All fundraising ideas

Easy fundraising ideas

Raising money for your organization can be a drain on your limited resources—especially when fundraising is just one item on your very long to-do list! The simple fundraiser ideas on this list are designed to be quick and easy to pull together, so you can spread the word and raise cash fast.

From favorites like board game nights and baked goods sales to donation pages and photo contests, the easiest fundraising ideas will get you closer to your goal without taking up too much of your time or energy.

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50-yard-line movie night

Hang a projector screen (or large, white sheet) from the goalposts at the football field. Charge a small entrance fee, sell popcorn, and enjoy an outdoor movie night together—football-themed film or not! 
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Night at the museum

Secure a sponsorship from a local museum and invite families and community members to pay a donation to enjoy a crowd-free evening of fun.  
Cost:
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Bake sale

Everyone loves sweet treats. Whip up some cookies, cakes, and donuts, and set up a bake sale with proceeds going directly to your good cause. 

Supporters don’t have cash on them? No problem! With Givebutter you can accept a wide range of modern payment methods, including Venmo.
Cost:
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Movie night

Find a suitable indoor or outdoor space and host a ticketed screening of a fan-favorite movie (bonus if it’s related to your cause!). Sell popcorn, treats, and drinks, too. 

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. 
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Building tour

If you're opening a new building, offer a VIP tour to your community members. Set a ticket price or auction them off. To raise the most from your VIP building tour, use auction software to host a fun and stress-free experience for your supporters.
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Auctions

Office Games

Organize a series of lighthearted office games like chair races or paper airplane contests. Charge a small fee (donation) for participation and award prizes to winners. Offer scan to-donate to make the process smooth and simple.
Cost:
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Donation forms
Peer-to-peer

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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Fundraising page

Bonfire BBQ

Plan a cozy community fundraiser with a firepit, s'mores, firecrackers, and a delicious BBQ. Charge an entrance fee or raise funds through carnival games and refreshments.

With user-friendly fundraising event features, you can sell tickets in advance and accept donations in person, too.
Cost:
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Impact:
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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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Donation forms
Fundraising page

Speed dating

Find a venue, write up some icebreaker cards, and set a time limit for each date. Charge an entrance fee to this fundraising event and watch the sparks fly.

Encourage extra donations if participants find a special someone! 
Cost:
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Escape Room Challenge

Charge a participation fee and challenge teams to solve puzzles and clues to "escape” from various spaces in this exciting, community-building fundraising event.
Cost:
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Impact:
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Trike-a-thon

Create a race course and encourage family and friends to sponsor your little big-wheel racers by making a donation on their behalf on your fundraising page
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Fundraising page

Grown-up bake sale

Sell donated or homemade gourmet goodies like croissants and macarons for the ultimate grownups-with-a-sweet-tooth fundraiser. 

Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.  
Cost:
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Donation forms
Events

Outdoor adventure day

Charge participants a registration fee for a whole day of activities like hiking, fishing, and nature walks. Use free marketing tools to tease different activities and remind supporters of what they need to bring along on the day of! 
Cost:
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Sand ‘n’ sip

For a summer twist on a paint 'n' sip, invite donors to join you for a day of fun on the beach alongside a wine-tasting experience. To reach your goal, sell tickets for your fundraising event online and strike up a sponsorship deal with a local wine company.
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Puppy party

Team up with your local animal shelter to host an event to raise awareness and funds for both the shelter and your organization or campaign. Attendees get bonus puppy snuggles! 

At the event, highlight the different mobile giving options your supporters can choose from with live display
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Cup of coffee

Set up a coffee cart in the office and ask employees and/or passersby to donate the cost of their morning coffee towards the cause. 

Offer scan to-donate and accept Venmo donations to make giving even easier.
Cost:
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Donation forms

Raise the roof

Challenge your congregation to reach your fundraising goal by pledging that your pastor or ministry leader will sleep on the roof if you hit it—or until you do!

Embed a donation form on your website with a live goal bar, so your community members can see just how close you are to hitting that target.
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Fundraising page
Donation forms
Peer-to-peer

Drag show

Sell tickets for a night of performances by local drag artists and musicians (with food and drinks available, too!). 

Manage your event ticketing, check in your attendees, and accept additional donations in person with easy fundraisng event software. 
Cost:
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Sponsor a stud

Encourage donors to "sponsor" a piece of lumber your team will use in your construction projects. Create custom labels for different donation amounts on your donation form that align with the cost of materials (e.g., $50 donation equals 3 pieces of lumber). Don’t forget to invite all sponsors to the ribbon-cutting ceremony when construction is complete!
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Donation forms
Fundraising page

Popcorn fundraiser

Partner with a popcorn supplier and sell gourmet popcorn to family, friends, and community members. Add mouthwatering images to tickets to showcase all the different flavors available.
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Donation forms

Nostalgia night party

Pick an era (like the ‘90s), set the scene, charge an entrance fee, and sell themed merch, food, and drinks. To encourage even more donations during the festivities, display mobile giving options and your goal bar using live display
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Cooking competition

Take inspiration from the TV show “Chopped” and challenge teams to a culinary showdown! 

You can get even more spectators in on the fun by livestreaming the event and asking for donations throughout the program. 
Cost:
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Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer

Yard raking

Set up a yard raking service in exchange for donations toward your good cause. 

Follow best practices for volunteer recruitment to build a loyal community of supporters ready to pitch in for yardwork and more.
Cost:
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Donation forms
Auctions

Neighborhood tailgate party

Swap the stadium for your local streets and host a neighborhood tailgate party. Clear a block or two and set up food stalls, carnival games, and plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. 

You can make the event free and charge for activities or create a ticketed event—whichever you choose, our fundraising event features can help.
Cost:
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Donation forms
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Frequently asked questions

If you need to raise money for your cause quickly, look through super-easy fundraising ideas featured on this page to find one that works for you. Pair these great fundraisers with 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 heaps of expert knowledge, weeks of planning, or buckets of cash. Instead, these fundraising efforts only require a few materials, inexpensive supplies, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm.

We’ve designed this list of quick fundraising ideas to meet two criteria—that they’re simple and fast. Each fundraiser can be planned with little effort, meaning they’re perfect for small teams, volunteers on a budget, and anyone who needs a last-minute fundraising idea to hit an unexpected target quickly.

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