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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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T-shirt design contest

Encourage supporters to submit their best t-shirt designs to enter a competition. Set up team fundraising pages for each design and have supporters donate to vote for their favorite. Each donation will appear on a leaderboard so everyone can watch the votes (and donations!) come in.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/t-shirt-design-contest
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Multicultural fair

Showcase dishes and traditions from around the globe and celebrate the diversity of your community with a multicultural fair fundraiser. Sell tickets and set up food, drinks, and gift booths for attendees to enjoy.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/multicultural-fair
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Tie-dye fundraiser


Invite students to bring t-shirts, tote bags, socks, and other light-colored items of clothing for a tie-dye party. Charge a small fee for entry and supplies, and have some extra clothing items on hand to sell, too.

If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tie-dye-fundraiser
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Fan Combine

Invite family, friends, and fans to this ultimate sports fundraising event. Participants join in a series of challenges, such as football tosses, 50-yard dashes, and obstacle courses.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fan-combine
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Recycling drive


Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a local service to turn these items into funds.

Recycling drives work great for long-term fundraising. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them when and where they can drop off materials via your email marketing software.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/recycling-drive
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Dance-a-thon

Using individual peer-to-peer fundraising pages connected to your main event page, participants gather donations and pledges based on how long they aim to dance—without taking a break!

Supporters can donate, leave encouraging messages for the dancers, and purchase tickets to join in the fun—all in one place.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dance-a-thon
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Events
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Holiday cookie sale


Whip up some sweet treats to sell at your next fundraising event, group gathering, or around town. Consider setting up a station for supporters to decorate their own cookies or create kits for families to bring home in exchange for a donation.

Streamline the buying process with scan-to-donate—which guest can use to make their payment instantly right from their phones!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/holiday-cookie-sale
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Events
Pages & forms

Annual holiday party

Throw a big annual holiday party to finish the year in style. Make this a VIP event and raise funds through ticket sales or partner up with sponsors to help offset costs and reach more supporters.

With Givebutter you can create unlimited custom event ticket types—allowing you to create fun VIP packages to offer to your partygoers.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/annual-holiday-party
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Events

Ales for tails


Partner with your favorite animal-friendly brewery and invite supporters to sip refreshing beverages—all for a good cause.  

Charge a set ticket price that includes a donation and two beer tokens. Pair the event with a pet costume contest to make it even more memorable and raise more funds. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ales-for-tails
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Events

All you can eat buffet

Host an all-you-can-eat buffet or potluck dinner, and charge a small fee to enjoy a meal together with your community.

A free event ticketing platform can help you organize and manage your evening and check people in from your mobile device without any stress. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/all-you-can-eat-buffet
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Events

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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Events
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PTA mimosa breakfast

Invite parents to a fun twist on the pancake breakfast by selling tickets to an adult-only meal at your next fundraising event. Offer extra goodies—like espresso martinis!—at an additional cost.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pta-mimosa-breakfast
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Events

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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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Bring your pet to work day

Let employees bring their furry friends to work for the day in an exchange for a donation to your local animal shelter. Organize pet-themed activities and competitions to raise additional funds. To get remote employees involved, livestream some of the activities and invite coworkers to tune in!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bring-your-pet-to-work-day
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Events
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Grown-up bake sale

Sell donated or homemade gourmet goodies like croissants and macarons for the ultimate grownups-with-a-sweet-tooth fundraiser. 

Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/grown-up-bake-sale
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Events

Office Games

Organize a series of lighthearted office games like chair races or paper airplane contests. Charge a small fee (donation) for participation and award prizes to winners. Offer scan to-donate to make the process smooth and simple.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/office-games
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Events
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Peer-to-peer

Dodgeball tournament


Put teams together and face off to see who truly is the best when it comes to dodgeball. Charge teams an entry fee, sell tickets to watch the games, and sell refreshments to raise even more funds.

Invite participants to set up team fundraising pages so they can also compete to see who can raise the most funds for your cause.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dodgeball-tournament
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Events
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Color run


Spray participants with brightly colored powder along the course of your charity fun run. By the end, runners will be rainbow-ed! Set up a photo booth at the finish line for selfies, and encourage donations on social media via a scan-to-donate code.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/color-run
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Events
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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

Pajama day

For a small donation, students can come to school in their pajamas and enjoy a cozy day. Grownups can organize a pajama day fundraiser at work, too! Accept donations in advance or on the day of via multiple payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pajama-day
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VIP cushioned seats sale


Sell VIP event tickets that offer access to front-row, cushioned seats—and maybe some team swag—at your next home game. Give your biggest fans an unforgettable experience while raising funds for your cause. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/vip-cushioned-seats-sale
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Events
Auctions

Raffle


Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky’s the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything your community members will love.

Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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Events
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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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