Key Takeaways
- Fall is a great time for PTO, PTA, booster club, and other school group fundraisers because after a summer away, families are eager for opportunities to connect and support students.
- PTO, PTA, and other school group fundraisers range from low-effort sales to ambitious, full-scale events.
- Low-lift parent group fundraiser ideas include restaurant nights, change challenges, spirit wear sales, and fall raffles.
- Medium-effort parent group fundraisers include a family trivia night, students versus teacher game, chili cookoff, and a yard cleanup.
- Larger-scale fall fundraising ideas for PTOs, PTAs, and booster clubs include a fall fun run or a carnival.
- MoneyMinder helps parent groups manage fundraiser expenses, donations, and budgets, and the MoneyMinder Store, powered by Cheddar Up, can process payments with low processing fees.
Fall is the ideal time to organize a fundraiser for a PTO, PTA, booster club, or other parent organization. School is back in session, and after a busy summer, many families are eager to reconnect with the community and support the students and schools that matter most to them.
There are plenty of creative ways to raise money for your school group this fall. The good news is that many fall school group fundraisers don’t require extensive planning and resources.
Read on to get 25 fresh fall fundraising ideas for your PTO, PTA, booster club, or other parent group, ranging from low-lift to full-scale effort.
School Group Fundraisers for Every Level of Effort
Fall school group fundraisers can be as simple as a one-day sale or as ambitious as a full-scale festival. It all depends on the time and resources your group is willing and able to dedicate.
Here’s an at-a-glance overview of 25 fundraising ideas, arranged by level of effort. Then, we’ll take a deeper dive into each idea so you can find the options that’ll work best for your group’s goals and resources.
| Fundraiser | Effort level | Estimated volunteers needed | Suggested community partner |
| Restaurant spirit day | Low | 1–2 | Restaurant |
| VIP parking raffle | Low | 1–2 | None |
| Fall family photo minis | Low | 1–2 | Photographer |
| Change challenge | Low | 1–2 | None |
| Pie sale | Low | 2–4 | Bakery |
| Thanksgiving meal preorder | Low | 1–2 | Restaurant or caterer |
| Mum sale | Low | 2–4 | Nursery or florist |
| School spirit wear sale | Low | 2–4 | Spirit wear vendor |
| Caramel apple sale | Low | 2–4 | Candy shop or bakery |
| Cozy coffee cart | Low | 2–4 | Coffee shop or bakery |
| Fall raffle | Low | 2–4 | Local businesses for prizes |
| Halloween grams | Low | 3–5 | None |
| Concession stand takeover | Medium | 4–8 | None |
| Family trivia night | Medium | 4–6 | None |
| Students vs. teachers game | Medium | 4–6 | None |
| Fall movie night | Medium | 5–10 | None |
| Chili cookoff | Medium | 5–10 | Local restaurants |
| Fall yard cleanup | Medium | 5–10+ | None |
| Parents’ night out | Medium | 6–10+ | None |
| Fall ball costume dance | Medium | 6–10+ | None |
| Tailgate fundraiser | Medium | 8–12+ | Restaurants or sponsors |
| Pumpkin patch | Medium | 8–12+ | Farm or pumpkin supplier |
| Trunk-or-treat | Medium | 10+ | Local businesses (optional) |
| Fall fun run | High | 10–20+ | Local sponsors |
| Fall carnival | High | 20+ | Vendors and local sponsors |
1. Restaurant spirit day
Give families a break from cooking while raising money for your school. Partner with a restaurant that’ll donate a percentage of the day’s sales to your PTO, PTA, or other parent group. Promote the event through flyers, posters, social media, and school newsletters. If possible, have students, teachers, or volunteers dress up in school spirit gear and greet families as they arrive.
2. VIP parking raffle
Finding a parking spot can be tough. Raffle off a VIP parking spot for a month or a semester. One lucky family will have a prime spot for drop-off, pickup, and school events.
3. Fall family photo minis
Lots of families take professional photos to use in their holiday cards. Partner with a local photographer (potentially one with children at the school) to offer short sessions at a picturesque outdoor spot on campus. A portion of each booking will go back to your group.
4. Change challenge
Encourage some friendly competition for a good cause. Have classrooms or grades compete to see who can collect the most change over a couple of weeks. The winning group can win a prize, like a popsicle or pizza party or a homework pass.
5. Pie sale
Take some of the stress of Thanksgiving prep off your families’ plates. Partner with a local bakery to take preorders for fall favorites like pumpkin, apple, and pecan. Then, arrange a pickup day right before the holiday.
6. Thanksgiving meal preorder
Make Thanksgiving even easier for families. Partner with a local restaurant or caterer to sell Thanksgiving packages, with a percentage benefiting the group. The restaurant or caterer will get more business, and your group will raise more money.
7. Mum sale
Lots of families are looking to add a little fall color to their homes and porches. Partner with a local florist or nursery to sell mums as a fundraiser. Take preorders from families, and arrange a pickup day. Ask for bulk pricing so you can get as much profit as possible.
8. School spirit wear sale
Fall is a great time to sell school spirit gear. Kids have outgrown last year’s clothes, new families have joined, and everybody loves a wardrobe refresh. Set up a table and sell hoodies, sweatshirts, or other cooler-weather gear during school events. You can also sell items online through the MoneyMinder Store, powered by Cheddar Up. The Cheddar Up Team Edition is included with a MoneyMinder subscription.
9. Caramel apple sale
Caramel apples are a favorite fall treat. Set up a table near the school pickup line or at sporting events and sell individually wrapped caramel apples. Partner with a local candy shop or bakery to keep prep to a minimum.
10. Cozy coffee cart
Perk up parents post-drop off. Set up a cart in the parking lot and sell coffee, tea, hot cider, and seasonal treats like apple cider donuts. Team up with a local coffee shop or bakery to keep it low-lift. Parents can skip the morning drive through while supporting the PTO, PTA, or booster club.
11. Fall raffle
Put together a few fall-themed prize baskets. Ask local businesses or families to donate items to keep costs low. Sell raffle tickets at home sporting events or during school pickup. Announce the winners at a school event and on social media.
12. Halloween grams
Spread some seasonal cheer with Halloween grams. Let parents and students purchase notes paired with a tasty treat to send to friends, teachers, or staff. Volunteers can deliver the grams to classrooms the week of Halloween.
13. Concession stand takeover
Take over the concession stand for the night. Recruit volunteers to sell snacks and drinks, with a portion of the proceeds going back to your group. Set out “tip” jars at every register to collect more money for your PTO, PTA, or booster club.
14. Family trivia night
Encourage friendly competition with a fun night of family trivia. Charge a small admission fee, and sell snacks and drinks for additional revenue. Award prizes for the winners. Ask for donations from local businesses and families to keep your costs to a minimum.
15. Students vs. teachers game
Pit students against teachers in a game of basketball, volleyball, kickball, or flag football. Charge admission and raise extra money by selling concessions, raffle tickets, or school spirit gear. Make it an annual fall tradition by tying the game to homecoming.
16. Fall movie night
Host a movie night on the football field or in the gymnasium. Charge admission, and sell popcorn, hot cider, and other seasonal goodies. Encourage attendees to bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on, and show a family-friendly fall flick. Don’t forget the rules and regulations for showing a movie at school.
17. Chili cookoff
Invite families, teachers, and local restaurants to see how their chili recipes stack up. Sell tasting tickets so attendees can sample the entries and vote for their favorites. Award prices for categories like best overall, spiciest, or most creative.
18. Fall yard cleanup
Help folks check off an item on their to-do list while supporting your parent organization. Have student athletes or older students rake leaves or tackle other light yard cleanup for families in exchange for a donation. Divide your volunteers up into small teams, create a schedule, and let community members reserve a spot in advance.
19. Parents’ night out
Plan a parents’ night out for families with younger kids. Charge a flat fee for a few hours of supervised games, crafts, pizza, and a movie at the school. Recruit teachers, staff, older students, or approved volunteers to help out.
20. Fall ball costume dance
Plan a fall-themed dance for older students. Charge admission and encourage kids to show up in a costume. Sell seasonal drinks and snacks to raise more money. Add a costume contest, photo booth, or other fall-themed games to make the night even more fun.
21. Tailgate fundraiser
Turn the excitement of a home football game into a fun fundraising opportunity. Sell tickets and invite families to enjoy food, music, lawn games, and plenty of school spirit before kickoff. Ask local restaurants or businesses to donate food or sponsor the event to help keep your costs low.
22. Pumpkin patch
According to the National Retail Federation, nearly half of US consumers planned to carve a pumpkin for Halloween last year. A pumpkin patch can give the community an easy way to purchase their favorite fall decor while supporting students.
Purchase pumpkins in bulk and set up a pumpkin patch on a field or parking lot on campus. Or, partner with a local farm for a percentage of sales.
23. Trunk-or-treat
Offer an alternative (or an addition) to traditional trick-or-treating. Ask families, teachers, or local businesses to decorate their trunks and hand out treats. Charge admission or sell tickets for games, snacks, and other activities. Give out prizes for the best-decorated trunks.
24. Fall fun run
Fun runs are a great way to promote fitness, increase community engagement, and raise money for your students and school. Fall is the perfect time of year to organize one, when the temperatures are cooling down in many parts of the country.
Charge an entry fee and secure sponsorships from local businesses. Make your fun run extra festive by theming it as a “Turkey Trot” or “Halloween Hustle.”
25. Fall carnival
A carnival is a classic fundraiser for PTOs, PTAs, and other parent groups. Charge admission or sell tickets for carnival games. Offer concessions, raffles, face painting, and other activities to raise as much money as possible for your group. Incorporate fall-themed components like pumpkin decorating, hayrides, or a haunted house for even more seasonal fun.
Keep Your School Group Fundraisers Organized With MoneyMinder
There are plenty of fun ways for PTOs, PTAs, and other school groups to raise money this fall. The key to a successful fundraiser is staying organized every step of the way, whether you’re planning a simple restaurant night or have your sights set on a full-scale fall carnival.
MoneyMinder makes it easy to track fundraiser income, expenses, and budgets all in one place. Parent groups that use MoneyMinder also have access to a Cheddar Up Team Edition, which makes it easy to collect online payments while taking advantage of low processing fees.
Planning a fall fundraiser doesn’t have to be stressful. With MoneyMinder, you’ll spend less time wrestling with spreadsheets and paper piles and more time engaging the community and raising money for students.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fall School Group Fundraisers
Yes, fall is a great time to plan a PTA, PTO, or other school group fundraiser. After summer break, many families are eager for opportunities to engage with the community and support students and teachers.
The best fall fundraisers are the ones that fit your group’s fundraising goals and volunteer capacity. Fall carnivals, fun runs, and trunk-or-treats are a great way to involve the entire community, while restaurant spirit nights and raffles require less planning. It’s important to
consider how much time and volunteer support you have before choosing a fundraiser.
Some relatively easy school group fall fundraisers include restaurant spirit nights, change challenges, family photo minis, and VIP parking raffles. Partnering with a local business can make fundraising easier by cutting down on the purchasing, preparation, and fulfillment that your volunteers need to handle.
It all depends on the type of fundraiser your school group is planning. A simple fundraiser like a restaurant spirit night may only require a few weeks of planning, while a larger event like a fall carnival may take several months to organize. For any fundraiser, work backward from your target date to make sure you have plenty of time to secure partners, recruit volunteers, promote the fundraiser, and collect payments.
Keep expenses low so more of the money you raise is profit. Ask local businesses and families to donate food, prizes, and supplies, seek out event sponsors, and use preorders whenever possible to avoid purchasing items that don’t sell. Also, consider adding additional revenue streams to events you’re hosting, such as concessions, raffles, or spirit wear sales.
PTOs and PTAs should accurately track the income and expenses for each fundraiser. Record payments, donations, sponsorships, supplies, vendor costs, and other expenses associated with the fundraiser. MoneyMinder makes it easy for volunteer treasurers to categorize transactions, compare fundraiser income with expenses, and generate reports that show where the group’s money came from and where it went.
PTOs and PTAs can accept fundraiser payments by cash, check, credit card, or online payment. Providing an online payment option can make it easier for families to pay for event tickets, product preorders, spirit wear, and other fundraisers. The MoneyMinder Store, powered by Cheddar Up, gives MoneyMinder users a free Cheddar Up Team Edition plan which offers low processing fees. School groups that use MoneyMinder can create online collection pages, accept payments, and keep fundraiser finances organized in one central location.