Fun run fundraising ideas
Charity fun runs invite large groups of people to come together and run, jog, walk, or roll to raise awareness for good causes. Flexible, inclusive, and designed for all levels of athleticism, walks/runs are the perfect way to rally your community and raise money at the same time.
We’ve collected all of the best walk/run fundraising ideas together in one place, including themed 5ks, color runs, walkathons, and a whole lot more to get you across that fundraising finish line.
Pump-a-thon
Trivia night
Make the evening go even smoother with seamless attendee check-ins and easy payment options like Tap to pay, Venmo donations, and scan-to-donate.
Crowdfunding campaign
Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!
Back-to-school sale
Customize online tickets with the name and image of each product, so your supporters can easily choose between the items on sale.
Swim-a-thon
Crawl for a cause
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!
Naming rights
Create custom labels on your donation form for various donation amounts (for example: $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
Pay you not to ask me again
Penny wars
Office mini-golf tournament
Family fun run
Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word about the cause.
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!
Holiday movie marathon
With user-friendly fundraising event features for online ticket sales and in-person donations, organizing this event can be as easy as hitting play on your favorite festive film.
Special series
Tie sermons directly to your goal and reach more supporters by livestreaming right from your fundraising page. Anyone can tune into the stream, make a donation, and learn about your campaign all in one place.
Team sponsorship
Spaghetti dinner
Grow-your-own garden kit
Gift wrapping
Drag show
Manage your event ticketing, check in your attendees, and accept additional donations in person with easy fundraisng event software.
Beach Games
Ask participants to pay a small fee to register and raise even more funds by selling cold drinks and ice cream.
Toy drive
Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
Speakeasy night
Flag football tournament
Pool volleyball tournament
Frequently asked questions
How do you organize a fun run fundraiser?
Whether you’re looking for new 5k fundraiser ideas to liven up your big annual donation drive or you’re exploring fundraising walk ideas for the first time, coordinating this kind of event includes a few essential pieces. To start planning, you’ll need to pick a theme, recruit volunteers, and choose a fundraising platform for registration and donations.
How do you raise money for a fun run?
Changemakers can raise money for a fun run in all sorts of ways. Popular options include creating sponsorship proposals, selling merchandise like custom water bottles before or on the day of the event, collecting pledges, and charging registration fees.
Be sure to create an online donation page and encourage participants to join in peer-to-peer fundraising to help spread the word and encourage giving before the big day.
How do you promote a fun run?
One of the most important things to check off your fundraiser planning checklist is promotion. To help promote your event, you can send emails, post flyers around your community, and create social media posts for your supporters to share with their networks.
Remember to ask your sponsors to help with promotion, too, and consider reaching out to local media, especially if you have an exciting theme that will make for good visuals (like colored powder!).
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