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.
Virtual gala
Bingo night
In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake.
One for one pledge
Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.
24-hour relay race
Pet yoga
Make this fundraising event even better by asking a local yoga studio to be a sponsor.
March Madness
To take this fundraising idea online, take advantage of livestreaming tools, too!
Pie baking contest and potluck
Community members can make small donations as their “votes” for their favorite pies, and you can display the leaderboard to keep the competitive spirit up and momentum moving toward your fundraising goal throughout the event.
High heels walk
Adopt-a-room
Field goal derby
Auction your time or skills
Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.
Rent your space
Spread the word that your space is available for rent with your email marketing software. Don’t forget to include photos of the space to encourage interest!
Board game night
Oozeball tourney
Battle of the food trucks
Partnering with food trucks is a great way to reach your fundraising target. Discover how to secure corporate sponsorships.
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.
Popcorn fundraiser
Partner with a local restaurant
Fan Combine
TikTok dance-off
For easy and simple sharing, create a custom donation form that’s optimized for mobile!
Flamingoed
To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.
Bail out the pastor
Create excitement by displaying a live goal bar on your fundraising page so supporters can watch the total rise in real time.
Bar crawl
Superhero training camp
After your event, use email marketing software to share your gratitude with participants and volunteers along with pictures you captured of the day!
Social media challenge
Learn more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
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.
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