It is becoming increasingly common for graduating classes (particularly as year 6s move to high school) to do extra fundraising to cover things like school camps, graduation dinners, year books and even gifts to the school. Here are some special collaborative fundraisers that either incorporate a keepsake for families as they move on from a school, or are easy money earners that can bring in funds with minimal effort.
1. Personalised Teddy Bears
These high-quality, cute stuffed bears sit 25cm high and come with customised t-shirts that can be printed with your child’s artwork, or the school’s logo or motto. They are available as the standard bear or the Graduation Bear which has a mortar board and scroll. Children can complete their artwork at home which is then sent away to be printed on the t-shirt, with or without the child or school’s name.
For full review and pricing see:
http://fundraisingmums.com.au/customised-teddy-bears/
Available from: Dress My Bear
2. Scratch Cards
These are a great option for graduating classes and sports groups who want to make money fast and not actually sell anything, perfect for those raising money for a camp or parting gift to the school. The scratch cards have 40 silver dots which reveal donation amounts between 50 cents and $3, with each card totalling a $64 donation. Students simply approach people and say ‘would you like to donate to our Year 6 camp?’ and the people donate the amount they scratch.
For full review and pricing see: Scratch’n’Help cards
Available from: Fast Fundraising
3. Personalised tea towels/aprons
Every child in the year can draw their own picture which is then printed on these large, top quality cotton tea-towels, aprons or bags. Children can draw themselves as they are now, or perhaps what they dream to be when they grow up. Other popular options are using the kids’ handprints or having the graduating class design a colourful picture that symbolises their school or area (extra costs associated with full-colour printing). With a range of colours available, they can be matched to most schools. There are plenty of options for adding the school logo, plus borders where you can include information about the school or teachers. There is a minimum order or 50 and the individual prices get cheaper the more you order.
For full review and pricing see: http://fundraisingmums.com.au/personalised-tea-towels/
Available from: Expressions
4. Recipe Book
This is a fundraiser which can be created by the graduating class or an entire school, with students supplying recipes and artwork which is then printed into a high-quality book. For a graduation project, the book could also incorporate photographs of the students during the year and leave space for autographs. Alternatively, it could be left general for broader appeal and sales potential. Access to online publishing software allows students to submit their recipes directly online and each child can have a customised cover for no extra charge. Alternatively, children draw pictures or submit headshots which can be made into a colourful mosaic cover. Prices are determined by the number of pages, size of the book and whether it is full-colour printing inside.
For full review and pricing see: http://fundraisingmums.com.au/publishing-your-own-school-recipe-book/
Available from: Schoolyard Stories
5. Collaborative Art
A collaborative art piece which has been made by the entire year/class would be a stunning parting gift to the school or alternatively, could be sold at auction to raise money for the graduating group. There are so many options available and many of them are very inexpensive to make. From creating a mosaic on an old park bench or table, to a painted canvas or even a quilt, the only limitation is your imagination.
For great class art ideas visit the Fundraising Mums Pinterest site and be inspired here: https://au.pinterest.com/fundraisingmums/pins/
6. Customised candles
Website: https://hikaricandles.com.au/
Hikari Candles offer a large soy wax candle (80 hours burn time), with various fragrance options. These can be decorated with a customised label using your school crest or logo, making it a perfect fundraiser for graduation or other significant events such as a centenary celebration. The candles are available across Australia as either a traditional order form process, or entirely online with a unique code (or a combination of both). The candles are available for $20 each with a RRP of $30, making the fundraiser a profit of $10 per candle.
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