Fundraising on a Budget: 14 Low-Cost Ideas with Big Impact
08 Jul, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- About the Spencer Clarke Group x Active Lancashire school fundraising challenge.
- 14 ways for schools to fundraise on a budget.
- Discover more about our education recruitment services.
Looking for ways to fundraise but managing a tight budget? Fear not! There are plenty of ways for your schools to raise money for an important cause and they’re just as fun as activities that require greater financial input.
Whether you’re looking for an activity that will put your pupils creativity to the test, a fundraiser that will get them outdoors and exercising or you’re one of the 20 schools taking part in the Spencer Clarke Group x Active Lancashire School Fundraising Challenge, we’ve got you covered. Our challenge, taking place from September to December 2025 will see schools across Lancashire competing to turn a £100 starter donation into as much money as possible through the power of fundraising.
Our fundraising ideas on a budget are a sure fire way to get creative, get outdoors and make some money for an important cause!
14 ways for your school to fundraise on a budget
Our favourite ways to fundraise on a budget, include:
- Read to raise cash.
- Clean cars for a cause.
- Bingo and beyond.
- Go silent for sponsors.
- Get social.
- Profit from painting.
- Guess the goodies.
- Hold an ‘own clothes’ day.
- Boogie for bucks.
- Scavenge for sponsors.
- Plant for pounds.
- Bead some bracelets.
- Keep the streets clean.
- Detox from the digital world.
Read to raise cash
A sponsored read-a-thon is a great way to fundraise, encourage a love for reading and promote important literacy skills amongst students. Through the exploration of new books and stories, students are able to enhance their imagination whilst raising money against the length of time they read for.
This is a great way to fundraise on a budget as schools are able to use the library resources they already own, or encourage pupils to bring in their favourite book from home.
Clean cars for a cause
There are plenty of people who would like a clean car but just can’t find the time to clean it themselves. This is where your students can step in and save the day. A sponsored car wash is a great way to encourage teamwork amongst students, teach them the importance of helping the community and demonstrate your hard working school culture.
For schools on a budget, ask your students and their families if they can lend buckets and sponges and encourage your students to get creative and make their own flyers to promote your cause.
Bingo and beyond
A lively and entertaining way to raise money is to host your very own bingo and quiz night. Bingo and quiz nights are great for all ages and appeal to those who like putting their general knowledge to the test.
Whilst this kind of event can incur a small cost, you don’t need to go wild - create your own quiz and ask if attendees would like to bring their own snacks and drinks to the event.
Go silent for sponsors
A sponsored silence doesn’t cost a penny to organise and therefore is a brilliant way to fundraise on a budget. Requiring minimal resources, a sponsored silence is also a great way for all students to raise money regardless of their age. It’s a fun and free way to raise awareness for your cause and doesn’t require resources or extensive planning.
Get social
Social media is the perfect tool to spread fundraising awareness in just a few clicks without spending a penny. Schools can use social media to create exciting posts about their fundraising efforts and encourage followers to contribute if they can. Should crowdfunding pages be used, social media platforms can be used to share links and fundraise at all times of day.
Profit from painting
Creativity in the classroom is an important way to boost pupils' imagination and encourage collaboration whilst using resources your school already owns. To raise funds you could ask your pupils to create their own paintings, sculptures, textiles or any other art form, and then host an auction to sell these pieces to the highest bidders. The opportunity to get creative allows pupils to showcase their talents and play their part in the fundraising challenge.
Guess the goodies
Whilst a small fee may be incurred to fill the jar, creating a fun game for people to guess how many sweets there are in a small container doesn’t need to cost a lot. Encourage some friendly competition with the closest guess winning the goodies.
Hold an ‘own clothes’ day
A classic and totally free way to fundraise, an own clothes day is a great way to get the whole school involved. Kindly ask pupils to contribute a small donation of money in order to wear their own clothes and fundraise at no cost at all.
Boogie for bucks
A dance-a-thon is a great way to get your class moving, burn some energy and earn sponsorship in the process. Creating a positive school culture is of utmost importance and what better way than to get everyone together dancing like nobody’s watching.
There are plenty of free platforms to source music from and you never know, there might be a DJ or band member in your midst - why not ask around to see if there are any musical parents on the scene? Encourage your pupils to make their own decorations for the event, rather than splashing the cash elsewhere.
Scavenge for sponsors
Another budget friendly way to fundraise includes organising a scavenger hunt for your school and the wider community. Clues, maps and advertising material can all be made by your pupils, meaning set up costs are minimal.
Find a safe space to host your hunt, whether this be your own school grounds or a local park and ask participants for a kind donation to raise money for your chosen cause!
Plant for pounds
A hands-on opportunity to raise money, planting seeds and selling the beautiful flowers they grow into is a wholesome way to fundraise on a budget. Giving your pupils ownership for planting and nurturing their seeds teaches them the importance of nature and you could even have students decorate the plant pots.
Bead some bracelets
A fun and creative way to fundraise that won’t break the bank, bracelet making is a lovely way for students to make hand made gifts during lunch time or an art class. The required materials, such as string and beads, can be bought in bulk at minimal cost and bracelets can be personalised with names or specific colours, then sold at a higher price to raise even more money.
Keep the streets clean
Community initiatives, such as a sponsored litter pick, provide schools with an opportunity to teach environmental awareness. Why not encourage your students to collect sponsorship for playing their part in keeping the streets clean.
There are many community social media groups who organise group litter picks and may even be willing to lend their litter pickers, so you don’t have to invest your own money.
Detox from the digital world
With students spending so much time in the digital world, a detox from social media and electronic devices will do no harm and is a completely free way to fundraise.
Ensuring they still have access to a mobile phone for safety reasons, why not challenge them to spend time off social media and earn sponsorship for every hour, day or even week away from such platforms. Easy to organise with no costs incurred, this is a great way to fundraise and even enhance the wellbeing of pupils.
Recruit teaching, support and facilities staff
As a specialist education recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools with their recruitment needs.
Whether you’re searching for teaching, support, or facilities staff, we have exclusive access to some of the best educators in the North West.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?
- Primary schools - Jimmy Callagher
- Secondary schools - Liam Jones
- SEND schools - Jamie Heath
- School facilities - Emma Dobson
Teaching, school support staff and school facilities jobs
If you’re searching for a new career opportunity, why not take a look at the latest education jobs, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant job opening becomes available.
Meet Jamie Heath
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
Planning, Development & Regeneration
Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering
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