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Fundraising ideas for individuals on behalf of nonprofits

Whether you’re a passionate individual supporter or a nonprofit organization eager to engage more people in your fundraising efforts, we’ve pulled together a slew of individual fundraising ideas that are sure to make an impact. 

From birthday donations and crowdfunding campaigns to baked goods sales and social media challenges, this list of easy fundraising ideas for individuals will help you find the inspiration you need to start raising funds for your favorite organization.

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Halloween costume run

Ask supporters to wear their spookiest Halloween costume during this fun run, walk, or roll. Be sure to use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word. 

At the end, award the winners of the race, the teams or individuals who raised the most, and, of course, the best dressed with special prizes. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/halloween-costume-run
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Peer-to-peer

Desk plant sale

Hold a desk plant sale featuring potted plants that employees can purchase to decorate their workspace while supporting the cause. Accept Venmo donations and other seamless payment methods for quick and easy transactions. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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Donation forms

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! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/telethon
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Peer-to-peer
Fundraising page

Pop-up clothing shop

Ask community members to purge their wardrobes and donate sell-worthy items to your cause. Host a pop-up clothing shop at a local venue and sell tickets for entry!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pop-up-clothing-shop
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Donation forms

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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/concert-for-a-cause
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Events

Baby picture guessing

Invite employees to bring in baby photos. Hang them all up and ask everyone to make a donation in order to guess which colleague is depicted in each picture!  
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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Best seat in the house

Auction off tickets to the best seat(s) in the house for an upcoming performance, sports game, gala night, live concert, or other experience your group is hosting.

With Givebutter you can also create unlimited kinds of event tickets—perfect for creating VIP packages.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/best-seat-in-the-house
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Auctions

Comedy night

Sell tickets to join your organization for an evening of laughter, drinks, and fundraising! Partner with a local venue and ask other businesses for corporate sponsorships to offset costs and bring in even more dollars for your cause. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/comedy-night
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Membership drive

Incentivize supporters to invite friends and family to sign up for a membership during a specific period of time. Offer discounted rates or additional perks, and accept recurring donations with ease on a user-friendly platform.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Fundraising page
Donation forms

Pride flag decoration party

Charge attendees a small fee to attend this crafty gathering and then sell or auction off your creations at an upcoming event. 

Make the silent auction process as smooth as possible with mobile bidding tools that enable supporters to participate right from their phones.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pride-flag-decoration-party
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Events
Auctions
Donation forms

Home exercise classes

Invite local fitness instructors and coaches to donate their skills and invite community members to join you for at-home exercise classes in exchange for a donation.

Manage everything in one place by broadcasting your classes with a livestream right on your event registration page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Celebrity guest appearance

Invite minor or major league players or other celebrity guests to your fundraising event to make a general appearance, offer a meet-and-greet session for VIPs, or participate in the event themselves! You can sell tickets and offer food and drink at an additional cost to make this fundraising event a big win for your cause.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/celebrity-guest-appearance
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You name it

Come up with a creative fundraiser with a cathy name like “Pancakes for Parents” brunch or a “Chicken Wings for Cheerleaders.” To get supporters excited, create a custom fundraising page full of on-theme photos, videos, ands more! 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Harvest dinner party

Host a grand harvest or Thanksgiving dinner party for special guests. Raise money through exclusive ticket sales, and use corporate sponsorship best practices to secure a partnership with a local restaurant or catering company.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events

Easter egg hunt

Set up an epic Easter egg hunt and create a fundraising event page for families in your community to register and make a sliding-scale donation to participate. 

Create an Easter Bunny photo booth and host a bake sale to bring in even more donations with scan-to-donate and Venmo donations on the day of the hunt! 

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/easter-egg-hunt
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Tree planting day

Plan a day of tree or flower planting to beautify your community. Invite local businesses to sponsor the whole event or an individual plant or tree, and invite donations from the wider community.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tree-planting-day
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Donation forms

Garage sale

Host a garage sale to transform your old belongings into funds for your mission. Your buyers will get some new treasures, and you will reach your fundraising goal.

Use our free email marketing software to send a big launch email with all the details, then send reminders closer to the day of the sale.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/garage-sale
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Donation forms

Gala night

Plan a sophisticated gala night with music, food, and a silent auction.  

Get your supporters excited about your upcoming event with an eye-catching gala invitation template. Include details on how to buy tickets, or add a scan-to-donate QR code.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gala-night
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Auctions

Legacy giving

Encourage supporters to make a planned gift to your organization (e.g., bequests, charitable trusts, or beneficiary designations) to leave a lasting legacy. Wealth screening software can help you identify the best donors to reach out to right in your CRM.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/legacy-giving
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Donation forms

Home decor workshop

Charge a registration fee and provide materials for attendees to create their own home decor. Selecting seasonal DIY projects—such as holiday wreaths or pumpkin painting—is a great way to draw a larger crowd. Take this event to the next level by turning it into a competition! Once all projects are completed, attendees can donate to vote for who should be crowned winner.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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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:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cup-of-coffee
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Donation forms

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 that scores the highest points, has the most creative team name, or even the best team uniforms.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bowl-a-thon
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Peer-to-peer

Birthday fundraiser

Encourage friends and family members to make a donation to your nonprofit cause instead of giving you a birthday gift. 

Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to get creative and express your personality. Add photos and videos, share your story, and leave comments and drawings for your supporters as they give.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Donation forms

Pet costume contest

Invite owners to enter their pets in costume categories such as "cutest" or "most creative." Charge an entry fee and ask attendees to vote on their stylish furry favorite by donating to the pet’s individual fundraising page
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-costume-contest
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Peer-to-peer
Fundraising page

LGBTQ+ trivia night

Charge a registration fee for a fun night of testing your LGBTQ+ knowledge. To raise additional funds at this fundraising event, sell pride-themed merch, drinks, and snacks, too!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lgbtq-trivia-night
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Frequently asked questions

When it comes to raising funds solo, there are plenty of effective personal fundraising ideas that don't require the support of a large team or organization. Once you choose a nonprofit you want to support, take advantage of online fundraising by creating a personal fundraising page, asking friends and family to contribute to your donation page in lieu of gifts on your birthday, or even running a race and asking for small donations.

There are numerous ways to ask for donations, but be sure to keep a few best practices to keep in mind. Instead of sending generic messages, personalize your outreach to each potential donor. Share why the cause is meaningful to you and how their contribution can truly make a difference. And don't forget to express genuine gratitude for their support, no matter the size of their donation.

While birthday donations and crowdfunding are classic single-person fundraising ideas, larger-scale fundraising campaigns and events are more likely to bring in higher donations with greater speed. Whether you charge an entry fee for a concert, ask local businesses to sponsor a car wash, or sell tickets for a block party, exciting events have the potential to attract a large audience and help you reach your fundraising goal more quickly.

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