Back to school time means it’s time for school fundraisers to start again. But, fundraising doesn’t have to mean selling cookie dough, candy bars or lollipops. There are several different types of fundraisers that provide healthy, fun alternatives to food fundraisers. Here is a list of fundraising ideas not involving food.

1 Walk-a-Thon
This is a great fundraiser for smaller groups like cheerleaders, football teams, marching bands and any other club or sport that needs to raise some funds this year. Students ask for pledges for every mile they walk. You can use the track at your school, or create a course a few miles long. Cap the pledges at 10 miles. Then, get out there and start walking! You can make it even more fun by offering prizes for students who walk the most miles, or get the most pledges. You can also make a few extra dollars by setting up a spirit booth at the walk-a-thon and selling items with your school logo. This is a way to raise money while getting excercise and having fun at the same time!

2 Staff Talent Show
Here is a great way to get your entire school staff involved in a fundraiser. Ask every staff memeber to come up with an act and put on a talent show for the school and community. Charge $5 a ticket and sell refreshments at the show. Encourage your staff to not take themselves too seriously and show off funny talents like creating sculptures out of chewed gum, or acting out every part from a children’s book. Try to do this within the first few weeks of school. It will bring the whole community together and get everyone involved in supporting education from the very beginning.

3 Gift Basket Silent Auction
This is an idea that can involve the entire school. Assign each class in your school a different theme, then give them the task of filling a basket with items that incorporate that theme. Some creative themes could be gardening, movie night, spa day, Dad’s dream basket, Mom’s dream basket, etc. The cost of making the baskets will be minimal if everyone in the class can commit to get one item to fill the basket. Once all the baskets are ready to go, plan a night to hold the silent auction and invite everyone in your community to attend. Make auction sheets and put them in front of every basket and schedule a time limit of at least an hour. When the hour’s up announce to everyone who won the baskets!

4 Trash-Dash
This is another idea that would be perfect for smaller groups. Ask students to get pledges for every bag of trash they pick up. Then, on a Saturday have all the students meet at the school and pick up as much trash as they can around the school. Then in smaller groups of 3 with 1 adult volunteer to each group, spread out around the community and pick up trash in nearby neighborhoods. This will keep your school and community looking clean while raising money at the same time!

5 Coffe Shop Poetry Night
This idea can work well as a small group fundraiser or as an entire school fundraiser. Turn your cafeteria into a coffee shop by asking volunteers or students to decoarte it with christmas lights and table cloths on the tables. Then bring in a few couches or overstuffed chairs and put around the cafeteria. Provide a microphone and a spotlight to serve as the stage. Then have students serve coffee for $3 a cup. Then, other students can recite poetry, read short stories, or sing as entertainment. You can raise extra money by placing donation envelopes on each table and giving people the option of donating money if they please.