If your group is looking for a fun way to raise money and build a sense of community, consider doing a series of restaurant fundraisers this year! Restaurant fundraisers give families a relaxed way to meet up, and parents usually love them because they get a night off from cooking while also contributing to the school.

For a restaurant night, your group works with a local restaurant to host an evening for your school. Families go to the restaurant and have a meal as they ordinarily would. The restaurant then donates a percentage of the profits it makes from the meals ordered by your families.

We have a step-by-step guide that covers the basics for running a restaurant fundraiser event, including how to contact restaurants, work with a local restaurant manager, create themes, and publicize your event. Or download the free Restaurant Fundraiser Planning Kit—it has everything you need in one place, including planning tips, a timeline, and lots of tools to promote your event, like flyers and reminder stickers.

Originally posted in 2015 and updated regularly.