You’ve wrapped up your fundraiser—nice work—and it was a huge success! Not only did you meet your fundraising goal, but you exceeded it! So what do you do with that fundraiser surplus? From making improvements to your school to building up morale to just plain celebrating, there are so many ways your extra funds can have a positive impact on your school community. Read on for our top ten ways to put your fundraiser surplus to good use!
1. Purchase gifts for your teachers and staff.
Whether it’s for Teacher Appreciation Week or just to say thank you for all that you do, gifting your school staff with something special is an excellent way to keep morale high. You can create personalized hoodies, splurge on gift cards to a local coffee shop, or put together a basket of goodies—the options are endless for this one!
2. Invest in new resources for your school.
Whether your classrooms need new technology or your playground could use a new swing set, your fundraiser surplus can be used to purchase some—or all!—of the resources your school has been asking for.
3. Plan a school wide celebration.
Your students, families, and staff all worked super hard to make your fundraiser a success, why not celebrate their efforts?! Throw an ice cream social, organize a festival and invite families, turn outdoor recess into a pizza party—get creative!
4. Make a rainy day account.
Just because you have a fundraiser surplus doesn’t mean you have to spend it immediately. If there is nothing that truly stands out to spend your extra cash on, consider tucking it away to be used when an unplanned need arises.
5. Fulfill teacher wish lists.
From a fresh set of markers to always needed tissues and cleaning wipes, your teachers most likely all have a list of things their classroom needs. Use your fundraiser surplus to purchase these items and surprise them!
6. Improve your school’s special subjects.
Many times, your school’s special subjects like art, music and PE are the last to receive resources. Whether it’s new clay for the art room, ukuleles for music class, or equipment to build an obstacle course during PE, your students will love the new upgrades!
7. Invest in brain break or mindfulness subscriptions.
There are many subscription based programs that can be very beneficial to your students and help your teachers in the classroom. For example, SuperNoodle offers a social/emotional curriculum with interactive experiences. There are also many apps featuring movement breaks such as yoga and dance.
8. Refresh your library shelves with new books.
Investing in new books for your students is always a great idea! Get them involved and send out a survey or put out a suggestion box to determine what are the newest “must have” books and series they would love to have access to.
9. Finance school improvements or maintenance projects.
Maybe your school hallways could use a fresh coat of paint or your light fixtures need an upgrade. You can use your fundraiser surplus to pay for these types of “nice to have” projects your school has not been able to tackle with its yearly budget.
10. Offer a new afterschool program.
Depending on what kind of surplus you are working with, you may be able to offer a fun new after school program such as a gardening club or running group. This will benefit your students with an engaging activity and families that need a little extra child care!
Your school should be proud of your fundraising efforts and meeting the goals you set—especially if you exceeded them! From celebrations to saving up for a rainy day, there are so many different ways to use that fundraiser surplus, you get to decide what is the right fit for your school. When you are investing those funds in your families, students, and staff, it will always have a positive impact on your school and community!
