YMCA fundraising ideas
From movie nights to membership drives, we've got a variety of creative strategies to help you raise funds to support those critical YMCA programs that promote youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility—all while bringing your beloved Y community closer together.
Flamingoed
To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.
Pride-themed merch sale
Membership drive
Gala night
Get your supporters excited about your upcoming event with an eye-catching gala invitation template. Include details on how to buy tickets, or add a scan-to-donate QR code.
Fan Combine
Tree planting day
Spring break t-shirt sale
Use custom fields on your donation form to collect the details you need from buyers, such as their t-shirt size and color choice.
Lemonade stand
Networking night
Spaghetti dinner
Battle of the food trucks
Partnering with food trucks is a great way to reach your fundraising target. Discover how to secure corporate sponsorships.
Grown-up bake sale
Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.
High five booth
Make the donation process as quick and easy as the high-five itself—send people straight to your donation form with scan-to-donate.
Tie-dye fundraiser
If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!
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.
Box Top fundraiser
Used book sale
Candy grams
Water balloon fight
With team fundraising pages, their individual efforts can be tallied up with their teammates’!
Bring your pet to work day
Text-to-donate
See for yourself how easy it is — text “DEMO” to 53-555.
Fitness challenge
Watch as donations come in through the leaderboard in real time and friends and family share words of encouragement on the supporter feed.
High heels walk
Color run
House party
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.
Frequently asked questions
How can I raise money fast for my YMCA?
To raise money fast for your local YMCA, start an online fundraising campaign, leverage social media to reach a wider audience, and make direct appeals to your supporters through email newsletters and personal outreach. Check out our $1K in 30 Days toolkit for more tips!
What are the best YMCA fundraisers?
Popular YMCA fundraisers include galas featuring guest speakers, family-friendly events, and online auctions. Peer-to-peer fundraisers, in which supporters create their own fundraising pages and ask their friends and family to contribute online donations to the cause are also a fun, cost-effective way to spread the word and reach your goal.
How do I promote my YMCA fundraising events?
Spread the word about your YMCA fundraising events through social media, via email newsletters, and on your YMCA's website to engage your community and maximize attendance and donations.
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