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All fundraising ideas
College fundraising ideas
Whether you're raising money for your study abroad trip or on behalf of a local nonprofit, college fundraising requires strategy. To stand out in a crowd of other activities, you’ll need fresh campaigns and events that are fun and easy to get involved in.
These university fundraising ideas will help you tap into the generosity of your fellow students, faculty, alumni, and the broader campus community.
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Featured campaign
Women's Club Basketball at NC State
3rd Annual Play4Kay Basketball Tournament & Competition
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Give it up challenge
Ask supporters to “give up” a small indulgence—like their morning coffee—for a set amount of time and donate those funds to your campaign instead.
Create a fundraising page to share challenge ideas, set suggested donation amounts, and post updates or donor shout-outs to keep momentum going.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/give-it-up-challenge
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Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Ice cream social
Set up an ice cream stall with different flavors, cones, toppings, and sauces. Raise funds by asking for donations to unlock the most popular or extravagant toppings.
Create a vibrant, themed fundraising page, then send your supporters straight to it with scan-to-donate. From there they can pay for their ice-cream and unlock flavors!
Create a vibrant, themed fundraising page, then send your supporters straight to it with scan-to-donate. From there they can pay for their ice-cream and unlock flavors!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ice-cream-social
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Events
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Online garage sale
Collect new and used goods from your community and sell items on a first-come, first-served basis—virtually. To introduce some fun competition and bring in more funds, turn the sale into an auction with buy-now pricing options!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/online-garage-sale
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Auctions
Field day
Invite participants to register for a day of fun outdoor games and friendly competitions, like relay races, a water balloon toss, and tug-of-war.
Make your fundraising event a success with sponsorships from local businesses to help offset costs and bring in more participants.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/field-day
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Events
Haunted house
Create a spooky experience and raise funds by encouraging brave participants to enter—if they dare. Accept payments on the spot with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and more convenient options.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/haunted-house
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Events
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Bar crawl
Organize a themed 21+ bar crawl to the local pubs! Create custom ticket types for various amounts of drink tickets and eats along the way.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bar-crawl
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Events
No-talent show
Sell tickets to an all-but-traditional talent show where people make a fool of themselves for a good cause. Offer seamless event ticketing, sell food and drinks, and let the laughs begin!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/no-talent-show
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Fashion show
Host a fashion show that showcases talented local designers, fashion students, or both! Make it inclusive and invite people of all sizes and abilities to be your models.
At this fundraising event, you can bring in donations by charging entrance fees, selling food and drinks, and adding a silent auction.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fashion-show
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Art festival
Secure a large space, reach out to local artists, and charge an entrance fee to your very own art festival. Check-in attendees and accept payments at the door and use scan-to-donate to encourage additional in-person donations throughout the event.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/art-festival
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Events
Community service day
Organize volunteers to participate in a day of community care—tackling local projects and tasks in exchange for donations from your community members.
Showcase every project or fundraiser you’re working on using a central giving hub, so supporters can see all your amazing work in one place.
Showcase every project or fundraiser you’re working on using a central giving hub, so supporters can see all your amazing work in one place.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-service-day
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Events
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BBQ cookout
Host a BBQ cookout featuring grilled meats, sides, and desserts. Charge entrance fees and ask for donations at this fundraising event, too. Make this fundraising event even tastier by sharing sponsorship proposals and inviting local restaurants to sponsor your event (or even compete!).
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bbq-cookout
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Virtual book club
Host a virtual book club and charge a small registration fee or ask for donations to join. Hold regular discussions via Zoom or another video conferencing platform to keep the community engaged.
Set up recurring donations as a simple way to collect membership fees for ongoing gatherings.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-book-club
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Spring break t-shirt sale
Design your own spring break t-shirts and sell them in person and online to raise funds for your group or cause.
Use custom fields on your donation form to collect the details you need from buyers, such as their t-shirt size and color choice.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/spring-break-t-shirt-sale
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Pages & forms
International Women's Day fundraiser
Highlight the power, strength, and talent of women in your community today and throughout history with a special fundraising event.
Whether it’s in-person, virtual, or hybrid, raise more and stress less with easy online registration, mobile app check-ins, and live display
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/international-women-s-day-fundraiser
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Auctions
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Student art auction
Auction off student art projects online, in person, or both! Add photos and descriptions of each masterpiece using auction software for easy bidding and sharing.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/student-art-auction
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Auctions
Events
Pages & forms
Farmer’s market
Approach a local farmer’s market with a sponsorship proposal and see if they can host a special fundraising event for your cause or dedicate a certain percentage of their Saturday morning profits to your campaign. Be sure to outline all of the perks that vendors can expect from the collaboration, like free publicity.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/farmer-s-market
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Events
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Lip sync competition
Invite community members to sign up and submit their songs for an unforgettable lip-sync battle. Recruit a volunteer panel of judges to select the winners—and don’t forget prizes for the winners!
Sell tickets for this fundraising event online, streamline check-in, and accept extra donations with the same easy platform.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lip-sync-competition
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Events
Battle of the food trucks
Host a showdown between some of your favorite food trucks. Ask each truck to donate a percentage of sales towards your good cause, and award a fun prize to the truck that makes the most sales that day.
Partnering with food trucks is a great way to reach your fundraising target. Discover how to secure corporate sponsorships.
Partnering with food trucks is a great way to reach your fundraising target. Discover how to secure corporate sponsorships.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/battle-of-the-food-trucks
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One for one pledge
Whether you’re offering branded merch, boxed lunches, or other appealing products, incentivize even more donations for your cause by pledging to give away one “reward” item for each one purchased. (For example, for every pair of cozy socks sold, you’ll donate a pair to a local shelter.)
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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/one-for-one-pledge
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Pages & forms
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/postcard-drive
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Pages & forms
Best seat in the house
Auction off tickets to the best seats at an upcoming performance, sports game, gala, live concert, or other experience your group is hosting.
Use Givebutter to create unlimited types of event tickets—perfect for customizing your VIP packages.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/best-seat-in-the-house
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Events
Auctions
Used book sale
Reserve a space and ask your community to donate their gently used books for a cause. Set a price for each book and use scan-to-donate or Venmo to easily accept payments on the spot.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/used-book-sale
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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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/golf-tournament
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Peer-to-peer
Envelope fundraiser
Distribute branded envelopes around your community and invite supporters to pick one up, insert a donation, and drop it off at a designated location.
Spread the word with easy email marketing software. Share campaign details and send reminders as the deadline gets approaches.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/envelope-fundraiser
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Virtual scavenger hunt
For this totally remote fundraising event, charge a registration fee and ask participants to use their computer or mobile device to complete various challenges. Share instructions and updates and announce winners from a livestream hosted right on your event page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-scavenger-hunt
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Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime
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Frequently asked questions
How do college clubs and groups make money?
College clubs and groups use various strategies to raise money and collect donations in support of their activities. Common fundraising ideas for college organizations include running bake sales or car washes, selling tickets to events, getting sponsorships from local businesses, and receiving grants.
What are the most popular college fundraising ideas?
The most popular fundraising ideas for college students engage fellow students and the local community while providing value or entertainment. Favorite options include charging an entry fee to themed parties or events like a battle of the bands, organizing social media challenges, selling raffle tickets, or teaming up with local restaurants to add some flavor to your fundraising efforts.
What are the most profitable college fundraisers?
The impact of college fundraisers can vary depending on factors such as the size of the audience, the level of engagement, and the expenses involved. Some of the most profitable fundraisers for college clubs and groups include hosting large-scale events such as concerts, festivals, charity galas, gaming tournaments, and auctions, and leveraging online platforms for crowdfunding campaigns.
Strategic partnerships with businesses or alumni networks can also help maximize fundraising potential, too!
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