Fundraising Ideas for Schools, Workplaces, and Communities

Looking for fundraising ideas to support children’s literacy? There are many simple, creative, and effective ways to raise funds for brand-new books and help improve access to reading for children across Australia.

Whether you're a school, workplace, community group, or individual, you can choose a fundraising activity that suits your goals, timeframe, and audience.

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School Fundraising Ideas

Schools can run engaging and educational fundraising activities that get students excited about reading and giving back. Popular ideas include:

  • Read-a-thons or sponsored reading challenges

  • Book swaps or book fairs

  • Dress-up days or mufti days

  • Crazy hair or themed days

  • Book Week fundraising events

  • Classroom reading goals and milestones

  • Sausage sizzles or bake sales

  • School fun runs or active challenges

These activities are a great way to build a love of reading while raising funds for children who need access to books.

Children dressed in costumes walking in a line outdoors, with adults and other children watching and taking photos in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.

Workplace Fundraising Ideas

Workplaces can get involved through simple, team-based fundraising activities that build engagement and community impact. Ideas include:

  • Casual dress or themed days

  • Office morning teas or lunches

  • Team fitness or step challenges

  • Workplace trivia nights

  • Raffles or prize draws

  • Sponsored challenges (walk, run, cycle)

These initiatives are easy to run and can bring teams together for a meaningful cause.

Three women standing together indoors in a well-lit space, smiling at the camera. The woman on the left wears a vintage-style light blue dress with white apron and knee-high socks. The woman in the middle wears a red top, a straw hat, and rolled-up jeans with a yellow plaid shirt tied around her waist. The woman on the right has platinum blonde curly hair, wearing a black dress with a white and black spotted faux fur coat.

Community & Individual Fundraising Ideas

Individuals, families, and community groups can also make a difference through:

  • Sponsored fitness challenges (walk, run, swim, cycle)

  • Birthday or celebration fundraisers

  • Local community events

  • Garage sales or market stalls

  • In-memory or tribute fundraising

  • Reading challenges at home

Every effort, big or small, helps improve literacy outcomes for children in need.

Three smiling young women at a race event, two of them holding medals, with one woman wearing a large yellow chicken head costume hat, in an outdoor setting with tents and a building in the background.

Make Your Fundraiser Count

Many of these activities can be run through the Library Boost Project, our flexible fundraising program designed to support schools, workplaces, and communities.

With Library Boost, you can customise your fundraiser, access resources, and maximise your impact.

Ready to get started? Choose your idea and turn it into a fundraiser that changes lives through literacy.

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