Your go-to source for fundraising inspiration

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.

Givebutter fundraising progress graphic showing $45,000 raised out of a $50,000 goal (90% complete), with a smiling yellow character holding a light bulb and a green 'Support Now!' button.

All fundraising ideas

Filter
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

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
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-auction
All
Auctions
Pages & forms

Ugly sweater run

Get festive by encouraging supporters to wear their ugliest holiday sweater for a fun run! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word—along with photos of them in their ugly regalia. Offer a special award for the “best” dressed.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ugly-sweater-5k
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Lip sync competition


Invite community members to sign up and submit their songs for an unforgettable lip-sync battle. Recruit a volunteer panel of judges to select the winners—and don’t forget prizes for the winners!

Sell tickets for this fundraising event online, streamline check-in, and accept extra donations with the same easy platform.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lip-sync-competition
All
Events

Night at the museum

Secure a sponsorship from a local museum and invite families and community members to make a donation to enjoy a crowd-free evening of fun.  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/night-at-the-museum
All
Events

Meditation retreat


Organize a mindfulness retreat focused on yoga, meditation, and wellness sessions in a serene setting.

Customize tickets for this fundraising event to collect needed information from registrants, such as dietary restrictions.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/meditation-retreat
All
Events

Cheer off


Invite dance, cheer, or pom squads to pay a small entry fee and battle it out for top spots like “Most Spirited” and “Best Routine.” Take this event to the next level by asking attendees to consider adding a donation to their ticket purchase, offering concessions, or evenlivestreamingthe event.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cheer-off
All
Events

Thanksgiving food drive

Raise funds and ask supporters to contribute food items to provide neighbors in need with all the ingredients for a delicious and dignified Thanksgiving dinner.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/thanksgiving-food-drive
All
Pages & forms

Superhero run


Charge an entry fee to participate in a costumed fundraising run. Encourage runners to raise even more for your cause through their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages, and award prizes for race winners, best super hero costumes, and most donations raised!  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/superhero-run
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Day at the zoo


Rally your supporters for an unforgettable fundraising field trip to the zoo. Partner with a local zoo to offer discounted admission that includes a donation to your organization. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/day-at-the-zoo
All
Events
Auctions

Chili cook-off


Invite participants to prepare their best chili for attendees—and offer prizes for the winner! Create team fundraising pages for each chili recipe/culinary team. There, supporters can cast their vote with a donation and watch the live leaderboard to see which chef is in the lead!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/chili-cook-off
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Pancake breakfast


There’s nothing like pancakes to bring a community together. Charge an entry fee for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, or ask a local restaurant to sponsor the event to make it even sweeter.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pancake-breakfast
All
Events
Pages & forms

Speakeasy night


Sell tickets to a prohibition-era-themed night that features poker, themed cocktails, live music, and more. Sell tickets to this fundraising event ahead of time, and accept donations from latecomers on the spot, too.


Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/speakeasy-night
All
Events

Flamingoed


Invite supporters to make a donation to have lawn flamingos placed on their friends’ yards. Volunteers will sneak them onto recipients’ lawns so they awake to a pink surprise!

To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flamingoed
All
Events
Pages & forms

Swing to bust cancer


Raise awareness and funds for cancer research or care with a golf or tennis-themed fundraiser. Sell tickets to watch or participate, and boost donations with merch, refreshments, and auction items.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/swing-to-bust-cancer
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Auctions
Pages & forms

3-v-3 tournament

Whether it’s soccer, volleyball, or basketball, organize a fast-paced 3v3 tournament where teams compete to hit a set score or time limit. Require a minimum donation to enter and sell tickets for spectators to cheer them on.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/3-v-3-tournament
All
Events
Pages & forms

Online bake sale

Sell homemade or donated treats through a donation form, event page, or buy-now auction, and organize volunteers to make deliveries after purchase! For some additional funds, allow recipients to make a donation alongside their purchase. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-bake-sale
All
Auctions
Pages & forms

Guest speaker event


Host a webinar or TED-style talk with an interesting topic and a captivating guest speaker sourced from your network.

Raise funds for your livestream by selling tickets and include upgrades like signed copies of books to bring in even more donations.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/guest-speaker-event
All
Events

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
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/charity-golf-outing
All
Events

Flag football tournament


Bring fans onto the field for some football fun! Teams register and pay to play and fans buy tickets to cheer them on.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flag-football-tournament
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Three point contest

Request a minimum donation for event attendees to participate. Each team shoots shoots from behind the three-point. The winning team is the one with the most points when the time goes off. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/three-point-contest
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Home run derby


Have participants create personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages and collect pledges from friends and family based on the number of home runs they hit. Sell tickets to watch the game and award prizes to the winners.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/home-run-derby
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

TikTok dance-off


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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tiktok-dance-off
All
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Sports clinic


Host a sports clinic or skills camp for participants to learn from top coaches, pro players, or other notable experts. Depending on the scale of your clinic, you can sell several tickets to the public or offer just a few spots as a big-ticket silent auction item at a fundraising event.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sports-clinic
All
Events
Auctions

Dog walking


Set up a service where volunteers walk or play with community members' dogs in exchange for a donation. Or, auction off this opportunity to the highest bidder! 

Simplify the process for your supporters by using custom labels on your donation forms—for example, $50 for a two-hour walk.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dog-walking
All
Pages & forms
Auctions
Looks like we don’t have any fundraising ideas matching that criteria 🔎
We're always cooking up new ideas, so check back soon for fresh picks!
Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime 

Subscribe to
The Butter Brief

Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox

Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Givebutter helps you turn ideas into impact

Subscribe to
The Butter Brief

Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox

Subscribed! Your fundraising journey just got a whole lot butter. 🧈
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

The most-loved fundraising platform

G