Your school has decided on the perfect fundraiser to host this coming year—but now what? Before you can put together a team and promote your event, you first need to decide when to hold it. While you will likely need to navigate many conflicting events and priorities that can impact the timing, some times of the year are better suited for certain events than others.
The ideal timing for your fundraising event can vary depending on its format. Let’s take a deep dive into the types of fundraising events best suited for each season, and explore whether certain days of the week work better than others.
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Fall fundraising events
In the fall, school is just getting started again. Students are meeting their teachers, sharing stories about their summer, and, for some, becoming acquainted with a new school. This is a busy time. Any fundraisers should require minimal time from students, organizers, and teachers, and, if possible, help students and parents get to know one another.
One fundraiser that meets these criteria is a bar night for parents. During this event, schools partner with a local bar that agrees to remit 20% of the proceeds from that night back to the school. This event typically requires no set up or management and offers a great way for parents to socialize outside of the school setting.
Bar nights are usually held on a Monday or Tuesday in October. These are typically the slowest nights for bars—making them the nights when they are most willing to share their proceeds. Additionally, October avoids the busyness of the start of the school year and the November holidays.
Winter fundraising events
Due to the cold weather in winter, most events need to be held indoors or online. Moreover, because of the winter break, multi-day events should be held in February or March.
An ideal fundraiser for this season is a Read-A-Thon. During a Read-A-Thon, students read as much as they can over two to four weeks while soliciting donations from friends and family to support their school and reading goals. Not only do Read-A-Thons promote literacy, but they are also easy to manage, require little to no upfront cost, and attract donations from outside the school community (we love you, Grandma and Grandpa!).
When scheduling a Read-A-Thon, it is best to avoid the extended holiday breaks, as some students may have difficulty participating during those times. This usually means the event should end just before President’s Day or start immediately afterward. The best day of the week to kick off a Read-A-Thon is typically Friday, as it provides the entire week leading up to the event for promotion and sign-ups. Similarly, ending a Read-A-Thon on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday allows a couple of days for a final push in donations and reading.
Spring fundraising events
Spring is the perfect season for school fundraisers. PTAs are often making their final push to reach annual fundraising goals, and parents are usually grateful for all the hard work the school puts in, making them eager to offer support. Events during this time can be both ambitious and fun.
A silent auction, often culminating with a live auction at a gala, is an excellent choice for the spring season. During a silent auction, parents and local businesses contribute their time, such as babysitting, or products, like jewelry, and participants place incremental bids over one or two weeks. The highest-priced items (like a weekend at a summer home) can then be auctioned off in person at a gala to conclude the event. In the end, whoever places the highest bid for each item wins it!
Silent auctions and gala events are often held in the month prior to the end of school—usually April or May. This timing gives the event a celebratory feel without conflicting with the busyness and typically lower attendance during the final weeks of school. The silent auction often kicks off on a Wednesday or Thursday so it can be promoted in the days leading up to the event and discussed at school afterward. If possible, the gala should be hosted on a Friday night, allowing parents to enjoy themselves without worrying about school or work the following morning.
Summer fundraising events
Summer months are not typically considered ideal for fundraisers. Many kids are traveling or changing schools, and without in-school promotion, it can be challenging to build excitement and participation. Aside from quick events like car washes, any summer fundraisers need to be held online and should either span the entire summer or be scheduled at the very end when most families are back in town.
The best fundraising event for the summer is a Math-A-Thon. Similar to a Read-A-Thon, Math-A-Thons span a couple of weeks during which students solicit donations from friends and family to support their school and personal goals. During the event, students answer as many math problems as they can—either online or via worksheets. A summer Math-A-Thon not only gives an early boost to your school’s fundraising goals, but it also provides students with a reason to practice math, helping to fight the dreaded summer slide and giving them a head start when school begins.
Need some help planning your next fundraiser?
While Math-A-Thons can be held throughout the entire summer, maintaining interest over a long period of time can be challenging. It is best to limit them to the final week or two before school begins, which is usually early or late August. Before school ends, you may want to tease the event and encourage early sign-ups, but the start and end dates can fall on any weekday since the event is not dependent on in-school promotion.
Finding the best time to host a school fundraiser is key, as each season offers distinct opportunities and potential challenges. Whether you’re setting up a cozy fall bar night, hosting a winter Read-A-Thon, planning a vibrant spring silent auction, or organizing a fun summer Math-A-Thon, aligning your event with the community’s schedule is crucial for boosting participation and enthusiasm.
