16 Unique Fundraiser Ideas for Scouts; Boys Scouts, Girls Scouts, and Cub Scouts

Let’s be honest. The annual popcorn fundraiser in scouting is not a good fundraiser. You’re looking for the perfect boy scout fundraiser, perfect girl scout fundraiser, or perfect cub scout fundraiser.

The popcorn fundraiser is of course the annual fundraiser done each year by the Scouts of America. Whether you’re in the boy scouts or cub scouts, or even a girl in the scouting program, the fundraiser just isn’t good.

Your troop only gets a certain amount of the money, the rest goes to the national Scouts of America. Strike one.

Who really needs a giant 5 gallon tin of popcorn for $75 that’s just going to go stale in two weeks? Strike two.

What if there were 15 fundraising alternatives that would help your local troop more than the fundraiser? Strike three.

So let’s walk through 15 scouting fundraisers that is going to make a difference. Help with summer camp costs, put together an arctic style camping experience, and allow for more merit badge opportunities. Whether you’re a scout trip or girl scout specific troop, these are great for you! Let’s roll through them.

Crowdfunding For Scouts

Why is popcorn so expensive? Scouting website Scoutsmarts looked into this. 70% gets back to your troop. Which sounds great, until you realize you’re paying $87 for one 6oz bag of white cheddar popcorn, one 4.5 oz bag of kettle corn, one 11 oz bag of salted caramel popcorn, and one 2.6 ounce bag of beef jerky. Are you kidding? You can get that at your local grocery store for $15.

Instead of funding Trail’s End and their overinflated snacks, fund your scouting program directly with crowdfunding.

Our crowdfunding software allows you to put what you’re fundraising for, your troop’s logo, and adds an individual fundraising page for each of your scouts. All it takes is a half hour to set up and you’re home free. A quick demo and adding your scouts into your troop’s fundraiser.

It’s the easiest way to make money for your troop.

Create Your Own Popcorn Sale

Popping popcorn isn’t super expensive. Including kernels, oil, butter, it costs around 10 cents per ounce to pop popcorn. That’s compared to pre-made microwave popcorn bags and trail’s end that cost significantly more per ounce.

The one real cost is the popcorn maker, but even that is only a one time cost.

So how can you effectively sell your own popcorn and raise more money than doing the usual scouting popcorn fundraiser?

Set up at a local high school football game, basketball game, or community event, with permission of course. Sell three types of popcorn, regular, caramel corn, and cheddar popcorn, along with any other flavors you want to create. Sell at a reasonable price that also raises money for your troop.

Over time, you’re going to be bringing in more money and in this case, no cut is going to a big company, everything besides supplies goes to you.

Scout Calendar Fundraiser

First off, like our crowdfunding, our calendar fundraiser means your troop actually gets to keep what you raise.

Seriously, the only thing taken off your fundraiser is a payment processing fee from our partner Stripe that helps facilitate safe payments. You’re keeping over 96% of the funds you raise, we don’t take a cut.

Diving into the calendar, these calendars have claimable dates, 1-31. Each date corresponds to a dollar amount that the donor will donate to your troop. So if one cub scout’s grandparent claims dates 15, 16, and 1, that’s $32 they’re donating to your troop.

Different programs from sports to music programs to scouting programs like yours have made a difference with calendar fundraising.

Utilize Your Space - Sponsors and Renting Out

Some troops have the luxury of having their own cabin or meeting space. Some don’t. If you can rent out your space for birthday parties, graduations, and other events, that’s a simple way to raise funds. Especially because outside of meetings and campouts, scout buildings often sit unused.

The fact is that Scout troops are at a disadvantage when it comes to fundraising. 

Unlike sports teams or music programs that play in front of audiences, scouts can’t have simple fundraisers like sponsorship banners. 

You do have a trailer though that travels around all the time. Why not ask a business to put their logo on the trailer? It can even be for a small amount, $100 for the year. It’s $100 more dollars than you had and it’s not a huge lift.

BBQ Chicken Dinner

In our hometown of Lowell, MI, Troop 102 has one of the largest troops in the area. To help fundraise, they raise money through a BBQ chicken dinner.

Troop 102 has their own scout cabin, but it’s a bit off the beaten path. So they set up the BBQ Chicken dinner fundraiser at a local church on Main Street where their local Cub Scout troop meets.

With high visibility, a lot of pre-marketing, and being one of the few mandatory events for the scouts each year, it’s one of the troop’s biggest fundraisers.

Of course this style of fundraiser can be replicated with a large number of other options. The pancake breakfast, steak night, or spaghetti dinner each provide different options for fundraising. Of course, some are easier than others!

Quick Tip: Use crowdfunding and donation pages on QR codes at the table to bring in even more money.

The Scrap Metal Drive

People have junk every year without fail, and a scrap metal drive where your troop simply provides a dumpster or safe storage area for collection of unwanted scrap metal and metal items, then selling that scrap metal is a beneficial fundraiser for the community and relatively simple to run.

Most of the work is finding the right space, and then it’s just all about letting your community know. Community Facebook groups are always excited about this sort of thing.

Host Your Own Race

If your community doesn’t host a 5k, this is a major opportunity to get the troop’s name out there, have a good volunteer opportunity for the scouts, and raise money. There are three unique race opportunities you can utilize.

5k - The most basic variety of this race, 5ks are common across the country. Set out a course option with your local community leaders, get a timing company, order bibs, facilitate registration, and staff the event with troop leaders and scouts.

Seems like a lot of work? It is. There can be a lot of upside.

Walk-a-thon - A 5k, but with an extra twist. Your scouts are actively participating alongside other racers. The scouts get friends, family members, neighbors to pledge per mile walked or ran. 

Color run - Also a 5k, but a more colorful variety. It’s everything a 5k is, but a little more family oriented, less competitive, and colored corn starch is thrown gently onto runners and walkers as they pass.

Check out our complete guide to running a color run.

Golf Outing, Bowl-a-Thon, or Cornhole Tournament for Scouts

Looking for a fun way to bring your troop together and raise money at the same time? These three event-based fundraisers are proven winners when they’re organized well.

Golf Outing – A classic choice that appeals to people of all ages and skill levels. Golf outings don’t require much experience, which makes them a great community draw. You can raise funds through team entry fees, hole sponsorships, outing sponsors, and extras like mulligan tickets. With the right setup, a golf outing can become one of your troop’s most profitable events.

Sound interesting? See the answers to the most commonly asked questions about running golf outings.

Bowl-a-Thon – Bowling alleys are everywhere, and nearly everyone can take part regardless of skill level. In a bowl-a-thon, participants gather pledges or donations based on how many pins they knock down or simply for taking part. Whether you use a printable template or digital tools, this fundraiser is simple to run and always brings energy to the group.

Cornhole Tournament – This backyard favorite has grown into a national pastime. Hosting a cornhole fundraiser is affordable, straightforward, and fun. Rent a hall, use your normal meeting space, or set up outdoors, charge teams an entry fee, bring in a few local sponsors, and offer prizes. It’s easy to understand and has broad appeal.

All three of these events require planning and effort, but they can deliver major results for your troop.

Community Service Fundraiser

Another option is offering your scouts’ time and skills to the community in exchange for donations. Imagine 20 scouts tackling yardwork, cleaning up a park, or shoveling snow for neighbors. Not only does it raise funds, but it also teaches responsibility and reinforces the value of service.

Firework Stand

Around the Fourth of July, fireworks are a guaranteed draw. You know those stands that magically pop up in your local grocers parking lot each June? That can be you! 

Instead of selling overpriced popcorn, your troop can partner with a local fireworks wholesaler and create themed bundles. Offer small family packs, mid-sized bundles, and “grand finale” boxes at different price points. Not only does it make fundraising fun and seasonal, but families are already planning to buy fireworks, you’re just giving them a convenient way to support your troop while celebrating.

Flag Subscription Service

One of the most respected fundraisers a troop can run is a flag service. Very few groups are more renowned for their respect of the American flag, but also for knowing the proper way to hang and dispose of tattered flags.

Families and businesses pay a yearly subscription, and your scouts handle the rest, delivering and displaying a high-quality U.S. flag at their home or business. 

Scouts can also ensure the flag is flown properly, lowered to half-staff when appropriate, and cared for throughout the year. 

Offer disposal of old flags as an additional service, people love their country and having a well tended flag is something they’ll pay for.

Car Wash Fundraiser

Sometimes the simplest ideas are still the best. A car wash fundraiser lets scouts work together, show off their teamwork, and engage with the community directly. Set up in a high-traffic parking lot with buckets, soap, and hoses, and watch donations roll in. You can even add an “express inside clean” for extra donations if you have enough volunteers.

Pinewood Derby Exhibition Night

In the cub scouts, the Pinewood Derby is those kids' Super Bowl. The wooden car races are extremely well known, and even this former scout still has his Pinewood Derby Car. South Park also made a Pinewood Derby episode.

So why keep it limited to the cub scout pack? Invite the older scouts and have their own division. Also have a division for wider community kids interested in scouting, but not yet a part of it. Charge an entry fee, sell concessions, and offer small prizes. 

What better way to recruit?

Holiday Wreath and Greenery Sales

Partner with a local nursery or wholesaler to sell wreaths, garlands, and poinsettias during the holiday season. 

Families love decorating for the holidays, and offering high-quality greenery tied to a troop fundraiser is an easy sell. It’s not a common fundraiser, there’s opportunity there for reselling when most grocery stores don’t sell natural wreaths.

Camp Gear Resale Drive

Scouting families often outgrow gear, or improve their gear and are left with old tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, boots. Instead of letting it sit unused, host a troop-wide “camp gear resale.” Make it like a yard sale or a garage sale and you can include other items.

If the scouting families are willing to donate even just half of funds to the troop, that’s a lot of merit badge opportunities opened up.

Firewood Bundling Services

For rural troops and even suburb troops, find a source of firewood and offer clearing services. Then sell that firewood at a low maintenance roadside stand.

Everybody wants firewood for bonfires and camping during the summer, and you can be your communities go to while also providing a service that sharpens your scouts skills. Of course like anything in the scouts, safety is number one priority.

Sick of Popcorn? Let’s Fundraise.

We always see the highest rates of success when programs do a combination of a community-based donation like a BBQ chicken dinner and an online based donation, like a crowdfunding campaign. 

Each style of fundraising has its advantages and reaches different people. So what are you waiting for? Raise money for your troop like you’ve never raised before by starting your own online troop fundraiser.