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.
Mini-golf tournament
Improv night
Raise some dough with cookie dough
Social media challenge
Learn more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
Coffee morning
Color run
Best seat in the house
With Givebutter you can also create unlimited kinds of event tickets—perfect for creating VIP packages.
Office mini-golf tournament
Flower bouquets
Create a fundraising page with custom donation amounts featuring a photo of each kind of bouquet and the number available so donors can reserve bouquets online or purchase in person.
Street clean up
Work with local businesses to sponsor the day and encourage donations towards your charity or group.
Thrifty fashion show
Oozeball tourney
Concession stand
Cold water plunge
Cookie-decorating extravaganza
To make your fundraising event even sweeter, bring in a cookie-decorating expert to show off some sweet tips and tricks.
That’s a wrap
Pet-friendly bake sale
Crawl for a cause
Bonfire BBQ
With user-friendly fundraising event features, you can sell tickets in advance and accept donations in person, too.
Raffle
Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Oktoberfest
This fall festival idea is a great way to raise funds for your cause and give your supporters an exciting day out.
Birthday fundraiser
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.
Literary pub crawl
To take this fundraising event further, arrange to have each watering hole feature a special cocktail or brew (with some non-alcoholic beverages in the mix!) to match your theme.
March Madness
To take this fundraising idea online, take advantage of livestreaming tools, too!
Autographed jersey auction
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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