Want to run a school trip but worried it’s going to be too expensive for your students (and their families)? This guide is packed full of ideas to help you raise at least some of the funds to ease the burden and (hopefully) open up these experiences to more pupils.
We don’t need to tell you about the incredible benefits of school trips (from the educational and cultural benefits to the opportunities to develop important life skills, like teamwork).
And we also don’t need to tell you that school trips are a significant cost for many families (and some students will miss out on these life-changing opportunities because their families just can’t afford them to take part).
Unfortunately, with the cost of almost everything continuing to rise, the cost of school trips will inevitably continue to rise, too. But if you plan far enough ahead, you could potentially secure funding or get your students involved in fundraising to keep costs down and help more of them access your trip.
There are several organisations and initiatives designed to support schools in providing school trips for students who otherwise may not have access to these opportunities (we’ll take a look at a couple of them in this article).
And if you’re not able to secure funding, fundraising is a great option. Get students involved and they’ll develop responsibility and gain confidence and independence. Plus, they’ll be more invested in the trip itself, as they’ve had to work for it.
So, where do you start? And what do you need to consider?
We’ll cover all of that in this post, so just read on.
Funding for School Trips
There are several organisations and initiatives out there that could help to provide funding for your trip. We’ve covered a few here, but there may be some in your local area that could help too.
The Turing Scheme
This is a government initiative that can provide funding for any UK school, college or university wanting to offer students life-changing international opportunities.
You’ll need to apply for this funding, and our Tour Coordinators can help guide you through this process (we explain how in our guide to the Turing Scheme in our resources hub).
Evolve's Get Out! Grant
Each year, Evolve Advice’s Get Out! Grant offers twelve £500 grants to support schools providing their pupils with off-site educational experiences (this includes school trips within the UK and abroad).
They love receiving creative applications and you can even get your students involved. For more information, check out the Evolve website.
The Great British School Trip
Hyundai (yep, as in cars) offer bursaries for school trips within the UK, with priority given to schools with more than 40% of pupils receiving free school meals. The bursaries are intended to support pupils who otherwise wouldn’t be able to enjoy these experiences because their families aren’t able to afford them.
Check out the Great British School Trip website for more information or to apply online.
BlueSpark Foundation
If you want to run a school trip but the cost makes it impossible for your students, the BlueSpark Foundation might be able to help.
They’re a registered charity providing grants for educational, cultural and sporting projects (among others). They’re particularly keen to support projects that will have an impact on young people’s self-confidence, teamworking skills and future employability.
For more information on eligibility and to apply online, visit the BlueSpark Foundation website.
Alpkit Foundation
If you’re planning an outdoor adventure trip (and funding would help some pupils who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access this type of experience), you could apply to the Alpkit Foundation.
They provide small awards to help encourage people to get outdoors. They’re especially keen to support projects that allow people from a diverse range of backgrounds to access the Great Outdoors (possibly for the very first time), environmental projects championing conservation or a greater understanding of our environment and projects that encourage people to experience physical and mental wellbeing from the Great Outdoors.
If this sounds like your school trip, head to the Alpkit Foundation website to see if you could be eligible for funding and to apply online.
Fundraising Ideas For School Trips
There are lots of exciting things you can do to raise money for a school trip.
You could host a fundraiser for your school trip at your school – bake sales, car washes and auctions are all good examples of events that can work well.
You could arrange some online fundraising, using a platform like GoFundMe, JustGiving or easyfundraising. This could help you to reach a wider audience and raise money through donations.
Or you could reach out to local businesses. Some may be willing to donate to your trip, while others may be keen to sponsor it.
There are plenty of options. But if you’re struggling for ideas and in need of some inspiration, then fear not. Below, we’ve listed 12 of our favourite fundraising ideas for school trips.
Idea 1: Bake Sale
Who doesn’t love cake? If you want to raise some funds for your school trip, a bake sale always goes down very well.
Challenge your pupils to bake the cakes themselves and watch them sell like…well, hot cakes.
The beauty of this activity is that you can run several bake sales in the run-up to your school trip (we’re sure you won’t find any shortage of supporters).
You could also include some savoury snacks – for those who have less of a sweet tooth (or simply need something to balance out all the cakes they’ve enjoyed).
Idea 2: Raffle
Another classic school trip fundraising activity (everyone loves a good raffle).
You could ask local businesses to donate items, to keep the costs of this fundraising activity right down and make sure you raise as much as possible for your school trip.
Businesses are always more keen to help when they get something out of it too, so if you’re struggling to persuade them, you could offer to add their business’s logo to your trip t-shirts or hoodies, or place an advert for them in your school newsletter.
Idea 3: Car Wash
These are springing up everywhere, granted, but that’s because people are willing to pay money to have their car washed.
You could charge around £5 per car and hold it in the school’s car park (if there’s room).
Invite parents and put up signs around the community, and this could be a real money-spinner for your school trip.
Idea 4: Car Boot Sale
Car boot sales are the ultimate in recycling goals and a great idea for a school trip fundraising activity.
You can take your old stuff that you would otherwise just throw away and sell it to someone else who’ll actually be able to use it. And with the current trend for upcycling and vintage clothing, car boot sales are becoming more fashionable again.
You can charge people to pitch up, and even charge a small entrance fee to buyers. And again, if you can get permission to use the school car park, this could be turned into a regular event.
Idea 5: Supermarket Bag Pack
OK, so a supermarket bag pack isn’t the most exciting fundraising activity, but it can be a lucrative one.
You’ll need to contact local supermarkets to check whether they allow bag packing at all and find out what dates they have available. Remember, as weekends are the busiest times for supermarkets with the greatest footfall (and, therefore, the greatest potential to raise funds) these get booked up extremely quickly.
So, head on down to the local supermarket with your pupils and get raising some money.
Idea 6: Put on a Show
Now, this is a more exciting prospect, right?
You could run a talent show (which can also be used to raise the school’s profile in the community, thanks to coverage in the local press). The only downside with a talent show is that it will be quite hard work and will take up a lot of your time (but that makes the payoff that much more satisfying, right?).
Another (slightly less work-intensive) option could be a quiz night. You could charge teams to enter (use some of the money raised for a prize, with the rest going towards the trip).
Or if you have a school, band, choir or orchestra (and especially if the trip you’re raising money for is a school music tour), why not arrange a concert for parents, friends and the wider school community?
You can charge admission and sell refreshments, and you could even combine it with a few of our other ideas to help raise a little more cash (like running a raffle or selling refreshments during the interval).
A variation of this idea could be taking your musicians into the local community to raise funds (you’ll probably find local residential homes and other community spaces will be most receptive to this around Christmas).
Idea 7: Non-Uniform Day
A non-uniform day with every pupil contributing £1-2 to wear mufti can raise a decent amount in just one day (depending, of course, on the size of your school). And it always goes down well with the pupils (obviously).
This is also one of the least work-intensive school trip fundraising options. You’ll just need to get permission from SLT and then make sure that students and parents are informed well in advance.
Idea 8: School Disco
Another school trip fundraising option that’s bound to be a hit with the pupils is a school disco.
Again, this is an activity that’s going to require a bit more organisation on your part, but you’ll have a team of keen helpers standing by to assist you.
Idea 9: Collect Small Change
Every penny counts when it comes to fundraising for school trips (and how often does small change just get discarded because it’s awkward?).
Why not set up jars or other containers around the school (such as the staffroom, canteen and reception), where you can collect people’s small change? Minimal effort, but you could raise a good amount of money for your school trip.
Idea 10: Online Fundraising
You could reach out to the school community (and further afield) with a crowdfunding appeal.
To encourage people to donate larger amounts, you can offer a few rewards, such as a thank you on the school’s social media, some artwork or other craftwork that students have made themselves, or free entry to an upcoming school event.
To start, you just need to set up an account on a fundraising platform like GoFundMe, JustGiving. You’ll need to create a compelling campaign page that explains more about the trip and why you’re fundraising for it.
Or you could sign up to an initiative like easyfundraising. The premise is simple: encourage your school community to do their online shopping via the easyfundraising website or app, and retailers (many of the big ones are signed up – we’re talking Argos, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Tesco…the list goes on) will send a donation to the school.
Once you’re all set up, make sure you promote your campaign through email and social media. And don’t forget to remind everyone you know to share your social media posts (so they reach as many people as possible).
Idea 11: Partnering With Local Businesses
Something you may not have considered when it comes to raising funds for school trips is that local businesses may be willing to help by donating some money to your school trip fund.
First, you’ll need to identify the local businesses that align with your school’s mission and values (as they’ll be keener to donate to your school trip fund).
Next, you’ll need to approach the businesses and pitch your idea. If they like it, you can then negotiate a partnership agreement, which will raise plenty of funds for your school trip.
Idea 12: Sponsorship
Another way to engage local businesses in your school trip fundraising efforts is by offering them the opportunity to sponsor your trip. This will help you raise the money you need and help them to raise their profile in the local community.
Again, the first step is identifying the companies and organisations that align with the school’s missions and values. You’ll then need to create a sponsorship package and proposal with which you can approach the businesses and organisations you’ve identified as possible sponsors.
What To Consider Before Fundraising For A School Trip?
Planning & Budgeting
If you want to make your school trip more affordable for your students and their families, the first place to start is by starting to plan your trip as early as possible. The longer that families have to pay for the trip, the easier it will be on them financially.
The next thing to consider is creating a detailed budget for the trip, including all costs such as transportation, lodging, meals and activities. Having all this covered means that families aren’t having to pay for the school trip and a large pocket money fund to cover unknown extras.
Of course, your Tour Adviser will be able to explain all the costs and let you know what has been included and what else you might want to consider including or covering by fundraising.
Once you know exactly how much you need to fundraise, the next step is to form your fundraising committee. You’ll need to assign roles and responsibilities, set a fundraising goal and create a timeline for reaching it. All this will make sure you stay on track and reach your funding target in plenty of time for your school trip.
Organising A Fundraiser Event
To raise as much money for your trip as you possibly can, you’re probably going to need to engage the wider local community (as well as your school community).
Reach out to parents, alumni and local businesses for support, whether that’s just attending your event or providing prizes for a raffle or auction.
Make sure you share the information about your school trip and your fundraising efforts through newsletters, social media and school announcements.
Or why not host a presentation or open house to showcase the trip and how funds will be used? Here, you can also share your timeline of fundraising events, to make sure people known when you want them to get involved and how they can support your and your students.
Community Engagement
To raise as much money for your trip as you possibly can, you’re probably going to need to engage the wider local community (as well as your school community).
Reach out to parents, alumni and local businesses for support, whether that’s just attending your event or providing prizes for a raffle or auction.
Make sure you share the information about your school trip and your fundraising efforts through newsletters, social media and school announcements.
Or why not host a presentation or open house to showcase the trip and how funds will be used? Here, you can also share your timeline of fundraising events, to make sure people known when you want them to get involved and how they can support you and your students.
Good Luck
Fundraising for a school trip can be challenging, but with dedication, creativity and the right strategies, it’s definitely doable.
Our top tip is to plan carefully at the beginning to make sure you know exactly how much you’ll need to raise, and how you’re planning to do it (so you can make sure you reach your target in plenty of time).
But the process will be another great opportunity for development for your pupils, giving them the chance to develop some key life skills and take ownership of their trip (so definitely get them involved).
Feeling inspired? Ready to start planning your next school trip?
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information or advice, or to request your tailor-made quote.