Schools are always looking for ways to raise money, and the usual method is to sell a product. Obviously, selling a product is easier than selling air, so the product is what we'll explore here. If you buy something for $5 and re-sell it for a fundraiser, you end up selling it for $8, $10 or even more, since you need to pay for the product AND still make money. Is that product really worth that much or are you just trying to raise money? The most important question is WHY are people buying the product - for the cause or for the product? When people are committed to a cause, they don't need expensive products to buy, they just need a reason to buy. Here are some ways to raise money with little to no startup costs, provided you have a reason for people to donate.
ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL: Now this one could be used as either a fundraiser for a charity or just raising funds for your groups council/chapter. Really cheap but LOVED by the younger grades is selling pencils. You can buy them VERY cheap in bulk - cool designs will sell better - (orientaltrading.com is one site) and re-sell them for $0.25. You can even have kids "work" a little mini store at lunches, before/after school, etc... and help them learn how to handle and count money. There are also pencil dispensers out there which mean little effort on your end, big rewards as quarters pile up! The students can also get experience with marketing by creating posters and making up (and giving) announcements, or even making brief presentations during assemblies/lunches or in classrooms. Doing it for a cause? Raise the cost! Most kids have a couple quarters to spare. While some of the younger grades might not connect to a charitable cause as heavily as high schoolers, this is still a good fundraiser - cause or no cause!
ADAPT FOR MIDDLE LEVEL/HIGH SCHOOL: Sell pencils in the local elementary schools!
ALL LEVELS: Something that requires even less upfront cost for a fundraiser is selling strips of paper that students can buy and add to chain links. You can do a LOT with chain links - each teacher can have a string outside/inside their classroom, or you can do one big string for the school and then set a specific goal, such as, if the students buy enough chain links to go from the front of the school to the end down a long hallway, the principal or other administrator will commit to doing some weird task, like letting the students throw a pie in his/her face or something like that. Don't limit yourself to strips of paper - use creative cutouts that reflect the school mascot or school letters, or seasonal shapes. Have a goal of making a border around the school halls, or filling a large wall or something along those lines, then provide a reward/incentive for students to participate. It can be a staff member participating in something funny like the pie scenario, or kissing a turkey or other not-so-attractive animal, etc... The high school I attended raised a nice amount of food and money one year with the reward of having one of the male teachers dress up in the girls' school uniform (oh, did I mention the school uniform was a skirt? and did I mention that it was my dad?! best part of the story - HE was the one that came up with the idea and challenged his class to it! It was HIS idea!) So find teachers willing to be catalysts and you will find that students respond!
ALL LEVELS: Businesses, schools and families are becoming more and more "green" these days, so get your school stepping in the right direction. You can start various recycling programs in the school and let the students oversee the management of it - collecting cell phones, printer cartridges, paper, and more. Many of the programs out there give you money for certain things, so with no expense on your end, recycling can do good for the earth and good for your fundraising!
