Fundraising ideas

Pledge to do something wild, exciting, or newsworthy if your campaign hits its goal. Shaving your head is a classic option for this fundraising idea!

Share regular updates on your fundraising page and add a goal bar to keep the momentum going and drive more donations.

Source quality school-related items, such as backpacks and shoes, and auction them off during a virtual, in-person, or hybrid event. 

Charge an entrance fee and check in attendees as they arrive for an evening of creativity and fun. Ask volunteers to bring craft supplies or request donations from local art stores. 

Take inspiration from the popular German event and host your own Oktoberfest with carnival games, a haunted house, and plenty of beer and non-alcoholic drinks.

This fall festival idea is a great way to raise funds for your cause and give your supporters an exciting day out.

Challenge participants to create a dance and post their video to social media. Each person must tag someone and donate once they’ve completed the challenge.

For easy and simple sharing, create a custom fundraising page that’s optimized for mobile!

Organize a night of beautiful singing performed by your talented church choir. Sell tickets for a small fee and invite audience members to make donations at the end of the celebration from their phones with an easy text-to-donate code. 

Give the classic “father-daughter” or “mother-son” dance an inclusive update. Invite families of all shapes and sizes to enjoy a fun night of cutting a rug together for a good cause.

Choose a theme, sell tickets for your fundraising event online, and raise even more by setting up a photo booth with silly props!

Take part in Giving Tuesday or create your own giving day in which you mobilize your community to reach your fundraising goal in one day.

Keep your supporters invested in your progress with a goal bar and campaign updates that highlight milestones, matching gifts, and special shout-outs throughout the day.

Host a tournament featuring the most popular video games. Charge entry fees for participants and offer donated prizes for winners. To make it digital, livestream the event so participants can play—and cheer each other on—from home.

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.

Send a festive holiday card—by mail or email—to share season’s greetings, thank your supporters, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals. 

Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.

Ask local businesses to sponsor your team in exchange for logo placement on jerseys, in programs, or on stadium banners. Be sure to follow sponsorship proposal best practices to make the most of this partnership! 

Host an inclusive fun run event that’s a little more leisurely. Set a time window for participants to complete their stroll and encourage them to collect donations through peer-to-peer fundraising pages. Be sure to showcase their achievements on social media! 

Buy some crowd-favorite candies and charge supporters to send these sweet treats to a chosen recipient along with a heartfelt note. To streamline the process, have donors fill out custom fields on your donation form with their personal notes and recipient addresses.

Team up to clean up! Rally volunteers to collect litter in your local community, and have each participant gather sponsorships based on bags filled or hours spent. It's a powerful way to raise funds and make a visible impact.

Partner with local eateries and provide tasting kits for participants to enjoy at home for a small fee. Then, host a livestream tasting experience.

For this totally remote fundraising event, charge a registration fee and ask participants to use their computer or mobile device to complete various challenges. Share instructions and updates and announce winners from a livestream hosted right on your event page.

Encourage donors to sponsor specific furniture peices and appliances so they can see how their contributions directly support families in need. The easiest way to do this is to set up custom labels for different donation amounts on your donation form that correspond with the items you need. For example, “$25 provides a toaster,” “$50 provides a dinnerware set,” and so on.

Combine two or more golf-themed events into your own charity or nonprofit golf day. Host a golf tournament, hand out sponsored awards, and end the day with an evening gala and an auction.

Invite local fitness instructors and coaches to donate their skills and invite community members to join you for at-home exercise classes in exchange for a donation.

Manage everything in one place by broadcasting your classes with a livestream right on your event registration page.

Get creative with ticket selling and sell golf balls instead, then drop these numbered balls from a height. The one closest to the hole is the winner. Pair this with other golf-themed fundraisers for an impressive event.

Sell bingo cards and offer exciting prizes to keep everyone engaged all night long—either virtually or in person!

In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake to build anticipation.

Choose a theme and invite your coworkers to pay a small entry fee to decorate their workspace. Let others donate $5 to vote for the best “dressed” desk through each participant’s peer-to-peer fundraising page. Track the leaderboard in real time to see who’s in the lead!

Partner with a local horse riding stable to host a ride-a-thon! Ask the stable to donate a group ride package or discounted sessions. Supporters can join by making a set donation, with proceeds going directly to your fundraiser. It’s a fun, family-friendly way to raise money, connect with your community, and make unforgettable memories—no riding experience required!