Fundraising ideas

Hosting an employee appreciation day is a great opportunity for workplace giving. Let your employees know how valued they are with a special day in their honor, during which you ask for their preferred charity and make a donation on their behalf. 

Sell custom team apparel like T-shirts and hats featuring your team's logo and colors—online, in person, or both! Be sure to collect key info—like size and color—using custom fields on your donation forms.

Make holiday magic easy for families by preparing gingerbread house kits they can buy for a small cost that supports your cause. Offer kits with larger houses or extra decorations for added fun and funds, which you can highlight in your custom your donation forms.

Host a family friendly jog-a-thon at your local running track. Participants can collect pledges for the number of laps they jog, walk, or run. Recruit volunteers to tally the number of laps each participant completes. 

Partner with a celebrated local eatery to donate a percentage of their profits from a certain night or weekend to your fundraising campaign. Check out tips for securing corporate sponsorships to make the most of this opportunity.

Take inspiration from the TV show “Chopped” and challenge teams to a culinary showdown!

You can get even more spectators in on the fun by livestreaming the event and asking for donations throughout the program.

Buy a batch of scratch cards from a wholesaler. Each circle hides a dollar amount, typically ranging from 50 cents to several dollars. Participants scratch off as many spots as they’d like—the total amount revealed is how much they’ll donate!

Collect cash or accept virtual payments on the spot with Tap-to-Pay, Venmo, and other convenient options.

Host a pay-to-play fundraising event where participants can compete against their friends in games like UNO or Sorry. Sell goodies for competitors to snack on to make this event extra sweet.

Introduce the wider community to your club or group by hosting a themed culture day. Offer workshops, food, and activities in exchange for small donations using easy fundraising event tools like ticketing and mobile payment options.  

Host a desk plant sale featuring potted greenery employees can purchase to decorate their workspace while supporting your cause. Accept Venmo donations and other seamless payment options for quick, easy transactions.

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. 

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.

Invite student-run bands to rock out for a prize! Charge entry fees and offer rad, donated prizes for the winners. Have each band create a team fundraising page, and encourage attendees to cast their votes for their favorites bands with a donation! 

Host a boardwalk get-together complete with carnival games and treats. You can also use the event to introduce a renovation project for your beachside community and rally support for your cause.

Organize a service where volunteers help students move into their dorms in exchange for a set fee or a donation of their choice.

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.

Find a viral social media dance challenge and invite your supporters to have a go. Ask them to include a message to donate towards your good cause, or use peer-to-peer fundraising to help them raise money from their friends and family members.

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.

Lock your pastor or church leader away behind closed doors and ask congregation members to donate towards their freedom. This is a fun and fast-paced way to raise funds quickly! 

Create excitement by displaying a live goal bar on your fundraising page so supporters can watch the total rise in real time. 

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!

Collect online donations from friends, family, and community members by creating a fundraising page that lays out your needs and the impact that you will make with the money you raise. Use photos and videos to make your story more engaging, and use a goal bar to showcase your progress.

Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!

Partner with local eateries and provide tasting kits for participants to enjoy at home for a small fee. Then, host a livestream tasting experience.

Celebrate the end of the year with a big annual fundraiser. Host an event and attract donations and support with a silent auction, peer-to-peer campaign, and more.

Use the year-end giving checklist to make sure you’ve covered every angle!