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.
Bingo night
In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake.
Movie night
Use Givebutter’s fundraising event tools like online ticket sales, mobile app check-ins, and in-person payments to make it easier for you and your supporters.
Street food stand
Partner with a local restaurant or food truck, or set up your own stall for the day. Want to strike up a relationship with a local restaurant? Use our sponsorship proposal guide to get started!
Tie-dye fundraiser
If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!
Holiday-grams
Customize your donation form with custom fields to collect all the details you need—such as the recipient’s name, a personalized, heartfelt holiday message, and where the gram should be delivered.
Lip sync competition
Sell tickets for this fundraising event online, streamline check-in, and accept extra donations with the same easy platform.
House party
Sell event tickets online in advance, check guests in with our mobile app, and use Tap to Pay and Venmo donations to accept latecomers on the spot.
Mystery art show
Charge an entrance fee and invite supporters to purchase pieces all at the same price—without knowing who their artist is until the end of the event!
Peer-to-peer fundraising
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!
Harvest dinner party
Crowdfunding campaign
Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!
5k walk/run
Street clean up
Work with local businesses to sponsor the day and encourage donations towards your charity or group.
Virtual gala
Back-to-school sale
Customize online tickets with the name and image of each product, so your supporters can easily choose between the items on sale.
Food truck smorgasbord
Themed auction
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.
Baseball bingo
Student art auction
All you can eat buffet
A free event ticketing platform can help you organize and manage your evening and check people in from your mobile device without any stress.
Bring your pet to work day
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!
Pajama run
Skate-a-thon
Leading up to your event, encourage your participants to create their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages, which they can personalize with their own stories and updates.
Holiday market
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
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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