Best fundraising ideas
No matter your budget or team size, the best fundraiser ideas can significantly impact your cause. With hundreds of great fundraising ideas out there, it’s tough to create a list of the best. This list includes tried-and-true classics as well as creative twists on old favorites. All of these fundraisers made the cut by being low-cost or low-effort while also bringing in the most dollars.
Pay you not to ask me again
Open mic night
Coding bootcamp
Haunted house
Give it up challenge
Create a fundraising page for your challenge, including a list of ideas and suggested donation amounts. Share campaign updates and donor shout-outs to keep momentum going toward your goal!
Pajama day
Shoe-decorating
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
Used book sale
Virtual scavenger hunt
Color run
One-day giving event
Keep your supporters invested in your progress with a goal bar and campaign updates that highlight milestones, matching gifts, and special shout-outs throughout the day.
TikTok dance-off
For easy and simple sharing, create a custom donation form that’s optimized for mobile!
Fourth of July party
Movies in the park
Sell tickets online, check guests in with your mobile app, and offer easy payment methods like scan-to-donate for on-the-spot donations.
Masquerade ball
More money, no problems
Pet spa day
Coach dare
Take a pie to the face
With scan-to-donate, pie throwers use your QR code to land on your donation page instantly—no waiting around.
Youth lock-in
Set up an online fundraising event page where participants can register and supporters can make donations.
Rah-rah raffle
To attract the right audience, host a silent auction at your next spirited event with these experiences included!
Holiday card campaign
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
Karaoke night
To encourage even more donations during the party, display mobile giving options and your progress toward your goal using live display.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most profitable fundraiser?
Classic, large-scale events like gala nights, silent auctions, and sponsored runs or walks are often the most profitable fundraisers. These events bring together corporate sponsors, generous benefactors, and many individual donors for a day or night of supporting a worthy cause.
Other profitable ideas include crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising, which expands your audience to your supporters’ networks to spread the word and raise funds.
What is the most popular fundraising event?
The most popular fundraising events typically have a high turnout because they are family-friendly and feature people's favorite activities. Some popular ideas to raise awareness and donations include movie nights, fun runs, bake sales, bingo nights, golf tournaments, and fashion shows.
How can I fundraise a lot of money fast?
If your goal is to raise money fast, look for easy fundraising ideas—like a car wash, photo contest, or karaoke night—and host several different events. Another great way to raise money fast is with large and small donations to an online fundraising campaign. Our guide on how to raise $1K in 30 days will walk you through the process from start to finish.
What makes the best fundraising ideas ever?
With so many good ideas for fundraisers in the world, what makes for the best? The very best ideas for fundraising are as follows: 1. Simple to plan, 2. Easy to manage, and 3. Bring plenty of attention (and donations) to your good cause. For the ideas on this page, we’ve focused on highly effective fundraisers that don’t require a big budget or complicated coordination.
How do I find the right fundraiser ideas for my nonprofit organization, club, or cause?
To find the right fundraiser, start with data from past fundraising efforts if you have it. Identify which of your previous fundraising activities generated the most interest and money, then plan similar events in the future.
Use your target audience’s interests as a clue, too. If your group is animal-focused, good fundraiser ideas include a pet photo contest or a dog walking day in the local park. You could also ask your supporters and local community directly—have them vote on a few ideas and host whichever event is the most popular.
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox
Givebutter helps you turn ideas into impact
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox