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.

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

Jeans day


Sell passes for a day out of uniform or a day in jeans. You can even turn it into a friendly competition to see which grade has the highest participation. For easy payments, use scan-to-donate, Venmo, or other convenient methods. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/jeans-day-out-of-uniform-day
All
Events
Pages & forms
Peer-to-peer

Fix the felines


Launch a trap-neuter-return fundraising campaign to help reduce the number of stray cats and kittens in your community. 

Make your fundraising goal visible with a fundraising thermometer, so supporters can see how their contributions are moving you one step closer to your goal. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fix-the-felines
All
Pages & forms

Date auction


Brave individuals offer themselves up for your auction to go on a date with the highest bidders. This idea is a little bit dated, but with the right planning, you can have a lot of fun with it.

Ask sponsoring restaurants to donate gift certificates to bring in more bids for these “items”and make for an easy, in-public location for each date.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/date-auction
All
Auctions
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Popcorn fundraiser

Partner with a popcorn supplier and sell gourmet popcorn to family, friends, and community members. Add mouthwatering images to tickets to showcase all the different flavors available.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/popcorn-fundraiser
All
Events
Pages & forms

Holiday wreath sale


Partner with a local nursery to sell holiday wreaths made of fresh greenery. Create a fundraising page where supporters can purchase them with ease.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/holiday-wreath-sale
All
Pages & forms

Cutest pet contest

Who has the cutest pet in your community? Host a photo contest to find out! Invite participants to submit a photo of their four-legged (or feathered or scaly!) friend for a set donation amount. Then, open up voting to the public—each vote can be a small donation. Crown a winner, raise funds, and flood everyone’s feed with cuteness.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cutest-pet-contest
All
Events
Pages & forms

Turkey Trot

Give your community a good reason to break out their jogging shoes on Turkey Day! Offer a one-stop shop for runner signups and donations with registration fundraising tools.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/turkey-trot
All
Events
Pages & forms
Peer-to-peer

Carnival night


Host a magical fundraising event with traditional carnival games, rides, and booths. Charge an all-inclusive admission or use QR codes for each activity to create a smoother pay-as-you-go experience.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/carnival-night
All
Events

Puppy party


Team up with your local animal shelter to host an event to raise awareness and funds for both the shelter and your organization or campaign. Attendees get bonus puppy snuggles!

At the event, highlight the different mobile giving options your supporters can choose from with live display.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/puppy-party
All
Events

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.

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

Town hall event

Host a town hall event to give community members an opportunity to learn about your organization, program, or new project. Display your text-to-give code prominently around the space to raise funds from inspired audience members. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/town-hall-event
All
Events
Pages & forms

Online garage sale


Collect new and used goods from your community and sell items on a first-come, first-served basis—virtually. To introduce some fun competition and bring in more funds, turn the sale into an auction with buy-now pricing options! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/online-garage-sale
All
Events
Pages & forms
Auctions

Golf advice clinic

If you know your stuff, set up a golf advice clinic where new and would-be golfers can come along and ask questions. Host this at your club, or invite an expert or celebrity to come in for the day. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/golf-advice-clinic
All
Events

Parents’ night out


This fundraising event can be a fun gathering for parents—or a chance for grownups to drop off their kids for a few hours in exchange for a donation to your cause. Charge an hourly rate or flat “entrance fee” and give caregivers some priceless peace and quiet.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/parents-night-out
All
Events

Livestream donation challenge

Livestream an event like a concert, film, or informational session related to your mission. Set a clear donation goal to reach by the end of the event.

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

Pet photo calendar


Create a pet photo calendar featuring adorable photos of shelter animals. Sell the calendars online using a donation form or fundraising page, and at local events too!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-photo-calendar
All
Pages & forms

Holiday movie marathon

Create a lineup of classic holiday movies for a community movie marathon. Sell tickets, popcorn, hot chocolate, and other treats to create a delightful (and profitable!) experience. 

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

Adopt-a-mile fundraiser


Raise funds for a mission trip by asking congregation members to “adopt a mile.” This is a fun way to tie your fundraising activity into the experience and drive donations closer to your goal.

Highlight how close you are to reaching your target by displaying a live goal bar on your fundraising page, where the fundraising goal total equals the number of miles.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/adopt-a-mile-fundraiser
All
Pages & forms

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
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/playing-for-good
All
Events
Auctions
Pages & forms

Swag sale


Raise some extra funds for your organization or club and spread the word about your cause by selling branded swag like totes, stickers, and t-shirts.

With advanced ticketing features, you can offer each item on a mobile-friendly platform and add an image and available amount so supporters can easily purchase and share their sizing info, too!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sell-swag-or-merch
All
Events
Auctions
Pages & forms

Coding bootcamp

Partner with coding organizations and offer students discounted class fees and programs. Be sure to include some appealing benefits for participating companies in your corporate sponsorship proposal, like free marketing and publicity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/coding-bootcamp
All
Events

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

“Celebrity” breakfast

Charge an entrance fee for a special family breakfast with a beloved children’s character like Elmo! Check-in attendees and accept in-person donations with Tap to Pay as guests arrive, ask volunteers to whip up scrambled eggs and pancakes, and arrange a corner of the room for family photos and selfies. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share idea
Link copied!
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/celebrity-breakfast
All
Events
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