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Online fundraising ideas
Virtual fundraisers are a powerful way to involve more supporters with your cause—anyone around the world can join and donate!
The possibilities are endless, but we’ve assembled a list of our favorite online fundraising ideas—including virtual happy hours, livestream telethons, and book clubs—to help get your digital party started.
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Social media takeover
Let a supporter, influencer, or volunteer run your socials for a day! A takeover brings fresh energy, authentic voices, and new eyes to your fundraiser.
Social media bingo
Create a bingo card of fun tasks—like donating, sharing, or tagging friends—and challenge supporters to complete a row. Engagement meets friendly competition!
Share “tails” of impact
Bring your supporters together for an event to showcase the stories of animals you’ve helped—or tell your “tails” of impact directly on your fundraising page. Share stories that tug at your donors’ heartstrings and show the impact of their generosity.
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Arts for animals
Whether you’re hosting an animal art auction or a concert to promote environmental awareness, animals and the arts go hand in hand when it comes to fundraising.
Dedicate time during your event for a “mission moment” to remind supporters why they’re essential to your work—and highlight the positive impact their donations make.
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Pet portraits
Pet owners love having portraits of their pets—even if they’re not made by professionals! Host a fun pet portrait fundraiser where volunteers draw or paint pictures of supporters’ furry friends. Ask donors to bring a photo of their pet or upload one when they make a donation online.
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Movement challenge
Go solo or form a team to complete a chosen movement challenge in support of your cause. Great for health-related organizations or any group that wants to raise funds through physical activity.
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Themed run
Make your peer-to-peer fundraising run truly memorable with a standout theme! Encourage participants to dress up and create teams based on your theme to build community and boost the competitive spirit.
Marathon
A marathon is a classic fun run fundraising event—perfect for your most ambitious supporters! You can host your own fundraising event, or give supporters the resources they need to raise money for your organization by running in an existing race.
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Cutest pet contest
Church trivia nights
Want to reach an even bigger audience? Go hybrid or virtual so everyone can join in on the fun!
Autographed jersey auction
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Baseball hit-a-thon
Collect pledges or donations from supporters based on the number of hits they make during a designated period of time. Have each participant create a personal peer-to-peer fundraising page and reach out to friends and family for donations!
More money, no problems
Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a donation form or fundraising page with photos, videos, and a compelling story in order to encourage gifts. Be sure to customize your donation amounts and add descriptions that are specific to your needs and impact.
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T-shirt design contest
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Swag sale
Raise some extra funds for your organization or club and spread the word about your cause by selling branded swag like totes, stickers, and t-shirts.
With advanced ticketing features, you can offer each item on a mobile-friendly platform and add an image and available amount so supporters can easily purchase and share their sizing info, too!
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Pay you not to ask me again
Give your supporters a way to opt out of all your upcoming donation requests during a big fundraising effort. If they contribute via your donation form before a certain date, you’ll take them off your email and call list for the whole campaign! Then, you can easily segment your email list with your built-in CRM and marketing tools.
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Video Game Tournament
Host a tournament featuring the most popular video games. Charge entry fees for participants and offer donated prizes for winners. To make it digital, livestream the event so participants can play—and cheer each other on—from home.
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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.
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Give it up challenge
Ask supporters to “give up” a small indulgence—like their morning coffee—for a set amount of time and donate those funds to your campaign instead.
Create a fundraising page to share challenge ideas, set suggested donation amounts, and post updates or donor shout-outs to keep momentum going.
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Weeknight meal cooking class
Reach out to local chefs to volunteer to host a class or series for cooking easy weeknight dinners. To make this event virtual, livestream the class(es) so that donors can watch and cook along from home!
Online garage sale
Collect new and used goods from your community and sell items on a first-come, first-served basis—virtually. To introduce some fun competition and bring in more funds, turn the sale into an auction with buy-now pricing options!
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Kids’ art calendar
Turn kids’ finger paintings and drawings into custom calendars—or transform them into keepsakes like photo books, mugs, or t-shirts. Sell the merch using a fun, eye-catching auction or fundraising page.
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No-talent show
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Virtual food/wine tasting
Partner with local eateries and provide tasting kits for participants to enjoy at home for a small fee. Then, host a livestream tasting experience.
Gift basket showdown
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Get top features for your virtual fundraiser
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 through a website or online platform. While nonprofit organizations have been using this fundraising strategy for quite some time, it became even more popular during the pandemic, when in-person events weren’t possible.
Unlike in-person fundraising opportunities, virtual fundraisers allow people to participate from anywhere using a computer, phone, or other mobile device. It's like bringing the fundraising party to your living room! You can host a virtual event to connect with others and encourage supporters to invest in your mission—all without leaving home.
How can I raise money virtually?
You can raise funds online through donation pages, peer-to-peer fundraising, or crowdfunding campaigns, as well as virtual events like livestream concerts, talent shows, or auctions.
Some of the best digital fundraising ideas leverage social media platforms (e.g., Facebook Live, social media takeovers), email campaigns, and text-to-donate tools to collect donations. Online merchandise sales can also help boost your fundraising efforts.
What is the best online fundraising site?
The top fundraising sites include trusted platforms like Givebutter, GoFundMe, Fundly, Kickstarter, and Donorbox. Each offers different features, fees, and support, so it's important to choose the one that aligns best with your fundraising goals and needs.
What are the best virtual fundraising ideas for a small team or solo organizer?
Birthday fundraisers and peer-to-peer campaigns work great for small teams or solo organizers. Just set up a simple fundraising page and share it with friends and family—they already want to support you! These fundraisers are easy to launch, require minimal coordination, and maximize your personal network's power to spread the word.
Do virtual fundraisers raise as much as in-person events?
Yes! With the right internet fundraising ideas, you can raise as much as—or even more than—in-person events. Virtual fundraisers often provide benefits like broader reach, lower costs, and more convenience. Success depends on choosing fundraisers that translate well to an online setting (e.g., virtual galas, auctions, telethons) rather than those that lose appeal virtually—a virtual car wash might not be a big draw.
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