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Easy fundraising ideas

Raising money for your organization can feel overwhelming, especially when fundraising is just one task on a very long to-do list. These simple fundraiser ideas are quick to pull together and easy to execute, so you can spread the word and collect donations for your cause. 

From favorites like board game nights and baked goods sales to donation pages and photo contests, the easiest fundraising ideas will help you hit your goal fast—without burning out your team.

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Slide into DMs

Few things beat a personalized, one-on-one request. Send direct messages to thank your supporters and link to your donation form or fundraising campaign.

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Trending hashtag

Keep an eye out for trending hashtags to join the conversation and introduce your cause to new audiences. Just be sure to find a clear way to connect the trend back to your mission.

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Tag 3

Ask donors to tag three friends when they give. This fun, no-cost challenge turns every donation into an instant ripple effect, sparking new connections and spreading your campaign further.

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Cutest pet contest

Who has the cutest pet in your community? Host a photo contest to find out! Invite participants to submit a photo of their four-legged (or feathered or scaly!) friend for a set donation amount. Then, open up voting to the public—each vote can be a small donation. Crown a winner, raise funds, and flood everyone’s feed with cuteness.
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Bake to give raffle

Gather your community’s best bakers and turn their sweet creations into a fundraising feast! Ask volunteers to whip up their favorite cakes or cookies to sell at your event. 

To add some extra excitement, sell raffle tickets and offer baked goods as delicious prizes.
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Social media challenge


Choose a theme and hashtag, then encourage supporters to post a video or photo, tag others to join in, and donate!

Explore more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.

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Coach or teacher dare


Challenge a coach or teacher to do something wild (like shaving their head!) if your team reaches its fundraising goal. Build anticipation by letting supporters track your progress in real time with a fundraising page that features a live goal bar.
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VIP cushioned seats sale


Sell VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats—and maybe some team swag—at your next home game. Give your biggest fans an unforgettable experience while raising funds for your cause. 
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Jeans day


Sell passes for a day out of uniform or a day in jeans. You can even turn it into a friendly competition to see which grade has the highest participation. For easy payments, use scan-to-donate, Venmo, or other convenient methods. 
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Storybook Character Dress-Up Day

Invite students to come to school dressed as their favorite storybook characters. Charge a small participation fee and organize storytimes throughout the day.
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Principal for the day


Auction off the chance for a student to be school principal for the day! The lucky student will get to greet classmates as they arrive, make morning announcements, visit classrooms, and enjoy a special lunch with the principal. 
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Virtual movie night


Host a virtual family movie night using Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party) on your favorite streaming platform. Collect donations before or during your fundraising event, and make it more interactive and fun with movie trivia questions throughout the evening. 

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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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High five booth


Brighten up someone’s day and raise money for a good cause. Set up a booth where passersby can make a donation and receive a high-five in return.

Make the giving process as quick and easy as the high-five itself with scan-to-donate.
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The guessing game


Fill a jar with candy at your next event and invite people to guess how many pieces are inside for a small donation. The closest guess wins all the candy!

Use scan-to-donate for quick, on-the-spot giving—just print the QR code on a poster or display it at your stand. 
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Donate or dare


Pledge to do something wild, exciting, or newsworthy if your campaign hits its goal. Shaving your head is a classic option for this fundraising idea!

Share regular updates on your fundraising page and add a goal bar to keep the momentum going and drive more donations.
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Caroling


Embrace the holiday spirit and spread joy by going caroling around town or at a seasonal event. Pass the hat for cash donations and display a large QR code or text-to-donate number for easy mobile giving.
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Birthday fundraiser


Instead of birthday gifts, ask friends and family to make a donation to your nonprofit cause!

Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to share your story, upload photos and videos, and let supporters leave comments as they give.
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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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Penny wars


Organize a friendly competition between grades or classes to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Just grab a few jars and encourage students to find some loose change to get started! 
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Pajama day

For a small donation, students can come to school in their pajamas and enjoy a cozy day. Grownups can organize a pajama day fundraiser at work, too! Accept donations in advance or on the day of via multiple payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo.
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Lemonade stand


Set up a classic lemonade stand—and maybe add some tasty treats—to raise funds for your cause. Make purchases seamless with scan-to-donate and mobile-friendly donation forms that accept Venmo and other popular payment methods. 
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Kids’ art calendar


Turn kids’ finger paintings and drawings into custom calendars—or transform them into keepsakes like photo books, mugs, or t-shirts. Sell the merch using a fun, eye-catching auction or fundraising page.
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Teacher “jail”


Challenge students to meet a fundraising goal. If they succeed, their teacher gets “locked in jail” (aka gets to relax in the teachers’ lounge) while students take over the classroom for fun and games. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to build excitement!
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Engraved bricks


Allow supporters to “buy” a brick for your next construction project that will have their name or dedication engraved on it for all to see.

Use custom fields on your donation form to capture essential details for donors’ bricks—and be sure to set a word count limit so they don’t go over!
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Frequently asked questions

To raise funds for your cause quickly, look through super-easy fundraising ideas featured on this page to find one (or a few!) right for you. Then, check out our step-by-step guide on how to raise $1K in 30 days for a smoother journey toward your fundraising goal.

The best thing about these fast fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations is that they don’t require expert knowledge, extensive planning, or a lot of upfront cost. Instead, these fundraising efforts only need a few materials and plenty of enthusiasm—perfect for teams with limited resources.

We’ve designed this list to meet two criteria—that they’re fast to plan and simple to execute. Each of these can be planned with little effort, making them ideal for anyone on a tight budget or in need of last-minute fundraising ideas.

Bake sales, read-a-thons, car washes, and scavenger hunts in a local park or partnering with a local restaurant are some of the best quick fundraising ideas. Other great examples include text-to-donate, matching gifts, and online fundraising campaigns.

If your nonprofit team is small (but mighty!), focus on nonprofit fundraisers that don’t require too much setup effort. Raffles, car washes, and yard sales will raise funds for your cause without requiring a huge lift. Virtual fundraising events—like fun runs, concerts, or movie nights are also great options for small teams because they are low-cost and can bring in significant revenue through charging an entry fee.

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