Healthy Fundraisers

As childhood obesity levels rise, schools are looking for healthy fundraisers as an alternative solution for raising much needed funds. Many school districts have even banned fundraising candy sales, so what kind of school fundraisers will help bridge the funding gap?

Here are several ideas for healthy school fundraisers:


Participant events
Many schools have discovered that events where all students participate in a fun exercise-based event do a good job. Examples of this are school walkathons, rope jumping contests, and fun runs.

Students raise funds by getting sponsorship pledges linked to their performance. For instance, a pledge sheet for a fun run or a walkathon might suggest a donation of $1 a lap or $5 a mile.

In a jump rope contest, pledges might be raised by the number of consecutive jumps a student performs or by a set amount for each participant. The important thing is that parents are encouraging their children to be physically active as part of a fundraiser versus buying candy to help support their school.

Nonfood product sales
There are also plenty of fundraising products that can be sold that don't involve candy or other unhealthy foods. Examples include books, magazines, gift wrap, flowers, plants, calendars, candles, pumpkins, and kitchen accessories.

All of these items have the same type of markups as products like candy, doughnuts, or cookie dough. The key point is that these are all healthier alternatives.

Healthy food products
For food-based sales, why not offer items such as fresh citrus fruit, nuts, spices, coffee, granola bars, or bottled water? Each of these items will generate the same kind of revenue and profit as their unhealthier alternatives.

Service events
School groups can raise funds with service events like car washes, dog washes, or community cleanups. Students get the added benefit of working in teams to earn money through their own efforts instead of just having their parents open their checkbooks.

School spirit items
Another good school fundraiser involves selling items adorned with the school logo such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, shorts, book covers, stadium cushions, and water bottles.

All of these promote school spirit and provide a good value for the parents who are the ones writing the checks. These same school spirit items can also be offered over time through a school store as well as an ongoing fundraising activity.

Summary
Many schools are looking for healthier alternatives to traditional fundraising products that contain large amounts of sugar and in some cases, trans fat as well. Event-based fund raising is one alternative that's growing in popularity.

Schools can also offer catalog sales of nonfood products that will raise just as much funding or they can offer healthier alternatives such as fresh fruit, nuts, coffee, etc.

Service events like car washes also work well for school clubs and cheer squads. They also teach a good lesson in the value of hard work to get what you want.

The bottom line is that there are many healthy fundraisers for schools to choose from, so choose wisely!

By: Kimberly Reynolds

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Kimberly Reynolds writes for national publications about improving school fundraising, healthy fundraisers and nonprofit fundraiser events. Find more fundraiser ideas on her website, FundraiserHelp.com