Quick chooser by goal

  • Trip or festival deadline: a direct campaign with a QR code per singer, a sing-a-thon, and an alumni appeal.
  • Concert already on the calendar: QR giving in the program, sponsor-a-song, program ads, and a ticketed cabaret night.
  • Holiday season: caroling bookings, singing telegrams, and a holiday concert with a giving table.
  • Few adult volunteers: a direct online campaign, a QR giving card at an existing concert, and a matching-gift reminder.

Performance fundraisers

1. Singing valentines or singing telegrams

Quartets or small ensembles deliver a song and a card on a scheduled day. Buyers order ahead and pick a delivery window.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: medium to high. Lead time: three to five weeks.
  • Watch for: Campus and workplace delivery rules, supervision of students off campus, and a refund rule for missed deliveries.

2. Sing-a-thon

Singers perform a set block of songs or time while supporters give a flat gift or a capped pledge per song.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: three to six weeks.
  • Watch for: Define the unit, cap the pledges, confirm public performance permissions, and have the director confirm the final count before anyone is charged.

3. Holiday caroling bookings

Book a small ensemble for neighborhood parties, offices, and senior living communities for a set fee or a suggested gift.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: four to six weeks before the season.
  • Watch for: Venue access, supervision, travel time between bookings, and whether the payment is a fee or a gift.

4. Ticketed cabaret or dessert night

Pair solos, small groups, and full-choir numbers with desserts donated by families or a local bakery.

  • Cost: medium. Volunteers: high. Lead time: six to eight weeks.
  • Watch for: Food handling rules, allergens, music permissions, and ticket terms.

5. Concert with a QR giving card in the program

Print a QR code and the typed short link in the program and on a lobby sign, then make one brief ask from the stage.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low. Lead time: one to two weeks.
  • Watch for: Test the code from the back row distance, name the goal in one sentence, and keep the ask short.

6. Sponsor-a-song

Supporters sponsor a piece on the concert program at a stated amount, with an approved dedication line printed next to the title.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low to medium. Lead time: three to five weeks.
  • Watch for: Set a dedication deadline before printing, approve wording, and say exactly what the sponsor receives.

7. Alumni choir reunion concert

Invite former singers back to rehearse and perform one piece with the current choir, with tickets or an optional gift.

  • Cost: medium. Volunteers: high. Lead time: eight to sixteen weeks.
  • Watch for: Use contact lists you have permission to use, and confirm music and recording permissions.

8. Community sing-along or hymn sing

Lead an audience sing-along of familiar songs or hymns with a suggested gift at the door or a QR code on the song sheet.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low to medium. Lead time: three to four weeks.
  • Watch for: Lyric sheet permissions for songs still under copyright, and accessible seating.

9. Choir clinic or festival host

Host other choirs for a clinic day with a guest clinician, funded by participation fees and concessions.

  • Cost: medium to high. Volunteers: high. Lead time: three to six months.
  • Watch for: District approval, clinician contract, supervision of visiting students, and refund terms.

10. Recorded concert download or CD

Record a concert and sell downloads or discs to families and alumni.

  • Cost: medium to high. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: eight to twelve weeks after the concert.
  • Watch for: Reproduction and distribution of copyrighted songs need permission, minors need recording consent, and unsold discs are a cost.

Sponsorship and direct giving ideas

11. Robe, uniform, or concert attire sponsorship

Ask families, alumni, and businesses to fund attire for singers who need it, without naming individual students.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low. Lead time: three to six weeks.
  • Watch for: Describe the fund, protect student privacy, and say what happens to any excess.

12. Sheet music library sponsorship

Supporters fund a new piece or folder of music for the season, with recognition in the program.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low. Lead time: two to four weeks.
  • Watch for: Purchase legal copies, and keep recognition consistent with school or church policy.

13. Program advertising

Sell ad space in concert programs in a few fixed sizes with one artwork deadline.

  • Cost: low when programs are already printed. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: four to eight weeks.
  • Watch for: School advertising policy, logo permissions, and proof approval.

14. Direct online campaign with a QR code per singer

Each singer shares a personal donation link and QR card with family for one stated goal, such as festival travel.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low after setup. Lead time: one to two weeks.
  • Watch for: Use organizer-approved display names, explain where extra funds go, and keep the ask optional for families.

15. Employer matching-gift reminder

Remind donors that some employers match gifts to eligible organizations, and include the reminder in every thank-you.

  • Cost: none. Volunteers: low. Lead time: same week as the campaign.
  • Watch for: Eligibility depends on each employer's program and your organization's status.

16. Restaurant or business partner night

A local restaurant or shop donates a share of sales on a set night, and singers perform a short set if the venue allows.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: low to medium. Lead time: three to six weeks.
  • Watch for: Get the partner's written terms, including what counts toward the donation.

Events and sales

17. Silent auction at the spring concert or banquet

Collect donated experiences and packages and run bidding on phones during intermission or the banquet. Plan it with the mobile silent auction guide

  • Cost: low to medium. Volunteers: high. Lead time: eight to twelve weeks.
  • Watch for: Item values, payment terms, and pickup rules.

18. Bake sale or concessions at concerts

Sell donated baked goods and drinks before the concert and at intermission.

  • Cost: low. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: two to three weeks.
  • Watch for: School food-sale rules, allergen labels, and cash and card handling.

19. Choir apparel preorder

Take preorders for shirts or hoodies with the choir name, then place one order with the vendor.

  • Cost: medium. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: four to six weeks.
  • Watch for: Collect payment with orders, confirm sizes, and budget for extras that do not sell.

20. Raffle at a concert

Raffle a donated basket or experience at a concert, following state and local raffle rules.

  • Cost: low when prizes are donated. Volunteers: medium. Lead time: three to six weeks, plus any permit time.
  • Watch for: Raffle laws vary by state and locality. On ScanRaise, a free-entry raffle can take entries online and draw a winner, and raffles with paid tickets are run in person by the organizer.

How to run a sing-a-thon

  1. Pick the unit. Per song is the easiest to count. Per hour works for a long singing block.
  2. Set a cap, such as a stated amount per song up to a maximum, so every supporter knows the most they could pay.
  3. Choose repertoire the choir already knows, and confirm public performance permissions for the venue.
  4. Count and confirm. The director records the final count, and an organizer reviews it before any charge.
  5. Charge and thank. ScanRaise charges each supporter for the final count, up to their cap.

Music rights, recordings, and receipts

  • Performing music in public and recording or selling recordings involve rights held by copyright owners; the U.S. Copyright Office's Copyright Basics circular lists them.
  • Ask your director, school, or church which performance licenses already cover your venue and events before you add a new format.
  • Get written consent before recording or posting video of singers who are minors.
  • When a ticket or sponsorship includes something of value, IRS Publication 1771 covers the disclosure a charitable organization gives when a payment over $75 is partly a contribution and partly for goods or services.

Where the band and choir platform fits

  • Each singer can get a QR code and short donation link, printed on 1-up, 2-up, or 4-up PDF cards, with donations tracked by singer, section, and ensemble.
  • Concert tickets can be sold in tiers with QR check-in at the door.
  • A sing-a-thon can use per-song pledges with a cap. Compare band and choir platform features

Frequently asked questions

What are good fundraisers for a small choir?

Start with what costs the least time: a QR giving card at a concert you already have, a direct online campaign with a QR code per singer, and singing valentines or caroling bookings for a small ensemble.

What does ScanRaise cost for a choir fundraiser?

Standard fundraising has a 2.5% platform fee, and Stripe processing is separate. There is no setup fee or monthly fee for standard fundraising.

Sources and review notes

Sources checked . External rules and product policies can change, so confirm them before launch.

  1. U.S. Copyright Office: Copyright Basics. Overview of ownership and the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform protected works.
  2. IRS Publication 1771: substantiation and disclosure requirements. Federal guidance for charitable acknowledgments and quid pro quo disclosures.
  3. ScanRaise band and choir fundraising platform. Current per-student QR cards, tracking, ticketing, and athon options for music programs.
  4. ScanRaise pricing.