Check writing campaigns are a good thing here.
The largest fundraiser that our elementary has is an online auction. Last year they raised over $15,000.00. They work all year for this event to get good items donated then the staff does things like...
each grade level has a theme and has a huge gift basket on auction.. (movie night, beach, pampering, etc themes),
teachers donate time and have a special lunch with a student
each grade level group of teachers has an outing for a limited number of students which is usually movies, bowling, etc,or special lunches with students,
a student gets to be principal for a day
a student gets the front drop off area named after them for the year,
a parent gets a special parking spot for the year
each grade level works together on a piece of art and it is auctioned off
2. In high school, the boosters keep busy and they often have a golf tournament along with a silent auction and dinner in the summer. Our football team make a huge amount of money with this event.
I was involved in the Cheerleading boosters. We sold t-shirts for specific game days.. we chose 5 big games, got sponsors for the shirts with their names on the back, then sold the shirts in packs of 5. ALL profit and we sold thousands.
We had a tailgate party and sold tickets for the dinner before the big game. Tickets were about $7 each and the 2 years I was there, Carrabba's donated ALL the food. Again, it was ALL profit.
Our senior high PTA had a checking balance over $200,000 when I left which provided scholarships, after homecoming parties, prom, after graduation parties, as well as funding programs for the school.
Best wishes to you!! It is a hard job.