Cinema fundraiser screening

Book a cinema screening at a group rate and sell the tickets at a mark-up to supporters.

Typically raises

$700

$400–2,000 per event

About $61 per organiser hour

Based on one screening of about 60 tickets

Is it right for us?

Money: $500–2,000
Work: A few evenings
Helpers: 3–6 people
Lead time: 1–2 months
Red tape: None

Fairly common: a familiar easy night out, run now and then

People: 2-5
Organiser time: 8-15 (estimate)
Lead time: 2-6 weeks (Focal Point needs at least two weeks)
Up-front cost: Nothing up front. Usually paid on the night per head; check for minimum numbers.
Risk: Low to medium. Focal Point charges a higher rate if fewer than 30 attend; you pay for the seats you booked if supporters do not turn up.

Suits: Kindy or early learning, Primary or intermediate school, High school, Sports club or team

Less usual for: Team going to a tournament or tour, One person (athlete, performer, student), Charity, Community group, marae or service club, Kapa haka, choir, theatre or band

When: Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), School holidays

How big a job: A few evenings, 3–6 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Sell at $30 a ticket, keep about $11.50 of each, so 61 tickets = $701.50. That’s about the typical result.

Using the figures on this page. Your prices and costs will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

Focal Point Cinema Levin worked example: 60 tickets at $30 less $18.50 a head charged = $690 profit. High is an estimate for a full larger cinema plus a raffle.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Ask local cinemas for their fundraiser terms (most only do quieter week nights).
Pick a new release with broad appeal.
Confirm the per-head charge, minimum numbers and payment terms in writing.
Print or sell tickets online at your mark-up.
Sell hard to your network; track numbers against the minimum.
Run a foyer raffle on the night.
Pay the cinema and bank the margin.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Helpers for the day or night, and local businesses for prizes.
Ask people to buy: People to book tickets or tables, and turn up.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
PostersPosters at the school gate, the clubrooms and shop windows, with the date, place, price and how to pay.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: NeededA hired venue
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

The cinema runs the venue; check its terms and minimum numbers. If it has a bar, its own licence covers sales. Any raffle on the night follows normal Class 1 or 2 rules.

Make more from it

Foyer raffle
$200-700 (estimate)
a seated crowd with time before the film
Pre-made lolly or popcorn bags (if the cinema allows)
$100-200 (estimate)
an easy upsell with the ticket
A local business buys a block of seats
$200-500 (estimate)
fills the minimum and reduces risk

Stack it: on its own, about $700. With the 3 priced add-ons above, roughly

$1,700est.

What you can get donated

Raffle prizes; nibbles if the cinema allows.

Tips

New releases sell better (Focal Point).
Ask whether the cinema shares candy-bar takings.

Watch out for

Choosing a film with an R rating for a family audience.
Booking a Friday or Saturday when cinemas will not discount.

Also pairs with: Raffle in the foyer, Pre-film drinks (the cinema's licence), Speaker before the film

Free tools for this

Event budget and break-evenCheck the cinema’s per-head charge and minimum against your ticket mark-up.
Cash float and takings counterDoor and food-stall cash, counted in pairs and banked the next day.
Event run sheetPlan the night to the minute so the auction and draw don’t run late.
Silent auction kitAdd a silent auction on the night: bid sheets, terms and a winners register.
Checklist for any ideaBefore, on the day and after, built from this idea’s own steps and rules.

Typical rules

Alcohol: at a licensed restaurant, hotel or club bar the venue's own licence normally covers the bar; confirm with the venue before planning BYO or your own bar.
Raffle on the night: a lottery under the Gambling Act 2003. No licence if total prizes are $5,000 or less and turnover is $25,000 or less (Class 1: both $500 or less; Class 2: run by a society). Alcohol, tobacco, firearms and some other items are illegal prizes, so no wine hampers as raffle prizes.
Ticket must show film title and censor rating (Focal Point requirement).

Check the details

Money raised for individuals · DIA: Guidance for running a raffle

Sources

Researched October 2026. All fundraising ideas

* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide