Inflatable School Fundraisers
School fundraisers that utilize inflatables are the most profitable fundraisers to organize.
How does an inflatable fundraiser work?
Inflatable fundraisers make money by selling admission bracelets or tickets to the students of the school that is throwing the fundraising carnival or “field day”. This cost of admission is used to pay the cost of renting the inflatables and other attractions that may be at the carnival. Any money left over after paying the cost of the rentals and other expenses is counted as profit for the fundraiser.
How much do inflatables cost?
There are three basic ways to determine costs for an inflatable fundraiser.
1.) Ask for donations from inflatable rental companies. This method is not the most effective way to organize a top-notch inflatable fundraiser. Doing this may get you a free bounce house here and there, but likely will not get you any attractions that will attract a large crowd.
2.) Rent inflatables from an inflatable rental company. There are often school carnival package deals that companies will offer to schools. This is a great way to get a nice package at a discount. Rental companies like to rent multiple pieces to one location and will often offer a discount for these packages.
3.) Bracelet programs or pay to play profit sharing is the third method of inflatable fundraising for schools. This is probably the best way to raise money for your school. There are no upfront costs under this program because under this model the school and inflatable company share the revenue from the bracelet and ticket sales from the evening.
How many inflatables will the school need?
You should plan on renting at least five different inflatables for your fundraiser. The more kids you have at your school, the more inflatable you will need to keep the lines short, and the kids attentive and interested.
What kinds of inflatables are best for a school fundraiser?
Inflatables at school carnival fundraisers need to be high-throughput. This means that you want rides that a large number of kids per hour can ride on or through. Examples of these would be obstacle courses and slides.
How much can our school make on an inflatable fundraiser?
If you do a profit sharing model you could expect to make at least 20% of your revenue from the inflatables alone. If you sell 400 bracelets at $10 each, that would yield an $800 profit for inflatables alone. Extra profit comes from games, concessions, and other activities at the fundraiser. The possibilities for inflatable profits are endless.
