If your school fundraisers are falling flat, you’re not alone. In 2025, many schools are finding that old-school methods just don’t excite people anymore.
But there’s one powerful technique that’s working better than ever: Adding a competitive edge.
People naturally love friendly competition, whether it’s between classes, grades, or even schools. By tapping into that instinct, schools are raising more money, faster, and building a stronger community spirit.
Why Competition Works in Fundraising
- Motivates Participation: Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the leaderboard.
- Builds Team Spirit: Classes or groups rally around a common goal.
- Increases Donations: People give more when they’re trying to help their team win.
- Creates Buzz: Parents, students, and staff talk about it, spreading the word organically.
3 Ways to Add a Competitive Edge to Your Fundraiser
1. Classroom Challenges
Create a competition between classes or grade levels. Offer incentives like:
- A pizza party for the top-earning class
- A school spirit day for the most improved grade
- A dunk tank if a goal is met
💡 Use Brightraiser to set up digital leaderboards, track sales in real-time, and share progress with everyone.
2. Public Leaderboards
Nothing fuels competition like seeing your rank. Displaying a leaderboard on your school’s website or social media keeps the excitement alive.
- Update the leaderboard daily to keep momentum.
- Highlight top supporters or classes to recognize their effort.
3. Reward Creativity
Sometimes, creativity can be just as valuable as sheer numbers.
- Award the most creative fundraiser idea from each class.
- Celebrate unique ways to promote the event (like videos or social media challenges).
Get Competitive with Brightraiser
Brightraiser makes it easy to add competitive elements to your school fundraiser.
- Built-In Leaderboards: Track progress in real-time.
- Promotion Tools: Ready-to-use templates, social media assets..
- Mobile-Friendly Sharing: Students and parents can easily spread the word.
👉 Start your competitive fundraiser today and see how a little friendly rivalry can make a big difference!