Fundraising
Class Reunion Fundraising: 9 Revenue Streams That Work
Most reunions don't need fundraising — proper ticket pricing covers costs. But fundraising lets you subsidize tickets, seed the next reunion fund, or honor classmates who have passed with a scholarship donation. This guide ranks the nine fundraising methods that actually work, with realistic dollar estimates for each.
Decide what you're raising money for
Fundraising without a clear purpose feels grasping. Tell the class explicitly what the money funds:
- Subsidize tickets for classmates who can't pay full price.
- Seed the next reunion fund so the next committee doesn't start from zero.
- Memorial scholarship donation in honor of deceased classmates.
- School improvement project — a bench, plaque, or naming gift.
- Cover specific extras — open bar upgrade, live band instead of DJ, professional photographer.
Pick one
1. Tiered ticket pricing (built-in fundraising)
The simplest fundraising lever: offer three ticket tiers — a discounted "classmate" price, a standard price, and a "supporter" tier that includes a $25-$100 donation built in. About 8-15% of classmates pick the supporter tier.
- Classmate ticket: $100 (break-even)
- Standard ticket: $125 (includes $25 toward the seed fund)
- Supporter ticket: $175 (includes $75 toward the scholarship)
Realistic raise: $1,500-$3,000 for an 80-person reunion. Highest yield of any single fundraiser.
2. Alumni-business sponsorships
Reach out to classmates who own businesses and offer $150-$500 sponsorships in exchange for a table tent, slide in the program, or logo on the welcome email. Tier them:
- $150 (Lincoln level): table tent at a single table.
- $300 (Cardinal level): table tent + slide in the cocktail-hour loop.
- $500 (Class President level): all of the above + a thank-you mention in the welcome speech.
Realistic raise: $1,000-$3,500 from 3-7 sponsors. Cap at 7 — past that, the reunion starts to feel like a trade show.
Important
3. Optional donation at ticket checkout
Add a checkbox at the RSVP/payment flow: "Add $25 to support the [class scholarship fund / next reunion seed fund / memorial project]?" Pre-select the box, let classmates uncheck. 10-15% of buyers add the donation; 5-10% increase it to $50 or more.
Realistic raise: $300-$1,000 for an 80-person reunion.
4. 50/50 raffles
Sell $10 raffle tickets all evening. Drawing happens at the end of the program. Winner takes half the pot; the other half goes to the reunion fund or scholarship. Simplest fundraiser you can run.
Realistic raise: $200-$800 (half of $400-$1,600 sold) at an 80-person reunion. Sells better with multiple drawings throughout the night to keep visibility.
5. Class merchandise
T-shirts, hoodies, or hats with the class year and school. Margins are thin (10-15% net), but classmates value the keepsake even more than the fundraising it produces.
- T-shirt: $25 retail, ~$13 cost, $12 profit
- Hoodie: $45 retail, ~$28 cost, $17 profit
- Trucker hat: $25 retail, ~$10 cost, $15 profit
Realistic raise: $300-$900. More valuable as a memento than as fundraising. Pre-order only — never order extras to sell on the night.
6. After-party add-on ticket
Sell a $30-$50 after-party add-on that includes an extra hour of open bar at a partner venue across the street. Classmates who don't want the night to end will pay. Margin: 30-50% after the bar minimum.
Realistic raise: $200-$700 from a partner venue agreement.
7. Sunday brunch ticket
For weekend reunions, sell a $20-$35 Sunday brunch add-on at a partner restaurant or hotel restaurant. Most committees set it at break-even (covers the meal) but a $5 surplus per ticket adds up.
Realistic raise: $200-$500 on top of break-even.
8. Memorial scholarship donation
For milestone reunions (25-year, 50-year), set up a class scholarship at the school in memory of deceased classmates. Promote it on every email starting at month 4. Classmates who can't attend often donate as their way of participating.
Realistic raise: $1,000-$10,000+ depending on class wealth and the strength of the cause. The single most meaningful fundraising you can do — many classes set this up at the 25-year and grow it each subsequent reunion.
9. Silent auction (with caveat)
Silent auctions raise money but are extremely high-effort. They require donated items, an auction display, bid sheets, runners during the evening, and a payment-collection process at the end. For most reunions, the effort-to-yield ratio is poor.
When to do it: Only when you have a committee member who has run one before and at least 8-10 high-quality donated items lined up before launching.
Realistic raise: $1,000-$5,000 if executed well; $200-$500 if rushed.
Transparency rules every fundraiser must follow
- Publish exactly what the money funds. "$1,500 raised will cover the DJ, photographer, and signature drink." Specific dollars to specific items.
- Report results after the event. "We raised $2,300. $1,200 funded the DJ and photographer. $700 went to the scholarship fund. $400 is the seed for the next reunion."
- Separate accounts. Reunion operating fund and scholarship donation funds must live in separate accounts. Co-mingling triggers tax problems and trust problems.
- Receipt every donor for tax-deductible donations. If donations go to a 501(c)(3) school foundation, donors need receipts to claim deductions.
- Don't pressure. Optional means optional. The reunion is more important than any single donation.
With Reunly for Class Reunions
Track ticket tiers and donations from one dashboard
Reunly lets you set multiple ticket tiers, add optional donation upsells at checkout, and run sponsor tracking — all from the same place classmates RSVP.
Start your reunion free →Frequently asked questions
Do class reunions really need to raise extra money beyond ticket sales?
Most reunions break even on ticket sales alone if pricing is built correctly. Fundraising matters when: you want to subsidize tickets for classmates who can't afford full price, you want to seed a fund for the next reunion, or you want to make a scholarship donation in honor of classmates who have passed. None of these require fundraising — but each becomes possible with $1,000-$5,000 raised on the side.
What's the highest-ROI fundraiser at a reunion?
Sponsorships from classmate-owned businesses. A single $500 sponsorship in exchange for a table tent and a slide in the program can fund the entire DJ. Three to five sponsorships totaling $1,500-$2,500 cover most discretionary line items without raising ticket prices.
Should we ask classmates to donate?
Yes — as an explicit optional add-on at the checkout flow. 'Add a $25 donation to the Lincoln High scholarship fund?' A 10-15% conversion rate at checkout adds $300-$800 to a typical reunion budget. Never make donations feel mandatory or guilt-driven.
What's a 'class dues' model and does it work?
Class dues are an annual or one-time fee paid by alumni to fund the class's ongoing reunion costs. Common at private high schools and colleges with strong alumni-office support. Works only when there's an institutional collection mechanism — a Facebook group asking for $20 a year fails. Skip unless your school's alumni office can run it.
Can we sell class merchandise as a fundraiser?
Yes, but margins are thin. A $25 class t-shirt costs roughly $12-$15 to produce, so each sale yields $10-$13. To raise $500 in t-shirt revenue requires selling ~40 shirts, which is most of the room. Better as a memento than a fundraiser.
Are raffles worth running?
Yes for casual reunions, especially milestones. A 50/50 raffle ($10 tickets, winner takes half) at an 80-person reunion typically nets $400-$600 for the reunion fund. Lower-effort than a silent auction and zero inventory to manage. Skip silent auctions — they're high-effort, low-yield, and require donated items.
Is it tax-deductible if we donate the surplus to the school?
Yes if you donate to a 501(c)(3) — most schools have a foundation that qualifies. The reunion committee doesn't get the deduction (it's not a nonprofit), but individual classmates who donated personally can deduct their gift if they file. Get a receipt from the school's foundation.
Related class reunion guides
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