Online Fundraisers for Clubs: Tools + Tips For Success

Club fundraising has come a long way from cookie dough tubs and candy bars melting in someone’s trunk. These days, clubs of all kinds are expected to fundraise, often multiple times a year. But too many of those efforts fall flat. Parents are burned out. Volunteers are stretched thin.

And the return? Sometimes barely worth the effort.

We’ve worked with thousands of club leaders over the past two decades and have seen the full spectrum of brilliant ideas that knocked it out of the park and well-intentioned fundraisers that fizzled fast. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to bring clubs a fundraising option that’s easy to run, fun to promote, and actually earns profit. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what actually works when it comes to online fundraisers for clubs. We’ll explore high-performing strategies, unique insights most people miss, and how to avoid the biggest headaches we hear about year after year. 

Whether you’re a seasoned PTO leader or a first-timer this is the advice you’ve been looking for. 

Creative and Proven Fundraiser Ideas for Any Type of Club

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all fundraiser, what works for a football team might flop for a robotics club. When a fundraiser reflects your club’s personality and passion, people notice, and they buy.

Sports Teams &  Marching Bands

See how Fun Pasta Fundraising helped Bay High School’s marching band meet their goals.

Let’s start with the classics. 

We can’t count how many times we’ve worked with booster clubs that were done with candy bars and coupon books. They wanted something different, something that wouldn’t melt in someone’s gym bag or get tossed in a drawer. 

That’s where pasta shines.

We offer shapes that speak directly to your fanbase: footballs, music notes, hearts, even your favorite animals. They’re fun to sell, fun to give, and fun to eat. 

Plus, every athlete or band member gets a custom online link. That means grandma in Florida can buy pasta to support her marching grandson in Iowa. No order forms. No waiting.

Library Clubs, STEM Groups & Other Niche Clubs

See how Fun Pasta Fundraising helped River Bluff High School’s DECA club raise over $9,000.

Let’s talk about the groups that usually fly under the radar, the ones raising funds for things like field trips, 3D printers, or team competitions. These niche clubs may not get as much spotlight as varsity sports, but with the right fundraiser, they can shine just as bright.

What works here is storytelling. When you combine a unique product with a heartfelt message, say, “We’re raising funds to attend the National Science Olympiad,” you invite people to be part of your journey. 

Small or Understaffed Clubs

Now, let’s talk to the club leaders wearing five hats, with little help and even less time. Whether you’re running a club solo or your parent base is tapped out, your group can still fundraise, and do it well.

That’s exactly why we’ve built our system to be turnkey. You don’t need a storage room. You don’t need weekly meetings. Everything happens online, from launch to payment to shipping.

Each supporter orders directly through a club-specific link. 

We handle fulfillment and deliver straight to their door. That means you’re not chasing down orders, sorting boxes, or organizing pickup day. 

That takes the headache out of fundraising and allows even small clubs to meet their goals. When you eliminate the logistical barriers and give supporters a fun, useful product, the sales come quicker than you think.

Making Online Fundraisers Fun 

No one jumps out of bed in the morning thinking, “Yes! Another fundraiser!” 

And that’s exactly the problem most clubs face. If fundraising feels like a chore, people treat it like one. They avoid it, procrastinate, and do the bare minimum. But when you flip the script and make it fun, that’s when the magic happens.

So, how Do You Keep fundraising fun? You turn it into an experience.

Create themes. Celebrate milestones. Recognize effort. Some of our best-performing schools didn’t offer big, flashy prizes. They offered a pajama day or let the winning classes throw water balloons at the principal. 

That’s why we offer built-in tools to track participation and reward your students.

When kids see their names on a leaderboard or watch their numbers tick upward, they feel like they own the campaign. That ownership builds leadership skills, especially for kids who may not be stars on the field or stage. 

Fundraising becomes their chance to shine.

What About Low Participation?

Start by setting team-based goals, not only individual ones. Highlight participation over dollar amounts and make sure everyone knows that every order counts. Sometimes, the quietest student with just a few sales brings in a supporter who places a huge order.

Products vs. Donations, Which One Wins?

Every club wrestles with the same question at some point:

Should we sell something, or ask for donations?

On the surface, donations sound easier. No inventory, no shipping, no selling. But here’s the thing, people love getting something in return. Especially if it’s unique and useful.

Selling a great product can spark more support than a straight-up donation ask ever will. When a family buys a few bags of fun-shaped pasta, they’re not only giving money, they’re getting dinner, a gift, or a conversation piece in return. 

That’s real value, and it creates a win-win moment.

But that’s not to say donations don’t have their place. We actually encourage hybrid models.

Supporters can either shop your custom product page or make a direct donation. Some people prefer one or the other, and that flexibility maximizes your success.

Avoid These Pitfalls

After working with club leaders for over 20 years, we’ve learned one thing for sure, even the best-intentioned fundraisers can fail if you overlook a few key pitfalls. And trust us, we’ve seen more than our share of good-hearted efforts fall apart because of simple, avoidable missteps.

Burnout from overselling.

Too many fundraisers, too close together, can wear out your sellers, your supporters, and your sanity. The key is quality over quantity.

A high-margin, well-promoted fundraiser can do more than three small ones combined.

Low-Margin Programs

If your group is putting in all the effort, promoting, selling, following up, you deserve to keep the lion’s share of the profits. We always tell leaders: if you’re only getting 10–20% back, it’s time to rethink your strategy. 

Parent Pushback

We hear it all the time, parents are already juggling work, school, activities, and more. The last thing they want is a fundraiser that turns into another to-do list.

That’s why our system was built to work without paperwork, without physical handling, and without door-to-door selling. When you give families a way to support the club with just a few clicks (and no chocolate to melt in the car), participation goes way up.

Oversaturation.

Even if your fundraiser is amazing, if it overlaps with another school or community campaign, you’ll be fighting for the same dollars. Timing is everything. 

Ready To Put The Fun In Fundraising?

If there’s one thing we’ve learned in 20+ years of helping clubs fundraise, it’s that the best fundraisers are simple, motivating, and fun. They don’t require a huge staff. They don’t drain your energy. And they don’t leave parents groaning when they see another order form in the backpack.

So if you’re ready to make fundraising feel like less of a chore and more of a win for everyone involved, we’d love to help. Let’s raise money the fun way.