The strongest virtual PTA fundraisers share three things: a specific dollar goal, a clear deadline, and a payment link that’s easy to find and easy to use. This post covers 10 virtual PTA fundraiser ideas, from simple donation campaigns to ticketed events, plus practical guidance on running an online PTA fundraiser and collecting payments without the usual friction.
For a broader look at PTA fundraising options including in-person formats, see our PTA fundraising ideas guide.
10 Best PTO and PTA Fundraising Platforms (2026)
This guide is for PTA and PTO leaders comparing fundraising platforms before making a decision.
Picking a fundraising platform should take an afternoon, not a semester. But with dozens of options out there, most PTA and PTO leaders end up doing one of two things: choosing whatever a predecessor used or going with whichever platform they heard about at a conference.
Neither approach is wrong. But if you’re setting up your group for a new year, or switching away from something that’s been driving you (and parents) a little crazy, it helps to have a real comparison.
We reviewed the field of PTA and PTO fundraising companies and narrowed it to the 10 that make sense for PTA and PTO operations. Not generic school software. Not platforms built for large nonprofits. The ones parents and volunteers are using to run fundraisers, collect dues, sell spirit wear, and get paid without chasing anyone down.
