Fundraising ideas

Partner with a celebrated local eatery to donate a percentage of their profits from a certain night or weekend to your fundraising campaign. Check out tips for securing corporate sponsorships to make the most of this opportunity.

Offer supporters the chance to name a bench, tree, sculpture, or pathway in recognition of their gift.

Create custom labels on your donation form for different naming tiers (e.g., $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).

Find a venue, write up some icebreaker cards, and set a time limit for each date. Charge an entrance fee to this fundraising event and watch the sparks fly.

Encourage extra donations if participants find a special someone! 

Invite a photographer to host a tour around the local area, taking in the sights of the season. Sell tickets in advance and use an easy mobile app to check in guests and take any last-minute payments on the day of. 

Highlight the power, strength, and talent of women in your community today and throughout history with a special fundraising event.

Whether it’s in-person, virtual, or hybrid, raise more and stress less with easy online registration, mobile app check-ins, and live display

Partner with local businesses to source items for a themed auction with a variety of attractive packages, exciting products, and alluring getaways. 

Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations. 

Put your teachers and school admins in the spelling spotlight. Ask for an entry fee and charge contestants for “help” if their skills are rusty (like buying an “ask-the-audience” pass!). 

To make this event virtual or hybrid, livestream it from your event page for attendees to watch from home.

Host a desk plant sale featuring potted greenery employees can purchase to decorate their workspace while supporting your cause. Accept Venmo donations and other seamless payment options for quick, easy transactions.

Approach a local farmer’s market with a sponsorship proposal and see if they can host a special fundraising event for your cause or dedicate a certain percentage of their Saturday morning profits to your campaign. Be sure to outline all of the perks that vendors can expect from the collaboration, like free publicity.

Choose one Friday every month to be Food Truck Friday, in which you partner up with a local food truck to visit the area and promote their arrival.

In exchange for driving more business their way, use a sponsorship proposal to negotiate a percentage of profits for your good cause.

Add some extra competition to your golf tournament by awarding a prize to the longest drive. You could even ask a company to sponsor the award to bring in even more funds for your cause.

Take the bidding online by allowing participants to browse your silent auction catalog, place bids, and win from anywhere! 

Use auction software that makes the bidding process smooth and simple for you and your donors.

Host a town hall event to give community members an opportunity to learn about your organization, program, or new project. Display your text-to-give code prominently around the space to raise funds from inspired audience members. 

Partner with a local shelter for an all-day pet adoption palooza. Make it an event to remember and attract more guests with music, games, food, and plenty of furry companions.

You never know—the person who came by for a hot dog might just leave with their forever friend!

Host a ballet, jazz, contemporary, or other dance class for the community. Create a fundraising page and ask for a donation in exchange for a spot, or sell tickets for your taster classes instead.

Send a festive holiday card—by mail or email—to share season’s greetings, thank your supporters, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals. 

Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.

Offer fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience that brings them closer to the team. The tour can feature team rituals, player gear, strategy boards, and even pre-game routines.

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.

Auction off tickets to the best seats at an upcoming performance, sports game, gala, live concert, or other experience your group is hosting.

Use Givebutter to create unlimited types of event tickets—perfect for customizing your VIP packages.

Join forces with your rival team for a good cause. Organize a race or other competition between your mascots during halftime at a big game, and ask supporters to vote for their mascot by donating on a team fundraising page. Use text-to-donate or a QR code to bring in even more funds from the stands during the event.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a shamrock-themed live event or auction in support of a good cause. Go all out with a green color scheme, traditional live music, and Irish-inspired activities.

Pledge to do something wild, exciting, or newsworthy if your campaign hits its goal. Shaving your head is a classic option for this fundraising idea!

Share regular updates on your fundraising page and add a goal bar to keep the momentum going and drive more donations.

Sell tickets or auction off a grand schedule of manicures, pedicures, massages, and more at various spas in your city. Include lots of perks for participating local businesses—like free marketing and publicity—in your corporate sponsorship proposal. 

Swap your sneakers for a swimsuit or trunks and host a swim-a-thon to raise money for your cause. Set a route that feels achievable, and invite participants to create their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages to help you reach your goal.