1. School Discos with add-ons

Discos continue to be reliable, high-performing PTA events, offering a great balance of fun and fundraising.

To maximise results:

• Sell tickets online in advance to secure attendance
• Offer add-ons like snacks, drinks or glow items to increase spend per child
• Consider running separate sessions for different year groups to increase capacity

They are simple to organise, easy to scale and consistently popular with pupils, making them a dependable choice for regular PTA fundraising throughout the year.

2. Summer and Christmas Fairs

Fairs are one of the most effective ways to maximise PTA fundraising, combining multiple income streams into a single, high-impact PTA event.

To increase results:

• Offer ticketed entry or early access tickets to generate funds before the event
• Organise stalls run by volunteers or assign class-led stalls to spread the workload
• Provide paid pitches for local businesses, such as food vendors, ice cream vans or craft sellers
• Include games, activities and entertainment to keep families engaged

Fairs also provide a great opportunity to showcase local talent, from performers to small businesses, helping you build stronger community connections while raising more for your school.

With the right setup, a well-organised fair can become your biggest and most successful fundraising event of the year.

3. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Fundraising

Seasonal events remain some of the most effective PTA fundraising ideas.

Take them further by:

• Selling Mother’s Day and Father’s Day craft kits online
• Offering personalised gifts or keepsakes
• Allowing parents to pre-order and pay in advance

This increases participation and makes it easier for busy working parents to take part.

4. Community Quiz / Bingo Nights

Community-led events are a great way to engage both parents and members of the wider community, helping to significantly expand your fundraising potential.

By opening your events beyond just the school, you widen your audience and create more opportunities to raise funds.

Popular options include:

• Quiz nights for parents and the wider community
• Bingo nights
• Ticketed entry with refreshments and extras which can be paid for in advance

Events like these not only build stronger community connections but also increase participation and overall income.

5. Online Prize Draws and Auctions

Online prize draws and auctions are one of the most effective ways to maximise modern PTA fundraising.

You can:

• Sell prize draw tickets before and during events
• Run auctions with local business donations
• Use either a standard auction format or a blind auction, both are fun and competitive

With PTA Events, both prize draws and auctions are fully integrated, so you can manage everything in one place without extra admin. No need to get printed raffle tickets and have the pain of managing stubs and money – it's all online in one simple format with the draw done at the click of a button.

6. Local Sponsors and Community Partnerships

Local businesses are a valuable but often overlooked part of successful PTA fundraising ideas.

By working with your local community, you can unlock additional income streams while strengthening relationships with nearby businesses.

You can:

• Offer sponsorship for stalls or activities
• Promote businesses on your event page or tickets
• Include sponsored prizes in prize draws or auctions
• Promote businesses in your PTA site business directory for a fee

You can also turn your PTA website into a fundraising tool.

Generate ongoing income by:

• Selling advertising space or business directory listings to local businesses
• Showcasing sponsor logos on your PTA events pages for visibility and recognition
• Offering premium placement on tickets or event materials for added exposure

This approach not only increases your fundraising potential but also gives local businesses a clear reason to support your school.

Using a platform like PTA Events makes it easy to manage sponsors, display adverts and keep everything organised in one place, helping you maximise both revenue and community engagement.

7. Online Donations and Subscriptions

Simple donation-based fundraising can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to support your school community.

Organising collections for teacher gifts, class hampers or end-of-year memorabilia allows parents to contribute in a way that feels meaningful and manageable.

To maximise participation:

• Offer optional online donations so parents can contribute quickly and easily
• Set clear suggested amounts to guide contributions
• Introduce monthly or recurring donation options for parents who want to support regularly
• Include fundraising goals and targets so parents know exactly what the funds are for

Bringing donations into your wider PTA events setup makes it easier to manage contributions alongside ticket sales and fundraising activities, while reducing admin for organisers.

These smaller, consistent contributions, especially through recurring donations, can add up significantly over time strengthening your PTA fundraising.

8. Talent Shows

Talent shows are a fantastic PTA fundraising idea that bring the whole school community together while creating multiple income opportunities.

• You can run several ticketed shows, including after-school performances
• Boost fundraising further by selling snacks and refreshments
• Involve local business sponsors, whether through prize draw donations or event sponsorship

With the right setup, talent shows not only raise funds but also create a memorable experience for pupils, parents and the wider community.

9. Themed Dress-up / Pyjama Days / Break the Rules Day

With a small donation to participate, these events are easy to organise and widely supported.

This could include:

• A termly dress-up theme decided by the school pupils or a class
• A day for pupils to dress according to their school house theme
• Custom costume designs (invent your own superhero character)
• Or a simple dress-down pyjamas day
• Relax the rules and get pupils to pay for each rule broken

10. Community car boot sales

A community car boot sale at the school can significantly increase fundraising.

You can:

• Charge for pitch spaces
• Sell tickets or early access entry
• Combine with stalls, food and entertainment

Managing this through PTA Events helps you organise bookings, payments and volunteers all in one place.

How to maximise your PTA fundraising in 2026

To get the best results from your PTA events, focus on:

• Combine online and in-person fundraising
• Add multiple income streams to each event (i.e. adding sponsors, prize draws)
• Plan early and promoting consistently
• Introduce online donation options for parents who want to support your fundraising goals
• Keep everything simple in one pace

The most effective PTAs are not just running events, they are using the right tools to streamline everything and increase results.

Final thoughts on PTA fundraising ideas

PTA fundraising continues to evolve, and the biggest opportunities now come from combining traditional events with digital tools.

By using PTA Events, you can manage everything in one place, from ticket sales and auctions to prize draws, sponsors and volunteers, helping you stay organised and raise more with less effort.

Ready to plan your next PTA event?

Take the stress out of organising your PTA fundraising and start raising more with a platform built specifically for PTAs.

With PTA Events, you can set up events in minutes, manage everything in one place and give parents a simple, seamless experience.