Click on the fundraising ideas listed below to see more information about it.
have a great fundraiser that’s not listed? or a modification to one listed that will make it more productive? Let us know so we can add it!
This list is curated by Texas DECA with ideas/suggestions from chapters & state officers.
Used Book Sale
DESCRIPTION
This is a great project you can conduct with your chapter that has no overhead cost. Members and students across the school can donate books to your chapter and you can conduct a used book sale to gain a profit through all the books sold.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Reach out to your school administrators to seek approval for this book sale to happen in school.
Promote the book sale on social media and in school.
Organize a donation drop-off point and conduct the donation drive → 1 week.
Price books and organize them into genres → 0.5-1 week.
Hold the book sale → 1 week.
Report on amount fundraised.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Donation drop-off point
Used books (through donations)
Bookshelves
Flyers/Banners to put up before and during event
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval on the project.
School librarian for help with organizing book sale.
Teachers, students, and parents to notify them of the book sale (through school newsletter, social media, etc).\
Balloon Pop
DESCRIPTION
Host a school-wide event where you fill an area with opaque balloons and hide small prizes in a select few. Sell thumbtacks or darts (or other objects to pop balloons) to event-goers for a chance at popping balloons and possibly winning the prizes.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Buy appropriate materials to conduct the event (balloons, small prizes, thumbtacks/darts).
Note: Make sure you allocate your budgets appropriately so that you can ensure you make a profit by the end of the event.
Create social media content to advertise the event (flyers in school, Instagram posts/stories/reels).
Conduct in-person marketing by having officers promote the event in their classrooms, during lunch, etc.
Host the event! This can be throughout the day, over the course of a few days, during an advisory period, after school, etc.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Opaque balloons
Small prizes
Thumbtacks/darts/something to pop balloons with
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval on the project.
Students to participate in the event (in-person, social media)
Craft Fair
DESCRIPTION
Use DECA as a way for students to showcase their crafting abilities by hosting a craft fair. Student artisans can put their work on display in exchange for volunteer hours and you can charge tickets at the door or for each piece bought by students. This can be done during the holiday season as people always love to get authentic, crafted items for loved ones.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Reach out to student artists for help in providing gifts during the craft fair.
Decorate the room where the event will be at.
Promote “submissions for volunteer hours” and attendance at the fair with in-school flyers and social media content.
Create a one-week submission window for gifts and host the fair the next week.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Tables for gift display
Fair decorations
Gifts (provided by students who submit work)
Tickets
Cash counter
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval on the project.
Students to submit gifts for the event with the incentive of receiving volunteer hours (in-person, social media).
Students to participate in the event (in-person, social media).
MAKE IT A SILENT AUCTION!
To make this event a silent auction, print out a page with 20 lines to go with each item. Attendees will ‘bid’ on the items they wish to purchase with the price they’re willing to pay on the sheet. After the allotted amount of time, the sheets will be taken up and you will announce the winner of each item. The winner will pay whatever their highest ‘bid’ amount was.
Sports Tournament
DESCRIPTION
Host a school-wide sports tournament where you charge teams to enter, charge admission, set up concessions, and have a prize for the winning team. You could also charge individuals to enter and then draft teams on-site.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Reach out to potentially interested students to sign up with a team.
Set prices for admission and teams.
Create a sign-up form for teams to register themselves for the tournament.
Set up a concession stand.
Promote the tournament (to gain more viewer admissions) on social media and in person.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Sport equipment
Admission tickets
Score tracker
Winner’s prize
Concessions
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval on the project.
Students to register into the tournament and attend the tournament.
Athletics department for sports equipment.
Sky Lantern Sendoff
DESCRIPTION
Host a one-night sky lantern sendoff event where people can purchase paper lanterns to make wishes on, light a flame inside, and send it off in the sky. Alternative: You could host this event at a body of water and lanterns could be released to float on the water.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Set prices for lanterns.
Buy lanterns, pens, and other materials needed for the sendoff.
Promote the event (to gain more attendees) on social media and in person.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Lanterns
Markers
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
Game Night/Trivia night
DESCRIPTION
Bring in board games and other fun games to host a one-day game night where you can charge a small fee for attendees to be a part of the fun!
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Set prices for admission.
Bring in board games and more.
Create mini-concessions stand for an extra form of fundraising.
Promote the event (to gain more attendees) on social media + in person.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Board games
Snacks
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
Bake Sale
DESCRIPTION
Host a bake sale at your school. You can partner with a local bakery or with a baker, partner with your school’s culinary department, or have members bake items to sell baked goods to fundraise for your chapter.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Set prices for baked goods.
Decide who will provide food for the event.
Promote the event (to gain more attendees) on social media and in person.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Tables to display baked goods on sale
Cash counter
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
Person/people making baked good for the event
MAKE IT A SILENT AUCTION!
To make this event a silent auction, print out a page with 20 lines to go with each item. Attendees will ‘bid’ on the items they wish to purchase with the price they’re willing to pay on the sheet. After the allotted amount of time, the sheets will be taken up and you will announce the winner of each item. The winner will pay whatever their highest ‘bid’ amount was.
Pumpkin Carving Contest
DESCRIPTION
An October classic, host this contest where you invite people to pay a small fee to carve a pumpkin and enter it into the competition. Get participants and viewers to vote on their favorites, and have prizes for the winners.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Set price for participation.
Get carvable pumpkins and other appropriate materials.
Create a mini-concessions stand for extra fundraising opportunities.
Promote the event (to gain more attendees) on social media and in person.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Carvable pumpkins
Carving supplies
Concessions food
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
Movie Night
DESCRIPTION
Watch a movie with your friends while charging for admissions and concessions! This event could be hosted in an inside space on a large screen, or it could be hosted outside as a ‘drive-in’ style event. Consider making your event a themed event with holiday movies!
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Decide on a location for the event.
Set price for admission.
Decide on a movie to watch.
Create a mini-concessions stand for extra fundraising opportunities.
Promote the event (to gain more attendees) on social media and in person.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Projector for the movie
Screen for movie
Movie (if you’re not watching digitally)
Cords for Projector
Computer (if movie is digital)
Concessions food
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
Cash Calendar
Put info here
5K Walk/run
DESCRIPTION
Host a 5K race at a community park or near your school and charge a registration fee to enter as a runner all profits will go to whatever cause you’re fundraising for minus any expenses such as prizes. You may also choose to charge a little more and include a t-shirt with the registration fee.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Set registration fee
Prepare the race location.
Create water/break stands in the middle of the race.
Promote the event on social media.
Design t-shirts (if included)
Order t-shirts
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Start/finish line markings
Directional signage for the path
Water cups & water
Snacks (if provided)
Prize for winners
T-shirt (if included)
Poster/Flyers for marketing
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
MAKE IT VIRTUAL!
Car Wash
DESCRIPTION
This classic fundraising event works great to build teamwork and spirit. Host a car wash and have chapter members take shifts doing different tasks: promoting with signs and washing cars. You could add an extra touch and run it like a true business with thank you floor mats explaining what DECA is and how they’ve contributed to the organization (print a thank you on 11x14 copy paper and place on the driver’s side).
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Scout location to host event (must have access to water hookup)
Set date/time/location for the event
Promote the event via social media
Make signs to hold up and promote during the event
Collect materials for car washing
Print floor mats (if you’re going to use them)
Host the event
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Water Hose(s)
Water Hook Up
Soap
Sponges
Buckets
Towels
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
community garage sale
DESCRIPTION
Most people have tons of stuff they are secretly dying to get rid of. Have them donate it to your sale with proceeds going to DECA. You may be able to get a local company to donate a POD or storage unit to store items during the donation period and pick them up after the sale is over.
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Set donation location and duration
Promote donating on social media
Set date and time for sale
Promote the event on social media.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Donated items
Poster boards for signs promoting the event
Tables to display items
WHO TO CONTACT
School administrators and chapter advisor for approval of the event.
Community members to donate items
Fall Festival/carnival
DESCRIPTION
A carnival is always a fun way to raise funds. And you can invest whatever level of overhead feels appropriate. Skip the antique carousels and make up your own games with homemade booths and costumes for a lower cost and more personalized event experience. You could even invite other organizations to join in and make it a bigger event. Charge attendees to play the games! Be sure you have prizes for the winners. You could even sell concessions such as drinks and popcorn to earn a little extra money.
Example Carnival Games: Ring Toss, Corn Hole, Cake Walk, Face Painting, Bobbing for Apples
Concession Stand at Sporting Events
Candy Bar Sales
https://worldsfinestchocolate.com/
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Sales
https://www.krispykreme.com/fundraising/home
Cookie Dough Sales
Nothing bundt cake sales
https://www.groupraise.com/nothingbundtcakes
Texas Roadhouse Rolls Sales
To get started with an order-taker fundraiser, contact the Managing Partner of your closest Texas Roadhouse.
little caesars Pizza kit sales
https://www.pizzakit.com/how-it-works
auntie anne’s pretzel sales
https://www.justfundraising.com/auntie-annes-pretzels-3708.html
Additional Fundraising Resources: