A PTFA garage sale accomplishes two tasks at once. It removes clutter and unwanted items from homes, while providing inventory that will raise money for the school. Select a Saturday to hold the garage sale in the school gym or theater. Obtain permission from the school administration. Advertise the date and time of the sale on community message boards, school websites and at school events. Give information on when to come shop and when to drop off donations. Sign up volunteers to help collect donations, price items and staff the sale. Donate unsold items to charity.
Sell flower bulbs. Find a company that is set up to provide flower bulbs for fund-raisers. Typically, the PTFA will receive 50 percent of the sales. Select a sales window of four to eight weeks in the fall. Ask PTFA members and students to sell bulbs to friends and family members, including those outside of the school community. Set up sales booths at fall sporting events, music concerts or theater productions. Once the sales window closes, place the order and distribute the bulbs when they arrive.
PTFAs typically net 50 percent of profits from wrapping paper sales, which are ideally held in the fall in preparation for the holiday season. Numerous companies tailor wrapping paper fund-raising programs for schools. Aside from wrapping paper, merchandise such as gift bags, tissue paper, ribbon and bows are also available. After the sales window has closed, the company will ship the wrapping paper to the PTFA and members will distribute the goods to buyers.
Hold a PTFA dinner dance to allow parents and school staff enjoy a night out while raising funds for the school. Choose a location -- perhaps the school -- theme, food selection and entertainment. Seek to have services, such as a DJ or caterer, donated by parents or community businesses. Print and sell tickets to the dinner dance . Set the price of the ticket high enough so that you have a significant profit margin after your costs. For instance, if the DJ and janitorial staff will cost $500 for the evening, then set out to sell at least 100 tickets at $10 apiece, for a profit of $500.