All fundraising ideas

Scout fundraising ideas

Whether you're a troop leader, parent volunteer, or enthusiastic Scout supporter, there are a lot of ways to rally your community around your local Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop. From popcorn fundraisers to exciting pie-in-the-face events, we've got a variety of fun strategies to boost your fundraising efforts.

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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. 
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Auctions

Team sponsorship

Ask local businesses to sponsor your team in exchange for logo placement on jerseys, in programs, or on stadium banners. Be sure to follow sponsorship proposal best practices to make the most of this partnership! 
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Alumni night

Sell tickets to an all-inclusive alumni dinner before a big game or event. During half-time or intermission, bring out the alumni for special recognition. Alternatively, you can livestream a special alumni message during a virtual event.
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Car wash

Gather volunteers, soap, and plenty of rags to wash cars in exchange for donations. Collect onsite donations easily by displaying a simple scan-to-donate QR code, which allows donors to select from a variety of payment methods. You can even offer different package options for those who are willing to donate more for a deeper clean.
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Tool drive

Rather than requesting a financial gift, ask supporters to donate new or gently used tools and construction equipment for your programs and services. Or, sell them in an annual community tool sale. Don’t forget to send friendly reminders and guidelines on what kinds of tools can be donated using free email marketing software!
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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.
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Caroling

Embrace the holiday spirit and spread joy by going caroling around town or at an event. Pass the hat for cash donations AND hold a big QR code or text-to-donate number for easy mobile giving!
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Events

High heels walk

Instead of a 5k, organize a high heels walk down a “runway” of your choice. Challenge supporters to see who can raise the most funds leading up to the event through peer-to-peer fundraising—and who can rock the best look. Encourage your supporters to personalize their pages to attract more donations!
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Ice cream social

Set up an ice cream stall with different flavors, cones, toppings, and sauces. Raise funds by asking for donations to unlock the most popular or extravagant toppings.

Create a vibrant, themed fundraising page, then send your supporters straight to it with scan-to-donate. From there they can pay for their ice-cream and unlock flavors!
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Naming rights

Supporters cast their vote with donations to name a bench, tree, garden, sculpture, or pathway. 

Create custom labels on your donation form for various donation amounts (for example: $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
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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.
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Flower bulb sale

Sell wholesale flowers or request donations from nurseries and landscaping stores to sell to supporters. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage individual supporters to compete to see who can sell the most! 
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Mystery art show

Invite local artists, students, and other enthusiastic community members to contribute small paintings or other works for an anonymous community art sale.

Charge an entrance fee and invite supporters to purchase pieces all at the same price—without knowing who their artist is until the end of the event!
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Costumed car wash

Sprinkle some extra magic into the classic car wash fundraiser by giving it a theme! Get everyone in your group to dress up in costumes representing the ‘80s, classic Disney characters, superheroes, you name it.

Create a smooth experience for all with fundraising pages that include easy in-person payments and a range of giving options. 
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Earth Day

Reserve an indoor or outdoor space and invite your community to come arrange flower bouquets and pot their own plants to celebrate Earth Day (April 22). 

Charge an entrance fee and make your fundraising event move smoothly with mobile app check-in and easy scan-to-donate payment options. 
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Teacher “jail”

Challenge students to meet a fundraising goal. If they do, their teacher is sent to relax in the teachers’ lounge while students play games in the classroom. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to build excitement!
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Auction your time or skills

Ask supporters to volunteer their special skills, then auction their time and expertise to the highest bidder!

Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.
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Auctions

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.
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Valet parking

Create and sell custom VIP event tickets that offer parking perks to donors who'd appreciate the convenience of getting dropped off right at the game entrance.
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Yard sale

Turn old treasures into fresh new funds for your good cause! Ask community members to host individual yard sales and donate their proceeds to your campaign. Or, host one large community yard sale using donated goods. 

Create a fundraising page for your yard sale, use campaign updates to keep your community engaged, and update the fundraising total to reflect how much you’ve raised.
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Teddy bear picnic

Sell simple brown-bag lunches or have a mini bake sale at a picnic where participants can bring along their favorite stuffed animal. This fundraising event is a perfect family-friendly way to bring in needed funds.
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One for one pledge

Whether you’re offering branded merch, boxed lunches, or other appealing products, incentivize even more donations for your cause by pledging to give away one “reward” item for each one purchased. (For example, for every pair of cozy socks sold, you’ll donate a pair to a local shelter.)

Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.
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Virtual scavenger hunt

For this totally remote fundraising event, charge a registration fee and ask participants to use their computer or mobile device to complete various challenges. Share instructions and updates and announce winners from a livestream hosted right on your event page. 
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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.
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Fan Combine

Invite family, friends, and fans to this ultimate sports fundraising event. Participants join in a series of challenges, such as football tosses, 50-yard dashes, and obstacle courses.
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Peer-to-peer
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Frequently asked questions

To raise money quickly for your Scout group, consider organizing a fundraiser like a holiday wreath sale, car wash, or movie night. For promotion, take advantage of social media, advertising with local businesses, and word-of-mouth. Check out our $1K in 30 Days toolkit for more tips to raise funds fast.

The best Scout fundraisers often involve selling products like popcorn and candy bars and hosting events like spaghetti dinners, pancake breakfasts, and outdoor adventure days. These fundraisers capitalize on community support and provide tangible products or experiences in exchange for donations.

Peer-to-peer fundraising activities, too, are a great way to mobilize your community members and encourage supporters to set their own fundraising goals.

When organizing a Scout fundraising event, you’ll want to start with an event planning checklist. Begin by setting clear goals, choosing the right type of activity for your group, and creating a budget. Be sure to involve your Scouts and their families in spreading the word about your campaign by engaging potential donors on social media, with flyers, and community bulletin boards.

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