Motivating your team to sell more cookie dough is key to a successful fundraiser. While some people are natural sellers, others may need an extra push to stay engaged. Offering fun and creative incentives can boost participation and maximize profits.
In this post, we’ll cover the 10 best incentives to encourage sellers, keep motivation high, and make your fundraiser more exciting!
2. Why Incentives Matter in Fundraising
✅ Boosts engagement – People are more likely to participate when there’s a reward involved.
✅ Creates competition – A little friendly rivalry encourages sellers to push harder.
✅ Increases sales – More motivated sellers = more cookie dough sold = higher profits!
✅ Encourages teamwork – Group incentives can bring everyone together for a shared goal.
3. Top 10 Fundraising Incentives for Cookie Dough Sellers
1️⃣ Grand Prize for the Top Seller
Best for: Schools, sports teams, large groups.
How It Works:
- The seller who sells the most cookie dough wins a big prize (gift card, AirPods, movie tickets).
- Keep the prize valuable enough to spark motivation.
- Announce leaderboard updates to fuel healthy competition.
Example: “The top seller wins a $100 Amazon gift card—who’s in the lead?”
2️⃣ Group Prize for Hitting a Sales Goal
Best for: School classes, teams, PTOs.
How It Works:
- If the entire group reaches the fundraising goal, everyone wins a fun event.
- Great for team-based motivation so no one feels left out.
Prize Ideas:
✔ Pizza party for the whole class.
✔ Extra recess for elementary students.
✔ Ice cream day or a movie day at school.
✔ Dress-down day (for schools with uniforms).
3️⃣ Mystery Prize Drawings for Sellers
Best for: Keeping participation fun and unpredictable.
How It Works:
- Every seller who sells at least X tubs gets entered into a drawing.
- Prizes can be randomized, adding an element of surprise and excitement.
Example: “For every 5 tubs you sell, you get an entry into the mystery prize raffle!”
4️⃣ Instant Prizes for Small Wins
Best for: Keeping momentum high throughout the fundraiser.
How It Works:
- Sellers who reach milestones (5 tubs, 10 tubs, etc.) win small, instant rewards.
- Makes the fundraiser feel rewarding at every step.
Prize Ideas:
✔ Candy, snack packs, stickers.
✔ Small gift cards ($5 Starbucks, Chick-fil-A).
✔ Extra credit (for school fundraisers).
5️⃣ “Golden Ticket” Hidden Bonus Prize
Best for: Creating excitement and buzz around selling.
How It Works:
- Hide a “golden ticket” in a random cookie dough order form.
- The person who receives the golden ticket wins a surprise prize!
Example: “One lucky seller will find a golden ticket in their order packet. What will the prize be? Find out when you sell!”
6️⃣ Sell X, Get a Free Tub!
Best for: Making sellers their own best customers!
How It Works:
- If a seller reaches a certain number of sales (e.g., 15 tubs), they get one for free!
- Encourages sellers to promote the product more since they’ll get to enjoy it, too.
7️⃣ Social Media Sales Challenge
Best for: Digital fundraisers or hybrid sales.
How It Works:
- Sellers compete to get the most online orders.
- They must share their personal fundraising link on social media to participate.
- The winner earns a fun prize.
Example: “Who can get the most cookie dough sales online this weekend? Winner gets a $25 gift card!”
8️⃣ Parent-Child Sales Challenge
Best for: Involving parents and increasing outreach.
How It Works:
- Challenge sellers to work with their parents to get sales.
- Create a separate leaderboard for parents—who can sell the most?
- Great for family engagement and boosting total orders.
Example: “Which family can sell the most tubs? Winner gets a special family night prize!”
9️⃣ “Fundraising VIP Club” for High Sellers
Best for: Motivating ambitious sellers.
How It Works:
- Sellers who reach a high sales threshold (e.g., 25 tubs) get special VIP perks.
- Can be a VIP badge, a special recognition, or exclusive rewards.
Example:
✔ VIP lunch with the principal.
✔ Name on a special “Fundraising Champions” banner.
✔ Exclusive VIP hoodie, t-shirt, or medal.
Bonus: Funny or Embarrassing Incentives for Group Leaders
Best for: Schools, sports teams, and youth groups.
How It Works:
- If the group hits its goal, the teacher, coach, or principal has to do something funny or embarrassing.
- Creates hype and excitement throughout the fundraiser.
Example:
✔ Principal gets duct-taped to the wall if the goal is reached.
✔ Coach shaves their head if the team sells X tubs.
✔ Teacher wears a funny costume for a day.
4. How to Announce & Promote Incentives
- Kick-off the fundraiser with a big announcement.
- Create a leaderboard to track progress.
- Post regular updates on social media (showing who’s in the lead).
- Send reminder emails and texts about upcoming prizes.
- Hype up the final days with a last-minute sales push.
5. Final Thoughts: Keep Sellers Motivated & Maximize Profits!
Offering creative incentives makes cookie dough fundraising more exciting and boosts sales. Whether it’s prizes, competitions, or group rewards, find what works best for your organization!
Need more fundraising tips? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Cookie Dough Fundraising for more strategies!