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All fundraising ideas
Fundraising ideas for animal shelters
With millions of animals entering shelters each year, the financial need to aid these furry friends is substantial—not to mention the costs required to pay the humans who care for them.
Whether you’re raising funds for your own shelter or are an animal lover seeking to contribute to the cause, look no further. These animal shelter fundraising ideas will help you meet your goals and create adoption opportunities.
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Featured campaign
Rockingham Harrisonburg Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Help Us Unleash a $15,000 Matching Gift!
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Earth Day
Reserve an indoor or outdoor space and invite your community to come arrange flower bouquets and pot their own plants to celebrate Earth Day (April 22).
Charge an entrance fee and make your fundraising event move smoothly with mobile app check-in and easy scan-to-donate payment options.
Charge an entrance fee and make your fundraising event move smoothly with mobile app check-in and easy scan-to-donate payment options.
Cost:
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Inspiration
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All
Events
Donation forms
Baseball hit-a-thon
Collect pledges or donations from supporters based on the number of hits they make during a designated period of time. Have each participant create a personal peer-to-peer fundraising page and reach out to friends and family for donations!
Cost:
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Peer-to-peer
Themed auction
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.
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.
Cost:
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Impact:
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Auctions
CEO challenge
Challenge company leaders to undertake fun or silly activities if you reach your fundraising goal. For example, the CEO could agree to wear a superhero costume for a day if your office reaches its fundraising target by a certain date. Use a custom donation page with a goal bar so everyone can watch donations roll in—and make sure you hit your goal.
Cost:
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
Trike-a-thon
Create a race course and encourage family and friends to sponsor your little big-wheel racers by making a donation on their behalf on your fundraising page.
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Fundraising page
Parents’ night out
This fundraising event can be a fun gathering for parents, or you can make it an opportunity for grownups to drop off their kids for a few hours in exchange for a donation to your cause! Charge an hourly rate or a flat “entrance fee” and give caregivers some priceless peace and quiet.
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Inspiration
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Events
Mini-golf tournament
Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause.
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Peer-to-peer
Photo contest
Run a short photo contest for an inexpensive, all-ages fundraiser. Choose a theme, charge a small fee to enter, and invite community members to submit their photos alongside their donations in your supporter feed.
Raise even more by turning the top photos into a deck of cards or a calendar.
Raise even more by turning the top photos into a deck of cards or a calendar.
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Raffle
Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky is the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything that will appeal to your community members.
Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
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Donation forms
Outdoor adventure day
Charge participants a registration fee for a whole day of activities like hiking, fishing, and nature walks. Use free marketing tools to tease different activities and remind supporters of what they need to bring along on the day of!
Cost:
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Sponsor a stud
Encourage donors to "sponsor" a piece of lumber your team will use in your construction projects. Create custom labels for different donation amounts on your donation form that align with the cost of materials (e.g., $50 donation equals 3 pieces of lumber). Don’t forget to invite all sponsors to the ribbon-cutting ceremony when construction is complete!
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
Alumni night
Sell tickets to an all-inclusive alumni dinner before a big game or event. During half-time or intermission, bring out the alumni for special recognition. Alternatively, you can livestream a special alumni message during a virtual event.
Cost:
3
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Events
Street painting competition
Choose a theme and get permission to secure a paved area where your supporters can register to paint their own parking space or designated square.
Ask a local business to donate painting supplies, and then invite the community to vote for the best-painted square by making a donation ($1 = 1 vote) with an easy scan-to-donate QR code.
Ask a local business to donate painting supplies, and then invite the community to vote for the best-painted square by making a donation ($1 = 1 vote) with an easy scan-to-donate QR code.
Cost:
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Inspiration
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Fundraising page
Donation forms
Peer-to-peer fundraising
Multiply your reach with a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign in which individuals reach out to their own networks of family, friends, and coworkers to solicit donations for your cause.
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!
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Peer-to-peer
Holiday card campaign
Craft a festive holiday card to mail directly or send digitally to your supporters. Extend season’s greetings, express gratitude for their support, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals.
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
Cost:
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Inspiration
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
Pet run/walk
Invite community members to bring their furry friends along to walk in a charity 5k. Encourage participants to create individual fundraising pages that feature their pets, set a donation goal, and help spread the word about the cause.
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Inspiration
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pump-a-thon
Find out who can (safely) lift the most weight curling, deadlifting, or squatting. Charge entry fees for participants, sell tickets, and offer food and drink at an additional cost.
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Peer-to-peer
You name it
Come up with a creative fundraiser with a cathy name like “Pancakes for Parents” brunch or a “Chicken Wings for Cheerleaders.” To get supporters excited, create a custom fundraising page full of on-theme photos, videos, ands more!
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Home decor workshop
Charge a registration fee and provide materials for attendees to create their own home decor. Selecting seasonal DIY projects—such as holiday wreaths or pumpkin painting—is a great way to draw a larger crowd. Take this event to the next level by turning it into a competition! Once all projects are completed, attendees can donate to vote for who should be crowned winner.
Cost:
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Dance-a-thon
Using individual peer-to-peer fundraising pages connected to your central event page, participants gather donations and pledges based on how long they aim to dance—without taking a break!
Supporters can donate, leave messages of support for the dancers, and purchase tickets to join in the fun all in one place.
Supporters can donate, leave messages of support for the dancers, and purchase tickets to join in the fun all in one place.
Cost:
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Inspiration
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Count the jellybeans
Fill a big jar with jellybeans or other individual pieces of candy and have guessers write their number estimation next to their name. Use scan-to-donate and other easy mobile payment options to accept donations for guesses on the spot, and offer a worthwhile prize to the person that comes closest!
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Donation forms
Food truck Friday
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.
In exchange for driving more business their way, use a sponsorship proposal to negotiate a percentage of profits for your good cause.
Cost:
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Guest speaker event
Host a webinar or TED-style talk with an interesting topic and a captivating guest speaker sourced from your network.
Raise funds for your livestream by selling tickets and include upgrades like signed copies of books to bring in even more donations.
Raise funds for your livestream by selling tickets and include upgrades like signed copies of books to bring in even more donations.
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Swim-a-thon
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.
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Donation drive
Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!
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Fundraising page
Donation forms
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Frequently asked questions
How do animal shelters raise money?
Animal shelters raise money through donations, adoption fees, grants, and corporate sponsorships, as well as animal-themed fundraising ideas like pet-friendly bake sales and auctions. Many animal fundraiser ideas also utilize social media to reach a wider audience and solicit more donations.
What are the best pet rescue fundraising ideas?
Some of the best animal rescue fundraiser ideas involve both pet owners and their furry friends. Pet photo shoots, spa days, or competitive dog walks are all pet fundraising ideas that people love. Each supports the fundraising efforts of animal welfare organizations while also sparking joy. Other great animal-related fundraising ideas include selling products like pet calendars and treats.
How do I organize a charity dog/pet walk?
One of the most popular fundraising ideas for animal rescue organizations is a pet walk. It’s a great way to get your whole community involved in fundraising for animals while enjoying the company of their own pet at the same time.
To organize a walk, start by selecting a date, location, and route. Then, promote the event through social media, email newsletters, and flyers. Set registration fees and create fundraising pages for participants to collect donations. On the day of the walk, offer food, merchandise, and even additional activities to create more fundraising opportunities. Finally, thank participants and donors for their support and share the success of the event through social media and other channels.
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