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United Way fundraising ideas

Whether you're a seasoned fundraiser or new to the game, we’ve got a whole spread of creative fundraising ideas tailored to supporting United Way’s efforts. From community events to workplace initiatives, these United Way campaign fundraising ideas will inspire more supporters to get in on the action.

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Grants

Research grants that you can apply for to fund your nonprofit organization or project. Be sure to create a stand-out grant proposal in order to impress grantmakers! 
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Bowl-a-thon

Reserve lanes at a bowling alley, ask participants to gather pledges for an all-you-can-bowl night, and watch the donations roll in on team fundraising pages. 

Offer special prizes for the team that scores the highest points, has the most creative team name, or even the best team uniforms.
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Silent auction

Swap your traditional auction for a silent one, where supporters or live audience members can bid any time before the auction ends. With a silent auction, your supporters are able to bid on items online or with their phones via QR code, making it easy and accessible for all.
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Auctions

Social media challenge

Choose a theme and a hashtag, encourage supporters to post their video or picture, and then tag others to challenge them to do the same—and donate! 

Learn more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
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Raffle

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

Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
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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! Create a photo booth at the end with your scan-to-donate code where runners can take selfies and encourage more donations on social media. 
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Peer-to-peer

5k walk/run

Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer fundraising tools that allow supporters to make their own donation pages, set their own goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
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School auction

Source quality school-related items, such as backpacks and shoes, and auction them off during a virtual, in-person, or hybrid event. 
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Auctions

Mini-golf tournament

Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause. 
 
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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!
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Concert for a cause

Work with popular local musicians and performers to host a benefit concert with a percentage of the proceeds going towards your cause.

Want to make sure everyone can listen in and donate, no matter where they are? Livestream your concert to the masses and enable people to contribute to your campaign without leaving the stream.
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Grill-off

At your next BBQ, invite hobby chefs to compete in a grill-off, where they’ll be judged by a panel of experts—your supporters!

Set up team fundraising pages where everyone can make a donation to vote for their favorite chef. They can also see a live leaderboard and watch the votes land in real time!
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Recycling drive

Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a service that helps you turn these items into cash.

Recycling drives work as great long-term fundraising activities. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them where and when they can drop off materials with your email marketing software.
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Crawl for a cause

Build community and explore your city with a themed art, food, or experience crawl. Collect registrations on your fundraising event page, and partner with the featured venues to benefit from a percentage of ticket or food sales at each stop. 
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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.
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Birthday fundraiser

Encourage friends and family members to make a donation to your nonprofit cause instead of giving you a birthday gift. 

Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to get creative and express your personality. Add photos and videos, share your story, and leave comments and drawings for your supporters as they give.
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Gala night

Plan a sophisticated gala night with music, food, and a silent auction.  

Get your supporters excited about your upcoming event with an eye-catching gala invitation template. Include details on how to buy tickets, or add a scan-to-donate QR code.
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Auctions

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.
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Field day

Invite participants to register for a day of fun outdoor games and competitions, like relay races, a water balloon toss, and a good old-fashioned tug-of-war. 

Make your fundraising event a success with sponsorships from local businesses to offset costs and bring in more participants. 
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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!
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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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Raise some dough with cookie dough

Buy wholesale cookie dough for volunteers to sell during peak cookie-baking season. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising so participants can compete to see who sold the most! 
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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
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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 donation form so participants can note what dish they’re bringing when they RSVP—and make a contribution to your campaign.
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Community service day

Organize volunteers to take part in a day of community care in which you work together to tackle projects and tasks in exchange for donations from your community members. 

Showcase every project or fundraiser you’re working on with a central giving hub. Your supporters can then see all your amazing work in one place.
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Frequently asked questions

To raise money quickly for United Way, focus on digital fundraising initiatives like online campaigns and leveraging social media for maximum reach. Encourage people to donate right on your website, or even through text-to-donate! Virtual fundraising events are another low-cost way to involve more supporters and engage donors remotely.

Some of the best United Way fundraising event ideas include community events like 5k races or charity walks, virtual galas or auctions, and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. 

Additionally, there are many popular United Way office fundraising ideas to encourage corporate giving. Matching gift programs and sponsorships are among the top United Way fundraiser ideas for the workplace.

To plan your United Way fundraising events, you’ll need to sort out a few logistics. Start by setting clear goals and objectives, and determine your target audience and budget. Consider venue selection, event timeline, and necessary permits or permissions, too. You might want to use an event planning checklist to keep track of everything!

Then, promote your event through various channels, such as social media, email newsletters, and local media outlets. When it’s over, remember to thank your community for all of their support.

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