The Birthday Board Fundraiser: An Easy & Effective Fundraiser Students Love

Summary:

• Birthday board fundraisers are simple, engaging, and effective for school groups. Students donate a small amount to have their birthday displayed on a board for school-wide recognition.
• Fundraiser setup involves displaying a “birthday board” in a prominent school location and inviting students to donate amounts that match their birthdate, with names and festive decorations added on their birthday.
• FutureFund’s platform simplifies the process with step-by-step campaign creation, sharing, and form setup—ensuring 100% of donations go to the school.
• Benefits include inclusivity, affordability, and fostering school pride by making students feel special and celebrated in a community-building activity.
• Tips for success include early promotion, involving parents, decorating the board, celebrating milestones, and capturing moments for added visibility and enjoyment.

Birthday board fundraisers are a quick and easy way to engage students and raise money for your school group. The idea is simple: each student donates a small amount to the school—and in return, their birthday is displayed on a board so the entire school can celebrate it!

These are win-win fundraisers: students love being recognized, and schools can quickly generate hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars with little upfront cost or planning. Below, we explain how you can run birthday board fundraisers with our free fundraising platform and keep 100% of the donations you receive.

How a birthday board fundraiser works

Birthday board fundraisers are low-cost, high-impact projects that celebrate each student’s birthday while encouraging small, manageable contributions from families and community members. Here’s how they work:

• Set up a “birthday board” in a prominent location, like the school lobby or near the main office, where everyone can see it.
• Invite students to participate by donating a small amount, such as $5 or $10.
• Post students’ names on the board on or near their birthdays. You can add festive decorations, fun facts, or photos of the students if they wish. You only need to show their first name.
• Celebrate on social media by sharing pictures of the birthday board, which can help promote the fundraiser and encourage more participation.

Birthday board fundraisers not only bring in funds—they also help create a more positive school environment. The contributions are small enough to make participation easy for most students, and each dollar raised adds up quickly.

Want more fundraising ideas? Check out our list of ultimate school fundraisers.

Running your birthday board fundraiser with FutureFund

FutureFund’s free fundraising features make it easy to run your best birthday board fundraiser yet. Here’s a video that walks you through the process, plus a quick written list of step-by-step instructions:

Watch the video here

Step 1: Create your birthday board campaign

This is how you’ll start with any campaign you run in FutureFund.

• In the admin, navigate to Store > Campaigns
• Click the Create Campaign button

Step 2: Add your campaign details

This is where you’ll include essential information about your campaign, along with the basic elements that let donors contribute.

• Give your campaign a name and description
• Select the fund you want contributions added to from the Fund menu
• Select Purchase from the Campaign Type menu
• Add a price in the Price field
• Click the Build Campaign button at the bottom of the screen

Visit our support page for more information about running a purchase campaign in FutureFund.

Step 3: Get the link to share your campaign

This is how you’ll let people know about your campaign once you’ve created it.

• Click the Share tab in the sub-nav.
• Copy the link in the Store Link field.
• Paste it into messages, social media posts, and more to share your campaign.

Step 4: Add forms

You’ll need to create a simple form for donors to fill out. This will tell you what student each donation is for and when their birthday is so you can display it on the board.

• In the admin, navigate to Registration > Forms.
• Click the Add Form button in the top right corner.
• Give the form a name like “Birthday Board”.

Step 5: Add form elements

This is where you’ll customize the form you’ve created so that it can collect the information you need.

• Once you’ve created your form, click the Add Form Elements button that appears in the Form Design section of the page.
• From the drop-down menu, select Short Text, label it “Student’s Name”, and check the box marked Required.
• Add another form element, select Birthdate (Month/Date), label it “Birthdate”, and check the box marked Required.
• Click the Save button.

Step 6: Link the form to your campaign

Here’s how you attach the form you just made to your campaign so donors will be able to use it.

• In the admin, navigate to Store > Campaigns.
• Click the View button next to your Birthday Board campaign.
• Click the Edit button for your campaign.
• Open the section marked Waivers & Forms in your campaign screen.
• Select the form you just created from the drop-down menu.
• Click Update Campaign.

Now, anyone who visits the campaign page will have to fill out the form you’ve created when they make their donation—which means you’ll receive the name of the student and their birthdate every time. It’s that easy!

Why students love birthday boards

Students love birthday board fundraisers because they’re a fun, affordable, and inclusive way to feel appreciated and connect with their peers. Here’s why they’re so popular:

• They’re personal: Recognizing each student’s birthday lets them feel special and acknowledged by their peers and teachers.
• They’re visible: With their names on a public board, students enjoy a moment in the spotlight that lets them feel a bit like a “school celebrity.”
• They’re fun and easy to participate in: The minimal donation required is usually well within a typical student’s allowance or pocket money, which makes it easy for almost everyone to join.
• They create a sense of school pride: Seeing their names alongside their friends on the birthday board reinforces a feeling of community and belonging, which creates positive memories of their school experience.

Tips for running your best birthday board fundraiser

Here are some strategies to make your birthday board fundraiser as successful as possible:

• Get the word out early: Start promoting your fundraiser a few weeks before it begins. Use posters, morning announcements, and our messaging system to make sure students and parents know about it.
• Encourage parent involvement: Parents tend to be especially excited to support school fundraisers when they celebrate their children. Send messages and updates explaining how parents can participate or help out!
• Add some flair to the birthday board: Decorate the board with seasonal themes or festive decorations. Change things up every few months to keep it fresh and visually engaging.
• Celebrate milestone contributions: Recognize students who reach certain fundraising milestones or participate year after year. For example, you could create “birthday board champions” for students who consistently contribute or recruit friends to join.
• Capture moments: Take pictures of the birthday board or even quick, fun photos of students standing by their names. With permission, these photos can be shared on social media or in school newsletters, adding another layer of celebration.

Run the best birthday board fundraiser ever with FutureFund

Birthday board fundraisers are a delightful and effective way for schools to raise funds while building a positive and connected school environment. With a minimal upfront investment, schools can generate significant funds to support school activities and create lasting memories for students.

Ready to try a birthday board fundraiser? Get started for free with FutureFund, and plan your next birthday board event today to bring joy and support to your school community.