.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.png)
All fundraising ideas
Nonprofit fundraising ideas
From charity balls to penny drives, the possibilities are endless when it comes to raising money for good causes. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next big event or seeking creative concepts on a smaller scale, we’ve assembled a whole spread of fundraiser ideas for nonprofits to get you across the finish line.
Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
%201.png)
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Tie-dye fundraiser
Invite students to bring t-shirts, tote bags, socks, and other light-colored items of clothing for a tie-dye party. Charge a small fee for entry and supplies, and have some extra clothing items on hand to sell, too.
If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!
If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
.png)
All
Events
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Workshop or masterclass
Put your community’s talents to good use. Host an expert workshop or masterclass series and raise funds through ticket sales.
You don’t need to limit your audience to only the people you can fit in the room. Consider livestreaming your event to make it more accessible and raise even more dollars.
You don’t need to limit your audience to only the people you can fit in the room. Consider livestreaming your event to make it more accessible and raise even more dollars.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Auctions
Shoe drive
Ask your community members to donate gently worn or newly purchased pairs of shoes that you can sell at a pop-up shoe drive.
Make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and multiple payment options, including Venmo.
Make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and multiple payment options, including Venmo.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
All
Events
Petting zoo
Partner with a local farm or petting zoo to bring in animals for a day of fun. Charge an entry fee and offer optional donations for extra activities, like pony rides, to raise even more funds. Make sure attendees can make quick payments from their phones, using methods like Venmo or Tap to Pay, so they don't need to return to their cars for cash.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Battle of the bands
Host a battle of the bands with local musicians. Change the audience a small ticket fee, or raise funds by selling drinks and snacks.
Raise even more money by livestreaming the show. Encourage your supporters to tune in, support the event, and donate what they can towards your goal.
Raise even more money by livestreaming the show. Encourage your supporters to tune in, support the event, and donate what they can towards your goal.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Murder mystery night
Arrange a classic "whodunnit" event in which your guests roleplay to find out who the criminal within the group is.
Use easy event ticketing features to register guests online and check them in quickly with your mobile app to get the festivities started sooner!
Use easy event ticketing features to register guests online and check them in quickly with your mobile app to get the festivities started sooner!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
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
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
Candy grams
Buy some crowd-favorite candies and charge supporters to send these sweet treats to a chosen recipient along with a heartfelt note. To streamline the process, have donors fill out custom fields on your donation form with their personal notes and recipient addresses.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Themed auction
Partner with local businesses to source items for a themed auction with a variety of attractive packages, exciting products, and alluring getaways.
Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations.
Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Auctions
Principal challenge
Challenge your principal to do something wild (like dye their hair) if your team reaches their fundraising goal. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to drum up excitement and share updates (and photos!) as donations roll in.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Talent show
Stage a talent show and invite members to take to the stage to show off their skills. Sell tickets, drinks, and snacks to raise money.
Make the whole experience feel even more interactive with text-to-donate. Invite audience members to vote from their seats and raise money for your cause at the same time.
Make the whole experience feel even more interactive with text-to-donate. Invite audience members to vote from their seats and raise money for your cause at the same time.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Scratch card fundraiser
Buy a bulk batch of scratch cards from a wholesaler. Each circle hides a dollar amount, usually ranging from 50 cents to several dollars. Participants scratch off as many sections as they’d like, and the total amount is how much they’ll donate!
Collect cash or accept virtual payments on the spot with Tap-to-Pay, Venmo, and more convenient options.
Collect cash or accept virtual payments on the spot with Tap-to-Pay, Venmo, and more convenient options.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Events
Holiday card campaign
Craft a festive holiday card to mail directly or send digitally to your supporters. Extend season’s greetings, express gratitude for their support, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals.
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Penny wars
Grades or classes compete to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Grab a few jars and encourage students to find some loose change to get started! To ensure that no one forgets their cents at home, send reminders to parents with free texting software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Fundraising page
Donation forms
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:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
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.
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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Pajama run
Ask participants to don their favorite PJs while tackling a walk, jog, roll, or run for the cause. Encourage everyone to set a donation goal and spread the word about the fundraiser with peer-to-peer fundraising. Don’t forget to award prizes to the coziest runners!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Virtual food/wine tasting
Partner with local eateries and provide tasting kits for participants to enjoy at home for a small fee. Then, host a livestream tasting experience.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Kids’ art calendar
Turn finger paintings and drawings into custom calendars. Or, create custom pieces like photo books, mugs, or T-shirts to sell. Sell the merch using a fun and eye-catching fundraising page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Auctions
VIP cushioned seats sale
Create and sell custom VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats (and maybe some special team swag) at your next home game for your biggest fans and supporters.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Auctions
Spaghetti dinner
Host a pasta party where you serve spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, and dessert to attendees for a ticket price. Make your event even better by securing a restaurant as a sponsor.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
Community potluck dinner
Invite each person to contribute a dish and invite at least two people to join your dinner. To keep everything organized, customize your donation form so participants can note what dish they’re bringing when they RSVP—and make a contribution to your campaign.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
Drive-in movie night
Turn a parking lot and the side of a building into a makeshift drive-in movie theater. Charge an entrance fee and raise funds by selling drinks and snacks.
Sell tickets for your fundraising event in advance, and use engaging features like scan-to-donate and mobile app check-in to streamline your guests' experience.
Sell tickets for your fundraising event in advance, and use engaging features like scan-to-donate and mobile app check-in to streamline your guests' experience.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Pet run/walk
Invite community members to bring their furry friends along to walk in a charity 5k. Encourage participants to create individual fundraising pages that feature their pets, set a donation goal, and help spread the word about the cause.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Looks like we don’t have any fundraising ideas matching that criteria 🔎
We're always cooking up new ideas, so check back soon for fresh picks!
Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime
.png)
.svg)
Get top features for your nonprofit fundraiser
.svg)
Frequently asked questions
How do I raise money for my nonprofit?
Many valuable funding sources are available for your nonprofit, including foundations, corporate sponsors, and major donors. Our favorite strategy, however, is more grassroots: fundraising campaigns and events that rally community support for your cause, like the ideas shared on this page.
New to fundraising? Learn how to start a fundraiser with step-by-step guidance and even more inspiration.
Which ideas for nonprofit fundraising are the easiest?
When it comes to easy fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations, it all depends on your resources, time constraints, and how much you need to raise. One tip is to incorporate your fundraising efforts into pre-existing events, like partnering with a local team to promote your text-to-donate campaign at their next big game.
Pro tip: Offering mobile-friendly payment options makes the entire process easier for youandyour donors.
What are the most profitable nonprofit fundraising ideas?
Some of the highest-raising charity fundraising ideas put the focus—and goal—on a specific day or moment, like Giving Tuesday or an annual benefit auction. Auctions with high-ticket items and campaigns with incentives like matching gifts can also bring in large donations for a more successful fundraiser.
How can I raise money for my nonprofit fast?
When you need results fast, consider setting up an online fundraiser that includes a social media challenge or some friendly competition. With a peer-to-peer campaign, your supporters can create their own donation pages and spread the word online, building momentum toward your collective fundraising goal.
%201.png)
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox
Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Givebutter helps you turn ideas into impact
.png)
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox
Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
The most-loved fundraising platform
.png)
%201.png)
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
%201.webp){kind=icon}