As a children’s ministry leader, you know that it takes numerous resources to teach and impact the kids in your church. From in-person events to digital fundraisers, there are endless ways to raise much-needed funds for your ministry. But if you’re looking to include kids in these activities, you’ll need to plan kid-friendly fundraisers.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of fundraising ideas for your ministry! The right activities and events can help your ministry access the resources it needs, like a biblically-based children’s curriculum or study books for the group. Choose your favorite ideas from this quick list and plan a fundraiser that both supports your ministry and engages the kids who are a part of it.
1. Clothing Sale
Kids frequently outgrow and replace their clothes, meaning their closets are a revolving door of outfits. Help parents manage closet clean-outs and raise funds for your ministry at the same time by hosting a clothing sale!
In this fundraiser, your church will collect gently used clothing items over a few weeks. If you want to raise more, consider expanding the list of acceptable in-kind donations to include:
- Shoes
- Accessories
- Toys
- Books
At the end of the collection period, sort through the donations and assign price values to the items that can be resold. Then, set up a small store with item displays and price tags and use the proceeds for your ministry.
You can even invite kids to be “cashiers” at your clothing sale with adult supervision! Teach older kids how to count change and allow the younger ones to place items in bags for customers. Not only does this allow kids to be directly involved in the fundraising process, but customers will have the opportunity to meet the kids who are impacted by their purchase.
2. Product Fundraiser
While kid-friendly fundraisers are meant to impact the children in your church, the right event can also impact your community and your ministry’s outreach efforts. Raise support and spread the word about your church through a product fundraiser.
In this activity, your ministry can raise money by selling:
- Snacks and food
- Clothing
- Merchandise branded to your church
- Seasonal decor
While selling, kids and their parents will have the opportunity to share the importance of your ministry and why the fundraiser is necessary. Kids will be able to reach the peers they encounter at school, sports practice, family events, or anywhere else they go.
Double the Donation’s roundup of church fundraising ideas also recommends taking this fundraiser online with a web store. If you go this route, be sure to explain how your fundraising goal affects the children’s ministry and frequently share your fundraising progress. For example, you might display a fundraising thermometer in your presentation slides or on a poster in your children’s meeting area. This way, kids will feel equally involved in the fundraising process even though it’s happening online.
3. Trivia Night
Trivia night fundraisers encourage kids to retain the lessons they learn in your children’s church by testing their knowledge in a competitive environment. While this fundraiser is more appropriate for older kids and their families, it’s a fun way to get kids excited about the lessons they’re learning and raise money for your ministry.
Designate a trivia host to ask questions based on the materials from your children’s or youth group. You may also need volunteers to serve food, keep score, direct parking, or otherwise help run the event. Be sure to thank these volunteers immediately after the event and encourage them to continue their involvement with your ministry well after the fundraiser ends.
4. Fundraising Letters
Wonder Ink’s guide to children’s church curriculum notes that kids in your church should know the value of relationships with other believers. When it comes to fundraising for your ministry, this means showing the connection between donations to your fundraiser and support for the children’s program.
In other words, kids must understand that donors are giving generously to support their learning. To enforce this idea in your campaign, encourage kids to write their own fundraising requests. Gather the children in your church to craft handwritten cards asking for donations. These letters should include:
- A personal greeting: Personalize each card by using the recipient’s name. Be sure to provide the correct spellings of names when kids are writing each message.
- Information about the fundraiser: Encourage kids to provide context about the fundraising need and how the recipient can help. For example, kids may include that your ministry needs to purchase more Bibles for the kids in your children’s church and that a donation of $20 could cover the cost of a Bible for one child.
- A message of appreciation: Remind kids to include a sentence or two thanking the recipient for reading the letter. You’ll teach them a valuable lesson about gratitude and show recipients how appreciative you are of their consideration.
Make the letters more fun by empowering kids to unlock their creative sides with craft materials such as colorful markers, glitter, and stickers. Allowing children to design and write these fundraising requests will result in meaningful cards from kids’ perspectives. This way, recipients will feel like they have a personal connection with the children in your ministry, meaning they’ll be more likely to give!
5. Read-a-thon
In a read-a-thon, kids collect pledged donations from friends and family members for the number of pages, chapters, or books they read. This raises funds for your ministry and encourages kids to increase their learning, making reading fundraisers the perfect way to combine your curriculum’s lessons with a fundraising activity.
To choose reading materials for this fundraiser, evaluate the scope and sequence of your children’s church curriculum. Then, research books that align with upcoming lessons. For example, while kids study the resurrection story during the Easter season, they might read books about forgiveness for the read-a-thon.
As you plan kid-friendly fundraisers, keep in mind that you’ll need different ideas for each age group. For example, a trivia night might be more engaging for fifth graders than for younger kids. A read-a-thon, in contrast, could be the perfect way to get first graders involved and encourage them to practice and improve their reading skills.
From the activity or event to the fundraising goal, your children’s ministry campaign should be all about the kids. Be sure to explain what a fundraiser is and how it impacts them through your ministry to get kids on board. Then, with the right idea, you’ll be able to raise more support to fulfill your ministry’s mission.