A school fete is one of the most complex volunteer-run events you can organise — dozens of simultaneous stalls, hundreds of moving parts, and the entire school community as your audience. The budget reflects this complexity: most revenue comes from stall income and ride hire profits, while costs are heavily offset by in-kind donations and volunteer labour. This template models an $8,000 operating budget for a 500-person community fete, aiming to generate $10,000–$15,000 in net proceeds for the school.
$14,800
Budgeted income
$7,900
Budgeted expenditure
+$6,900
Budgeted surplus / (deficit)
Revenue Item | Budgeted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Food & Beverage Stall Income (BBQ, cakes, drinks) | $4,000 | $4,800 |
| Games & Activity Stalls | $2,500 | $2,800 |
| Ride Hire Revenue Share | $2,000 | $2,400 |
| Raffle (net proceeds) | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Local Business Sponsorships | $2,000 | $1,800 |
| Gate Entry (gold coin or set fee) | $500 | $600 |
| Silent Auction or Lucky Dip | $800 | $1,100 |
| Total Revenue | $14,800 | $17,000 |
Expense Item | Budgeted | Actual | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ride Hire Costs | $1,500 | $1,500 | 19% |
| Food Supplies & Catering Stock | $1,800 | $1,950 | 23% |
| Entertainment (band, face painter, performer) | $1,200 | $1,200 | 15% |
| Signage, Print & Decorations | $600 | $540 | 8% |
| Stall Equipment Hire (tables, gazebos, serving equipment) | $500 | $500 | 6% |
| Raffle Tickets Printing & Administration | $300 | $300 | 4% |
| Games & Activity Supplies | $400 | $380 | 5% |
| PA System Hire | $300 | $300 | 4% |
| Insurance & Permits | $400 | $400 | 5% |
| Prizes & Giveaways | $300 | $280 | 4% |
| Marketing (flyers, social media, school newsletter) | $200 | $180 | 3% |
| Contingency | $400 | $50 | 5% |
| Total Expenditure | $7,900 | $7,580 | 100% |
* "Budgeted" = original estimate. "Actual" = realistic outcome based on typical events of this type. Colour coding: green = on or under budget, red/orange = over budget.
The BBQ and food stalls are almost always the highest-grossing single activity — assign your most organised volunteers and ensure you have enough stock for a full day.
Ride hire is a powerful drawcard but comes with a revenue-share model — negotiate the split carefully and confirm the breakeven attendance before confirming.
Raffle ticket pre-sales are far more lucrative than day-of sales — start selling 3–4 weeks before the event through the school newsletter and student take-home envelopes.
In-kind donations from local businesses (food, goods, services) directly increase net proceeds — run an in-kind donation drive 6 weeks before the event.
Volunteer coordination is the backbone of the event — create a detailed roster with names, contact numbers, and start/finish times for every stall and role.
Gate entry income is often underestimated — a $2–$5 gold coin donation per adult adds up quickly for a 500-person fete.
Insurance is required at most school sites — confirm the school's existing public liability policy covers the fete, or arrange additional cover.
Communicate the net proceeds total to the school community after the event — it builds pride, validates the effort, and motivates volunteers for next year.
A well-run school fete with 400–800 attendees can generate $15,000–$50,000 in gross revenue. Net proceeds (after costs) of $10,000–$30,000 are realistic with good sponsorship and volunteer turnout. The biggest variable is raffle revenue — a well-promoted raffle with desirable prizes can add $3,000–$10,000 to the total.
A 500-person fete typically needs 60–100 volunteers across setup, stall operations, teardown, and float management. Organise volunteers into named stall teams with a team leader for each stall. Use a sign-up sheet (via SignUpGenius or a Google Form) to manage roster commitments.
The top earners are consistently: BBQ and food stalls, drinks (non-alcoholic), cake stall (almost 100% profit with donated goods), raffle, and a community treasure stall (donated goods). Games and rides generate good engagement and moderate revenue. Craft stalls and face painting tend to have lower margins.
Large school fetes need 4–6 months of planning. Set the date first (confirm school calendar, avoid community conflicts), then confirm rides/entertainment (book 3–4 months ahead), then build the volunteer roster and stall list. Start raffle ticket sales 4–6 weeks before the event.
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