Say “Thank You” to Teachers for Getting Us Through This School Year With These 5 School Fundraising Ideas!

Teachers have always worked hard to help students learn in a positive, encouraging environment. This year, however, they’ve had to pull out all the stops, often setting aside their own struggles to put their best foot forward and provide anxious students with some stability. Some managed to keep kindergartners’ attention on Zoom day after day to give parents a break. Others worked for hours under hot, heavy PPE. Most used their own money to cover the many expenses required to keep the school year on track. This year more than ever, we should say thank you to our beloved teachers. Here are 5 school fundraising ideas to help you and your students say “thank you”.

1) Give Thanks With Gifts

Our Spring Is In the Air holiday shopper fundraiser is chock-a-block with gifts, gadgets, and goodies your supporters can buy for their loved ones and themselves. Use the money raised to present your teachers with either a cash gift or a specially-selected item or experience you know they’ll enjoy.

You can also invite your supporters to donate their purchases to your cause so you can distribute smaller gifts to support staff. Janitors, cafeteria staff, school receptionists, and recess monitors, for instance, also deserve to be recognized for their selfless work during this difficult year.

2) A New Twist On an Old School Fundraising Idea: a “Teachers’ Choice” Movie Day!

Ask school administrators to authorize dedicating an entire afternoon to a school-wide movie party. The twist: the teachers get to choose the movies. This school fundraising idea is a great way to make your teachers feel valued – plus, it allows students to get to know them a little better.

You can raise money by charging students “admission”. It’s also a great event to pair with a popcorn fundraiser. You may choose to presell delicious gourmet popcorn, or preorder and sell on site. Just be sure to leave enough time for your items to ship.

Each class can use the money they’ve raised to purchase a gift for their teacher. You can also pool all the funds and split the cash evenly between teachers and support staff. Make sure to include a signed card with each cash gift to make it more personal.

3) Design a Wearable Thank-You With a T-Shirt Fundraiser

Sell custom t-shirts to students, friends, and family and proudly show your appreciation all around town! Include a simple message such as “Teachers Are Heroes”, or “Thank You [your school] Teachers!” Make it heartfelt but general enough that anyone can wear it. You can also include your school’s colors as well as custom artwork. Don’t forget to purchase one for each teacher to be signed by their students. Present it to them along with a gift or cash from the funds raised.

4) Build a Flower Garden On Campus Dedicated to School Staff

Flower gardens represent growth, resilience, and beauty. Why not plant a memorial flower garden dedicated to those who have worked so hard to help us grow, adapt, and see beauty amidst the chaos?

Our Art In Nature spring flower school fundraising idea is the perfect way to raise money to make this project a reality. Featuring a selection of over 30 plants, bulbs, and seeds, your supporters will surely find something for their own gardens, porches, or balconies. You’ll also want to present them with the option of donating purchases to your school garden. This fundraiser allows you to keep 50% of profits, which will easily cover any equipment and material costs. And with the money left over you can spring for some benches, a stature, or a commemorative plaque.

5) Adopt-a-Brick Art Mural

Have a drab, blank brick wall at your school that’s begging to be beautified? It’s the perfect canvas on which to paint a poignant depiction of our collective thanks to school staff. You can opt to have students design and paint the mural themselves. Alternatively, you can commission a local mural artist. Keep in mind that while a pro job will look more professional, it will also be more expensive.

You can raise money to cover the costs by “selling” individual bricks. We recommend pricing them between $5 and $10 each. The general income of your area as well as the cost of the mural should help you determine the exact price.

Not only is a mural a great gift for the hard-working teachers of 2020-2021, it will undoubtedly be enjoyed by students, staff, and the community at large for years to come.

Whether it’s with cash, gifts, a garden, or a mural, we trust you’ll find the perfect way to give thanks to our nation’s unsung heroes. After all, next year, they’ll be back at it, ready to welcome students back, hopefully with open arms.