Summer fundraising ideas
Set up your nonprofit, community group, or school to thrive this season with these fun summer fundraiser ideas. From yard sales to pool parties and summer concerts in the park, your supporters will be delighted to help you raise funds and build community in the sun.
Engraved bricks
Use custom fields on your donation form to capture essential details for donors’ bricks—make sure to provide a word count so they don’t go over!
Lemonade stand
24-hour relay race
Kids vs. grownups field day
Charge entrance fees for this fundraising event, offer for-sale hydration and snacks, and don’t forget prizes for the winners!
Earth Day
Charge an entrance fee and make your fundraising event move smoothly with mobile app check-in and easy scan-to-donate payment options.
Weeknight meal cooking class
Bake sale
Supporters don’t have cash on them? No problem! With Givebutter you can accept a wide range of modern payment methods, including Venmo.
Family fun run
Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word about the cause.
Drive-in movie night
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.
Take a pie to the face
With scan-to-donate, pie throwers use your QR code to land on your donation page instantly—no waiting around.
Hot chocolate stall
Make it easy for supporters to pay for their drinks as you make them with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and other seamless payment options.
Secret supper
Movie night
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.
Pumpkin patch
Make transactions quick and easy with Tap to Pay and a scan-to-donate QR code posted to let donors choose their payment method—PayPal, Google Pay, Venmo, and more.
Puppy party
At the event, highlight the different mobile giving options your supporters can choose from with live display.
Ale tasting
Summer day out
Use a fundraising event page to make registration and payment easy, and add custom fields to capture important information from each participant, such as t-shirt size or dietary restrictions.
Bingo night
In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake.
VIP cushioned seats sale
Car smashing
Sell different kinds of tickets online for smashers and audience members and offer food and drinks to raise even more during the fun. Don’t forget the safety goggles!
Bonfire BBQ
With user-friendly fundraising event features, you can sell tickets in advance and accept donations in person, too.
Festive volunteers
Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights.
Teddy bear picnic
TikTok dance-off
For easy and simple sharing, create a custom donation form that’s optimized for mobile!
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular summer fundraisers?
Summer fundraising event ideas that enable your supporters to enjoy the warm weather are often the most popular. Organize a movie night in the park, a food truck competition, a themed car wash, an ice cream social, or set up a neighborhood tailgate to bring your community together outdoors.
Check out the complete summer fundraising checklist to get even more top tips for making the most of this sunny season.
What is the most profitable summer fundraiser?
Empowering your supporters to raise money through peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns is a fantastic way to hit your fundraising goals in the summer. Host a walk-a-thon, swim-a-thon, or summer beach games tournament and encourage pledges and donations from friends and family. Don’t forget to partner with a local sponsor to raise more funds and awareness for your cause.
How do I plan and promote my summer fundraiser?
Planning a summer fundraiser is exciting but can also be daunting if you don’t know where to start. Luckily, we’ve created a step-by-step event planning checklist that walks you through the journey from idea to execution.
Which summer holidays and awareness days work well for themed fundraisers?
Awareness days and holidays make for perfect summertime fundraising ideas. Host a golf tournament around Father’s Day, a hot dog eating contest on the 4th of July, or plan a social media-based campaign that recognizes Juneteenth or Pride Month.
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