School Fundraising That Actually Works — Raise More, Keep More
Everything your PTO or PTA needs to plan, run, and crush your next fundraiser — plus the platform that helps schools keep 95–97% of every dollar.
School fundraising is how parent groups raise money for programs, supplies, and experiences schools can't fully fund. The most profitable approach is a single event-based fundraiser — like a Walk-a-Thon, Fun Run, or Jog-a-Thon — run on an online platform, because schools can double or triple what they raise on their own while keeping 95–97% of the funds.
What is school fundraising?
School fundraising is any organized effort — usually led by a PTO, PTA, or booster club — to raise money for things a school's budget doesn't cover: field trips, technology, playground upgrades, classroom supplies, the arts, and more.
The best modern fundraisers share three traits: they're profitable (you keep most of what you raise), they're low-effort (the platform and a coach do the heavy lifting), and they're fun and healthy for students. That's exactly the model Get Movin' was built around in 2007.
The 3 questions every school should ask
1. How much will we actually keep? Profit retention matters more than gross.
2. How much volunteer time does it take? The right tools cut this dramatically.
3. Will students and families enjoy it? Enjoyment drives participation, and participation drives dollars.
The main types of school fundraisers
Not all fundraisers are created equal. Here's how the most common types compare on profit, effort, and who they fit best.
| Fundraiser type | Typical profit kept | Effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk-a-Thon | 95–97% | Low | All grades, healthy & inclusive Top profit |
| Fun Run | 95–97% | Low | High energy, all ages Top profit |
| Jog-a-Thon | 95–97% | Low | Athletic theme, easy setup |
| Read-a-Thon | High | Low | Reading & literacy — run it on Read-a-Thon |
| Silent / online auction | High | Medium | Gala & community events — use 32auctions |
| Product sales (catalog, cookie dough) | 40–50% | High | Schools wanting tangible products |
| Direct donation drive | 90%+ | Low | Quick, low-frills asks |
The 6 highest-profit school fundraisers, ranked
Ranked by how much schools actually keep, weighted by how little effort they take.
Walk-a-Thon / Fun Run
Event-based, donation-driven, 95–97% kept, and students love them. The clear winner for most schools.
Jog-a-Thon
Same profit profile as a Walk-a-Thon with an athletic theme — simple to run on a track or field.
Read-a-Thon
Literacy-based donations with high profit and zero products to sell. Run it on Read-a-Thon.
Online silent auction
Great for galas and community events. Launch free on 32auctions with mobile bidding.
Direct donation drive
The simplest ask — high profit but lower engagement and harder to sustain year over year.
Product sales
Familiar but profit-poor: schools often keep only 40–50% after the company's cut.
The platform, the coaching, and the tools that make it easy
We're the online component for event-style fundraisers — Fun Runs, Jog-a-thons, Walk-a-thons, and more. Here's what every school gets.
FundHub Platform
Track cash, check, card, PayPal, Venmo & Apple/Google Wallet — with fast automatic ACH payout after your event.
Personal Event Coach
A former PTO/PTA volunteer turned expert helps you set goals, pick incentives, and avoid pitfalls — free.
100+ Resource Toolbox
How-to guides, templates, and promo docs organized by team role so everyone knows their next step.
Superb Support Team
Real help for chairs, parents, and donors whenever a question comes up before, during, or after.
Choose the right fundraiser for your school
Tap your fundraiser type to get a complete playbook — and the right platform for the job.
Walk-a-Thon
Inclusive, healthy, and high-profit. The most popular event for elementary schools.
See the playbook →Fun Run
High energy and all-ages — the event students beg to do again next year.
See the playbook →Jog-a-Thon
Athletic, simple to stage, and just as profitable. Great for spirit.
See the playbook →Fundraising Ideas
35+ ideas ranked by how much they actually raise, for every grade and budget.
Browse ideas →Read-a-Thon
Reading & literacy fundraiser. Schools raise 4–5× more on the purpose-built platform.
Visit Read-a-Thon →Online Auction
Silent & charity auctions with mobile bidding — launch free in minutes on 32auctions.
Visit 32auctions →Fundraising by Group
Playbooks written for who you actually are — PTO, booster club, preschool, swim team and 38 more.
Find your group →Schools are rockin' the donations
"After years of chairing our jog-a-thon and manually doing everything, having the online part simply took the load off. We netted $16,500 more than last year!"
"Having a coach made a HUGE difference — goals throughout the donation period and words of encouragement. We loved having complete control and we'd like to rebook now for next year."
"Addictive is the right word for checking our donation meter! It tells you EVERYTHING about your fundraiser. Our principal was skeptical at first — now he loves it."
Your interactive fundraising platform for the whole school
Manage your entire fundraiser from one dashboard built just for schools. Each student gets a secure personal fundraising page — averaging $140 each — that rallies donations by text, email, and social with one click.
Why profit retention beats gross every time
A bigger headline number means nothing if a company keeps half of it. Here's the same $30,000 raised, two different ways.
$30,000 raised, but the company keeps ~55% in product costs and fees. Your school nets less than half.
$30,000 raised, schools keep 95–97%. That's ~$15,000 more for your students from the same effort.
Talk to a real fundraising expert — free
Our experts are former PTO/PTA volunteers. Tell them about your school and they'll help you pick the most profitable, lowest-stress fundraiser for your community.
Talk to an Expert Book An EventSchool fundraising FAQ
What is the most profitable school fundraiser?
How much do schools keep with Get Movin'?
What's the easiest fundraiser to run?
How long does it take to set up a fundraiser?
Do we need a lot of volunteers?
What if our school wants a reading or auction fundraiser instead?
Key takeaways
- The most profitable, lowest-effort school fundraisers are event-based: Walk-a-Thons, Fun Runs, and Jog-a-Thons.
- Profit retention matters more than gross — Get Movin' schools keep 95–97% vs. ~40–50% on product sales.
- An online platform plus a personal coach helps schools raise 2–3× more with far less volunteer time.
- Match the tool to the fundraiser: Get Movin' for movement events, Read-a-Thon for reading, 32auctions for auctions.