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Fundraising ideas for teens

While bake sales and car washes are tried and true ways to raise funds, they can start to feel stale over time. These fun fundraising ideas for teenagers will help you raise what you need for your band trip, sports team, or youth group community service project without repeating the same old idea. Plus, they’ll encourage friends and family to take part in reaching your fundraising goals, too.

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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
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tree-planting-day
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Concession stand


Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create customticketswith mouth-watering pictures of available treats!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/concession-stand
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Discount cards

Create and sell discount card coupon books full of deals to local restaurants and businesses. Sell the coupon books on a custom donation form and share it far and wide!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
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Outdoor adventure day


Charge participants a registration fee for a full day of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and nature walks. Use marketing tools to tease different activities and remind supporters what to bring along on the big day!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/outdoor-adventure-day
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Spring cleaning

Rally volunteers together for a spring cleaning of your community space or a street in your neighborhood. Reach out to local businesses to sponsor the event and offer supplies. Then, invite donations from your local community with scan-to-donate signage as you work!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/spring-cleaning
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Youth lock-in


Plan a good old-fashioned lock-in for your younger community members. Charge a registration fee and have chaperones on hand to supervise activities like trivia, movie screenings, and video game tournaments.

Set up an online fundraising event page where participants can register and supporters can make donations.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/youth-lock-in
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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 fundraising page or 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:
1
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-potluck-dinner
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Gift wrapping

Source donated paper, set up a gift wrapping station in a popular location, and charge for holiday gift-wrapping! Use scan-to-donate or Venmo to accept payments on the spot.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gift-wrapping
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Bingo night


Sell bingo cards and offer exciting prizes to keep everyone engaged all night long—either virtually or in person!

In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake to build anticipation.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bingo-night
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Birthday fundraiser


Instead of birthday gifts, ask friends and family to make a donation to your nonprofit cause!

Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to share your story, upload photos and videos, and let supporters leave comments as they give.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/birthday-fundraiser
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Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Street clean up

Use the longer days of summer to your advantage by organizing a street clean-up to keep your neighborhood looking fresh and welcoming. 

Partner with local businesses to sponsor the day and encourage donations toward your charity or group. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/street-clean-up
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Toy drive


Set up a toy drive so your community members can donate toys or cash to support families over the holiday season. Distribute toys to those most in need and use extra funds to buy additional gifts.

Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/toy-drive
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Pages & forms

Flower bouquets

Partner with a local florist to set up a stall where volunteers make, wrap, and sell flower bouquets for Mother's Day, Easter, or any other spring celebration.

Create a fundraising page with custom donation amounts featuring a photo of each kind of bouquet and the number available so donors can reserve bouquets online or purchase in person.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flower-bouquets
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Donation drive


Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/donation-drive
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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
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pop-up-clothing-shop
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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
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/coding-bootcamp
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Events

Yard raking


Set up a yard raking service in exchange for donations toward your good cause.

Follow best practices for volunteer recruitment to build a loyal community of supporters ready to pitch in for yardwork and more.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/yard-raking
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Auctions

Pumpkin Games


Perfect for the Halloween season, challenge participants to a pay-to-play series of games like pumpkin races and decorating contests. Sell tickets in advance or on the day of using scan-to-donate or Venmo. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pumpkin-games
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Peer-to-peer

Text-to-donate


With text-to-donate, raising funds is as easy as sending a text. Display your shortcode at fundraising events, share it on social media, or add it to signs so your supporters give using their mobile devices right on the spot—no matter where they are.

See for yourself how easy it is! Text “DEMO” to 53-555.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/text-to-donate
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Fall festival


Host your own fall-themed festival with carnival games, food and drink, local vendors, and live music.

Ask local businesses to donate supplies or prizes, and raise funds through refreshments, games, and stallholder fees.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fall-festival
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Ugly sweater run

Get festive by encouraging supporters to wear their ugliest holiday sweater for a fun run! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word—along with photos of them in their ugly regalia. Offer a special award for the “best” dressed.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ugly-sweater-run
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Peer-to-peer

Raffle


Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky’s the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything your community members will love.

Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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Color run


Spray participants with brightly colored powder along the course of your charity fun run. By the end, runners will be rainbow-ed! Set up a photo booth at the finish line for selfies, and encourage donations on social media via a scan-to-donate code.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/color-run
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Peer-to-peer

Pet yoga


Ask a local yoga teacher to lead a class with adoptable animals—or invite participants bring their pets along for some zen!

Make this fundraising event even better by asking a local yoga studio to be a sponsor.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-yoga
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24-hour relay race


Create the ultimate relay race to raise funds for your cause. Participants create individual or team fundraising pages where friends and family can show their support with donations and progress toward their goal in real time.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/24-hour-relay-race
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Peer-to-peer
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Frequently asked questions

Motivating teenagers to participate in fundraising efforts requires tapping into their interests, needs, and desire to make a difference. Peer-to-peer campaigns can add a fun social element to any teen fundraising ideas, plus some friendly competition to keep things exciting.

Good fundraising ideas for teenagers often include activities that are hands-on. Viral social media challenges and in-person competitions like sports events and talent shows are popular choices, providing opportunities to be creative and interact with others.

Easy fundraiser ideas for teens include movie nights, craft sales, and karaoke parties, which require minimal effort and resources, making it simple for high school students—and parents—to be successful at fundraising.

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