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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.
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Take a stroll
Host an inclusive fun run event that’s a little more leisurely. Set a time window for participants to complete their stroll and encourage them to collect donations through peer-to-peer fundraising pages. Be sure to showcase their achievements on social media!
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Movement challenge
Go solo or form a team to complete a chosen movement challenge in support of your cause. Great for health-related organizations or any group that wants to raise funds through physical activity.
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Themed run
Make your peer-to-peer fundraising run truly memorable with a standout theme! Encourage participants to dress up and create teams based on your theme to build community and boost the competitive spirit.
Marathon
A marathon is a classic fun run fundraising event—perfect for your most ambitious supporters! You can host your own fundraising event, or give supporters the resources they need to raise money for your organization by running in an existing race.
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Bowl-a-thon
Reserve lanes at a bowling alley, ask participants to gather pledges for an all-you-can-bowl night, and watch the donations roll in on team fundraising pages.
Offer special prizes for the team with the highest score, most creative name, or even the best uniforms.
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More money, no problems
Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a donation form or fundraising page with photos, videos, and a compelling story in order to encourage gifts. Be sure to customize your donation amounts and add descriptions that are specific to your needs and impact.
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Flag football tournament
Bring fans onto the field for some football fun! Teams register and pay to play and fans buy tickets to cheer them on.
Pay you not to ask me again
Give your supporters a way to opt out of all your upcoming donation requests during a big fundraising effort. If they contribute via your donation form before a certain date, you’ll take them off your email and call list for the whole campaign! Then, you can easily segment your email list with your built-in CRM and marketing tools.
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Concert for a cause
Work with popular local musicians and performers to host a benefit concert with a percentage of the proceeds going towards your cause.
Want to make sure everyone can listen in and donate, no matter where they are? Livestream your concert to the masses and enable people to contribute to your campaign without leaving the stream.
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Crowdfunding campaign
Collect online donations from friends, family, and community members by creating a fundraising page that lays out your needs and the impact that you will make with the money you raise. Use photos and videos to make your story more engaging, and use a goal bar to showcase your progress.
Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!
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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!
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Yard sale
Turn old treasures into new funds for your good cause! Ask community members to host individual garage sales and donate their proceeds to your campaign—or host one large community yard sale using donated goods.
Create a fundraising page for your event, post campaign updates to keep people engaged, and update the fundraising total as donations come in.
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Corporate matching gift drive
Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation.
Postcard drive
Handwritten messages can make a huge impact on your fundraising by helping donors feel seen and appreciated. During your next campaign, have volunteers write and mail postcards to your contacts asking for support.
Add a modern twist by including a short URL that links directly to your fundraising page.
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Donation matching
Build relationships with local businesses and major donors that can offer matching donations to feature during your next campaign.
Matching gifts create an enormous incentive for supporters who understand that they can automatically double (or even triple or quadruple!) their impact for your cause.
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Telethon
Livestream an engaging program from your fundraising page with information, entertainment, and impact stories to inspire viewers to donate. Task volunteers with accepting gifts over the phone and replying to comments and gifts on your supporter feed. Don’t forget to display a live thermometer so everyone can watch donations come in in real time!
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Golf tournament
Golf tournaments are an incredible way to build relationships and raise funds for your cause. Charge teams an entry fee, secure sponsorships, and enjoy a day on the green with your community.
Check out our guide to discover how to make your next golf tournament even more profitable.
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Karaoke night
Host an unforgettable night for your community to come belt out their favorite songs. Charge a small entry fee or accept donations for participation.
To encourage even more donations during the party, display mobile giving options and your progress toward your goal using live display.
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Legacy giving
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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Build-a-thon
Invite supporters to have a tangible impact on their communities by raising funds and committing to volunteer their time to help build homes for those in need.
Participants create personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages where they can share their commitment to this cause with their friends and family, encouraging them to donate and support the initiative.
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Dodgeball tournament
Put teams together and face off to see who truly is the best when it comes to dodgeball. Charge teams an entry fee, sell tickets to watch the games, and sell refreshments to raise even more funds.
Invite participants to set up team fundraising pages so they can also compete to see who can raise the most funds for your cause.
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Year-end fundraiser
Celebrate the end of the year with a big annual fundraiser. Host an event and attract donations and support with a silent auction, peer-to-peer campaign, and more.
Use the year-end giving checklist to make sure you’ve covered every angle!
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Masquerade ball
Whether it's time for Mardi Gras or you’re looking for a creative New Year’s Eve idea, a masquerade ball will make for a memorable evening and bring in lots of donations. Create an unforgettable fundraising event experience with easy ticket sales and check-ins, live display, and a silent auction.
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Get top features for your next fundraiser
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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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