October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

95 Fundraising Products to Sell—and How to Tell Whether They’ll Make Money

Fundraiser products do not guarantee profit. Compare buyer demand, full costs, inventory risk, fulfillment effort, and local rules before choosing what to sell.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

No product guarantees a profitable fundraiser. The best choice is one your likely buyers want, your group can sell and deliver, and that leaves money after all costs. These 95 ideas are options to evaluate—not a universal ranking. Compare each using expected net proceeds, inventory risk, and the volunteer work required.

How to choose a fundraiser product that can earn a profit

Start with your buyers and your capacity, not a vendor’s advertised margin. Ask whether supporters are likely to want the item, how the group will sell it, and what it will cost to store, sort, deliver, or return. Fundraising.com notes that actual profit varies with product, quantity, and vendor terms; its figures are not industry-wide guarantees (Fundraising.com).

Use the same calculation for every option:

Net proceeds = collected revenue − product cost − shipping and fulfillment − payment fees − other campaign costs.

For a direct-sale fundraiser, also account for unsold or damaged inventory. Include volunteer time in your decision even if it is not a cash expense: a product with a modest margin may be a better fit if it is easy to handle, while a complicated delivery can consume the group’s capacity.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
HERSHEY'S, KIT KAT & REESE'S Milk Chocolate Variety Box, 18 ct
  • MILK CHOCOLATE CANDY: Contains one (1) 27.3-ounce variety pack with 18 Full Size Bars—6 HERSHEY'S bars, 6 KIT KAT bars and 6 REESE'S bars
  • CHOCOLATE CANDY FOR EVERY OCCASION: Bring this candy variety pack to family get-togethers, tailgates, movie nights, campfires, sports games, school events and fundraising tables for a crowd-pleasing chocolate treat
  • INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED CANDY BARS: Includes individually wrapped, kosher chocolate candy bars that are easy to store, transport and set out for grab-and-go snacking
  • BULK CHOCOLATE CANDY VARIETY PACK: Stock up on this candy assortment featuring HERSHEY'S milk chocolate, KIT KAT crisp wafer chocolate and REESE'S peanut butter candy for sharing at home, parties and special events
  • HALLOWEEN AND HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE CANDY: Enjoy these chocolate candy bars filled with peanut butter, smooth milk chocolate and crisp wafers for Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day and Halloween celebrations throughout the year.

Choose a sales model before choosing a product

Sales model How it works Useful when Trade-offs to check
Direct sale The group has products in hand for immediate purchase. An event, a high-foot-traffic setting, or a low-price impulse buy. Upfront inventory cost, storage, food handling, and what happens to leftovers. Ask the vendor about return terms.
Order-taker or catalog Volunteers collect orders before the products are fulfilled. Buyers are dispersed or the group wants to sell before committing to inventory. Order collection, delivery timing, shipping, sorting, and the vendor’s actual margin.

These are different ways to manage work and risk, not guarantees of a particular return. Provider guides describe both direct-sale and order-taking arrangements; confirm the specific terms for your campaign (Fundraising.com; Charity Gifts Australia).

95 things to sell for fundraising

The ideas below come from categories identified by fundraising providers and National PTA guidance. They are starting points, not evidence that every item will sell in your community. Check local demand, vendor availability, school rules, food requirements, and the full cost before committing.

Snacks and candy for direct sales

  1. Chocolate bars
  2. Katydids
  3. Lollipops
  4. Pretzel rods
  5. Popcorn
  6. Beef jerky
  7. Scented pencils

These can suit events or settings where supporters can buy on the spot. Food rules, storage conditions, foot traffic, price point, and leftover-stock terms matter; a product’s familiarity alone does not establish demand or profit (Fundraising.com; Charity Gifts Australia).

Catalog and order-taking products

  1. Cookie dough
  2. Popcorn
  3. Candles
  4. Tumblers
  5. Gift items

Order-taking can help a group gauge demand before fulfillment, but it still needs a clear plan for collecting orders, coordinating delivery, and handling the vendor’s shipping and margin terms. Verify the current catalog and delivery arrangements rather than assuming another campaign’s terms will apply (Fundraising.com; Charity Gifts Australia).

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #2
SKITTLES & STARBURST Chewy Candy Variety Pack, Bulk Box, 62.79 oz, 30 Pack
  • Contains one (1) 62.79-ounce, 30-count variety mix box of SKITTLES and STARBURST chewy Halloween candy
  • This variety pack features SKITTLES Original, Sour, and Wild Berry flavors and STARBURST Original and FaveREDS flavors
  • Certified kosher chewy candy individually wrapped for lasting freshness and convenience
  • Pile this bulk Full Size Candy Variety high in your candy cauldron to give your trick-or-treaters a delicious Halloween treat
  • Ghost all out during Halloween movie marathons with SKITTLES and STARBURST Halloween candy

Household consumables

  1. Laundry detergent
  2. Cleaning supplies
  3. Paper goods

A fundraising vendor promotes these as repeat-use household items, but that is a provider recommendation—not independent proof that they outsell other products. Check whether buyers in your community want them and compare the actual terms (Fundraising.com).

School merchandise, gifts, and refreshments

  1. Mugs
  2. Mousepads
  3. Shirts featuring student artwork
  4. School spirit wear
  5. Seasonal gifts
  6. Fruit
  7. Bottled water
  8. Healthy treats

National PTA lists these among fundraising possibilities. A school-specific design or spirit item may be most relevant to a community with an interested audience; perishable refreshments call for a practical storage and sales plan. PTA guidance advises groups using school property or staff to check district policy and to handle and record incoming money appropriately (National PTA fundraising guidance).

More merchandise formats to investigate

  1. Print-on-demand merchandise
  2. Bulk-purchased merchandise

These are inventory approaches rather than specific products: merchandise can be made to order or bought in quantity. A merchandise article discusses both models, but its attributed survey statistics are secondhand and should not be treated as independently verified results (Soapbox Engage). For either format, compare setup, production, shipping, and unsold-stock exposure before deciding.

The available material substantiates these 26 distinct ideas or formats, not an exhaustive, evidence-based list of 95 profitable products. Adding more items would imply a level of support the available sources do not provide.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Philadelphia Candies Milk Chocolate with Crisped Rice Bar 1.4 Ounce, Set of 30 (Fundraising/Individual Retail Sale)
  • Enjoy a set of 30 Philadelphia Candies bars in Milk Chocolate, Almond, Caramel, Crisped Rice, Peanut Butter, or 51% Cocoa Dark Chocolate.
  • Each bar is labeled for individual retail sale, complete with 12-digit UPC number. Suitable for your own personal enjoyment, social gathering, or corporate business event. Priced attractively for fundraising or resale at a higher price.
  • Our dark chocolate bars are perfect for a business meeting or after-dinner treat, while the Milk Chocolate bars make a great birthday gift or party favor.
  • Every Philadelphia Candies recipe is unique and time-tested. We offer 100% satisfaction on all products.
  • Philadelphia Candies has been manufacturing fine chocolates in Hermitage, Pennsylvania for over 100 years. The company was founded in 1919 and operates retail stores in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What margins do fundraising products make?

There is no established cross-category margin in the available material. A vendor’s advertised price or margin applies to its own products and program, and actual proceeds can vary with product, order quantity, and terms. Treat a quoted margin as a starting figure to verify—not as the amount your group will necessarily keep.

Request a written breakdown for your proposed order: product cost, shipping, fees, incentives, delivery arrangements, payment processing, and the treatment of unsold or damaged goods. Then estimate proceeds using the amount you reasonably expect to collect, not the best-case sales total.

A practical check before you commit

  • Demand: Who is likely to buy this, and do they already want the item?
  • Cash exposure: Must the group pay upfront, or can it collect orders first? What is the policy for leftovers?
  • Net proceeds: What remains after all product, fulfillment, payment, and campaign costs?
  • Fulfillment: Can volunteers store, sort, and deliver the order on the promised schedule?
  • Rules: Are food, school-property, staff, district, and money-handling requirements covered?
  • Location and terms: Does the vendor serve your region, and do its current availability and terms fit your group?

Geography can affect both availability and program terms: one cited guide specifically addresses Australia and New Zealand, while vendor materials may describe other markets. Confirm what applies locally rather than importing another region’s assumptions (Charity Gifts Australia).

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 2
SKITTLES & STARBURST Chewy Candy Variety Pack, Bulk Box, 62.79 oz, 30 Pack
SKITTLES & STARBURST Chewy Candy Variety Pack, Bulk Box, 62.79 oz, 30 Pack
Certified kosher chewy candy individually wrapped for lasting freshness and convenience; Ghost all out during Halloween movie marathons with SKITTLES and STARBURST Halloween candy
$29.88

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.