How One Queensland School Raised $4,000 with Custom Tea Towels
At Expressions Fundraising Australia, we’ve seen thousands of inspiring fundraising stories over the years, but some really stand out. One such story comes from Southern Cross Catholic College in Queensland. Faced with the challenges of 2020, they transformed their community spirit into a powerful school tea towel fundraising campaign, raising an impressive $4,000 and strengthening school connections in the process.
Getting Creative with Fundraising in a Pandemic Year
With traditional events like fun runs and fetes cancelled due to COVID-19, the team at SCCC turned to custom printed tea towels as an alternative — and it worked brilliantly. “We’re a Prep to Year 12 school and had never done this type of fundraising before,” said Veronica, a fundraising coordinator at the college. “We made designs for every year level, including special ones for Year 7–9 and 10–12 to encourage secondary school participation.”
In total, they sold 874 tea towels to a student body of 1,200, proving that a well-executed and inclusive campaign can work wonders, even in secondary school settings where fundraising can be more challenging.
Ethical Fundraising Ideas That Work
One of the key reasons Expressions’ organic cotton tea towels work so well for schools is their emotional value. Each towel becomes a keepsake, preserving a memory of school years while raising money in an environmentally conscious way. They're ethically made, practical, and highly giftable — making them one of the best ethical fundraising ideas available to Australian schools today.
Southern Cross Catholic College’s Tips for Fundraising Success
- Start with a strong launch email: Include images of the tea towel designs and a list of how previous funds were used to build trust and excitement.
- Send printed flyers home: These went out with the eldest sibling to ensure every family received one.
- Social media strategy: Keep posts spaced out every second day to avoid fatigue. Include order forms and design images in each post.
- Use school newsletters: Weekly updates from teachers included reminders about the fundraiser.
- Display at Before and After School Care: Ideal for busy working parents. Order forms at the sign-in desk increased visibility.
- Posters around school: They created aware
They priced their tea towels at $15 each or 3 for $40 — a simple pricing strategy that encouraged bundle purchases while keeping the fundraiser affordable.
It’s More Than Just a Fundraiser
At Expressions, we believe fundraising is about more than money, it’s about community. Veronica and her team showed that with creativity, collaboration and a beautiful, functional product, you can bring your school community together in a meaningful way.
Want to start your own school tea towel fundraising project? We make it easy, ethical and fun.
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FAQs
What makes Expressions tea towel fundraisers unique?
Our tea towels are printed on organic cotton and made ethically. Each towel is a keepsake, making it easy to sell and emotionally valuable.
How much money can my school raise?
Most schools raise between $1000 and $5000. It depends on how many tea towels are sold, the price sold for and how well the campaign is promoted.
Can secondary schools participate?
Absolutely. As seen in the case of Southern Cross Catholic College, including secondary students works well with a little creativity in design grouping.
Are your products eco-friendly?
Yes! We use 100% organic cotton and all our products are ethically made, making us a go-to for sustainable and ethical fundraising ideas.
How do I get started?
It’s simple — just head to our Get Started Now page and we’ll guide you every step of the way.