Hosting a Back to School Fundraiser with Chipotle

The back to school season is an exciting and busy time with the start of a new school year, new sports teams, and new activities. With so much going on, it’s also a time for fundraisers and planning for the school year and season ahead. Back to school fundraisers are on everyone’s mind, yet sometimes the challenge can come from the endless fundraiser options and finding which one is right for your organization.

When planning a fundraiser, there are some questions you should consider before deciding which back to school fundraiser is right for your group. This article may help give you some things to keep in mind when planning your event to organize the most positive and successful fundraiser for your group. The end goal of every fundraiser should be to raise the funds needed for your organization while making sure your supporters have fun. 

Back to school fundraiser ideas can include:

1. Restaurant fundraiser
2. Silent auction or raffle fundraiser
3. Coupon book fundraiser
4. Selling t-shirts
5. Food stand

For other fundraiser ideas, take a look at this article with 15 back to school fundraiser ideas. 

If a restaurant fundraiser is the right option for your organization, Chipotle hosts fundraisers for selected schools and teams and gives back 25% of event sales (subject to achievement of a minimum level of total event sales).  Chipotle is a great option for families and students of all ages because each meal is made with real ingredients, customizable, and is now easy and fast with our new digital fundraising option.

When you’re ready to set up your back to school fundraiser with Chipotle, here are some tips and tricks on how to host a successful fundraiser for your school or team:

1. Select a date that works for everyone. This one is important to guarantee a good turnout! When preparing to apply for a fundraiser, make sure you choose a few dates that work for your organization and plan with enough time in advance to promote your event. Helpful tip: Speak with other organizations to make sure there are no other games or fundraiser events going on that night to avoid overlapping events.
2. Block off the date in your organization’s calendar. Once you are approved for your fundraiser and the date is set, communicate with the leaders of your school or organization to send the calendar update to all members. The sooner it’s communicated and scheduled on everyone’s calendar, the more prepared your supporters will be.
3. Promote, promote, promote! This will make the difference between a good and great event. The more supporters your organization has, the more money you will raise in the end. Helpful tips: Utilize the promotional materials that Chipotle provides to share via email and social media, and abide by Chipotle’s rules to ensure that you don’t misrepresent your fundraiser or adversely affect the experience of our other guests. 
4. Encourage digital participation. Chipotle fundraisers have a new digital fundraising component, which allows supporters to order online or through the app for in-store pickup using a custom fundraising code. This is a great option for supporters who want to participate but are on-the-go. Helpful tip: Include the fundraising code in all communication and promotion so that it’s easily accessible for supporters to use.

When planning your next back to school fundraiser, we hope this is a helpful guide and we look forward to helping your organization raise funds for your back to school needs.