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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.
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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.
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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All
Events
Peer-to-peer
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.
You can get even more spectators in on the fun by livestreaming the event and asking for donations throughout the program.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Holiday cookie sale
Whip up some sweet treats to sell at your next fundraising event, group gathering, or around town. Consider setting up a station for supporters to decorate their own cookies or create kits for families to bring home in exchange for a donation.
Streamline the buying process with scan-to-donate—which guest can use to make their payment instantly right from their phones!
Streamline the buying process with scan-to-donate—which guest can use to make their payment instantly right from their phones!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
Pizza party
Each class or grade creates a team fundraising page for easy donations and campaign sharing. The team that raises the most or brings in the most donations is rewarded with a bottomless pizza day, either made by volunteers or donated from a local pizzeria.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Teen film festival
Invite teens to showcase their own short films and charge admission to audience members. In order to cast a vote for their favorite films, supporters must give a donation to the film’s/filmmaker’s team fundraising page. Watch the results roll in on the live leaderboard and offer awards for the best film winners in various categories.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Desk decorating contest
Choose a theme and invite all of your coworkers to pay a small entry fee to participate in beautifying their workspace. To determine the best “dressed” desk, ask colleagues to submit a $5 donation per vote on each decorator’s peer-to-peer fundraising page. Watch the leaderboard to see who’s in the lead in real time!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Fitness challenge
Participants commit to completing a certain number of workouts and collect pledges for each milestone achieved using personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages.
Watch as donations come in through the leaderboard in real time and friends and family share words of encouragement on the supporter feed.
Watch as donations come in through the leaderboard in real time and friends and family share words of encouragement on the supporter feed.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Corporate matching gift drive
Create a special awareness campaign and fundraiser that highlights the matching donation programs that many companies offer.
Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation.
Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Donation forms
Events
Fundraising page
Coding bootcamp
Partner with coding organizations and offer students discounted class fees and programs. Be sure to include some appealing benefits for participating companies in your corporate sponsorship proposal, like free marketing and publicity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Drag bingo
Sell bingo cards for a night of drag entertainment and competition! Winners receive donated prizes. To raise even more at this memorable fundraising event, offer drink specials and sell eye-catching merch.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
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
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Fundraising page
Plant sale
Ask your green-thumbed community members to grow their best seedlings and plants for a future plant sale to raise much-needed funds. Or, send a sponsorship proposal to your favorite plant nursery with the goal of signing them as your event sponsor or partner.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Fundraising page
Donation forms
School auction
Source quality school-related items, such as backpacks and shoes, and auction them off during a virtual, in-person, or hybrid event.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Auctions
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
All
Events
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Book sale
Partner with a publisher or local book store and host a book sale to raise money. Sell books of all kinds or organize the event around a theme—romance novels, religious books, or children's literature—whatever will resonate with your community.
Make sure to spread the word about your sale and send reminders using free email marketing software!
Make sure to spread the word about your sale and send reminders using free email marketing software!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Fantasy football draft festival
Turn a fantasy football draft into an exciting fundraising event! Sell tickets and offer tailgate games, food, and entertainment.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Shoe-decorating
Source an array of paints and art supplies and invite community members to make a donation and bring a pair of sneakers to paint together for your good cause.
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
All
Events
High five booth
Brighten up someone’s day and raise money for a good cause. Set up a booth where passers-by or event attendees can make a donation of their choice and receive a high-five from you or your volunteers.
Make the donation process as quick and easy as the high-five itself—send people straight to your donation form with scan-to-donate.
Make the donation process as quick and easy as the high-five itself—send people straight to your donation form with scan-to-donate.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
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:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
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
All
Events
Virtual bake sale
Sell homemade or donated treats through a donation form or event page and organize volunteers to make deliveries after purchase! For some additional funds, allow recipients to make a donation alongside their purchase.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
Auctions
One-day giving event
Take part in Giving Tuesday or create your own giving day in which you mobilize your community to reach your fundraising goal in one day.
Keep your supporters invested in your progress with a goal bar and campaign updates that highlight milestones, matching gifts, and special shout-outs throughout the day.
Keep your supporters invested in your progress with a goal bar and campaign updates that highlight milestones, matching gifts, and special shout-outs throughout the day.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Events
Donation forms
Fundraising page
Virtual concert
Ask local musicians or bands to perform for a livestreaming audience and invite viewers to make donations or purchase tickets to attend virtually right on your event page.
Make sure to feature a donation thermometer on your page to encourage viewers to make extra donations and get you closer to your goal as they enjoy the music.
Make sure to feature a donation thermometer on your page to encourage viewers to make extra donations and get you closer to your goal as they enjoy the music.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Secret supper
Sell tickets to a dining experience where guests purchase tickets to a "secret" location revealed only hours before the event. Use free texting software to send updates to attendees and inform them of the location.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
All
Events
Virtual telethon
Plan exciting entertainment, such as talent showcases and cooking lessons that you can share with your audience entirely online.
Plan a day or evening program, then livestream it to your community right from your event page, so members can make a donation without clicking away from the show.
Plan a day or evening program, then livestream it to your community right from your event page, so members can make a donation without clicking away from the show.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
All
Events
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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
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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.
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