How Much Can Schools Realistically Raise Through Fundraising?

Why Teacher-Friendly Fundraising Matters

Teachers are already juggling:

• Lesson planning and grading

• Extracurricular supervision

• Parent communications

• Administrative duties

Adding traditional fundraising on top of this often leads to:

• Burnout

• Fundraising fatigue among staff and parents

• Missed revenue opportunities because campaigns aren’t executed efficiently

The solution? Fundraising approaches that automate administration, simplify participation, and make engagement seamless.

Low-Effort Fundraising Ideas for Schools

1. Celebration Pages – Fundraising that Runs Itself

With Celebration Pages, families create digital pages to celebrate milestones like birthdays, graduations, sports achievements, or staff anniversaries. Each page contributes directly to the school while requiring minimal effort from teachers.

• Fully digital and shareable

• Automatic online payments

• Transparent reporting for schools

Learn more here: Celebration Pages Fundraising

2. Virtual Talent Shows – Students Shine, Teachers Relax

Digital talent shows allow learners to showcase skills online while supporters purchase access via a secure link. Teachers don’t have to manage ticket sales, venue bookings, or in-person logistics.

• Easy video submission and compilation

• Accessible for the entire school community

• Option to feature sponsor ads for additional revenue

Explore Virtual Talent Show ideas: Virtual Talent Show Fundraising

3. Win-A-Prize Competitions – Incentivize Participation

Running prize-based competitions motivates learners and parents to engage while the platform handles payments, tracking, and draws.

• Exciting, educational prizes

• Clear participation tracking

• Minimal teacher involvement

See Win-A-Prize ideas here: Win-A-Prize Fundraising

4. Back-to-School Campaigns – Start the Year Strong

Back-to-School campaigns engage parents at the start of the academic year to raise funds for essential supplies or projects. The platform automates all payments and participation tracking.

• Perfect timing for parent engagement

• Fully online and low effort

• Encourages repeat participation year after year

Learn more: Back-to-School Fundraising Ideas

How Technology Reduces Teacher Workload

Digital fundraising platforms, like Schoolwall, centralize all campaigns in one place, allowing teachers to:

• Launch and manage multiple campaigns without manual work

• Receive real-time updates on participation and contributions

• Automate reminders and thank-you communications

• Track earnings and payouts with full transparency

This approach reduces administrative stress and allows teachers to focus on what they do best—educating students.

Combine Digital and Traditional Methods

Some schools still enjoy the personal touch of bake sales, car washes, or fairs. These can be enhanced with digital fundraising, such as:

• Online ticket sales for events

• Digital donation portals for community supporters

• Online auctions or raffles

The goal is to make every campaign as low-effort as possible, while still being engaging and profitable.

Ready to Make Fundraising Easier?

If you want to explore more ways your school can raise funds efficiently and reduce teacher workload, check out our full guide:
School Fundraising Ideas That Actually Work