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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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Uncork it for cancer


Plan a wine-themed lunch or dinner event featuring delicious food and drink, live music, and great conversation—all while raising money for cancer care and research. Include an auction to attract even more donations.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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Pride-themed merch sale


Design and sell pride-themed merchandise such as t-shirts, buttons, stickers, and flags. To drum up excitement, create a custom donation form, event, or fundraising page that includes images of the available items.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pride-themed-merch-sale
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cheer-off
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Oktoberfest


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.

Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/oktoberfest
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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!  
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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Playing for good


Turn a standard golf tournament into something meaningful by spotlighting your cancer charity. Invite teams to sign up, host a raffle or auction, and encourage guests to give generously throughout the day.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/playing-for-good
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Neighborhood tailgate party


Swap the stadium for your local streets and host a neighborhood tailgate party. Clear a block or two and set up food stalls, carnival games, and plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy.

You can make the event free and charge for activities or create a ticketed event—whichever you choose, our fundraising event features can help.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/neighborhood-tailgate-party
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Photography walk

Invite a photographer to host a tour around the local area, taking in the sights of the season. Sell tickets in advance and use an easy mobile app to check in guests and take any last-minute payments on the day of. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/photography-walk
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/chili-cook-off
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Read-a-thon


Students pledge to read a certain number of minutes each day and collect donations for every minute read or a flat rate. Use peer-to-peer fundraising to gamify your efforts and encourage readers to compete to see who reads—and raises—the most.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/read-a-thon
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Celebrity guest appearance


Invite minor or major league players or other celebrity guests to your fundraising event to make a general appearance, offer a meet-and-greet session for VIPs, or participate in the event themselves! You cansell ticketsand offer food and drink at an additional cost to make this fundraising event a big win for your cause.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/celebrity-guest-appearance
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Pet adoption extravaganza


Partner with a local shelter for an all-day pet adoption palooza. Make it an event to remember and attract more guests with music, games, food, and plenty of furry companions.

You never know—the person who came by for a hot dog might just leave with their forever friend!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-adoption-extravaganza
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/speakeasy-night
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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.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/petting-zoo
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Auctions

Face painting


Set up a booth where passersby can get their face painted by volunteers from your group in exchange for a small donation.

Make it easy for people to give with scan-to-donate. All they need to do is scan the QR code and they’ll land on your donation page in seconds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/face-painting
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Bowl-a-thon


Reserve lanes at a bowling alley, ask participants to gather pledges for an all-you-can-bowl night, and watch the donations roll in on team fundraising pages.

Offer special prizes for the team with the highest score, most creative name, or even the best uniforms.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bowl-a-thon
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Peer-to-peer

Golf ball drop

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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/golf-ball-drop
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Flower bulb sale


Sell wholesale flowers or request donations from nurseries and landscaping stores to sell to supporters. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage individual supporters to compete to see who can sell the most!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flower-bulb-sale
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Oscars fundraiser

Sell tickets to an extra special Oscars viewing party—or create your very own awards program fundraiser that’s as glamorous and exciting as the real thing.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/oscars-fundraiser
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Auctions

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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Kiss the pig


Invite supporters to donate to your good cause—with a creative twist. The top fundraiser earns the honor of kissing a pig!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/kiss-the-pig
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flamingoed
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Craft sale

Turn your community’s talents into funds for your cause by hosting a craft sale. Ask volunteer crafters to donate some of their goods or ask for a percentage of their profits in return for promoting and hosting the event.

Want to make an even bigger impact? Auction off some larger or more in-demand items.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/craft-sale
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Social media challenge


Choose a theme and hashtag, then encourage supporters to post a video or photo, tag others to join in, and donate!

Explore more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/social-media-challenge
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