Short answer: Most parents already show up for something at school; far fewer give or help. To raise participation, find out which step families drop off at, then fix that step: tell them clearly what the money buys, offer a way to take part that costs nothing, cut the number of asks, give them a message to forward to relatives, reward participation rather than dollars, and report results. Pick formats that reach beyond the school's own families.
This guide is part of the PTA and PTO fundraising guide. It's about participation: how many families take part in a fundraiser at all, by giving, sharing or joining in. Turning interested parents into helpers is a separate job, covered in recruiting and keeping volunteers.
What parents already do
The federal government's Parent and Family Involvement survey asks parents which school activities they took part in. In the 2022–23 school year, the most common was attending a general school or PTA/PTO meeting. Participating in school fundraising and volunteering came well behind.
That gap is the useful part. The families who come to a meeting, a concert or a conference already trust the school enough to walk in. They are the easiest to bring into a fundraiser, and the right moment to ask is often while they're in the building.
Is it harder than it used to be?
Many PTA leaders feel it is, and the national figures don't contradict them. In the 2016 survey, NCES reported that 43.4% of students had a parent who volunteered at school; in 2022–23 the figure for volunteering or serving on a school committee was 36%. Read that cautiously: the question wording differs, and NCES notes that changes in how the survey is run can affect comparisons over time. It is a hint, not proof.
What has clearly changed at most schools is the number of asks. Families hear from the PTA, the class, the team, the band and the grade trip, often in the same month. Fewer, clearer asks do more for participation than any single tactic. The spacing rules in the fundraising calendar show how to keep them apart.
Find where families drop off
"Parents aren't involved" is a symptom. Before you change anything, work out which step is failing. Ask a few teachers and parents outside the board, and look at last year's numbers.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Families say they never heard about it | Messages go out through one channel, in one language | Use the principal's newsletter, teacher notes, texts and a table at pickup; translate the key notices |
| They heard, but few gave | No clear purpose, or the ask seems expensive | Name exactly what the money buys; show a range of amounts, including a small one |
| The same families give every time | Others feel the fundraiser isn't for them | Add a way to take part that costs nothing; reward participation, not dollars |
| Participation falls through the year | Too many asks close together | Cut to one major fundraiser and one smaller one, spaced apart |
| Parents question where the money goes | Results are never reported | Publish what was raised, what it cost and what it bought after every fundraiser |
| Working parents never take part | Everything happens during the school day or at one evening event | Offer online giving, weekend options and things they can do from home |
Make it easy to say yes
Every extra step loses families. These changes remove steps:
- One purpose, one sentence. "New books for every classroom library" beats "support our school."
- A way in that costs nothing. Walking the laps, logging reading minutes, sending a thank-you card to a sponsor or forwarding the link all count as taking part.
- A suggested range, not a bill. Show a few amounts, including a small one, and say plainly that any amount helps. The parent letter templates show the wording.
- Languages your families read. Translate the main letter and the reminder, not just the flyer. The parent letter guide has a section on letters for families who read other languages.
- More than one way to give. Online, by check and in cash, with an envelope that comes home in the backpack.
- Ask where they already are. A table at open house, conferences or the school concert reaches the parents who came for something else.
Children pass enthusiasm home, but keep the asking to adults. National PTA's guidance is that adults should raise PTA funds, and it strongly encourages groups to avoid activities that require children to sell to strangers.
Getting parents to share
For a pledge event or online drive, most of the money comes from relatives and friends outside the school, so the parent's real job is to pass the link along. Many don't because they don't know what to say or feel awkward asking. Give them the words, and ask at the right moments: at launch, after the event day and two days before the deadline.
Keep it short and personal, and have parents send it themselves by text or email rather than posting it publicly. Use children's first names only, and follow your school's photo and privacy rules before anyone posts a picture. For pledge events, the walk-a-thon letter templates include longer versions for relatives.
Do incentives for parents work?
Small, shared rewards tend to help; big individual prizes for top givers tend to backfire, because they make families who can't give much feel left out. Aim every incentive at participation, not dollars: a class goal based on the share of families taking part earns the reward whether a family gave $5 or $50, and a free reward such as a hat day or a principal challenge costs the group almost nothing. Thanking every volunteer by name counts as an incentive for parents too. Avoid prize drawings where entries depend on money given: in many states that can turn a fundraiser into a raffle under gaming law, so ask your state's gaming regulator or attorney general before running anything like it. The prizes and incentives guide has reward ideas that keep it fair.
Fundraisers for schools with low participation
When few families can take part, choose formats that don't depend on them all.
| Format | Why it suits a quiet school |
|---|---|
| A pledge event during the school day | Every student takes part whether or not the family gives; relatives and friends outside the school do much of the giving |
| Business sponsorships | Money comes from local businesses, not families; a couple of committed parents can run it (school sponsorship guide) |
| One direct donation drive | A single clear ask with a promise of fewer fundraisers; nothing to sell or deliver (no-selling fundraisers) |
| Employer matching gifts | Doubles what working parents already give, with one form from them (employer matching gifts) |
| A free or low-cost community event | Builds the relationship first; raise modest money from concessions and sponsors, not admission |
Schools serving many low-income families face this most often. The Title I and low-income schools guide covers fair fundraising in that setting, and the fundraiser finder filters formats by how many families and volunteers you have.
Report back, every time
The fastest way to raise participation next time is to show families what happened this time. National PTA's guidance is that how money is raised and spent should be communicated clearly and regularly to members and the school community, in more than one way. A short note works: what was raised, what it cost to raise, how many families took part, and what the money bought, with a photo of the result once it arrives.
Example "Thank you! 212 of our 340 families took part in the fall walk, and together you raised $11,600. After $900 in costs, $10,700 goes to new classroom libraries. The books arrive in January." That's 62% participation, and the sentence tells a family who sat this one out exactly what they missed. The results and thank-you generator builds this letter from your numbers.
Sources
- Parent and Family Involvement in Education: 2023 (NCES 2024-113), Table A-2, National Center for Education Statistics (accessed 2026-10-30)
- Digest of Education Statistics, Table 207.40: Parents' involvement in school activities, 2003, 2012 and 2016, National Center for Education Statistics (accessed 2026-10-30)
- Mission-Driven Fundraising, National PTA (accessed 2026-10-30)
Frequently asked questions
How do we get parents involved in the PTA's fundraisers when they don't come to meetings?
Don't make meetings the entry point. Reach parents where they already are: pickup, conferences, concerts and the principal's newsletter. Offer a way to take part that takes a minute, such as forwarding a link or giving online. Most families who never attend a PTA meeting will still support one clear, well-explained fundraiser a year.
Should we tell families what share of families has given?
Yes, as a group total, never by name. "Sixty percent of our families have joined in" encourages others without singling anyone out. Avoid lists of who gave or how much, and don't post class totals that let people work out which families didn't give. Celebrate participation rather than dollar amounts.
How do we involve parents who don't speak English?
Translate the main letter, the reminder and the results note into the languages your families read, and ask bilingual parents or staff to make personal invitations. Keep the message simple: the purpose, the dates, how to take part and that any amount helps. A family that understands the purpose is far more likely to join in.
Why do the same few families do everything?
Usually because the asks reach the same people through the same channels, and newcomers don't see a small way in. Widen the channels, offer small, defined ways to take part, and ask people personally. Then report results, so families who sat out can see the fundraiser made a real difference and feel invited next time.
When is the best moment to ask parents to take part?
When they are already paying attention: at launch, with a clear purpose and date; while they are at school for open house, conferences or a concert; right after the event day, when children come home excited; and a day or two before the deadline. Outside those moments, keep reminders few and short so families don't tune them out.