10 Unique Fundraising Ideas That Are Suprisingly Successful

Math-A-Thon are unique among the school fundraisers because they encourage performing a task that would otherwise be considered schoolwork, but due to their competitive aspects, students love to partake in them. Similar to more common A-Thon fundraisers, like Read-A-Thons, Math-A-Thons motivate participants to solicit donations from friends and family to support their goals, which can extend a school's fundraising efforts outside of the school community.

A Stand-Up Comedy Night is a school event where students take the stage to perform short comedic routines. Similar to a Talent Show, extensive preparation and coordination are required to pull off the event. While you may hear more giggles coming from the performers than the audience, Stand-Up Comedy Nights are always big hits with the performers and audience alike.

During a Candy Gram Sales school fundraiser, students purchase candy grams, which are small bags or packages of candy with personalized notes attached. These candy grams are then delivered to recipients within the school, often during a designated event like Valentine's Day. Candy Grams are a great way to show appreciation to friends, teachers, or classmates while also contributing to a cause or school activity through their purchases.

While Candy Gram Sales are loved and looked forward to by many students, it does not receive our highest "Overall Enjoyment" rating, because of the risk of alienating some students that do not receive any candy grams.

In a Nature Photography Contest, participants submit their best nature photographs, which are then displayed at the church. Attendees can vote for their favorite photos, and the church raises funds through entry fees, voting donations, and by offering attendees the opportunity to purchase copies of the winning photos, potentially including framed prints.

A Nature Photography Contest is a unique and easy fundraising idea for your church since most of the work is done by the participants, who are often eager to showcase their talents.

In a Poetry Slam church fundraising event, participants take the stage to share their original poems, ranging from personal reflections to social commentary. Attendees support the event by purchasing tickets and making donations, while the church raises funds through ticket sales, concession stands, and merchandise sales such as poetry chapbooks or CDs featuring performances from the event.

Similar to a Nature Photography Contest, a Poetry Slam is a creative fundraising idea for your church that will generate excitement from participants and attendees.

A Spaghetti Dinner is a fun and easy church fundraising idea and a delicious way to raise funds while bringing the community together. Attendees purchase tickets to enjoy a hearty meal of spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, and dessert, often prepared by volunteers. The church raises money through ticket sales, donations, and possibly additional activities like raffles or silent auctions during the event.

A Sell-A-Square event can be an easy and virtual fundraising idea for charities and non-profits. It involves a large grid or board that is divided into squares, with each square being made available for purchase by supporters. Participants buy squares for a set price, and at the end of the event, a random drawing determines the winner of a prize associated with a specific square. Often, Sell-A-Square events are associated with a sports event, such the Superbowl, with each number representing the ones digit of the score for each team.

A Run/Walk Event is always a great fundraising event that brings people together to support health and community, but a Virtual Run/Walk Event allows charities and non-profits to bring people together from anywhere in the world. Participants sign up online and commit to completing a run or walk within a specified time frame. Similar to a Math-A-Thon, participants solicit donations from friends and family to support their goals.

A Grilled Cheese Competition is a unique and easy fundraising event that brings together local chefs, home cooks, and grilled cheese enthusiasts to showcase their culinary skills. Participants compete to create the most delicious and creative grilled cheese sandwiches, which attendees can sample and vote on their favorites. The event raises funds through ticket sales, entry fees for participants, and additional food & beverage sales.

A Songwriting Contest is an exciting fundraising event where aspiring songwriters submit their original compositions for consideration. Judges evaluate the entries based on criteria such as lyrics, melody, and originality, and winners are selected in various categories. Participants and attendees support the event through entry fees, ticket sales to the live performance or award ceremony, and possibly through the purchase of merchandise like CDs or digital downloads featuring the winning songs.