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Fundraising ideas

We’ve got the best fundraising ideas for good causes of all shapes and sizes! Check out our curated lists or browse all fundraising ideas below by cost, effort, and impact.

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Mystery art show


Invite local artists, students, and other enthusiastic community members to contribute small paintings or other works for an anonymous community art sale.

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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/mystery-art-show
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Trivia night

At this crowd-favorite activity, you can come up with fun questions, charge entry fees for teams, and raise extra money by providing sweet and salty snacks.

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. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/trivia-night
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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. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-portraits
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Drag show


Sell tickets for a night of performances by local drag artists and musicians (with food and drinks available, too!).

Manage your event ticketing, check in your attendees, and accept additional donations in person with easy fundraisng event software.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/drag-show
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Cold water plunge

Challenge your supporters to take a dip in an icy cold body of water to raise funds and awareness for your cause! Participants can set up their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages connected to your campaign, where they can share their stories, set a personal target, and bring in donations from friends and family. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cold-water-plunge
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Events
Peer-to-peer

5k walk/run


Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer and team fundraising tools that let supporters create their own donation pages, set goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/5k-walk-run
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Events
Peer-to-peer

Virtual auction

Take the bidding online by allowing participants to browse your silent auction catalog, place bids, and win from anywhere! 

Use auction software that makes the bidding process smooth and simple for you and your donors.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-auction
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Auctions
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Student art auction


Auction off student art projects online, in person, or both! Add photos and descriptions of each masterpiece using auction software for easy bidding and sharing.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/student-art-auction
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Lend a helping hand

Let donors "purchase" 2-5 hours of extra help from students or volunteers (think raking leaves or mowing the lawn). 

In order to streamline the process and keep track of contributions, create custom labels for different donation amounts on a special fundraising page or donation form (e.g. $50 = 2 volunteer hours).
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lend-a-helping-hand
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Auctions
Pages & forms

Church camp dessert bake-off

Challenge your church camp attendees to a bake-off to raise money for your next big project or trip. Bakers offer samples of their treats in exchange for donations from parishioners and community members, and a panel of judges can award prizes for the best s’mores, cupcakes, and ice cream sundaes. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/church-camp-dessert-bake-off
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Charity golf outing

Plan an outing for your golf team somewhere special and donate a percentage of ticket sales towards your nonprofit cause. This works great for school, college, and work golf groups.
Cost:
3
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/charity-golf-outing
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Events

Special series


Create programming for a special series of sermons designed to help raise money for your current fundraising project.

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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/special-series
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Events
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Fitness class


Ask local instructors to donate a virtual or in-person class for your cause. Sell tickets and boost revenue on the day of by offering snacks, drinks, or branded merch.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fitness-class
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Bake to give raffle

Gather your community’s best bakers and turn their sweet creations into a fundraising feast! Ask volunteers to whip up their favorite cakes or cookies to sell at your event. 

To add some extra excitement, sell raffle tickets and offer baked goods as delicious prizes.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bake-to-give-raffle
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Events
Auctions
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Calendar fundraiser

Design a calendar featuring fun or themed photos from your community, event participants, or volunteers. Sell it for a set donation amount, or use it as an auction item or giveaway prize.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/calendar-fundraiser
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Car wash


Gather volunteers, soap, and plenty of rags to wash cars in exchange for donations. Easily accept onsite payments with a scan-to-donate QR code featuring Venmo and other modern methods. 

Give this classic fundraiser a fresh twist by adding a theme! Encourage volunteers to dress up as ‘80s icons, classic Disney characters, superheroes—you name it.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/car-wash
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Lemonade stand


Set up a classic lemonade stand—and maybe add some tasty treats—to raise funds for your cause. Make purchases seamless with scan-to-donate and mobile-friendly donation forms that accept Venmo and other popular payment methods. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lemonade-stand
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Events
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Tails and trails


Gather your dog-loving supporters for a tails and trails dog-walking fundraiser. Choose a scenic, dog-friendly trail and charge a set fee for tickets. 

Don’t forget to provide refreshments at the end of the trail—for both humans and canines! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tails-and-trails
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Peer-to-peer

Horseback riding


Charge a fee for donated guided trail rides or lessons with trained instructors. To give participants access to more activities, offer custom ticket types for this memorable fundraising event.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/horseback-riding
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Teddy bear picnic


Host a picnic where participants can bring along their favorite stuffed animals and enjoy simple brown-bag lunches or treats from a mini bake sale. This fundraising event is a sweet and family-friendly way to bring in needed funds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teddy-bear-picnic
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Community service day

Organize volunteers to participate in a day of community care—tackling local projects and tasks in exchange for donations from your community members. 

Showcase every project or fundraiser you’re working on using a central giving hub, so supporters can see all your amazing work in one place.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-service-day
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Events
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Autographed jersey auction

Connected to the right people? Procure and auction off autographed jerseys (or other memorabilia) to your supporters. You’d be surprised how willing athletes are to offer their signature for a good cause! Take advantage of intuitive auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more—no matter if your auction is in-person or completely virtual.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/autographed-jersey-auction
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Auctions

Animal sanctuary


Create a fundraising page to spotlight your animal sanctuary and share the stories of the animals you help. Highlight volunteer roles and other opportunities for the community to get involved. You could even host an open house, where supporters can stop by to meet the animals you care for.  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/animal-sanctuary
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Bar crawl


Organize a themed 21+ bar crawl to the local pubs! Create custom ticket types for various amounts of drink tickets and eats along the way.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bar-crawl
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Events
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