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.

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
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/kiss-the-pig
All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Costume contest


Throw a themed costume party to match the season or holiday and award prizes for the best costumes! Sell tickets to your fundraising event online and partner with local sponsors to offset costs and spread the word.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/costume-contest
All
Events
Pages & forms

Tree planting day

Plan a day of tree or flower planting to beautify your community. Invite local businesses to sponsor the whole event or an individual plant or tree, and invite donations from the wider community.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tree-planting-day
All
Events
Pages & forms

Pet expo

Partner with local vendors to bring your animal-loving community together for an exciting day out. Pets and their people can visit various tents, participate in activities, and learn about your organization’s impact. Sell tickets for general admission, and for a larger donation, offer VIP tent access with catered treats for both humans and furry friends.

Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-expo
All
Events

Principal for the day


Auction off the chance for a student to be school principal for the day! The lucky student will get to greet classmates as they arrive, make morning announcements, visit classrooms, and enjoy a special lunch with the principal. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/principal-for-the-day
All
Auctions

Dance silent auction

Give the traditional silent auction a dance-themed twist by selling off items, vouchers, and experiences that your dancer community would love. Make this part of a gala event and sell tickets to enter for even more fundraising opportunities.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dance-silent-auction
All
Auctions

Pool or beach volleyball tournament

Turn your local beach or community pool into a sports arena with a pool volleyball tournament. To make this a high-value event, charge teams an entry fee and encourage them to raise sponsorship through their team fundraising pages.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pool-volleyball-tournament
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Mascot showdown


Join forces with your rival team for a good cause. Organize a race or other competition between your mascots during halftime at a big game, and ask supporters to vote for their mascot by donating on a team fundraising page. Use text-to-donate or a QR code to bring in even more funds from the stands during the event.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/mascot-showdown
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Beach ball


Swap the traditional venue for a sunset gala on the beach. With catering, live music, and an auction, you’ll have the perfect recipe for a memorable summer fundraiser.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/beach-ball
All
Auctions
Events
Pages & forms

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

Restaurant takeover

Find a local restaurant that will host your fundraising event and donate at least 10-20% of the profits from the evening to your campaign. To really sweeten the sponsorship, offer lots of benefits for participating restaurants like free marketing and publicity. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/restaurant-takeover
All
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
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bowl-a-thon
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Coffee morning


Host a coffee morning and invite your community members to join you for tea or coffee, cake, and a warm conversation. Ask a local coffee shop to sponsor the event or donate a percentage of the morning’s profits to your cause. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/coffee-morning
All
Events

Improv night


Invite community members to try their hand at comedy while earning money—and a few good laughs—for a cause. Sell tickets and raise even more at your event with snacks and drinks.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/improv-night
All
Events

Trending hashtag

Keep an eye out for trending hashtags to join the conversation and introduce your cause to new audiences. Just be sure to find a clear way to connect the trend back to your mission.

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

Pizza party


Have each class or group create a team fundraising page for donations and campaign sharing. Reward the team that raises the most with a bottomless pizza day, donated by a local pizzeria or made by volunteers. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pizza-party
All
Events
Peer-to-peer

Flower bouquets

Partner with a local florist to set up a stall where volunteers make, wrap, and sell flower bouquets for Mother's Day, Easter, or any other spring celebration.

Create a fundraising page with custom donation amounts featuring a photo of each kind of bouquet and the number available so donors can reserve bouquets online or purchase in person.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flower-bouquets
All
Pages & forms

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

Plant sale


Ask your green-thumbed community members to grow their best seedlings and plants for a future plant sale to raise much-needed funds. Or, send a sponsorship proposal to a local plant nursery to sign on as your event sponsor or partner.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/plant-sale
All
Events
Pages & forms

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

Pool party


Charge an entry fee for a fun day in the sun—think pool floats, squirt guns, and water balloons!

To make this fundraising event even more of a hit, sell summery snacks and drinks, too. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pool-party
All
Events
Pages & forms

Membership drive


Incentivize supporters to invite friends and family to sign up for a membership during a specific period of time. Offer discounted rates or additional perks, and accept recurring donations on a monthly or annual basis.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/membership-drive
All
Pages & forms

Murder mystery night

Arrange a classic "whodunnit" event in which your guests roleplay to find out who the criminal within the group is. 

Use easy event ticketing features to register guests online and check them in quickly with your mobile app to get the festivities started sooner! 
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/murder-mystery-night
All
Events

Gift basket showdown

Using peer-to-peer fundraising, participants compete to raise the most money for your campaign. The winner gets the first pick from a selection of gift baskets.  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gift-basket-showdown
All
Peer-to-peer
Auctions
Pages & forms
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