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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By organization
Additional lists
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All fundraising ideas
Pet yoga
Ask a local yoga teacher to lead a class with adoptable animals—or invite participants bring their pets along for some zen!
Make this fundraising event even better by asking a local yoga studio to be a sponsor.









Slide into DMs
Few things beat a personalized, one-on-one request. Send direct messages to thank your supporters and link to your donation form or fundraising campaign.









Battle of the bands
Host a battle of the bands with local musicians. Change the audience a small ticket fee, or raise funds by selling drinks and snacks.
Raise even more money by livestreaming the show. Encourage your supporters to tune in, support the event, and donate what they can towards your goal.









Tailgate party
Invite a local restaurant to contribute or have volunteers create a menu for a tailgate. Sell entry tickets and offer some fun merch or special treats at an additional price to bring in extra dollars.









Paint and sip









Petting zoo
Partner with a local farm or petting zoo to bring animals on-site for a day of fun. Charge an entry fee and optional donations for extra activities like pony rides.
Make sure attendees can make quick payments from their phones, using methods like Venmo or Tap to Pay, so they don't have to return to their cars for cash.









Auction your time or skills
Ask supporters to volunteer their special skills, then auction their time and expertise to the highest bidder!
Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.









Golf ball drop









Themed run
Make your peer-to-peer fundraising run truly memorable with a standout theme! Encourage participants to dress up and create teams based on your theme to build community and boost the competitive spirit.









Holiday movie marathon
With user-friendly fundraising event features for online ticket sales and in-person donations, organizing this event can be as easy as hitting play on your favorite festive film.









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!









Shamrock festival
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a shamrock-themed live event or auction in support of a good cause. Go all out with a green color scheme, traditional live music, and Irish-inspired activities.









Trunk or treat
Ask local businesses to sponsor this non-traditional trick-or-treating experience. Families and volunteers decorate their cars and hand out candy to kids in a designated parking lot for a safe, fun-filled event.









Text-to-donate
With text-to-donate, raising funds is as easy as sending a text. Display your shortcode at fundraising events, share it on social media, or add it to signs so your supporters give using their mobile devices right on the spot—no matter where they are.
See for yourself how easy it is! Text “DEMO” to 53-555.









Pet therapy
Invite local animal shelters to bring adoptable dogs and cats to campus during midterms or finals to reduce student stress and raise money for a good cause.
Charge an entry fee and sell inexpensive extras like dog and cat treats. Be sure to offer multiple ways to pay, such as scan-to-donate and Venmo!









Teacher “jail”
Challenge students to meet a fundraising goal. If they succeed, their teacher gets “locked in jail” (aka gets to relax in the teachers’ lounge) while students take over the classroom for fun and games. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to build excitement!









Cupcake wars
Have kids prepare their favorite cupcake recipe to sell at a cupcake-only bake sale. To add some friendly competition, invite attendees to vote on their favorite by making a donation to the tastiest cupcake’s team fundraising page. Use a leaderboard to show real-time votes and award prizes for the winning bakers!









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.









College movers for hire
Set up a donation form with pre-set donation amounts and customized labels that show how much support they’re getting, like $50 = 2 hours of moving support.









Share “tails” of impact
Bring your supporters together for an event to showcase the stories of animals you’ve helped—or tell your “tails” of impact directly on your fundraising page. Share stories that tug at your donors’ heartstrings and show the impact of their generosity.









Baby picture guessing
Ask employees to bring in baby photos, then hang them up and challenge everyone to make a donation to guess who’s who!









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.









Pros vs. Joes









Refer a friend
For successful referrals to your program, offer your current members discounted membership fees, merchandise, or entry into a raffle. Create custom fields (like “Who referred you?”) on your donation forms to keep track of eligible members.









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