7 effective parent fundraising strategies for K–12 schools

While advancement teams at colleges often rely on alumni giving, K–12 schools face a different timeline—alumni may not be ready to give for years. That’s why parents, who are closely connected to your school right now, can be some of your most powerful supporters. Whether you're new to parent giving or looking to energize your approach, these 7 actionable tips will help you turn parent engagement into lasting support.

1. Welcome your new parents with a lunch or dinner with the principal 

Kick off your school year with an annual event for new parents to get to know the school and a chance to connect on the school's mission and ethos. You can follow this up with a personalised email summarising the advancement plans and sharing how to make a donation: the Judd School in the UK offers this opportunity annually, and last year raised $18,000 from new parent donors.

2. Showcase your school’s giving history

Many parents may not realize that past families have supported the school through donations — contributions that help fund bursaries or enhance the experience for current students. Increase awareness of school giving practices by inviting a former parent to share their history of philanthropy, or by sharing examples and success stories in comms to parents.

3. Encourage parents to ‘donate their deposit’

A simple fundraising technique is to ask parents to donate their initial school fee deposit (which may be refundable) to your schools’ bursary fund, enabling more children to receive a great education. Why not consider including a count of how many parents donated their deposit to the school over the past few years in some of your parent comms, in your parent portal, or on your school website?

4. Provide a variety of parent roles 

Some parents may not be able to help financially, or may not wish to donate at this time, but may be able to volunteer their time or professional services to help you meet your fundraising goals. By offering a variety of roles, from on-the-day support to parents willing to promote your initiatives to their friends, you can garner support from a larger proportion of your parent community who may give back.

5. Make giving effortless through shopping

Some online retailers facilitate a donation being made to your school cause when parents shop, using a special link. Making small donations over time can add up, and shows a level of affinity which may be used to identify major giving prospects in the future.

6. Keep your fundraising activities family-focused and fun!

Keep your fundraising family-focused to create strong relationships both with students (future alumni and hopefully future givers!) and current parents. You could do this through family activity days, where you can charge for admission, food and drinks, and mini games. If you’re searching for new ideas, you could also try one of these events which work in-person or virtually:

• Talent show
• Art auction
• Raffle
• Floristry class
• Sponsored walkathon/school run
• Murder mystery
• Arts and crafts afternoon
• Quiz night

7. Show your appreciation for your parent donors

Ideally, your parents will donate at least annually, if not more regularly, so it’s important to maintain a close connection and show your appreciation for their generosity. Make time during the year to give back to your parent community, and ensure stewardship is integrated into your advancement strategy from the start. 

Parents are often your most passionate supporters, both during their child’s time at school and beyond. By offering thoughtful, inclusive opportunities to give, you can build a culture of generosity that benefits your whole community for years to come.