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Healthy Fundraisers for Schools:
Tips from AFHK Team Members
Healthy fundraisers contribute to a healthy school environment. Products with mass appeal can
be inexpensive to sell, provide generous fundraising margins, and support healthy choices. To
find innovative and healthy ways for schools to generate income, take a look at the “Fundraising
for Schools” resources on the AFHK website as well as the following ideas that team members
have shared on the AFHK listserv.
Type of
Fundraiser Description Ideas and Considerations
Auctions Community-donated items, gifts, gift Ideas: Solicit high-quality items to raise
certificates, theme baskets, services big money.
e.g., lawn care, house cleaning, car Considerations: Time and resources to
waxing, baby sitting, storytelling, collect and store items, inventory
etc.. items, handle cash, and process
checks and credit cards.
Celebrity Students vs. teachers, coaches, Ideas: Lots of fun with real competitive
sports local TV celebrities or radio sports or games. May get publicity on
challenges personalities, local restaurant and local news. Can also sell healthy
shop owners, professional or semi- snacks and beverages and school
professional athletes from any sport. paraphernalia.
Considerations: Need to promote
someone or something that will sell
tickets. Without a connection,
celebrity could be costly.
Walk-a thons Pledges collected by lap or mile. Ideas: Offers opportunity for healthy
physical activity for all ages. Open to
many variations e.g., mini-walk for
pre-K, bike ride for middle school.
Considerations: Requires volunteer help
to coordinate route details, water
stands, and traffic.
Raffles Prizes perceived as high-value, Ideas: Can be an extremely low-cost
which could be donated by local fundraiser, especially if the prize is
business or other community donated by a local business or other
organization. organization.
Considerations: Must be an item that will
generate adequate ticket sales.
Food Offer healthy food options e.g., fresh Ideas: Great opportunity to promote
concessions fruits and vegetables, fruit juice, healthy eating at after-school and
juice drinks, low-fat milk, flavored weekend events.
milk, and water at school, Considerations: May require some
community, and local sporting shopping and food preparation
events. immediately before the event.
http://www.ActionForHealthyKids.org © 2003 Action for Healthy Kids Page 1 of 3
Type of
Fundraiser Description Ideas and Considerations
Healthy food Cheese, nuts, fruits. Ideas: Look for vendors who stock
and snack healthier alternatives.
sales Considerations: May still encourage
overeating—even if the food
consumed is healthier. Storage of
perishable items may be difficult.
Non-food Everything from magazines to pizza Ideas: These commonly used
product sales kits, candles to wrapping paper, T- fundraisers are generally
shirts to memorial markers, coupon recognized and accepted by the
books to entertainment packages, public.
scratch cards to calendars—and Considerations: Coordinate with other
more! community fundraisers to avoid
too many fundraisers at the same
time and to avoid selling the same
items.
Sports Lanyards, key chains, stickers, Ideas: A great way to promote team
concessions headbands, wristbands, visors, spirit and school identity.
bookcovers, pencils, water bottles, Considerations: Selling opportunities
temporary tattoos—anything with may take place throughout a
the school name or logo on it. sports season, so return on
investment may be slow. Lots of
small items to inventory and store.
Special Mothers’ Day: plants Ideas: Theme or holiday tie-ins can
occasions Super Bowl: healthy snacks, pizza provide a focus and reason to buy.
kits, deli sandwiches, soup mix Considerations: Must plan carefully
kits for in-time delivery.
Homecoming: school sweaters,
hats, scarves, jackets, etc.
Christmas: plants, wreaths,
wrapping paper, note cards,
stockings, etc.
Yard sale Student, faculty, staff, families, Ideas: Everyone can participate by
community members can donate donating something. Low-cost
items for large-scale yard sale. activity. Can combine with sale of
healthy foods and beverage sale.
Considerations: Time and resources
to collect and store items,
inventory items, handle cash,
process checks and credit cards.
http://www.ActionForHealthyKids.org © 2003 Action for Healthy Kids Page 2 of 3
Team members on the AFHK listserv recommend the following websites:
General Fundraising Companies
• 123Fundraising.com
http://www.123fundraising.com
• Common-Threads Fundraising
http://www.common-threads.com
• Western Fundraising Programs
--includes “Read-a-Thons,” “Bowl-a-Thons,” “First Aid Kit Fundraiser,” etc.
http://www.westernfund.com
Alternative Fundraising Ideas
• “Things to Do” and “Things to Sell,” from No Junk Food.org
http://www.nojunkfood.org/fundraising
• “School Fund Raiser Ideas: Alternatives to Selling Junk Food and Sodas,” from Center
for Food & Justice, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College
http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/cfj/resources/AlternativeFundRaisers.htm
• Partners for Kids: Community-wide fund producing campaigns for public education
http://www.partnersforkids.com
Innovative Fundraising Items
• Stone memorial markers
--Brick & Stone Graphics: http://www.brickstonegraphics.com
• Soy candles and alkaline batteries
--Fundraising Batteries.com: http://www.fundraisingbatteries.com
• Air fresheners
--NuDayFundraising.com: http://www.nudayfundraising.com
• Personalized books
--Treasure Books and Gifts: http://www.treasurebooksandgifts.com
• Portraits and “glamour” photos
--Vista Studios: http://www.vistamark.com
• Temporary tattoos
--ZooDogs: http://www.zoodog.com/tattoos
• Cheese
--Cabot Cheese: http://store.cabotcheese.com/fundraisers.tmpl
http://www.ActionForHealthyKids.org © 2003 Action for Healthy Kids Page 3 of 3