Raise money without raising blood sugar

Ten great ideas to fundraise for your school or sports team without resorting to lollies!

It’s a familiar feeling. 

Your child comes home with a truckload of giant-sized packets of lollies to sell as fundraisers.

Your heart sinks. 

“But Mum! It’s for my netball team!”

“It’s to pay for the school band’s tour!”

“But the school needs a new roof!”

The story always goes the same way.

You take half of them into work and leave them lying around the office, snaring your colleagues in their weakest moments and eating some yourself when things get stressful.

You notice the kids have nicked three boxes in the dead of night, so you pay for them yourself and tell them off half-heartedly. At least it’s for a good cause.

Then you realise two days before the deadline that you still have six of them left. You just pay for them - and then find yourself scoffing them alone when the kids are in bed. 

Fortunately, there are ways to raise money that don’t involve sugar overload.

Here’s 10 ideas for sugar free fundraisers

1. It’s alive! A herb growing kit is not just fun but healthy, meaning families will have fresh herbs available to improve the taste of their meals.
2. Picture plates. An oldie but a goodie – personalised plates with images of kids or family make great Christmas presents.
3. Time for a calendar. Kids can do the artwork, creating a fun product that is also a useful gift idea.
4. Cook something up. Work with a publisher to create a custom book of healthy recipes, with contributions from the school community and artwork by the kids.
5. Get fruity. A mango drive before the festive season is perfectly timed.
6. Think out of the box. Another option is to team up with a company who deliver fruit & veg boxes to arrange subscriptions in return for a donation per delivery.
7. Stage something. Tickets to a band, play or comedy show, staged at the school or elsewhere.
8.  Sunscreen. Promote outdoor play by selling tubes of sunscreen.
9. Label it. Solve the lost property issue and fundraise at the same time by teaming up with a label making company to produce clothes labels.
10. Something-a-thon. By using a platform like Everyday Hero, the school can hold a marathon/walkathon/swimathon. This has the added benefit of letting you tap into the support networks of parents who may not otherwise donate to your school.