Your Pizza Fundraiser Playbook: Ideas, Tips, and Options

Fundraisers are the backbone of many community groups, from schools to churches, sports teams, and beyond. And if you want to draw a large crowd to your fundraiser, it's a no-brainer that you'll want to appeal to the widest possible audience. That's exactly why pizza fundraising has remained a top-performing fundraising idea for years, alongside candy, cookie, or sub sandwich fundraisers. 

Join us as we explore creative pizza fundraising ideas, share tips to make your pizza fundraiser a success, and guide you through options for hosting the perfect event.

How does pizza fundraising work?

Pizza fundraising works similarly to other types of fundraisers. The organizer buys a product—either the pizza itself or gift cards and discount items related to it—and the organization sells the product at a higher rate.

One of the best things about a pizza fundraiser is its flexibility. If you’re looking for pizza fundraiser ideas, consider these diverse options: 

• Organizing a restaurant night at a pizza joint
• Selling pizza-making kits or frozen pizzas
• Selling discount cards or gift cards to a local pizzeria
• Serving pizza at a fundraising event or party—you can dress it up for a black-tie event or keep it simple and casual for a busload of school kids.

Is pizza fundraising profitable?

The success and profitability of your pizza fundraiser largely depends on the type of fundraiser you choose.

For instance, if you opt to sell frozen pizzas or kits, you may need to pre-purchase inventory, arrange for proper storage in a safe and clean environment, and organize a distribution plan. These additional steps can require extra time and effort, potentially impacting your overall profits.

On the other hand, if you partner with a pizza restaurant for your fundraiser, you can expect to earn 20 to 40% of the restaurant’s proceeds for the night, on average. However, considering the low cost of pizza, you might need to sell quite a few pies before making progress on your profit. 

Before you decide to launch your pizza fundraising event, ask yourself:

• What type of pizza fundraiser best aligns with your goals? 
• Are you responsible for any upfront costs? What percentage of sales or proceeds will go to your cause?
• Is there a demand for a pizza fundraiser in your area? 

Overall, a pizza fundraiser can be quite profitable if you work with a pizza joint and keep your overhead costs low. Compare different restaurants to find one that offers the most generous profit margins for your cause.

Pros and cons of pizza fundraisers

Pizza is well-loved, and that may be enough to go all-in with a pizza fundraiser. Other prominent benefits to consider include: 

• Simple organization – As far as complex events go, pizza parties—even large-scale ones—aren’t the hardest thing to manage. Additionally, if you’re already hosting an event and want to throw pizza into the mix, it’s not too hard to do that, either.

• Emphasis on community – While it’s possible to work with big-name chains and brands, there are also plenty of smaller, local pizzerias that are more than willing to support your cause. 

If building community ties is important to you, and you’re looking for a low-hassle, low-cost option, then a pizza fundraiser might be right up your alley.

But before you fully embrace your pizza fundraiser ideas, you should also be aware of some notable drawbacks: 

• Food allergens and health – Some people who might otherwise want to support your fundraiser may hold back because of health concerns or allergies.
  
  
• Volunteer requirements – Depending on the type and size of your pizza fundraiser, you might need many hands to distribute or serve the pizza.
  
  
• Pricey delivery – If you don’t have anyone to pick up your pizzas, you'll need to rely on the shop’s delivery system, which can cost a pretty penny for bulk deliveries.
  
  
• Limited reach – If you want to cast a wider net with your fundraiser, you might want to look elsewhere. Pizza fundraiser events typically have the strongest reach at a small, local level.

A fresh take on pizza fundraising: Gift cards

Think outside the (pizza) box and go beyond traditional restaurant nights or pizza kit sales with an innovative approach: RaiseRight gift card fundraising. 

RaiseRight partners with various pizza restaurants, making it the perfect addition to your pizza fundraiser. Simply purchase gift cards (choose from hundreds of brands!) and earn up to 20% back for your organization! 

Here are a few ways to incorporate RaiseRight into your next pizza fundraiser: 

• Host a restaurant night at a pizza place that partners with RaiseRight (see below for a list of options). Your group will earn a percentage of proceeds for the night, and patrons can pay with a gift card from RaiseRight to earn even more for your fundraiser!
  
  
• Prefer to host your pizza fundraiser at a local mom-and-pop spot? You can still use gift cards from RaiseRight—check out our universal prepaid cards. 
  
  
• Team up with a pizza place that offers 5% back through local dining with RaiseRight. You and your supporters will earn 5% on all transactions—tax and tip included! 

The benefits don't stop at pizza—with RaiseRight, participants can fundraise year-round with all their other shopping and spending needs like groceries, gas, clothing, entertainment, travel, and more. Supporters can also shop online to earn even more. 

RaiseRight is a versatile, year-round solution that pairs perfectly with pizza events and other creative fundraising ideas, boosting your group’s earning potential.

Best pizza fundraiser restaurant options

Now that you know how to pair RaiseRight with a pizza fundraiser to boost your earnings, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite pizza spots available on RaiseRight! 

Domino's

• Reach out to your local Domino's to see if they participate in the Delivering the Dough® fundraiser program
• Or, sell discount cards—check out slicethepricecard.com
• Earn an extra 8% or more with a Domino's gift card from RaiseRight

Pizza Hut

• Earn 20% for your group with a Pizza Hut fundraising event
• Earn an extra 8% or more with a Pizza Hut gift card from RaiseRight

Papa John's

• Papa John's Nifty Fifty discount card is only available in select areas in Florida and Minnesota
• Earn 8% or more with a Papa John's gift card from RaiseRight

Papa Murphy's

• Your group can either sell discount cards or host a fundraising event with your local Papa Murphy's location
• Earn 8% or more with a Papa Murphy's gift card from RaiseRight

Pizza Ranch

• Fundraise three ways: Sell Round Up Cards, sell frozen Bake @ Home pizzas, or host an in-person fundraising event at your local location
• Earn an extra 8% or more with a Pizza Ranch gift card from RaiseRight

Little Caesars

• You can sell make-at-home pizza kits or host a fundraising event with your local Little Caesars location
• Earn an extra 8% or more with a Little Caesars gift card from RaiseRight

Blaze Pizza

• Earn 20% for your group with a Pizza Hut fundraising event
• Earn an extra 10% or more with a Blaze Pizza gift card from RaiseRight

California Pizza Kitchen

• Earn 20% for your group with a California Pizza Kitchen fundraising event
• Earn an extra 8% or more with a California Pizza Kitchen gift card from RaiseRight