How to Run a Pie Fundraiser That Sells — A Step-by-Step Guide for Schools, Clubs, & Teams

Pie fundraisers are popular for good reason - pies are nostalgic, delicious, and make the whole house smell irresistible. But not every pie sale is successful. If you want your fundraiser to truly support your organization with minimal headaches, you need a plan. In this guide, we’ll walk you through running a pie presale that sells out and delivers profits, with actionable tips for every step of the process.

Step 1: Set Your Goals

Define your fundraising target (e.g., $1,500 for a sports team) based on the number of sellers and their history of selling. 3-5 pies per seller is reasonable, while some might easily sell 20 - 30.

Estimate how many pies you’ll need to sell to reach it. Include wholesale cost, pickup/delivery, and add a buffer for unsold items. Deliveries are included in the sale if you are within 40 miles of Mayville, Wisconsin.

Decide on bonus goals (e.g., top seller prize) to boost motivation. We can customize a plan to include a prize for top sellers, too.

Step 2: Create Order Forms & Marketing Materials

Your design should be simple and clean including your logo and the logo of the pie company you choose. When you work with Sweet Pea’s, we’ll create professional sell sheets and social media ads for you.

Include a section on “Why choose local pies?” - emphasize quality, freshness, and community support.

Include “Order deadline,” “Delivery date,” “Pickup location,” and Coordinator Contact” clearly.

Step 3: Recruit and Train Sellers

Explain to students/members how to present the fundraiser: short script, sample social media post, tip sheet.

Provide motivational incentives (free pies, bonus items) for top sellers.

Give them timelines and order forms well in advance, especially before holidays.

Sweet Pea’s will provide ingredient lists and descriptions.  We also offer gluten-free-friendly and sugar-free versions of some of our fundraiser pies.

Step 4: Collect Orders, Payments & Manage Inventory

Set a firm cut-off for order submission. Make sure you know your organization's timelines for getting checks cut or using credit cards for payments so you can include these details in your timelines.

Use spreadsheets (or fundraising software) to tally orders and calculate final counts. When you sell Sweet Pea’s locally made frozen take-and-bake pies, we’ll provide a shared google sheet that you can use to record your sales and submit your final order.

Keep records of who ordered what, and track payments (cash, check, digital).

Step 5: Schedule Pickup/Door Delivery

Arrange a single pickup day that works for your sellers and your pie company (e.g., one Wednesday evening). Communicate it clearly to all participants.

If using delivery, plan volunteers to arrive ahead of time and help assemble the orders. 

Ensure proper refrigeration or storage instructions are given to participants before pickup.

When selling with Sweet Pea’s, you'll have access to expert knowledge on organizing your pick-up time to ensure the product stays in top condition.

Step 6: Post-Sale Follow-up & Cleanup

Send thank-you emails / social media shout-outs to customers and sellers.

Host a “pickup party” or local event to distribute pies (builds community and publicity) - this makes a great photo-op!

Collect feedback from organizers & participants to improve the next sale.

Best Practices & Tips That Boost Sales

Promote your cause, goals, and product early and often: school newsletters, local papers, PTA meetings.

Use social proof: photos of past successful fundraisers and quotes from satisfied organizers.

Set up an online zero-fee fundraising platform like Zeffy and offer bundle deals (“Buy 3 pies, get $2 off”) or add-ons such as gift cards and coupons donated from local businesses. 

Use an online auction, deadlines, or “limited availability” messaging — people act faster if they think pies might sell out.

Track performance by seller so you can recognize top fundraisers and improve coaching for future sales.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Underestimating volunteer workload for sorting and distribution. Sweet Pea’s makes it easy to get orders ready by offering 5-count cases of all our fundraiser pies.  We’ve seen a team of 4 volunteers get over 1,000 pies ready to go in about 40 minutes.

Insufficient promotion and late marketing or forgetting to ask people who purchased in the past. We recommend buying a few extra cases to make sure those late-comers can still get in on the sale.

Poor communication with pickup locations (unrealistic timing, inadequate storage).

Skipping follow-up - organizers lose valuable feedback and referrals for next year.

Selling pie made by big manufacturers - Pies made in Mayville, Wisconsin, are the fundraisers that sell themselves. What are you waiting for?  Let's make dough together!

Running a successful pie fundraiser takes coordination, but with the right steps, your school or community group can hit its goals — and build positive local publicity. Sweet Pea’s Pies provides the tools, local delivery, and quality product to make your fundraiser run smoothly and profitably. Get started today by visiting our Fundraising FAQ and Contact page.

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