Fundraising for the school ball

Planning guide

Plan the ball budget first. Fundraising should lower the ticket cost without committing the committee to money it does not have.

Make a plan

  1. Get written quotes and confirm school approval, deposits and cancellation terms.
  2. Work out the gap after ticket income and set a deadline for filling it.
  3. Assign one person to each fundraiser and keep a shared budget.
  4. Review progress before paying non-refundable deposits.

Ideas to use

  • School disco

    Sell entry to a school disco. Optional tuck-shop sales, glow sticks and photos can add to the proceeds.

  • Business sponsorship

    Ask businesses to support your group in return for agreed recognition or advertising. Choose signs, playing kit, naming rights or tiered packages.

  • Bake sale

    Families bake at home and the group sells slices, biscuits and cakes at school, an event or outside a store.

Details for your plan

These notes and sources were checked in October 2026. Check current costs, eligibility and official rules before committing money.

School ball committee fundraising

A senior student ball committee raises money through the year (mufti days, sizzles, sponsors) to cut the ticket price and fund tickets for students who could not otherwise go.

  1. Form the committee early with a staff liaison and a budget: venue, food, DJ, decorations, photos, security.
  2. Set a ticket-price target and work out the gap fundraising must cover.
  3. Plan 4-6 fundraisers across the year: mufti days, Bunnings sizzle, car wash, bake sales, a raffle (NZ Herald notes mufti days are common).
  4. Approach local businesses to sponsor items (photo booth, flowers) or student tickets; Massey High lets the community sponsor a student to attend (NZ Herald).
  5. Bank every dollar through the school office and keep a running ledger the committee can see.
  6. Offer early-bird pricing and payment plans (Manurewa High sold early-bird tickets at $45 before $55 (Manurewa High School Facebook)).
  7. Set aside a confidential pool for students who cannot pay, handled by staff.
  8. Send families the school's alcohol and after-ball guidance from Police before the night.
  9. Report the final accounts and any surplus carried to next year's committee.

Tips

  • Choose an affordable venue: Selwyn College reused the same venue to keep tickets under $100 (RNZ). The school hall can be free (Schoolball).
  • Sponsored tickets for students in hardship are an easy ask for businesses (NZ Herald on Massey High).
  • Remind families the ticket is a fraction of the night's cost; dresses, hair and transport add hundreds (NZ Herald).

Watch out for

  • A venue upgrade can cancel out a year of fundraising.
  • Cash held by students outside school accounts goes missing or causes disputes.
  • The school being seen to endorse an after-ball: keep any after-ball clearly private and separate.

Rules and permissions

  • Ball tickets are an optional purchase ('$': parents must pay if they agree to buy) under Ministry guidance, and schools are expected to 'consider equity and accessibility' (Ministry of Education; NZ Herald).
  • Money raised by the committee is school money: bank it through the school office into school accounts, not a student's personal account (estimate; school funds are audited for the Auditor-General).
  • Alcohol: the ball is normally alcohol-free. Supplying alcohol to under-18s, including at after-balls, needs express parental consent and responsible supply (Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012; KidsHealth/HPA FAQ).
  • Police warn against after-balls where the ticket price includes alcohol, numbers are large, locations secret or organisers are outside the school; selling alcohol needs a licence (NZ Police; SSAA 2012).
  • Sizzles and bake sales: Food Act 2014 fundraising exemption under 20 times a year (MPI). Raffles: class 1 or class 2 rules (DIA).

Sources: nzherald.co.nz, rnz.co.nz, principalstoday.co.nz, schoolball.co.nz, police.govt.nz, kidshealth.org.nz, education.govt.nz, facebook.com

Promote it and collect the money

Getting the word out helps you ask for helpers and reach buyers. Use Taking the money to plan payments and safe counting.

* 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