The CLUB

The NRRA School Recycling Club
Northeast Resource Recovery Association

Fundraising Ideas

Does your school need some fresh and environmentally friendly fundraising ideas? Check out these great options below!

Auctions: Auction items are more fun when they include experiences with teachers or senior staff. Parents can bid on a hike and picnic for 6 kids with their beloved 3rd grade teacher; a middle school teacher or the principal can cook a gourmet dinner for 6 in the bidder’s home.

Recycling: Consider a plan that doesn’t cost parents a penny: More than 350 million printer cartridges are thrown away and 35 million cell phones are replaced and discarded annually. Instead, recycle e-waste for cash, reducing the volume of waste in landfills while benefiting your school.

  • Cartridges for Kids:  Pays schools and non-profit organizations cash for empty laser and inkjet cartridges, used cell phones, laptops, PDAs, GPS devices and iPods. Earthtone Solutions and Funding Factory have similar e-waste recycling fundraising programs. Office Depot’s free program, “Recycling Rules” accepts all brands of ink, toner and small electronics in exchange for Office Depot Gift Cards to be used for free school or classroom supplies.
  • Terracycle pays students and schools to collect everything from action figures to water filters!  Terracycle makes bags, pencil boxes, and other items out of the packaging, which is not generally accepted in standard recycling programs.

Scrip & e-Scrip: Scrip: Gift certificates or cards — for use at local retail stores — can be purchased by schools at a discount and sold at a profit. e-Scrip: Many grocery chains have programs that disburse a percentage of a shopper’s purchases to a school they specify.

Walk-a-Thons, Bowl-a-Thons, and other sports-related fundraisers promote physical activity for students and can be lucrative for schools.

Sell Eco-Friendly Products & Services: The following organizations will help you raise money for your school by selling eco-friendly products, with up to 40% of profits going to the school.

Go Green Fundraising: Go Green fundraising is the most diverse environmentally friendly fundraising idea available. Offers 24 unique green fundraising products for supporters to choose from.

  • Flowers and Bulbs
  • Live Trees and Seed Kits
  • Reuseable Bags
  • All Natural Food and Snacks
  • All Natural Beauty Products

One Small Step:

  • Easy Process – No up front cost, no order forms, no collecting money.  All orders are placed online so there is no extra paperwork.  Sales are not restricted to your local area because the items can be shipped anywhere.
  • Ongoing – Once a customer registers under your organization, all future sales will benefit your organization.
  • Products people want! – Carry the best products for carrying and storing foods and beverages.  We carry products for people of all ages.
  • Fair prices – Members will not be paying extra for your organization to benefit.
  • Education – Products encourage better choices for the environment and healthier eating.

Equal Exchange: Organic & fair trade foods & gifts. Ditch the junk and sell foods and gifts from small farmers and artisans around the globe.

  • 40% Profits
  • Free shipping
  • Free catalogs and educational materials
  • Organic & Fairly traded foods and gifts folks will love!