No-Fuss Scout Fundraising Ideas

How it works: Squirrels collect sponsors who pledge a small amount (e.g. 10p) for each hop, skip or jump they can complete in 2 minutes.

Implementation: Include this as a fun activity during a normal meeting. Leaders count and record each child's total. Provide a sponsorship form the week before, and collect the money the following week.

Materials needed: Stopwatch, sponsorship forms, stickers for participation.

How it works: Squirrels pay a small entry fee (50p-£1) to enter a colouring competition.

Implementation: Prepare simple Scout-themed colouring sheets. During a regular meeting, allocate 15 minutes for colouring. Have leaders judge the entries and announce winners the following week. Small prizes for winners (certificates work well).

Materials needed: Printed colouring sheets, crayons/coloured pencils, certificates.

How it works: Each week, Squirrels bring any loose change they've collected to fill a large jar.

Implementation: Have a transparent jar visible at the meeting place. Encourage Squirrels to add their pennies and other coins each week. Once full, count the money together as a fun activity.

Materials needed: Large transparent jar, label for the jar.

How it works: Squirrels stay silent for 15 minutes during a meeting, sponsored per minute they manage to stay quiet.

Implementation: Send sponsorship forms home the week before. During the meeting, make it into a game with visual instructions and activities that don't require talking. Use a timer visible to all.

Materials needed: Sponsorship forms, timer, visual instruction cards, stickers for those who complete the challenge.

How it works: Squirrels get sponsored for the number of songs they can learn and sing in one meeting.

Implementation: Prepare 5-6 simple Scout or action songs. Practice them during the meeting and count how many each Squirrel can remember and sing. They collect sponsorship based on their achievement.

Materials needed: Printed song sheets for leaders, sponsorship forms, certificates.

How it works: Squirrels paint rocks during craft time, which are then sold at the HQ for a small fee.

Implementation: Collect smooth rocks beforehand. During a normal craft session, have Squirrels paint them with simple designs. Display the painted rocks at pick-up time with a suggested donation of £1-£2 per rock.

Materials needed: Smooth rocks, acrylic paints, paintbrushes, varnish to seal (applied by leaders after the meeting).

How it works: Squirrels collect pledges for each joke they tell during the meeting.

Implementation: Send home simple, age-appropriate jokes along with sponsorship forms the week before. During circle time, each Squirrel tells their jokes. Leaders count how many jokes each child tells.

Materials needed: List of simple jokes, sponsorship forms, certificates for participation.

How it works: Squirrels bring aluminium cans or used batteries from home to recycle for cash.

Implementation: Inform parents about the recyclable items needed. Have collection bins at the meeting place. Take collected items to recycling centres that pay for recyclables.

Materials needed: Collection bins, information sheets for parents.

How it works: Squirrels get sponsored for each item they can remember from a tray.

Implementation: Prepare a tray with 15-20 small objects. Show the tray to Squirrels for 1 minute, then cover it. They write or tell a leader how many items they can remember. Sponsorship is based on number of correctly remembered items.

Materials needed: Tray, collection of small objects, cloth to cover, sponsorship forms, pencils and paper.

How it works: Squirrels pay a small fee (£1) for seeds and a pot, then grow sunflowers at home with prizes for the tallest/biggest flower.

Implementation: During a spring meeting, plant sunflower seeds in small pots. Squirrels take them home to grow. After a set period (6-8 weeks), they bring photos or measurements of their sunflowers. Prizes for various categories.

Materials needed: Sunflower seeds, small pots, compost, instruction sheets, certificates for winners.

How it works: Beavers get pledges for each badge requirement they complete during a term.

Implementation: At the start of term, provide sponsorship forms listing all badge requirements they'll be working on. Parents/family pledge a small amount per requirement completed. Leaders record completion during regular meetings.

Materials needed: Customised sponsorship forms with badge requirements, tracking sheets for leaders.

How it works: Small entry fee (50p) to participate in a paper airplane contest during a regular meeting.

Implementation: Provide standard paper for all participants. Allow 10 minutes for airplane construction, then hold contests for distance, accuracy, and flight time. Award simple prizes or certificates to winners.

Materials needed: A4 paper, measuring tape, target for accuracy test, certificates.

How it works: Fill a jar with sweets and charge 50p per guess at drop-off and pick-up times.

Implementation: Place the jar near the entrance with a responsible adult to collect money and record guesses. Announce the winner the following week, with the jar of sweets as the prize.

Materials needed: Clear jar, individually wrapped sweets, recording sheets for guesses, collection tin.

How it works: Beavers create bookmarks during craft time, which are sold to parents or at the Scout HQ.

Implementation: During a normal craft session, provide materials for Beavers to create decorated bookmarks. Laminate them after the meeting for durability. Sell for £1 each at pick-up time or display them at the HQ.

Materials needed: Card strips, colouring materials, stickers, laminating pouches, laminator.

How it works: Beavers get sponsorship for memorising their Promise, Law, and Motto.

Implementation: Send home sponsorship forms with the Promise, Law, and Motto printed. During regular meetings, leaders check which Beavers can recite them correctly. Collection based on successful recitation.

Materials needed: Sponsorship forms with Promise text, certificates for successful completion.

How it works: Run a simple tuck shop selling low-cost snacks at the end of meetings.

Implementation: Set up a small table with pre-packaged snacks and drinks priced at 50p-£1. Open for 15 minutes at pick-up time. Older Beavers can help with selling under adult supervision.

Materials needed: Pre-packaged snacks and drinks, cash box, price list, table.

How it works: Beavers make gift tags during craft time to sell at Christmas.

Implementation: In November meetings, have Beavers create holiday-themed gift tags during normal craft sessions. Package them in sets of 5-10 and sell for £2-£3 per pack at pick-up times leading up to Christmas.

Materials needed: Card stock, string or ribbon, decorative materials, cellophane bags for packaging.

How it works: Beavers bring 1p, 2p, and 5p coins to fill a container over several weeks.

Implementation: Provide a large clear container at the meeting place. Encourage Beavers to bring spare copper coins each week. Make it visible so they can see progress. Count together when full.

Materials needed: Large transparent container, label explaining the fundraiser.

How it works: During an outdoor meeting, Beavers get sponsored for each nature item they spot from a checklist.

Implementation: Create age-appropriate nature spotting sheets with common items (birds, insects, plants). Beavers collect sponsorship based on how many they can identify during the outdoor portion of a regular meeting.

Materials needed: Nature spotting checklists, sponsorship forms, pencils, clipboards.

How it works: Each Beaver brings a used book to sell at pick-up time.

Implementation: Ask Beavers to bring a good condition used book they no longer want. Display them at pick-up time with a suggested donation of £1-£2 per book. Unsold books can be donated to a local charity.

Materials needed: Table for display, price labels, collection tin.

How it works: Cubs collect sponsorship for the number of knots they can correctly tie in 5 minutes.

Implementation: Send sponsorship forms home the week before. During a regular meeting, time Cubs as they tie as many different knots as possible from their Scouting skills. Leaders verify correct knots.

Materials needed: Ropes, stopwatch, knot reference charts, sponsorship forms, verification sheets.

How it works: Cubs collect specific recyclables during regular meetings for cash conversion.

Implementation: Identify valuable recyclables (aluminium cans, printer cartridges, batteries). Cubs bring items to meetings. Leaders arrange delivery to recycling centres that pay for materials.

Materials needed: Collection containers, information sheets for parents about acceptable items.

How it works: Cubs pay a small entry fee (50p) to participate in competitive Sixer challenges during meeting time.

Implementation: Integrate 3-4 challenge stations into a regular meeting. Sixers compete as teams. Award points for each challenge. Simple prizes for the winning Six (extra game time or first choice of activity next week).

Materials needed: Challenge equipment relevant to activities, scorecards, prizes or certificates.

How it works: Sell raffle tickets at drop-off/pick-up for 50p each with small prizes.

Implementation: Have a leader sell tickets at the beginning and end of meetings. Draw the winning ticket at the end of the meeting. Simple prizes could be chocolates, small toys, or Scout-themed items.

Materials needed: Raffle tickets, container for ticket stubs, weekly prizes, float for change.

How it works: Cubs make natural firelighters during meetings to sell to campers and for home fireplaces.

Implementation: Incorporate firelighter making into a regular meeting activity. Use wax, cardboard egg cartons, and natural materials like pinecones or dried orange peels. Package and sell for £3-£4 per pack.

Materials needed: Wax, cardboard egg cartons, dried natural materials, wicks, packaging materials.

How it works: Cubs get sponsorship for correctly answering first aid questions.

Implementation: When working on first aid badges, send home sponsorship forms. During the meeting, quiz Cubs on first aid knowledge. They collect sponsorship based on the number of correct answers.

Materials needed: Age-appropriate first aid quiz, sponsorship forms, certificates for participation.

How it works: During an outdoor meeting, Cubs get sponsored per bag of litter collected.

Implementation: Send sponsorship forms home the week before. Incorporate a 30-minute litter pick into an outdoor meeting. Count and photograph bags collected as evidence for sponsors.

Materials needed: Rubbish bags, disposable gloves, litter pickers, sponsorship forms, hand sanitiser.

How it works: Sixes compete to make the longest coin line from coins they bring in.

Implementation: Ask Cubs to bring in any coins for their Six's line. During a meeting, allow 5 minutes for each Six to lay out their coin line. Measure and declare a winner. All coins become a donation.

Materials needed: Measuring tape, flat surface for coin lines, container to collect coins afterward.

How it works: Cubs make simple bird feeders during meeting time, then sell to parents at pick-up.

Implementation: As part of a nature or craft activity, have Cubs create simple bird feeders using pinecones, peanut butter, and bird seed. Sell them for £2-£3 each at pick-up time.

Materials needed: Pinecones, peanut butter, bird seed, string, paper bags for transport, price labels.

How it works: Cubs pay £1 to guess the birthdays of the leadership team.

Implementation: Create a simple form with the names of all leaders. Cubs pay £1 to submit their guesses for day and month of each leader's birthday. The Cub with the most correct guesses wins a small prize.

Materials needed: Guess forms, collection tin, prize for the winner.

How it works: Scouts get pledges based on pioneering skills demonstrated during regular meetings.

Implementation: Create a checklist of pioneering skills at different levels of difficulty. Scouts collect sponsorship based on which skills they successfully demonstrate during normal skills sessions.

Materials needed: Pioneering skill checklists, sponsorship forms, ropes and poles (regular equipment).

How it works: Patrols pay a small entry fee, cook during a meeting, and parents pay to taste and judge at pick-up time.

Implementation: During a regular cooking activity, each Patrol prepares a simple dish. At pick-up time, parents pay £1 to taste all entries and vote for their favourite. Winning Patrol gets a small prize.

Materials needed: Cooking equipment (regular meeting supplies), ingredients, tasting cups/plates, voting slips.

How it works: Scouts make paracord survival bracelets during meetings to sell afterward.

Implementation: Teach paracord bracelet making as part of a knotting or survival skills session. Scouts make additional bracelets to sell for £3-£5 each at pick-up time or Scout events.

Materials needed: Paracord in various colours, buckles, scissors, measuring tools, pricing labels.

How it works: Scouts get sponsored for successful bottle flips completed in 2 minutes.

Implementation: Provide sponsorship forms the week before. During a meeting, each Scout has 2 minutes to complete as many successful bottle flips as possible. Leaders count and verify successful flips.

Materials needed: Partially filled water bottles, sponsorship forms, stopwatch, verification sheets.

How it works: Replace a regular meeting with a quiz night, charging a small entry fee (£1-£2).

Implementation: Prepare quiz questions on various topics including Scouting knowledge. Patrols compete against each other. Award a simple trophy or privilege to the winning Patrol.

Materials needed: Quiz questions and answer sheets, pencils, scoreboard, prizes.

How it works: Scouts collect pledges for each Scouting skill they can demonstrate correctly.

Implementation: Create a checklist of age-appropriate Scouting skills. Scouts obtain sponsorship based on how many they can successfully demonstrate during a regular meeting focused on skills practice.

Materials needed: Skill checklists, sponsorship forms, equipment for skill demonstrations.

How it works: Scouts assemble small survival kits during meetings to sell to outdoor enthusiasts.

Implementation: As part of a survival skills session, Scouts assemble small kits with items like emergency foil blankets, waterproof matches, etc. Package them attractively and sell for £5-£7 each.

Materials needed: Bulk supplies for survival kits, small containers, instructional cards, packaging materials.

How it works: Scouts get sponsored based on how quickly or accurately they can pitch a tent.

Implementation: During a camping skills meeting, time each Patrol pitching a tent. Sponsors pledge based on completion time or accuracy. Make it fun by adding challenges like blindfolds for some members.

Materials needed: Tents (regular equipment), stopwatches, sponsorship forms, scorecards.

How it works: Scouts bring outgrown uniform items and pay a small fee to take other items.

Implementation: Set up a table at a meeting where Scouts can bring clean, good condition uniform items they've outgrown. They pay £1-£2 to take an item they need. Leftover items are kept for future exchanges.

Materials needed: Table for display, clothes rack (if available), cash tin, record sheet.

How it works: Scouts take photos during meetings based on themes, then create and sell photo cards.

Implementation: Set a photography theme that ties into badge work. Scouts take photos during meetings. Print the best images as greeting cards and sell packs of 5 for £3-£4.

Materials needed: Digital cameras or smartphones, printer or printing service, blank greeting cards, envelopes, packaging.

How it works: Explorers offer skills like tech help or gardening to the Scouting community for donations.

Implementation: During a meeting, Explorers identify skills they could offer. Create a service directory and share with the Scout group. Parents can book services with suggested donation amounts.

Materials needed: Skills inventory form, service directory template, booking system.

How it works: Explorers get sponsored for not using phones during meetings for a month.

Implementation: Explorers collect sponsorship based on successfully completing digital detox during meeting times. Phones are collected at the start and returned at the end of each meeting. Leaders verify participation.

Materials needed: Sponsorship forms, secure storage container for phones, verification system.

How it works: Explorers make useful camping items during skill sessions to sell to younger sections.

Implementation: Make items like camp gadgets, lightweight camping stoves from recycled materials, or pot holders as part of regular skill sessions. Sell completed items to other sections or at Scout events.

Materials needed: Materials appropriate to items being made, tools, pricing labels.

How it works: Explorers run a tuck shop at the HQ for other sections and themselves.

Implementation: Purchase wholesale snacks and drinks. Set up a simple shop at Explorer meetings and potentially at other section meetings if timings allow. Add a small markup for fundraising.

Materials needed: Initial stock of snacks and drinks, cash box, price list, record keeping sheet.

How it works: Explorers create and sell packs of challenge cards for younger sections to use.

Implementation: During a meeting, Explorers brainstorm and design age-appropriate challenge cards for each section. Print and package them in sets of 20-30 challenges, selling for £3-£5 per pack.

Materials needed: Card stock, computer for design, printer, packaging materials.

How it works: Explorers get pledges for hours spent helping younger sections.

Implementation: Explorers collect sponsorship based on how many hours they volunteer with younger sections. This can be incorporated into their Young Leader or Duke of Edinburgh's Award work.

Materials needed: Hour tracking sheets, sponsorship forms, verification from section leaders.

How it works: Explorers teach specialized skills to each other for a small donation.

Implementation: During meetings, Explorers with specific skills (photography, coding, first aid, etc.) lead mini-workshops for their peers who donate £1-£2 to learn. This can link to Duke of Edinburgh's Award skill development.

Materials needed: Skill inventory list, teaching materials as needed, donation container.

How it works: Explorers design themed quizzes during meetings to sell to other groups.

Implementation: Divide Explorers into teams to create themed quizzes (Scouting knowledge, wildlife, adventure, etc.). Package completed quizzes with answer sheets and sell to other Scout groups or sections for £5 each.

Materials needed: Research materials, template for quiz format, digital storage for completed quizzes.

How it works: Explorers get sponsored for planning skills demonstrated during expedition preparation.

Implementation: Create a checklist of expedition planning skills. During expedition planning meetings, Explorers collect sponsorship based on which skills they successfully demonstrate.

Materials needed: Planning skill checklists, maps and other planning resources, sponsorship forms.

How it works: Explorers do a "penny hike" (randomly choosing directions at junctions by flipping a coin) with sponsorship per mile walked.

Implementation: During a regular meeting, replace indoor activities with a penny hike around the local area. Explorers collect sponsorship based on the distance covered or landmarks passed.

Materials needed: Coins for flipping, high-visibility vests, route recording method, sponsorship forms.