Pledge Drives

• Even in the most underprivileged neighborhoods, pledge drives can be successful. Identify a specific budget item and recruit students to help raise funds. Find students who are driven by rewards and offer prizes for top fundraisers. When you've assembled your team, have your students pledge to complete 100 hours of community service by the end of the school year. Have the students collect pledges from their neighbors, friends, parents, and church family of $0.25, $0.50, or $1.00 per hour worked. Challenge your students to earn "minimum wage" in the name of your school project.
  
  

Product Resale

• Another category of fundraisers includes the resale of items. For smaller schools, simple items such as cookie dough or candy bars will work best. While magazine subscription sales and catalog ordering can be successful, those fundraisers which involve one item in different varieties work best. The best thing about these fundraisers is that they require no up-front investment and can make for a big payoff. Just be sure to carefully schedule your fundraiser around the time other community groups are not also peddling cookies and popcorn.
  
  

Grant-Writing

• Countless grants are available to teachers and schools for classroom activities and equipment as well as for block improvements to the school's facilities as a whole. These grants can be intimidating, but when you tackle the task together, big rewards can come from a day's work. Invest some money and time off for teachers to attend grant-writing workshops and help coordinate grant applications to help alleviate your tight budget. Grants are available from governments, banks, and private corporations, especially to districts in financially distressed areas. Seek out your local United Way or community foundation for grant-writing help and how-to.
  
  

Scratch-Off Fundraisers

• In this unique fund raising model, students approach parents, friends, and neighbors with scratch-off cards. Whatever is scratched off ($0.50-$10) becomes the donation; this fundraiser is quick and easy and can have great results. Variations of this fundraiser feature coupon giveaways to donors and make for a fun and exciting fund raising option.