Yearbook, graduation shirts, graduation trip, and the prom—when you enter the upper grades, suddenly there's a lot to organize and, especially, to finance. It's all pretty cool, right? But where is all that money supposed to come from?

Collect funds from sponsors, donations from families and friends, and allow them in return to promote their company or business, such as through an advertisement in your graduation magazine.

You can specifically approach fellow students or parents who own their businesses within your grade. Alternatively, inquire at the local bank, bakery, or nearby supermarket, as the graduation magazine provides an additional advertising opportunity for them.

If you want to involve more sponsors in your graduation magazine, you can also add sponsors when printing your magazine with Gradoo. Adding sponsors can directly reduce your total cost.

Organizing a sponsor run allows you to actively raise sponsorship funds. The organizers need to define a route and conditions, which could be, for example, a lap around the school premises or a circuit on the sports field. Each participant must have at least one sponsor contribute a minimum of 1€.

Before the sponsor run, each participant needs to be assigned a number so that the organizers can keep track of the laps with a tally. After the sponsor run, each participant receives proof of the completed laps and can then request the pledged funds from the sponsors.

If you have set up a graduation account, the funds can be collected there through bank transfer, PayPal, or cash. Your participant list can also be used to cross-check if you've received all donations within a certain period.

One of the most popular and easiest ways to raise money for the graduation fund is through a cake sale. You can sell waffles and cakes to students and teachers during breaks for several weeks. Important: Check with the class coordinator beforehand whether you can start the sale in the break rooms or in front of the entrances and exits. Within your class, smaller groups can either prepare waffle batter and make them fresh during the break or bring a ready-made cake. It's essential to appeal to a wide variety of tastes, so use the days leading up to the sale to create awareness. On the day of the sale, offer batter or cakes that appeal to a broad audience. Offering something vegan makes sense to provide alternatives for classmates and teachers with dietary restrictions. Charge a reasonable price for each waffle or piece of cake during the sale, and at the end of the day, you can successfully tally up the proceeds.

Is there an upcoming open house or another significant event at your school? Then ask the school principal if your graduating class can participate with a raffle. You can purchase gifts inexpensively beforehand or donate new items that you don't use for the raffle. Spread the word, especially within the school building, using homemade banners or posters to draw attention to your initiative. Position yourselves in a way that many visitors can see you and purchase a ticket. The proceeds generated from ticket sales go directly into the graduation fund.

The "Rent an Abiturient" concept allows you to do something for your graduation fund in your free time or on weekends. Whether it's mowing the neighbor's lawn, walking dogs, or grocery shopping— for all these tasks, you can request a reasonable donation for your graduation fund and contribute to it.

Not only selling graduation textiles, but selling school textiles can also bring in a significant amount of money for your fund. These items appeal to a broader audience than graduation textiles, as students from lower grades, the middle school, and teachers can decide if they want the school logo on a hoodie, bag, jacket, etc. Since the idea of selling school textiles is not widely known, it can be a huge success for your class. If you need further assistance, feel free to rely on our Gradoo Support; we're here to help!

P.S.: By considering a few cost-saving measures in your graduation planning, you won't have to worry so much about finances. For the graduation ball, you can already save a lot by making your decorations, handling catering, and preparing drinks.

You'll need staff to take care of food and drinks. A small tip: Opting for a buffet can save you the personnel needed to manage the food. Also, consider planning for security personnel for the event—this is advisable for a gathering with over 100 people to ensure everything runs smoothly. Don't forget a photographer or a photo booth for memorable pictures. You can either let a self-created playlist play or hire a DJ for the music.

For such a large party, things can sometimes go wrong—having insurance ensures you won't face unexpected costs afterward.