Your go-to source for fundraising inspiration

Fundraising ideas

We’ve got the best fundraising ideas for good causes of all shapes and sizes! Check out our curated lists or browse all fundraising ideas below by cost, effort, and impact.

Givebutter fundraising progress graphic showing $45,000 raised out of a $50,000 goal (90% complete), with a smiling yellow character holding a light bulb and a green 'Support Now!' button.

All fundraising ideas

Filter
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Beach ball


Swap the traditional venue for a sunset gala on the beach. With catering, live music, and an auction, you’ll have the perfect recipe for a memorable summer fundraiser.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/beach-ball
All
Auctions
Events
Pages & forms

Sledding course

Embrace the winter wonderland and assemble your own sledding course for all to enjoy. Encourage participants to bring their own sleds and contribute to your cause in exchange for a thrilling ride. Simplify donations with scan-to-donate and raise additional funds by selling cozy treats like hot chocolate or soup.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sledding-course
All
Events
Pages & forms

Fashion show


Host a fashion show that showcases talented local designers, fashion students, or both! Make it inclusive and invite people of all sizes and abilities to be your models.

At this fundraising event, you can bring in donations by charging entrance fees, selling food and drinks, and adding a silent auction.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fashion-show
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Calendar fundraiser

Design a calendar featuring fun or themed photos from your community, event participants, or volunteers. Sell it for a set donation amount, or use it as an auction item or giveaway prize.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/calendar-fundraiser
All
Pages & forms

Community resource fair

Reserve a large space like a parking lot or school gym and sell booths to local vendors. Invite the community and charge a small entrance fee with easy mobile giving tools like Tap to Pay or scan-to-donate
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-resource-fair
All
Events
Pages & forms

Basketball tournament

Host a basketball tournament between different schools, teams, or departments. Sell event tickets and offer drinks, snacks, and merch using Tap to Pay.

Step things up by challenging each team to see who can raise the most. Encourage them to create team fundraising pages to track their impact and build momentum toward game day.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/basketball-tournament
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Day at the zoo


Rally your supporters for an unforgettable fundraising field trip to the zoo. Partner with a local zoo to offer discounted admission that includes a donation to your organization. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/day-at-the-zoo
All
Events
Auctions

Special series


Create programming for a special series of sermons designed to help raise money for your current fundraising project.

Tie sermons directly to your goal and reach more supporters by livestreaming right from your fundraising page. Anyone can tune into the stream, make a donation, and learn about your campaign all in one place.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/special-series
All
Events
Pages & forms

Pool or beach volleyball tournament

Turn your local beach or community pool into a sports arena with a pool volleyball tournament. To make this a high-value event, charge teams an entry fee and encourage them to raise sponsorship through their team fundraising pages.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pool-volleyball-tournament
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Dodgeball tournament


Put teams together and face off to see who truly is the best when it comes to dodgeball. Charge teams an entry fee, sell tickets to watch the games, and sell refreshments to raise even more funds.

Invite participants to set up team fundraising pages so they can also compete to see who can raise the most funds for your cause.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dodgeball-tournament
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Adopt-a-mile fundraiser


Raise funds for a mission trip by asking congregation members to “adopt a mile.” This is a fun way to tie your fundraising activity into the experience and drive donations closer to your goal.

Highlight how close you are to reaching your target by displaying a live goal bar on your fundraising page, where the fundraising goal total equals the number of miles.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/adopt-a-mile-fundraiser
All
Pages & forms

Cup of coffee


Set up a coffee cart in the office and invite employees or passersby to donate the cost of their morning beverage to your cause. 

Offer scan to-donate and accept Venmo donations to make giving even easier.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cup-of-coffee
All
Pages & forms

Pros vs. Joes

Invite a local celebrity or sports expert to join you for the day. Sell tickets for guests to compete against the expert—whether it’s beating their score, time, or performance. You raise funds, they get a fun challenge, and you can offer a prize if anyone manages to win.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pros-vs-joes
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Strike out cancer


Rally supporters for your cause with a “strike out” event. Choose baseball, softball, or bowling, then add a fundraising page, sell tickets, and include a themed auction to boost donations.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/strike-out-cancer
All
Events
Auctions
Pages & forms

Easter gift basket auction


Source delicious treats and seasonal goodies to create a selection of Easter gift baskets for aneggcellentsilent auction.

Combine classic Easter baskets (chocolate eggs, bunnies, etc.) with other awesomesilent auction basket ideasto offer biddable items for the whole family.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/easter-gift-basket-auction
All
Auctions

Grab bags

Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online. 

To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/grab-bags
All
Auctions
Pages & forms

Taco-Making Contest


Put your culinary skills to the test! Charge an entry fee per team, and provide everyone with the same ingredients. The winner is the team with the tastiest tacos. Ready, set, cook!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/taco-making-contest
All
Events
Pages & forms

Pet therapy


Invite local animal shelters to bring adoptable dogs and cats to campus during midterms or finals to reduce student stress and raise money for a good cause.

Charge an entry fee and sell inexpensive extras like dog and cat treats. Be sure to offer multiple ways to pay, such as scan-to-donate and Venmo! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-therapy
All
Events

Cutest pet contest

Who has the cutest pet in your community? Host a photo contest to find out! Invite participants to submit a photo of their four-legged (or feathered or scaly!) friend for a set donation amount. Then, open up voting to the public—each vote can be a small donation. Crown a winner, raise funds, and flood everyone’s feed with cuteness.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cutest-pet-contest
All
Events
Pages & forms

Game night

Sell custom event ticket types and group tickets that offer unlimited access to games—or charge a certain number of tickets per game.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/game-night
All
Events

Build-a-thon


Invite supporters to have a tangible impact on their communities by raising funds and committing to volunteer their time to help build homes for those in need.

Participants create personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages where they can share their commitment to this cause with their friends and family, encouraging them to donate and support the initiative.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/build-a-thon
All
Peer-to-peer

Ice cream social

Set up an ice cream stall with different flavors, cones, toppings, and sauces. Raise funds by asking for donations to unlock the most popular or extravagant toppings.

Create a vibrant, themed fundraising page, then send your supporters straight to it with scan-to-donate. From there they can pay for their ice-cream and unlock flavors!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ice-cream-social
All
Events
Pages & forms

24-hour relay race


Create the ultimate relay race to raise funds for your cause. Participants create individual or team fundraising pages where friends and family can show their support with donations and progress toward their goal in real time.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/24-hour-relay-race
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Baseball bingo

Create bingo cards featuring baseball terms, players, and teams. Sell tickets and show off prizes with a custom fundraising event page that makes it easy to purchase more cards during the event by accepting every kind of payment method—even Venmo.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/baseball-bingo
All
Events
Looks like we don’t have any fundraising ideas matching that criteria 🔎
We're always cooking up new ideas, so check back soon for fresh picks!
Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime 

Subscribe to
The Butter Brief

Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox

Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Givebutter helps you turn ideas into impact

Subscribe to
The Butter Brief

Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox

Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

The most-loved fundraising platform

G