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All fundraising ideas
Virtual fundraising ideas
Raising money through a virtual fundraiser is a powerful way to get more supporters involved in your cause—anyone around the globe can join and donate! The possibilities are endless when it comes to online fundraising ideas, but we’ve assembled a list of favorites, including virtual happy hours, livestream telethons, and book clubs, to help get your own digital party started.
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10,000 steps challenge
Encourage members to set up a fundraising page and accept pledges based on how long they’ll commit to their 10k-steps-a-day habit.
Invite participants to set up a peer-to-peer fundraising page where they can share their personal stories and interact with supporters.
Invite participants to set up a peer-to-peer fundraising page where they can share their personal stories and interact with supporters.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Bar crawl
Organize a themed 21+ bar crawl to the local pubs! Create custom ticket types for various amounts of drink tickets and eats along the way.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
House party
Host a house party and charge a small entrance fee to gain entry. Choose a theme to match your audience or fundraising campaign goal.
Sell event tickets online in advance, check guests in with our mobile app, and use Tap to Pay and Venmo donations to accept latecomers on the spot.
Sell event tickets online in advance, check guests in with our mobile app, and use Tap to Pay and Venmo donations to accept latecomers on the spot.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Battle of the bands
Host a battle of the bands with local musicians. Change the audience a small ticket fee, or raise funds by selling drinks and snacks.
Raise even more money by livestreaming the show. Encourage your supporters to tune in, support the event, and donate what they can towards your goal.
Raise even more money by livestreaming the show. Encourage your supporters to tune in, support the event, and donate what they can towards your goal.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Grow-your-own garden kit
Ask local nurseries to donate herbs, seeds, and soil you can use to assemble gardening kits. Bring volunteers together to assemble everything and sell them on a custom fundraising page or donation form.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Fundraising page
Donation forms
Oktoberfest
Take inspiration from the popular German event and host your own Oktoberfest with carnival games, a haunted house, and plenty of beer and non-alcoholic drinks.
This fall festival idea is a great way to raise funds for your cause and give your supporters an exciting day out.
This fall festival idea is a great way to raise funds for your cause and give your supporters an exciting day out.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Events
Donation forms
Fundraising page
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
VIP cushioned seats sale
Create and sell custom VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats (and maybe some special team swag) at your next home game for your biggest fans and supporters.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Auctions
Student art auction
Auction off students' art projects online, in-person, or both! Add photos and descriptions for each masterpiece using easy auction software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Auctions
Events
Fundraising page
Building tour
If you're opening a new building, offer a VIP tour to your community members. Set a ticket price or auction them off. To raise the most from your VIP building tour, use auction software to host a fun and stress-free experience for your supporters.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Events
Auctions
Grab bags
Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
Share this idea
All
Fundraising page
Donation forms
Auctions
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
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All
Events
Reverse raffle
Unlike a traditional raffle, the last ticket holder gets the grand prize in a reverse raffle. Offer custom ticket types to feature various raffle items so participants have lots of options.
Before you start planning, be sure to check for any state regulations on raffles where you live!
Before you start planning, be sure to check for any state regulations on raffles where you live!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
Share this idea
All
Events
Auctions
Donation forms
Food truck smorgasbord
Invite food trucks to a big game or event and ask them in return to donate a portion of all food sales to your team. To really sweeten the sponsorship opportunity, offer benefits for these small businesses, like free marketing and publicity.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Events
Sponsor a stud
Encourage donors to "sponsor" a piece of lumber your team will use in your construction projects. Create custom labels for different donation amounts on your donation form that align with the cost of materials (e.g., $50 donation equals 3 pieces of lumber). Don’t forget to invite all sponsors to the ribbon-cutting ceremony when construction is complete!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Donation forms
Fundraising page
Mother’s Day brunch
Reserve a community space or partner with a local restaurant or café to host a Mother's Day brunch, with proceeds going toward your cause.
Charge a small ticket fee for this fundraising event and offer a selection of refreshments, sandwiches, and sweet treats.
Charge a small ticket fee for this fundraising event and offer a selection of refreshments, sandwiches, and sweet treats.
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Inspiration
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Events
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!
Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
Share this idea
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Events
Fundraising page
Donation forms
Donate or dare
Pledge to do something wild, exciting, or newsworthy if your fundraising campaign hits or exceeds its target.
Share regular campaign updates and add a goal bar to your fundraising page to keep the momentum going and encourage more donations.
Share regular campaign updates and add a goal bar to your fundraising page to keep the momentum going and encourage more donations.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
Share this idea
All
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Pajama run
Ask participants to don their favorite PJs while tackling a walk, jog, roll, or run for the cause. Encourage everyone to set a donation goal and spread the word about the fundraiser with peer-to-peer fundraising. Don’t forget to award prizes to the coziest runners!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Events
Peer-to-peer
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.
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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Inspiration
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Auctions
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.
Offer special prizes for the team that scores the highest points, has the most creative team name, or even the best team uniforms.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Inspiration
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Events
Peer-to-peer
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.
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Inspiration
Share this idea
All
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Donation forms
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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
What is a virtual fundraiser?
A virtual or online fundraiser is a campaign or event created to raise money for a good cause that happens entirely on the World Wide Web. While using the Internet to raise funds has been happening for quite some time, this strategy became even more popular during the pandemic when in-person events were prohibited and social distancing was a must.
Unlike in-person fundraising, virtual fundraisers allow people to participate from wherever they are using their computers, phones, or other mobile devices. It's like bringing the fundraising party to your living room! You can connect with others online and support a good cause without having to leave the comfort of your own home.
How can I raise money virtually?
Good causes can raise money online through various channels, such as donation pages, peer-to-peer fundraising, or crowdfunding campaigns, as well as events like livestream concerts, talent shows, and auctions.
Some of the best virtual fundraising event ideas leverage social media (Facebook Live, social media takeovers, etc.), email campaigns, and text-to-donate tools to bring in more donations. Corporate sponsorships, partnerships with local businesses, matching gift programs, and online merchandise sales can also help boost virtual fundraising efforts, too.
What is the best online fundraising site?
The top fundraising sites include popular options like Givebutter, GoFundMe, Fundly, Kickstarter, and Donorbox. Each platform offers different features, fees, and support, so it's important to research and choose the one that aligns best with your fundraising goals and needs.
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