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.
Themed auction
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.
Team sponsorship
Alumni night
Car wash
Tool drive
Cup of coffee
Offer scan to-donate and accept Venmo donations to make giving even easier.
Caroling
High heels walk
Ice cream social
Create a vibrant, themed fundraising page, then send your supporters straight to it with scan-to-donate. From there they can pay for their ice-cream and unlock flavors!
Naming rights
Create custom labels on your donation form for various donation amounts (for example: $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
Virtual telethon
Plan a day or evening program, then livestream it to your community right from your event page, so members can make a donation without clicking away from the show.
Flower bulb sale
Mystery art show
Charge an entrance fee and invite supporters to purchase pieces all at the same price—without knowing who their artist is until the end of the event!
Costumed car wash
Create a smooth experience for all with fundraising pages that include easy in-person payments and a range of giving options.
Earth Day
Charge an entrance fee and make your fundraising event move smoothly with mobile app check-in and easy scan-to-donate payment options.
Teacher “jail”
Auction your time or skills
Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.
Bake sale
Supporters don’t have cash on them? No problem! With Givebutter you can accept a wide range of modern payment methods, including Venmo.
Valet parking
Yard sale
Create a fundraising page for your yard sale, use campaign updates to keep your community engaged, and update the fundraising total to reflect how much you’ve raised.
Teddy bear picnic
One for one pledge
Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.
Virtual scavenger hunt
Escape Room Challenge
Fan Combine
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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