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Boost Your Goals with 197+ Unique Fundraising Ideas from Smile.Markets

Fundraising is crucial, whether it’s for a particular program or to support the ongoing expenses of a nonprofit. However, repeating the same fundraising campaign won’t suffice. To effectively engage and keep your supporters, you require exceptional fundraising concepts that will ignite their enthusiasm for contributing to your cause.

That’s why we’ve created this list of 197+ amazing fundraising ideas! We’ve divided them up into categories to help you find the idea that appeals to your donor base’s interests. Let’s dive right in to discover your options! Once you’ve found the perfect fundraising idea, consider partnering with smilemarkets.org to make your efforts even more successful. Their platform offers a seamless and efficient way to engage in continuous fundraising with smilemarkets.org, allowing you to easily manage and track donations while providing a user-friendly experience for your supporters. With their help, you can take your fundraising to the next level and make a lasting impact in your community. By utilizing smilemarkets.org, you can create a customized and branded fundraising page that reflects your organization’s mission and goals. Their tools and resources can also help you implement successful campaign strategies, such as peer-to-peer fundraising and social media integration, to maximize your impact. With their support, you can elevate your fundraising efforts and cultivate strong relationships with your donors.

Top Fundraising Ideas

Smile.Markets

Smile.Markets presents a distinctive and cost-free solution for organizations to raise funds. It offers a shopping portal where supporters can shop as usual, and every purchase they make contributes a donation to your organization, without requiring any additional payment. This fundraising opportunity surpasses others, with proven effectiveness that is more than 5 times greater. Supporters have an unlimited online shopping resource to support their favorite organization financially. Smile.Markets stands as the simplest and most effective online solution for organizations and supporters alike. Find out more about adding your organization here.

Google Ad Grants

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The Google Ad Grant program provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 per month to use on Google Ads. By leveraging Google’s extensive online ad network, you can enhance your organization’s visibility and attract new supporters to your cause. This includes promoting events, donation forms, and other pages that contribute to advancing your cause. However, managing a healthy account requires significant effort. That’s why many organizations seek assistance from professional Google Grants managers. We recommend Getting Attention as our top agency, as their team can assist you with grant application, keyword research, campaign setup, progress tracking, and reactivating your account if it becomes deactivated. Smile.Markets recommends One Up Digital, a trusted Google Partner and Google Grants Approved agency.

Fundraising eCards

Your nonprofit has the opportunity to offer digital cards in return for donations, which are greatly valued by all. Generate donation cards for different events like holidays, birthdays, expressions of gratitude, offering sympathy, and raising awareness for specific causes to cater to diverse requirements.

Save on postage and printing costs by offering eCards online, thanks to the power of technology! To begin, select a reliable and cost-effective eCard creation platform. We suggest using eCardWidget, which seamlessly integrates with various top fundraising platforms.

The digital platform is fully equipped to enable you to create unique digital cards and seamlessly upload them to your website or Shopify store. Afterwards, contributors have the option to make payments for card delivery through email, social media, or text message.

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Professional Fundraising Collateral

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Professionally crafted items and presents, such as flyers, stickers, and t-shirts, can enhance the effectiveness of your fundraising efforts. In addition to making your nonprofit organization distinct, producing promotional materials adorned with your logo and color palette can amplify brand recognition.

To obtain the necessary design assets, collaborate with a graphic design firm such as Kwala. Determine the branded items or attention-grabbing promotional materials required, and collaborate with your graphic designer to develop something that authentically embodies your nonprofit organization.

Kwala provides a range of graphic design choices, offering files that are prepared for uploading or printing. Their expert graphic design services are perfect for creating branded merchandise and attention-grabbing promotional materials, giving a much-needed boost to your fundraisers.

Favorite Fundraising Ideas

Food Fundraiser

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To engage different audiences, like parents of elementary school students or senior citizens, you can offer food and treats. You can raise funds for your next campaign by selling cookie dough or organizing a gourmet popcorn fundraiser. This can be done through both in-person and online sales using a dedicated fundraising web store. Moreover, by providing home delivery, you can reach supporters who live in other states and still want to contribute to your mission’s success. With a wide variety of flavors, including nutty caramel, white cheddar, chocolate delight, strawberry shortcake, Texas cheddar habanero, and dill pickle, your supporters have the chance to find a flavor they already enjoy or try something new.

Begin by organizing your team or volunteers to initiate the process of accepting orders, either through online platforms or in person. Be sure to establish a system for distributing the treat once it has been delivered. To add some excitement to this fundraising endeavor, consider hosting a tasting event at a nearby school or church, where you can distribute the orders and engage in conversations with your supporters.

Tree Planting Day

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Consider supporting your cause and helping the environment by organizing a day dedicated to planting trees. Encourage your followers to contribute to your organization and, in return, offer to plant a tree in their yard. This thoughtful gesture will not only enhance their landscape but also serve as a continuous reminder of your organization’s mission.

Ensure that there is an ample number of volunteers available to assist with the tree planting event. Additionally, make certain to bring the necessary materials for planting and securing the young trees in the soil. Remember to also provide an abundance of water, sunscreen, and invigorating snacks.

Autographed Memorabilia Auction

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Dedicated enthusiasts enjoy acquiring collectibles related to their beloved singers, athletes, TV shows, movies, and brands, particularly if they bear the signature of a renowned celebrity. Collaborate with your team to obtain donated autographed memorabilia that can be auctioned to your supporters, such as a guitar signed by an artist or a movie script with an autograph.

Promote the auction items via social media and your organization’s newsletter. Subsequently, you can organize either an in-person or virtual auction and witness the influx of bids. Employing a mobile bidding and auction software provider will assist you in efficiently configuring your bidding process. Consequently, your organization will secure vital funding, and the highest bidders will take home the auction items.

Online Shopping Fundraiser

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Online shopping fundraisers utilize the convenience and popularity of internet shopping to generate support for your organization. These fundraisers allocate a percentage of the revenue from each item purchased to your organization. Using a reliable online shopping fundraising platform such as Smile.Markets, your supporters simply need to shop at their preferred stores and make their usual purchases. As a result, your cause can earn up to 20% of the total purchase price.

Using Smile.Markets for your organization or supporters is completely free. It’s a hassle-free and highly rewarding way to raise funds, benefiting everyone involved.

Dog Wash

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Does a significant portion of your supporter base share a love of furry friends? Try hosting a dog wash fundraiser. All you’ll need is water, dog shampoo, towels, and volunteers who aren’t afraid to get a little messy.

Charge a small fee for each dog wash. You can pull in additional revenue by selling dog walks, dog toys, and dog treats.

Text-to-Give

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Most of your donors likely have their smartphones on them at all times, making text-to-give fundraising one of the easiest and most convenient ways to raise money with mobile technology.

Partner with a mobile giving service provider like Snowball. Then, encourage donors to text a predetermined keyword, such as DONATE, to a specified mobile giving number. Finally, an automatic response is sent to the donor, directing them to a quick and easy online donation form.

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Direct Mail Campaign

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Even with the rise of virtual fundraising and online donation platforms, direct mail is still the greatest source of individual donations in the U.S. After all, when all we’re used to getting is bills, it’s refreshing to receive mail you actually care about!

You can mail out letters, postcards, brochures, and flyers to get your donors’ attention and invite them to give. To make the process even easier, try partnering with a direct mail campaign provider.

Fundraising Dinner

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Bring your supporters together by hosting a dinner in your home or backyard. The intimate setting of dinner allows supporters, volunteers, and staff to mingle and re-commit their efforts to your organization’s goals.

Have each person bring a dish potluck style or partner with local restaurants or caterers for food for the dinner. Elevate the experience with a professional tablescape to make the evening event more special. Depending on what time of year you are hosting the dinner, think about decorating the table and room based on a holiday. For example, you could host a Friendsgiving dinner if your event is in the Fall or a Floral Picnic if the dinner will occur during the Spring!

T-Shirt Fundraiser

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Selling t-shirts to raise funds for your cause is successful on two levels. First, you have the potential to sell a product that everyone loves! Secondly, donors support your cause both monetarily and through brand ambassadorship when they wear your t-shirts in public!

Create stylish t-shirts with your nonprofit’s branding and work with a custom fundraising apparel provider to order mass quantities of them. Then, use social media posts, email reminders, and other marketing tactics to encourage supporters to buy!

Balloon Pop Fundraiser

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Blow up a couple hundred balloons and fill them with slips of paper redeemable for prizes. These prizes might be a small amount of cash, gift certificates for stores or restaurants in your community, or food items like a can of soda or a cupcake.

Sell each balloon for $5 or $10. Once a supporter has purchased a balloon, have them pop it with a pin to see what they’ve won!

Chain Letter Fundraiser

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This fundraising idea involves sending letters to your most loyal supporters. Inside each envelope, include five to 10 copies of your fundraising letter, envelopes, and stamps. Instruct your supporters to send the fundraising letters to family and friends who may be interested in supporting your cause.

This is a fun way to spread awareness about your cause and to find new supporters!

Petting Zoo Fundraiser

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A petting zoo fundraiser is a great option for animal-loving donors or for supporters with young children. Work with your team to find local farms, zoos, and animal shelters that will loan out animals like sheep, pigs, goats, dogs, and turtles that can make up your petting zoo.

Charge a small fee for admission to the petting zoo. You could even offer an extra experience, like a pony ride, for supporters who want to give a little more.

Pancake Breakfast

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To set up a successful pancake breakfast fundraiser, choose a location for the breakfast and create a menu. For example, you might serve orange juice and fresh fruit along with chocolate chip pancakes. Next, mobilize your team to sell tickets for the big day.

At the event, offer activities like cornhole, tug-of-war, and sack racing. You should also give a member of your team time to talk about your mission and impact.

Postcard Fundraiser

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Postcards are fun to receive in the mail and to collect, especially when they’re well-designed. Create fundraising postcards for your supporters that include a QR code to your online donation form. Use a compelling image, such as an image of a beneficiary or an inspirational quote, on the other side of the postcard.

Donors will love receiving these out-of-the-ordinary donation appeals and hanging them on their refrigerators after submitting their gifts!

Advocacy Campaign

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While advocacy is not technically a fundraising idea, raising awareness and money go hand-in-hand.

No matter how you’re raising your funds, it’s important to share your cause if you want to raise money. Plus, by creating advocacy opportunities, you’re providing your donors with other ways to support your nonprofit.

Walk-a-Thon

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Walk-a-thons are long-distance walking fundraisers well-suited for hospitals and other health-related organizations. However, walk-a-thons can work for any cause, and school children especially love participating in them.

To raise money, have walkers secure pledges based on miles walked. 99Pledges can help each participant create their own donation page to personalize and share with family and friends. You can also charge a registration fee and sell products during the event to give your fundraising an extra boost!

Donor Recognition Wall Unveiling

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Showing donor recognition is important for organizations that want to thank their donors and inspire visitors. Donor recognition walls do just that by calling out supporters’ specific contributions and involvement. Plus, these walls give nonprofits the chance to tell their stories.

But, most importantly, donor recognition walls can also be used as fundraising opportunities! Charge admission to your donor recognition wall unveiling and make it a night to remember by serving drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Custom Website and Donation Page

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Custom websites are the perfect marketing opportunity for your fundraising campaigns. Plus, with an easy-to-use CMS like Morweb, you can make your website look beautiful and create a donation page directly on your site.

Brand your website to your organization and strategically place “Donate Here” buttons so your supporters see them easily. Next, promote your updated page on your email newsletter and social media pages. With a quick, easy, and convenient donation page, you’ll be able to sit back and watch the donations roll in.

Best Fundraising Event Ideas

Charity Auction

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A charity auction is one of the most lucrative and engaging fundraisers you can host, allowing you to interact with your donors while you raise funds. Plus, your supporters have the opportunity to win high-demand items and experiences, like a mountain bike or a vacation package.

Reach out to sponsors in your community and ask them to donate items and experiences to your auction. This helps them promote their products and services and gives your supporters something exciting to bid for on the big day!

Battle of the Bands

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A well-planned battle of the bands fundraising event is bound to be a smash hit. Charge bands an entry fee and attendees a ticket fee. To take your fundraising to the next level, you could also sell concessions.

Make sure to recruit some esteemed judges, such as local professional musicians or music teachers. Finally, don’t forget to choose a venue conducive to an energetic concert atmosphere.

Carnival

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Who doesn’t enjoy a day of fun games and prizes? Hosting a community carnival is a great way to engage with supporters and raise funds.

You don’t even need to invest in expensive rides! Games like bobbing for apples, ring toss, and cornhole are all fun and inexpensive. To take the event up a notch, see what activities and food you can get donated.

Pub Crawl

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A pub crawl fundraiser is a tour of local bars and pubs where your supporters can enjoy drinks and snacks at each individual location. This can be a great way for your supporters to get to know each other and local businesses in the community.

Try partnering with local bars and restaurants to collect part of the proceeds from your supporters’ drink and snack orders. Alternatively, you could make the event more exclusive by charging tickets and creating signature drinks.

’80s Themed Party

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An 80’s themed party is a great excuse for your supporters to get dressed up and feel nostalgic about decades gone by. Invite your supporters to register for your event by paying a small admission fee, and encourage them to dress up in bright colors and wear their hair eighties-style.

A fantastic playlist will be critical to the success of your party, so make sure you have all of the greatest hits of the 80’s! You can also incorporate activities like a moon-walking contest, a Rubik’s cube contest, or 80’s pop culture trivia. To boost your fundraising, try hosting a silent auction on the side or charging a little extra for drinks and desserts.

Marathon

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Many major nonprofit organizations host annual road race fundraisers. While this event does require many resources to plan, it can be highly successful when you tap into a competitive running community and partner with local businesses!

To make your marathon even more successful, set up an online registration page and sell products like branded t-shirts or water bottles.

Angel Festival

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An angel festival is the perfect fundraising event for churches, but other organizations can host them, too. Have your supporters create angels using whatever materials they wish—recycled trash, soap, clay, etc.

At the event, supporters can view all the angels and enjoy refreshments. To put an extra fun twist on the event, auction off the angels.

Concert

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Everyone loves a good concert. Your donors will jump at the opportunity to sing and dance along with their favorite singer or band. Charge an admission fee and sell concessions during the event to raise money.

You can also use this as an opportunity to help local bands gain some attention in the community. Ask them to donate a free performance to your organization.

Gala

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Even though galas require thorough prospect research and planning, this type of formal event can raise a lot of funds. Plus, it will give you the chance to interact with major donors and thank them for all their contributions so far.

You’ll need to secure event basics, such as a venue, a caterer, and entertainment. Start planning well in advance to give yourself plenty of time to find the right resources.

Golf Tournament

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A golf tournament can be formal or informal, making it a great option for many organizations. It is an active event that gets your supporters out on a beautiful day, all for a good cause.

Charge a registration fee for the golf tournament and offer an exciting prize for the winner. You could also provide lunch and entertainment at the end of the tournament.

Date Auction

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A date auction is a fun twist on a traditional auction. Auction off fun dates like a picnic in the park or dinner and a movie. You could even set your bidders up with a blind date to enjoy the experience with!

Since this auction has a more informal atmosphere, try adding a theme to it. For example, you might host a Valentine’s Day date auction or Halloween-themed date auction.

Karaoke Night

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Partner with a local bar or restaurant to host a karaoke night. Your supporters will pay an entrance fee, which will go toward supporting your organization, and enjoy a night of fun and singing.

Try gamifying the event by having your participants vote on the best karaoke singer. At the end of the night, present the winner with a great prize like their very own karaoke machine.

Scavenger Hunt

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Teams or individuals can participate in your scavenger hunt for a chance to win an awesome prize. Pick a theme for your event to help you choose the items participants need to collect. For example, if your scavenger hunt will be held on Earth Day, you might have your participants collect interesting rocks, leaves, or flowers.

Basket Raffle Bingo

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Basket raffle bingo is a combination of both a raffle and a bingo game. Allow guests to play a game of bingo while participating in raffles for a chance to win different themed baskets. To raise even more, you can also sell concessions at this event!

Cook-Off

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Bring your supporters together for good food and fundraising with a cook-off. Ask your supporters to contribute a dish. You might ask for a certain kind of food, like chili or chocolate chip cookies, or have participants bring random dishes.

At your event, people can taste all the different food and vote for their favorites by making a contribution to your organization.

Rock-a-Thon

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A rock-a-thon is a very laid back fundraiser, but it can still be a ton of fun for your supporters. Designated “rockers” obtain pledges from members of the community for however long they think they could rock in a rocking chair.

Next, you hold a rock-a-thon to have your rockers compete with each other. Whoever lasts the longest wins. And don’t forget to collect promised pledges!

Museum Dinner Party

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Museums are the perfect venue for a charitable dinner party. Guests can discuss the various exhibits and have a delicious meal, all while supporting a good cause.

To raise money, charge admission and have corporations sponsor tables at your event. Additionally, you can pair your event with an auction or raffle.

Silent Auction

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Since all the bids are made on bid sheets or via mobile phones in a silent auction, this is one of the easiest fundraisers to set up. Simply select charity auction software to facilitate the item catalog and bidding process, procure your auction items, and start selling!

Talent Show

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Hosting a talent show is a great way for your community to get together and applaud local individuals and their special talents.

Charge a small entrance fee for participants and an admission fee for audience members. You can also sell concessions and ask audience members to pick their favorite act by voting with their dollars. For an extra fun twist, recruit some judges to up the entertainment level by treating the show like America’s Got Talent or American Idol.

“P” Party

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Hosting a “P” party is simple. All you’ll need to do is think of activities and food that start with the letter “P!” For example, serve popcorn, pastries, and pop. Decorate your venue with pink and purple and play games like pin the tail on the donkey.

Encourage your supporters to dress up with things that start with “P,” such as the color pink or a pair of penny loafers. Discount the admission fee for the most creative “P” getup!

Restaurant Fundraising Event

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Many restaurants—even chains like Panera, Zaxby’s, and Moe’s—host fundraising events where a percentage of the money raised will go toward your organization.

Since your supporters can easily take advantage of this opportunity, your nonprofit doesn’t have to spend much time planning an event. Simply reach out to restaurants that might be interested in participating, set a date for the event, and let supporters know about it in advance.

Trivia Night

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Trivia is a great way to bring your community together at a local bar or restaurant to help you raise more money. Additionally, a trivia night can be the perfect setting to inform others about your organization and your cause.

Find a suitable bar or restaurant that is willing to host the trivia event. Next, enlist volunteers to oversee the competition and collect a fee from participating teams. Consider incorporating a category of questions that align with the cause you support or the issue you aim to address.

Comedy Night

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Everyone loves having a good laugh. Use a comedy night to bring some laughs to your community and some money to your organization! You can charge comedians a small fee to participate or charge admission at the door.

Remember that you’ll likely need to screen the comedians beforehand, especially if you’re inviting children and families to the event. Don’t drive donors away with inappropriate joke material.

Art Auction

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Local artists have the opportunity to promote their artwork and distribute their pieces within their community through art auctions. Additionally, these auctions can assist your organization in generating funds for your mission by collecting an admission fee and setting aside a percentage of the sales price from the artwork.

Accept artistic submissions from local artists and sell them to the highest bidder. You can do this through a live, silent, or online auction.

Paint and Sip

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A paint-and-sip fundraiser is a good way to gather your supporters together, relax, and have a great time supporting your organization. They get to flex their creative muscles, enjoy some wine, and give something back!

Decide whether or not you’ll supply materials and wine or if participants will be responsible for bringing their own. Next, ask a local art teacher or professor to lead the event and give pointers on your participants’ paintings.

Bowling Tournament

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Set up a bowling tournament by partnering with a local bowling alley and having your participants register as teams. To go the extra mile, you can even create bowling shirts for each team to commemorate the tournament.

On the day of, sell concessions and branded bowling merchandise at your tournament. You could spice things up even more by having a major donor give a certain amount of money to your organization each time a participant gets a strike. This will gamify the event and increase your bowlers’ motivation.

Lip Sync Competition

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Teams participating in a lip sync fundraiser are required to create a lip sync routine lasting 5-10 minutes, showcasing popular and beloved songs. Charging teams an entry fee and selling tickets to the audience at the event will generate income. Once all the performances conclude, the audience can vote for their preferred act by contributing a small donation of one or two dollars. Additionally, offering concessions will further contribute to the fundraising efforts.

Classic Car Show

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If you’re interested in building or refurbishing cars, round up your friends’ and fellow community members’ cars. Host a car show in your facility’s parking lot. You’ll have plenty of passersby itching to look at the cool cars.

Charge attendees an entrance fee to walk through the event and see the classic cars. Add to the fun by auctioning off a new set of tires or a year’s worth of car washes from a local business.

Geography Bowl

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This flexible, cost-effective fundraiser is perfect for engaging donors of all ages! A geography bowl or geography bee is a trivia night where all of the questions are geography-related.

Just prepare your questions, pick a venue, and charge a small admission fee. Teams will compete head-to-head for a small prize, and they can purchase snacks and merchandise while they play.

You can even host your geography bowl as a mini-activity within other fundraising events, such as a pub crawl or carnival.

Quick and Easy Fundraising Ideas

Chain of Hearts

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In a chain of hearts campaign, donors are requested to buy a paper heart and sign it with their name. Afterwards, your organization can gather and exhibit these hearts either within your premises or in collaboration with a local business. This will act as a constant reminder to the community about the impactful endeavors undertaken by your organization.

Puppy Meet-Up

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Puppies are not only fun to play with and cuddle—research shows they also relieve stress! Try a puppy meet-up for your next fundraiser.

Ask local animal shelters to let you showcase their puppies that are up for adoption. Charge an admission fee and let your supporters enjoy a day of playing with and snuggling puppies. As a bonus, encourage your supporters to bring their own dogs and let them play with the puppies at the meet-up.

Checkout Fundraiser

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Checkout fundraisers are a type of cause marketing between organizations and retail businesses for mutual benefit. You simply partner with a local retailer, and then their cashiers will ask for donations when customers make a purchase.

To succeed with a checkout fundraiser, make sure you have a way to collect both cash and credit card donations.

Crowdfunding

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Crowdfunding is an excellent choice for a quick and easy fundraiser, because all you’ll need to do is create a fundraising page.

Choose your platform, set a goal, share your story, and start fundraising. Then, your supporters can spread the word about your fundraiser to their family, friends, and coworkers, helping you increase your reach and meet your goals.

Pet Treat/Toy Sale

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Pet owners love to spoil their furbabies. That’s why a pet treat or toy sale can bring in a ton of revenue for your organization. Make homemade treats and toys or partner with a local pet store to secure products for your sale.

Invite your supporters to bring their furry friends to your sale and pick out their next favorite toy or treat. You could even sell bonus items or services like hand-painted pet portraits or dog washes.

Hotdog Eating Contest

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Did you know that the world record for the most hotdogs eaten in a hotdog eating contest is 76? Tap into your supporters’ love of hotdogs and host your own hotdog eating contest.

Charge participants an entrance fee and make sure you have plenty of hotdogs, buns, and condiments to go around. Spectators may (or may not!) feel hungry while watching the contest, so make sure you sell concessions on the side.

Phone-a-Thon

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A good old-fashioned phone-a-thon is an excellent way to engage your supporters and drive donations. Assemble your staff and volunteers and give every person a calling list of supporters.

Each member of your team will simply call and solicit donations from one of your organization’s supporters. Make sure you’re equipped to take credit card payments and have clear instructions for donation drop-off for those who want to give via cash or check.

Engraved Bricks

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You can generate funds for your project by selling personalized bricks. These bricks, engraved with the names of your supporters, can be incorporated permanently into your new facility or renovation. They can be used to construct a wall, walkway, or unique art installation.

You can also offer bricks of different sizes and colors depending on donation size.

Coupon Books

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Selling coupon books is a great way to raise money for your organization and help your supporters save money. Mobilize your team to sell coupon books door-to-door and at local office buildings or grocery stores.

To put a fun twist on this fundraiser, sell service coupon books. For example, you might design your own coupon book with coupons that offer services like, “1 Free Car Wash” or “2 Free Window Cleanings.”

Doughnut-on-a-String Contest

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To organize a doughnut-on-a-string competition, you need two things: doughnuts and string. Hang the doughnuts from the string and ask participants to pay an entrance fee. The challenge is to eat the entire doughnut without using hands. If anyone uses their hands, they are disqualified. Don’t forget to offer an exciting prize, such as a box of doughnuts to take home.

Push your fundraising efforts even further by requiring the slowest doughnut-eater to give another small donation to your organization.

Concession Stand Fundraiser

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Many schools and community parks allow charitable organizations to run their concession stands and keep a percentage of the profit. Sign your team up for the next shift at a high school basketball game or Saturday at the park to help raise money for your cause.

Alternatively, you could set up your own concession stand at a community event such as a car show or county fair.

Paper Airplane Competition

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Organize a brief paper airplane contest by rallying your backers. Each supporter will contribute a nominal fee to join. Following that, individuals will be given a few minutes to construct their paper planes. Subsequently, participants will launch their airplanes to determine the distance they travel before touchdown. Request the loser of the competition to make a modest donation to your organization. Alternatively, spectators can contribute a dollar or two to vote for the paper airplane they believe will perform the best. This is a simple and enjoyable fundraising activity that is open to all!

Straw Draw Fundraiser

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To bring this quick fundraising idea to life, you’ll need a package of straws. From there, you’ll write prizes down on little pieces of paper and stick them on the straw or inside the straw. Put the straws in a jar and charge participants fifty cents or $1 for each straw.

Each time the participant draws a straw, they get to collect their prize!

Reverse Raffle

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A reverse raffle puts a twist on a popular fundraiser. In a reverse raffle, you don’t want your name to be drawn!

For a reverse raffle, tell everyone attending your organization’s meeting or event that they are being included in a drawing for a prize. If they don’t want the prize, they’ll pay $5 or $10 to not be included in the raffle.

When you draw a name, your supporter will have to perform some sort of embarrassing task, such as participating in a dance-off or singing in front of everyone. Allow participants to “buy back” their tickets once they see what the raffle entails, and soon you’ll have raised a solid chunk of change for your cause.

Make-a-Snake

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Make-a-snake events work especially well as school fundraisers, engaging young students with a fun and easy game. Ask students to gather up spare change and dollar bills around their homes and simply make a “snake” with their coins and cash.

Reward the class, team, or club with the longest snake by hosting an ice cream or pizza party.

Sleep-in-a-Box Fundraiser

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Sleep-in-a-box fundraisers are a unique way to get your supporters giving to your cause. Even better, they can help raise awareness for the important issue of homelessness.

Ask your supporters to spend a night sleeping in a box. This could take place either in their backyards or in your facility’s parking lot. To make money, have your supporters collect pledges from their family and friends before the day of your fundraiser.

Calendar Fundraiser

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Everyone needs a calendar, which makes them a great thing to sell for a fundraiser. A calendar fundraiser is especially easy to conduct in an office, school, or church, but is great for organizations of every type.

Take 12 pictures (one for each month) that are related to your cause. These might be pictures of your volunteers or beneficiaries, or pictures from your biggest fundraising event of the year. Compile the pictures into a calendar and work with a publisher who can print your calendars in bulk. Then, assemble your team and start selling.

Pie Throwing Fundraiser

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To organize a simple fundraiser, gather whipped cream pies on tin foil plates. Set a modest price for each pie, and arrange for yourself, your team, or some volunteers to stand as targets. For added amusement, consider transforming this into a pie your boss fundraiser, where the executive director, CEO, principal, or any other leader of your organization volunteers to be pied.

Stop the Clock

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The stop-the-clock fundraiser is similar to a raffle, but with a twist. You just need a wind-up clock that you wind to its full extent.

Raffle off minutes (1-60), and the winner is the person who buys the minute the clock lands on when it stops!

Free or Cheap Fundraising Ideas

Volunteer Grants

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Volunteer grants are another example of how corporate giving programs can benefit your nonprofit. Many corporate philanthropy programs will donate to an organization in support of a certain number of employee volunteer hours with the nonprofit.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware of these programs available from their employer, which means you could be missing out on valuable funding for your organization. This means that to make a volunteer grants fundraiser successful, you need to spread the word. Soon you’ll have both volunteers and extra donations flowing into your organization.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

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Peer-to-peer fundraising strategies is another way for your loyal donors to support your cause and for your nonprofit to gain new donors.

Essentially, peer-to-peer fundraising is when supporters set up fundraising pages on behalf of your organization. They then reach out to their personal network of family, friends, and coworkers to ask for donations. Be ready to receive the influx of new donors from your supporters’ networks and add them to your donor database.

Personalized Poem Fundraiser

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Roses are red, violets are blue. This is the perfect fundraising idea for you! For a personalized poem fundraiser, you’ll need to recruit the help of some poets. Try asking around high school or college English classes for volunteers.

Next, set up your poets with typewriters in a local city park or another spot with a lot of foot traffic. Instruct your poets to sell personalized poems for a dollar or two. When someone pays for a poem, the poet will quickly write a poem on their typewriter and give it to the donor, brightening their day with a rhyme!

Community Grants

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Whether your organization is in a busy city or in a rural town, you probably have local businesses and companies that enjoy improving the community. Some of these companies might offer community grants!

Community grants are sums of money that corporations and businesses offer to nonprofit organizations, usually on an annual basis.

Sometimes a company will pre-select an organization whose mission aligns with their own philanthropic interests. In other instances, the grant application may be open to any organization (with a few restrictions).

Baby Photo Contest

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A baby photo contest is sure to get more than a few laughs and raise more than a few bucks. It gives everyone a chance to look at one another’s adorable (or embarrassing!) baby photos.

Have supporters supply pictures of themselves when they were kids. Then, other people will vote with their dollars for who they think is the most adorable or funny baby. You can also have individuals pay to guess which person is which in each picture, depending on the size of your group.

Dish Smashing Fundraiser

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A dish smashing fundraiser can be a wildly fun and successful event for your organization. Have your supporters gather plates, bowls, glasses, and other dishware they no longer want. Then, have an event where you get together and smash those old dishes!

To make money with this fundraising idea, charge an admission fee at the door. And don’t forget to supply your participants with safety equipment like goggles and gloves!

Box Tops

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General Mills offers a fantastic fundraising program called Box Tops for Education that requires nothing more than registering your school and encouraging your supporters to shop at their local grocery stores like they usually do!

Supporters used to have to clip their box tops and drop them off at a designated location. Now supporters can simply scan their store receipts with the Box Tops mobile app and get instant earnings for the organization of their choice.

Yard Sale

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Indoor or outdoor, and at any time of year, a yard sale will be a huge hit with your local community. People love to find great items that they can repurpose or breathe new life into.

Your organization simply takes all or part of the sales made during your yard sale, and shoppers have a good time bartering for other people’s used lamps, furniture, clothing, books, and everything in between!

50/50 Raffle

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A successful 50/50 raffle generates revenue for your organization and gives donors the chance to win some serious cash. It’s a perfect fundraising idea to use in conjunction with another fundraising event.

During your event, have volunteers circulate and sell raffle tickets. The winning pot is then split in two, with half of the money raised going to your organization and the other half going to a lucky donor.

Door-to-Door Singing

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Singing puts everyone in a cheery mood! But by assembling a group of singers to go door to door sharing popular songs, you can put people in a giving mood, too!

Choose a well-trafficked area and some popular songs to share. Ask for donations while you sing using a jar or donation box. Give your audience members a pamphlet of information about your cause so that you can raise money and awareness.

Dog Walking

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Dog walking is a fundraiser that can be used by nearly every type of organization, but the event itself tends to work best for organizations that have a focus on animals.

Market your nonprofit’s dog walking service to the dog owners in your community. You can charge per hour or day that you walk individuals’ dogs. Of course, the more dogs you walk, the more people you will need to help out. Recruit volunteers to lend a hand.

Traveling Toilet Fundraiser

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The traveling toilet fundraiser is a unique way to help your organization get flushed with cash! First, find old toilets at your local junkyard. They’ll likely need a good soaping and spray down to look like new. Next, assemble your volunteers to decorate the toilets. You could spray paint them with outrageous colors or turn them into works of art that represent your cause.

From there, you’ll leave the toilets on your most engaged supporters’ lawns. Because toilets aren’t quite as pleasing to the eye as flower beds or garden gnomes, the recipients will be motivated to get rid of them. Charge your supporters $10 for a temporary toilet removal, $20 to move the toilet to a friend’s lawn, and $30 for a permanent toilet removal. This hilarious fundraiser is a great way to get toilets and money moving for your organization.

Rubber Duck Race

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For this silly fundraiser, you’ll need to buy a flock of rubber ducks and write numbers on the bottom.

Donors can pay a small fee to enter the race with their duck. Then, release the ducks into a local river or stream. The owner of the first duck to reach the finish line wins a prize!

Restaurant/Retailer Jar Fundraiser

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All you’ll need for this fundraiser is a collection of glass jars with your organization’s name displayed on them. Ask local restaurants and businesses to leave the jars on their tables or near their cash registers and to encourage people to drop their spare change into the jar.

This is a simple way to connect with local businesses and collect cash. You’ll be surprised by how much money you can bring in with just a few jars!

Top Creative and Unique Fundraising Ideas

In-Kind Donation Drive

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In-kind donations are products or services that companies and individuals give to charitable organizations. If your nonprofit or church doesn’t have the funds to purchase a piece of equipment or rent a venue for an event, a company or individual can step up and offer their products or services.

In-kind donations can come in all shapes and sizes. Host a one or two-day in-kind donation drive and be clear about your organization’s needs. Make sure you have a plan to thank your generous donors!

Buck-a-Pound Fundraiser

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The premise of this fundraiser is simple: For each pound a participant loses, they donate one dollar. For each pound they gain, they donate two dollars.

Buck-a-pound fundraisers encourage participants to be accountable for their weight loss and bring in charitable funds no matter what the result.

Food Fight

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Food fight! You weren’t allowed to have food fights in the junior high cafeteria, but you can certainly throw one on behalf of your organization.

Simply have participants pay an admission fee to join the fight. Provide the fighters with foods like whipped cream pies, mashed potatoes, Jell-O, oatmeal, and baked beans. Be sure to provide your fighters with plastic ponchos, because they’re sure to leave your event a little messy!

Community Cookbook Fundraiser

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A community cookbook fundraiser is a great way to bring people together as well as raise some serious money for your organization.

Ask volunteers in the community to contribute a recipe to your cookbook. Your organization will then take care of binding all the recipes together and selling the completed books to the community. Everyone will love learning the recipes their neighbors enjoy on a regular basis.

To pull in extra money, ask the owners of a few popular restaurants in town to share recipes for some of their most popular dishes. Create a “deluxe” version of the community cookbook with these recipes inside and charge a few more dollars for it!

Best Seat in the House Fundraiser

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The best seat in the house fundraiser is essentially a raffle fundraiser—the only difference is that the prize is two great seats to a sports game, concert, or another performance.

Schools often use this fundraiser, but other organizations can benefit from it, too. Just get prime seats to a popular event for your prize.

Trash Cleanup Fundraiser

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Trash cleanup fundraisers are another type of fundraiser that benefit both your organization and your community. Simply assemble teams of supporters to help you clean up a community park or highly-trafficked area of your city, and ask a major donor to donate a lump sum of money on behalf of the team that collects the most trash.

Each team will have an allotted amount of time to collect trash. Then, they’ll present it to be weighed. Whoever collects the most trash is declared the winner, and your major donor gives their donation. Alternatively, you could require the losing team to donate a few dollars, too.

Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser

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For this fundraiser, you’ll need a flock of pink plastic lawn flamingos. Place five to 10 of these flamingos in your supporters’ yards. Then, tell your supporters they can have the flamingos removed for $10 each.

The fun part of this fundraiser? Once your supporter has paid to remove all of the flamingos from their lawn, they get to choose the next person to get “flocked!”

Sandcastle Contest Fundraiser

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If you have a beach nearby, or even a sand volleyball court, this is an excellent fundraiser for a hot summer day. Have teams of your supporters pay an entrance fee to join the contest and give them a set amount of time to create sandcastle creations. You could even require certain elements like a moat filled with water or a working drawbridge made out of natural materials.

Have spectators vote for their favorite sandcastle with a dollar or two, and then declare the winner. Don’t forget to provide plenty of water and sunscreen during the contest to keep your contestants cool.

Kiss-a-Pig Fundraiser

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For your kiss-a-pig fundraiser to work, you’ll need some brave volunteers that your supporters want to cheer on. Ask well-known community members like your school principal, city mayor, or police chief to kiss a pig in front of a crowd.

On the day of the event, have spectators vote with their dollars to choose which volunteer they want to see kiss the pig. Once the chosen volunteer has given the pig a smooch, ask the crowd if anyone else wants this unique opportunity and sell additional pig kisses for one or two dollars.

Give-It-Up Challenge Fundraiser

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We all love our morning latte from a local coffee shop or that mid-afternoon soda from the vending machine. But imagine how much money you could save by giving these things up!

Encourage your supporters to give up one of these small habits and instead donate the money that would’ve been spent on it. You’ll raise money and maybe even help people kick a bad habit.

Skydiving Fundraiser

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Much like the kiss-a-pig fundraiser, you’ll need to recruit brave volunteers for a skydiving fundraiser. Ask your supporters to give a certain amount of money to your organization to vote for which volunteer should go skydiving.

On the big day, have your chosen volunteer livestream their adrenaline-filled experience so your supporters can watch from home. To pull in some more money, sell virtual tickets to the livestream experience.

Firewalk Fundraiser

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For a firewalk fundraiser, you’ll need to set up a short path of burning coals for people to walk over. Safety is critical with this fundraiser, so consider reaching out to professionals who can do this for you and ensure the coals are at a safe temperature for your event.

Have participants pay to register for this unique experience, and encourage them to get additional donations from friends, family, and coworkers willing to serve as their sponsors. Train your participants in how to complete the firewalk successfully, and cheer them on as they take on the challenge!

Potluck Raffle

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A potluck raffle helps you raise money and introduce your supporters to new foods. Volunteers make different dishes that attendees then vote for with pre-purchased raffle tickets. This is a fun opportunity to share favorite homemade comfort foods with some worthy community members.

At the end of the night, each dish goes home with whomever had the winning raffle ticket for that particular item. You can also encourage the volunteers to sweeten the pot by including the recipe for their delicious dish.

Polar Plunge

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The ALS Association was the first to pioneer the polar plunge. Since then, it’s become a popular (and viral!) way to raise money. Instead of just donating to a nonprofit, supporters can spread awareness about an organization’s cause by dumping ice-cold water on themselves and filming the act.

Plus, the ridiculous nature of the challenge means that people will be interested in watching the videos and invested in learning more (or perhaps making their own video).

Fashion Show

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Pair with local fashion students or designers to set up a fashion show. Ask designers to create designs related to your cause. For example, if your organization focuses on keeping our oceans clean, you might ask for an ocean-related gown or outfit.

Have volunteers serve as models for the fashion show, and charge an admission fee for attendees. To pull in even more funds, auction off the outfits to the highest bidders.

Dog Kissing Booth

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Everyone loves a warm, slobbery kiss from a furry friend. Set up a dog kissing booth at your next event and charge participants $2 or $3 for a dog kiss.

To raise a little extra money, have a photographer take pictures of your participants with your doggie volunteers and sell them for a few dollars per print.

Breakfast in Bed

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What’s better than eating a tasty meal in bed while wearing your pajamas? A breakfast in bed fundraiser helps your nonprofit make money while delivering delicious breakfast food to your supporters.

Have people sign up and pay a week or two in advance to have breakfast delivered to their door. Offer special breakfast foods like cinnamon rolls or French toast to make the menu extra enticing. When the big day arrives, greet everyone with a smile and a cheery, “Good morning!” along with their delicious food.

Pet Grooming

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Pet grooming is an excellent way to raise money for animal-related causes. Pet owners will jump at the chance to support your cause in return for a well-groomed pet.

Promote your services around the community by putting up flyers and posting about it on your social media pages. Offer special add-ons to your services like hair bows and bandanas to pull in some more cash. Then, gather volunteers and pet shampoo and get to work!

Meditation Night

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Even though fundraising events like galas and concerts can be a lot of fun, sometimes what your supporters need the most is the chance to take a breather and relax. Host a meditation night to help your supporters check-in with their mental health and prioritize self care.

Ask a local yoga teacher to lead the meditation, and charge a small registration fee. You could also charge a little extra for a few minutes in a massage chair or nutritious smoothies.

Mattress Sale

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Partner with a mattress company to host a mattress sale. Set it up as a one day event at your facility where supporters can come and try out different mattresses and make their purchases.

Sell other items like sheets and pillows to boost your sales! Your supporters will enjoy this opportunity to shop for a new mattress and, as a result, get better sleep.

Girls’ Night Out

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Girls just want to have fun! If women make up a large portion of your supporter base, consider hosting a girls’ night out at your facility or a local bar or restaurant.

Charge an admission fee at the door and let the party begin. Let your participants dance the night away and sell concessions to boost your revenue. You might even partner with local retailers to sell shoes or jewelry, too.

Lawn Care Service Fundraiser

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Everyone likes a well-manicured lawn, but not everyone has the time to service their own lawn. Assemble a team of volunteers to provide lawn care services like mowing, edging, and weeding. Have interested supporters pay either by service or by the hour.

Your supporters will love this chance to take a break from yard work and give to a cause they care about!

Goat Yoga

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Yoga class is fun, but it’s even more fun with baby goats! Goat yoga is becoming all the rage, as interacting with baby goats while you do your sun salutations has shown to be a great way to improve your mood.

Partner with a local goat yoga studio to host a goat yoga session for your supporters. Charge an admission fee and consider selling other items like yoga mats, water bottles, or candid photos of your participants with their new goat friends!

Grow-a-Beard Challenge Fundraiser

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This fundraiser can help you raise awareness and money for your cause. Ask your supporters to put their razors and other shaving materials away for a certain amount of time and instead donate what they would normally spend on those materials to your organization.

Provide each participant with a Grow-a-Beard Challenge t-shirt branded to your organization, and encourage them to post about their beard-growing journey on social media.

Family-Friendly Fundraising Ideas

Field Day

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A field day encourages your community to get out and engage in some friendly competition while raising money for your mission.

Charge a standard entrance fee or sell tickets for a certain price that people can subsequently exchange to play a game, like tug-of-war or dodgeball. You can also sell concessions and other merchandise. Everyone will have fun getting outdoors for some incredible games!

Dodgeball Tournament

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Dodgeball can be an entertaining and active way for your supporters to raise money for your cause. Spectators will get a kick out of watching adults and kids alike go to war with dodgeballs, and participants will get to compete for fame and glory (and maybe even a small trophy!).

Charge teams an entrance fee to compete and charge admission at the door for spectators. You can also sell concessions to make more money.

Fairy Tea Party

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For young kids, there’s nothing more fun than a tea party, especially one attended by fairies! Host a fairy tea party by asking volunteers to dress up as fairies and serve tea and refreshments to parents and children who pay to attend.

Make your tea party an even more magical experience by selling fairy wings and wands.

Movie Night

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Everyone loves a good movie night. And when there’s a philanthropic cause involved, a movie night becomes even more enjoyable. Your community will have a great time watching a classic flick, kid’s movie, or documentary to support your organization.

Spread the word about your event on social media, via email, and with posters and flyers. You can also sell concessions to raise more money. Popcorn and soda, anyone?

Car Smash Fundraiser

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A car smash fundraiser is a unique activity, especially for young adults who need a place to expend some extra energy. Let them beat up a junk car with hammers and bats (with supervision, of course)!

First, get the car from a local junk yard. Ask your local mechanic to donate time removing any dangerous materials or liquids from the car. Then, charge a dollar per swing.

Funny Family Video Contest

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This fundraising idea is inspired by the hit show America’s Funniest Home Videos. Have your supporters pay to enter your contest and submit a funny home video. Then, post the videos on your website and have people vote with their dollars for the best one!

Alternatively, try turning your contest into a fun event where your supporters gather together and watch the videos together. Sell concessions like popcorn and candy and announce the winner at the end of the night. It’s sure to be an evening of fun and laughter!

Tutor-a-Thon

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Calling all students! Set up a tutor-a-thon for your supporters’ children. Ask volunteers to serve as tutors. These might be local teachers, professors, or college students. Charge parents an admission fee to the tutor-a-thon, and have their student meet with a tutor for whatever subject they need help with.

This is a great opportunity to get some money for your mission and to help your supporters find homework help for their kids!

Car Wash

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If a car smash isn’t your style, try a classic car wash event. Gather soap, sponges, and some of your best volunteers to wash cars in your community.

Charge a fixed rate per car. For some extra fun, give your car wash a theme! For example, play retro music and have your volunteers dress up in their favorite 70’s gear. Your attendees will love the blast from the past while their cars get all shined up.

Turtle Race

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For a turtle race, you’ll need a few turtles and spectators. Have spectators vote with their dollars on which turtle they think will win the race, and then let the turtles race away!

Because a turtle race will likely take some time, try selling concessions and tickets to other activities while you wait to see the results.

Hike Day

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If you are an organization located in an area near mountains, national parks, or rivers, it would be crazy not to take advantage of this fundraiser.

Hire a guide at one of these locations and make a day of it! You’ll be surprised by how many people want to take part in a hike for a good cause. By asking for a donation from participants, you can promote healthy activities while collecting revenue for your organization.

Teachers in Jail

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Hosting a teachers-in-jail fundraiser is one of the easiest ways to raise money for your school while giving kids a small break.

The concept is simple: Classes pay a certain amount to throw their teacher in “jail.” In reality, the students just get a free class period and the teacher gets an extra planning period to catch up on grading and other assignments.

The only cost of running a teachers-in-jail fundraiser is the promotion of the event. Other than that, it’s pretty much a free fundraiser.

Kickball Tournament

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This fundraiser gets everyone outside and involved in a cause that matters. Everyone’s played kickball before in elementary school, so all you’ll need to do is give your participants a refresher on the rules.

Each team pays a small entrance fee and obtains sponsorships from local businesses and individuals. When the day of the tournament arrives, sell tickets to spectators and offer concessions and merch to everyone at the event.

Principal Challenge

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Students love to see their teachers and principals doing something goofy. Start a fundraiser for your school by telling your students that if you reach a certain goal, their principal will do something wacky, like shave their head or dye their hair purple.

Once your school reaches the goal, hold an assembly or livestream of the principal completing the challenge. This fundraiser will help you boost school spirit and fundraising dollars!

Dance-a-Thon

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Hopefully you’ve got a variety of dance moves up your sleeve, because dance-a-thons can last for a long time.

Typically, participants dance for free and acquire pledges. The longer they dance, the more money they can potentially raise.

Invite the community to come watch and encourage them to donate. They can vote on their favorite dancers with their dollars, and you can also sell refreshments or charge a small fee for song requests

Water Balloon Fight

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Bring your community together for a water balloon fight! For this simple and inexpensive fundraising idea, you just need to fill a couple hundred water balloons with water. Charge guests an entry fee to the event or per balloon.

Try setting up some competition, too. Set different teams against one another on the field and offer a small prize for the winners, like passes to the community pool or a gift certificate for ice cream.

Student Art Auction

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Support the arts in your local schools with a student art auction. Reach out to art teachers in your community and ask them to have interested students donate their artwork to your auction.

Invite parents and other community members to attend your auction and bid on their favorite pieces. You’ll be surprised at just how talented your local art students are!

Pool Party

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If you’re looking for a fun and simple fundraising idea for the summer season, why not host a pool party? This family-friendly event is guaranteed to bring in fundraising dollars.

See if you can rent your community pool and don’t forget to have plenty of food and cold drinks. Charge admission for your attendees and enjoy some fun in the sun!

Dunk Tank

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A dunk tank fundraiser is a great idea for schools and churches. You can rent a dunk tank and charge a small fee for those who want to throw a ball at the dunk tank target.

You just need one volunteer (a CEO, principal, or other leader) who is willing to get wet!

Superhero Party

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Superheroes assemble! Invite your supporters and their families to dress up as their favorite superheroes and attend a superhero-themed party. Charge a fee for admission and be sure to offer plenty of super-themed activities.

For example, you could offer superhero face painting, superhero bingo, and a save-the-city obstacle course.

Family Picture Day

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If you have some skill with a camera or know a local family photographer willing to donate some of their time and expertise, you can raise funds by taking family photos. You’ll need to pick a place for your “studio” and promote the event around the community. Charge families for digital copies of the photos or charge a little extra for printed and framed versions.

Take your picture day to the next level and offer other products like t-shirts and mugs with family pictures on them!

Cake Walk

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For a cake walk, you’ll need to set up a circle of papers or stepping stones that each have a number on them. When a participant pays to participate in the cake walk, they walk around the circle while a song plays. When the song stops, whatever number your participant is standing on corresponds to the prize they get.

Typically cake walk prizes are cakes donated by volunteers or local bakeries. You can also offer other prizes, like toys or stuffed animals!

Parents’ Night Out Babysitting Service

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Sometimes parents need to get away from their kids and have a night on the town. Set up a night of babysitting and have parents drop their kids off at your facility and pay a small admission fee.

While the parents are away, the kids can play! Provide activities and snacks for the kids, or try giving them a tour of your facility or watching a movie.

Backyard Barbecue

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Summer is for barbecues. Have your supporters register for a backyard barbecue and cook up hotdogs and hamburgers at a local park. While your supporters socialize with each other and enjoy great food, their kids can participate in lawn games.

Make sure to have a leader of your organization stand and speak about your cause and ask for more donations at some point in the night. You can even include QR codes on your dinner napkins that lead to your online donation form. This way your supporters can give right from their seat!

Holiday Fundraising Ideas

Holiday eCards

  • How can holiday eCards help nonprofits?

    The holidays are a major season for giving with nonprofits receiving almost a quarter of their total annual fundraising in December alone. eCards make the most of the giving and holiday spirit by greeting your supporters and reminding them to make a donation before the end of the year. Or, you can let your supporters send eCards to each other to encourage others to donate or make donations on behalf of their friends and family.

  • Why do we love holiday eCards?

    Holidays eCards can be used all year round!

    Celebrate major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, as well as birthdays anniversaries, and any other celebrations. Some nonprofits even create special eCards to spread awareness about holidays relevant to their cause, like annual narcolepsy day.

    Give your supporters the opportunity to buy eCards to celebrate whatever events are going on in their lives.

  • How can I promote holiday eCards?

    Create memorable designs that reflect your nonprofit, and don’t be afraid to get creative with animations, bright colors, and even some corny jokes. Essentially, create eCards that your supporters will want to share with their friends and family. That way, they’ll do most of your marketing for you!

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New Year’s Party

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A New Year’s party sets you up to have a blast ringing in the new year with your supporters while raising money for your organization.

Rent a venue and set up a winter-themed New Year’s party complete with dining and dancing. You could even work with a caterer to come up with signature cocktails that are a nod to your cause. Charge attendees an admission fee and ask local businesses to sponsor your tables, and then ring in the New Year with a special performance or balloon drop.

Valentine’s Day Flower Sale

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Flowers are a popular pick for gift giving on Valentine’s Day, so why not sell them to raise money for your cause? Get your volunteers together to create beautiful bouquets and arrangements that you can sell. Don’t forget to include personalized notes from the sender!

To pull in some extra money, offer to deliver the flowers to your supporter’s significant other. They’ll love receiving this fragrant token of love!

Dr. Seuss Day Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast

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March 2 is Dr. Seuss Day. It’s a national reading celebration that takes place every year, encouraging kids to get excited about reading. Kid off a day of reading or a used book sale by hosting a Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast!

Sell tickets to your breakfast and watch your supporters and families enjoy a delicious breakfast of green eggs and ham. To make green eggs and ham, simply use a little food coloring. Don’t forget to add other breakfast goodies to the menu, like pancakes and orange juice!

April Fools’ Prank-a-Thon

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Spend April 1st doing harmless pranks around your community! All you’ll need to do is have your supporters pay to have a friend or family member pranked. Then, get your team together and start pranking!

Your pranks could be funny and random, like dropping off a box of doughnuts that is really a veggie tray. Or you could make them related to your cause. For example, if your organization focuses on whale conservation, you might cover a prankee’s door in paper whales and whale puns!

Easter Egg Roll

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An Easter Egg Roll is a fun, family-friendly activity that is great for the spring and Easter season. Invite participants to decorate hard-boiled eggs before lining up for the roll.

For the roll, give each participant a wooden spoon they can use to roll their egg across a length of grass. Whoever gets to the finish line first wins a great prize! May we suggest a chocolate bunny?

Earth Day Flower Planting Event

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Take your fundraising efforts to the next level and give back to Mother Earth on this next Earth Day. Have your supporters give a donation in exchange for flowers planted at their home. You might plant the flowers in a flower bed or a large pot.

Assemble your volunteers for a day of flower planting, and be sure to provide plenty of water and snacks!

Cinco de Mayo Dinner

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Cinco de Mayo is a celebration held on May 5 that celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French in an 1862 battle. To celebrate this history and Mexican culture, host a dinner on Cinco de Mayo that brings your community together.

To make your dinner even more fun, hire a mariachi band to entertain your guests and teach some Mexican folk dances!

Mother’s Day Tissue Paper Flower Fundraiser

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Raise money and set your supporters up with a heartfelt Mother’s Day present using this easy fundraising idea. Simply set a day for making tissue paper flowers at your facility.

Charge participants a small admission fee and provide them with the materials to make a bouquet of tissue paper flowers. Have a volunteer walk them through the process and then spend the day crafting together. Moms will love receiving these handmade bouquets from their loved ones!

Summer Solstice Skating Social

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Celebrate the arrival of summer by hosting a roller skating event at a local park or rink. Charge attendees for admission and skate rentals, and then spend the night skating under the stars!

To earn more money, sell ice cream, churros, and other sweet and summery treats!

Father’s Day Tie Swap

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Ties are a popular choice for Father’s Day gifts, but it’s no fun to receive the same style tie year after year. Help your supporters change it up by hosting a Father’s Day Tie Swap. Every participant pays an admission fee and brings a tie to swap.

You can swap the ties hot-potato style by passing them as a song plays. When the music stops, whatever ties your participants are holding are the ones they get to take home! You could also sell beef jerky, sporting events tickets, and cologne to help your supporters beef up their gifts and boost your funds.

Memorial Day Dinner

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Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday that honors fallen military personnel and other loved ones who have passed on. Host a Memorial Day dinner by inviting a speaker to give a patriotic talk and providing an activity for people to honor their loved ones, like a balloon release.

This is a great fundraiser for connecting with your community and showcasing what your organization values.

Patriotic Parade

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Everyone loves a good Fourth of July parade! Have local businesses pay an entrance fee to join the parade and build floats showcasing their products and services. Then, let the parade begin and watch candy fly and flags wave!

To raise extra money for your organization, have volunteers sell water and popsicles to your parade spectators.

Back-to-School Carnival

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Celebrate the start of the school year by hosting a family-friendly carnival. Charge admission and offer fun activities like a spook alley, dunk tank, miniature roller coaster, and ring toss.

If you’re a school administrator, you could gather your students in classes or grades and have them meet their teachers. This event will not only help you earn some cash—you’ll also start the school year off strong!

Oktoberfest Pretzel Eating Contest

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You can’t take your supporters to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest, but you can certainly bring the fun to them! Celebrate by hosting a soft pretzel eating contest. You may want to partner with a local bakery to get extra delicious pretzels.

For the contest, see how many pretzels each contestant can eat in an hour. Sell pretzels to the spectators and don’t forget to provide an awesome prize for the contest winner!

Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser

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Is Halloween just around the corner? Try out a pumpkin patch fundraiser. Sell pumpkins and decorative gourds and corn stalks. To take this fundraiser to the next level, set up a hale bale or corn maze that pumpkin patch shoppers can pay extra to get lost in.

You could also show a spooky kid’s cartoon and sell hot chocolate and apple cider. Your supporters will enjoy welcoming in the Halloween season with all of these fall-themed activities.

Pumpkin Carving Contest

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A pumpkin carving contest can pair well with a pumpkin patch fundraiser or work well on its own. Simply charge each carver for every pumpkin they buy from you and set them up at a workstation with carving materials.

Give your carvers an hour or two to carve their pumpkins, and then have their friends and family vote with their dollars for the best one. You can even put the pumpkins into different categories. For example, you could give an award for Silliest Pumpkin, Scariest Pumpkin, and Best Overall Pumpkin!

Spookiest Door Contest

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Get your supporters giving to your cause and decorating for Halloween with a Spookiest Door contest! Participants pay to register and then have a certain amount of time to decorate their front doors any way they choose—as long as it’s spooky!

Have your supporters submit pictures of their doors via email and then display them in an online gallery. Then your community can vote with their dollars for the spookiest door! Make sure you have a great Halloween-themed prize for the winning door decorators!

Haunted House Fundraiser

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Halloween is the perfect time for your organization to host a haunted house fundraiser. Turn an old house, church, or school hallway into a scary, haunted setting and charge an admission fee to everyone brave enough to enter.

Gather volunteers to dress up as scary characters to jump out at your visitors and scare them even more!

Halloween Costume Contest

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Who has the best Halloween costume? Have your supporters compete in a costume contest by sharing a picture of their costume on social media and using a hashtag specific to your organization and contest.

Next, have voters make their picks with a dollar or two on your website. Reward the winner with a witch’s cauldron full of Halloween goodies!

Murder Mystery Dinner

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A fun and exciting way to raise funds is by hosting a murder mystery dinner. While this event does take some planning, it will be a night your guests will never forget!

You can find murder mystery games online for your event. Or, if you’re feeling creative, write your own! Then recruit guests to join the game as specific characters and to figure out whodunnit.

Haunted Car Wash

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Have you ever had your car washed by a zombie? If not, it might be time for you to try hosting a haunted car wash for your organization. Recruit volunteers to wash cars, and spookify your space for doing so. Hang up cobwebs and use smoke machines to set a scary mood for your customers.

When your supporters come to your car wash, charge them per car and let them go through the wash. Throughout the experience, they’ll be spooked by goblins and ghouls as their car gets cleaned. This fundraiser leaves your supporters feeling both spooked and their vehicles looking spic ‘n’ span.

Dia de los Muertos Event

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Dia de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is a holiday that originated in Mexico where families welcome back the souls of deceased loved ones and celebrate their legacies.

Host a Dia de los Muertos event during which your supporters share stories and memories of deceased loved ones. Have participants share their loved ones’ favorite foods and beverages with the group, and paint candy sugar skulls that your supporters can take home with them.

Veterans Day Thank-You Letter

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For this fundraising idea based on the spirit of appreciation, you’ll need a few community sponsors. Ask them to sponsor your event and provide the materials your participants will need to make and write thank-you letters to local veterans.

On the day of the event, have your supporters make (and decorate!) their thank yous. Hand deliver these letters to a local veteran’s association or hospital to bring some extra cheer to those who have sacrificed so much for their country.

Thanksgiving Feast Food Sale

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Thanksgiving dinners are quite the undertaking. From turkey to cranberry sauce and everything in between, people like to go all out when they cook for this special occasion.

Sell Thanksgiving foods, like frozen turkeys or pre-made dinner rolls and pies, to your supporters. They’ll appreciate your organization for simplifying their lives during this busy time!

Giving Tuesday

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Giving Tuesday is an international day of giving that takes place every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. To get your organization involved in Giving Tuesday, all you need to do is join your local movement and use #GivingTuesday on your social media posts.

Giving Tuesday can inspire people to get involved in service projects, drop off in-kind donations to your facility, or submit an online monetary donation. With Giving Tuesday, the possibilities are endless.

Hanukkah Card Sale

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Happy Hanukkah! Sell Hanukkah cards door-to-door to your supporters. To make them extra special, partner with a local artist to get special hand-painted or handmade cards.

Along with the cards, sell hot chocolate packets and warm cookies. This will help your supporters start off their Hanukkah celebrations right!

Hanukkah Light the Night Event

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Host a Hanukkah celebration and candle lighting for your congregation or supporter base. Ask families to bring their own menorah and seven candles, or sell them at the event. You could also sell tickets for a Hanukkah feast before the lighting, featuring Hanukkah classics like potato latkes.

After the menorah lighting, invite your attendees to play dreidel games and more!

Ornament Auction

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Ask students from local schools to make handmade ornaments using whatever materials they want. While macaroni decorations and hand-cut snowflakes are usually standard, encourage students to be even more creative.

Once you’ve collected all of the completed ornaments, hold an auction to sell them off! Although the decorations may not be exceptionally well-made, parents and other family members will have a ball bidding for them.

Pictures with Santa

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To save people the hassle of standing in the long line in the mall to have a 30-second photo op with Santa Claus, host your own Pictures with Santa fundraiser!

Charge parents a few dollars to have their children sit on Santa’s knee and tell him what they want for Christmas. You can also sell hot cocoa and snacks to families. Just make sure Santa gets his milk and cookies!

Carol Singing

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Everyone loves when carolers knock on their doors around the holidays. Find some volunteers who love to sing and practice a few carols together.

Then, go door-to-door or stand in a well-trafficked city park and ask for donations while you sing.

Gift Wrapping Service

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So many of us struggle to find time to shop for Christmas gifts, let alone to wrap those gifts. Set up shop at a local store and offer your gift wrapping services!

Shoppers will line up at your table after purchasing their gifts from the store. Have them pay a fee per gift and chat with them about your cause as you wrap their gifts and top them with a beautiful bow.

Wrapping Paper Fundraiser

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This fundraiser is a variation on the Gift Wrapping Service fundraiser. Before the holiday season gets into full swing, have members of your organization sell wrapping paper to their friends, parents, grandparents, neighbors, and anyone else who wants it.

For each roll of wrapping paper sold, a portion of the profits goes directly to your organization. For more fun, host a gift wrapping event at the end of the fundraiser where everyone can get together for holiday cookies, a holiday movie, and wrapping fun!

Ugly Sweater Party

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Who has the ugliest sweater? Find out by hosting an ugly sweater party for your supporters. Charge an admission fee at the door and serve up eggnog, holiday cookies, and great tunes to dance to.

Have attendees pay a little extra to enter the ugly sweater contest. Your other partygoers can vote for their favorites with their dollars. Announce the winner at the end of the night and give them a great prize.

Festival of Trees

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Ask local businesses and community members to donate ornately-decorated Christmas trees to your Festival of Trees event. They can be themed or traditional, but make sure your tree decorators go all out!

At your festival, supporters can walk around and see all of the trees. Then, interested individuals can participate in a silent auction to take one of the decorated trees home. Sell hot chocolate and treats to bring in some extra cash!

Christmas Tree Delivery Service

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People can get stressed during the holidays. A Christmas tree delivery service takes some of the pressure off of families to get the perfect tree home. Why not help people out during the holiday rush and earn a little money at the same time?

You’ll need to decide whether you’re going to sell and deliver trees, or if you’re just going to deliver the trees people buy from other vendors. You can also offer a tree removal service once the holidays are over for more donations down the line.

Gingerbread House Decorating Contest

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Get your supporters to channel their inner baker with a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. Have supporters pay a fee to enter the contest and get their materials.

Then, host a night of building and decorating at your facility. Add to the holiday cheer by selling hot chocolate and treats.

At the end of the night, have judges pick the best gingerbread house. Award the winner with a Christmas gift basket or a gift certificate to a restaurant in your area.

Holiday Candy Grams

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The idea behind a candy gram fundraiser isn’t just to make sure people have a reason to visit the dentist in January. It’s also a great way to help people show their friends and loved ones they care about them during the holidays.

Simply sell candy canes or other delicious candies to people who then write a message on a slip of paper attached to the candy. Then, you deliver the candy gram to the lucky recipient!

Holiday Gift Basket Auction

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Holiday gift baskets are collections of goodies like baking mixes, treats, beverages, candles, and other fun items. Assemble some gift baskets of your own using donated items from local businesses, and then auction the baskets off to be delivered to deserving families in your community.

This is a fun way to pull in some funds for your work and give back to the community.

Birthday Fundraiser

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Birthday fundraisers allow you to celebrate your supporters and tap into the collective spirit of giving. Rather than asking for traditional gifts on their special day, donors invite their friends and family to donate to a cause close to their heart.

To participate in a birthday fundraiser, individuals can create personalized eCards that introduce your nonprofit and explain their desire to fundraise on your behalf. Send them out and watch the donations come flooding in!

Top Virtual Fundraising Ideas

Online Bake Sale

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Why not put a new twist on an old classic and host an online bake sale as a quick and easy virtual fundraiser?

Traditional bake sales are fun, but they can often fall flat if you don’t plan correctly. Set up your online bake sale and post pictures and prices of the baked goods for all to see. When an item is sold, the baker will be notified and will pack up and ship the goodies. You raise money for your organization and your donors get something to satisfy their sweet cravings.

Virtual 5K

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A virtual 5K allows your supporters to complete a 5K on their own time. Simply give them a window of time in which to run or walk a 5K. Then have them report their completed 5K to your organization via email.

Once a supporter completes your 5K, send them a virtual medal they can share on social media or a t-shirt branded to your organization.

Online Art Class

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If your organization is focused on the arts or you have supporters that have an interest in art, an online art class can be a great virtual fundraiser for you.

Ask a local art teacher or professor to teach a virtual painting, drawing, collage, or calligraphy class. Sell spots in your virtual art class and send out the livestream link to everyone who signs up. To make a little more money, save your attendees a trip to the craft store and sell bundles of art supplies attendees can use for the class.

Virtual Gala

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Who wouldn’t love the opportunity to attend a gala from the comfort of their couch? Host a virtual gala in which you recreate normal gala activities—hire a band to provide livestreamed entertainment and have drinks and dinner delivered to your attendees’ homes. You can even host a virtual auction as part of your gala.

Charge attendees for their virtual gala tickets or ask local businesses to sponsor virtual “tables” or chat rooms.

Email Appeals

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Email is a great tool for reaching your supporters quickly and pulling donations in through your online donation form. Start by conducting an append of your donor contact information to be sure you know how to reach them.

Create an email cadence that explains your organization’s mission and current needs and goals. Then, issue a call to action for your supporters to give. Make sure you include a link in each email so your supporters can access your donation form easily.

Virtual Trivia Night

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Test your supporters’ knowledge with a virtual trivia night. To make this fundraising idea virtual, all you’ll need is a livestream link and separate breakout rooms for individual trivia teams to discuss your questions.

Consider theming your virtual trivia night. For example, you might have a decades trivia night or a pop culture trivia night. Make sure you’re prepared to give a fun prize, such as a pizza gift card or a sum of cash, to the winners!

Virtual Cutest Pet Contest

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Who has the cutest pet? Find out by hosting a virtual cutest pet contest. Have supporters send in pictures of their pets and post them on your website.

From there, you can have people vote with their dollars on who the cutest pet is. Be sure to send the cutest pet a new toy or a treat!

Virtual Concert

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A virtual concert is an easy fundraiser that can be a lot of fun for your supporters at home and help you raise big bucks for your cause.

Ask a local band or singer to donate a livestreamed performance to your organization. When attendees pay for their virtual tickets, they’ll get access to the livestream link. Encourage engagement during the concert by auctioning off a VIP chat with the band and taking song requests.

Facebook Fundraiser

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Set up a Facebook fundraiser on behalf of your organization. The great thing about a Facebook fundraiser is that the platform has step-by-step tools and group-making features to launch your campaign. Plus, tagging, hashtags, and other sharing features make it easy for your supporters to share your fundraiser with their family and friends.

Encourage sharing and make sure you thank the supporters that do!

Download with a Donation

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Digital downloads are popular for phone and desktop screen savers and art prints that people hang in their homes. Ask local artists to create art related to your cause and donate it to your nonprofit.

Set up the digital prints in a virtual store that your supporters can browse. When they find a print that speaks to them, all they’ll need to do is give a small donation and download their print!

Virtual Talent Show

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A virtual talent show is a great place for your supporters to share their talents from the comfort of their own homes. Have your performers pay an entrance fee to participate. Be sure to promote your event on social media and sell virtual tickets to your audience.

On the day of the livestream, make sure you do a quick tech run through so that the show goes smoothly. Enlist community members to serve as judges and give the talent show winner a fun prize!

Virtual Cooking Class

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Does one of your board members or parishioners have serious skills in the kitchen? Host a virtual cooking class! Not only can you raise money by charging a fee, but you’ll also be bringing people together to learn more about your cause and a new dish.

Send out the recipe for your dish a few days in advance so that everyone who registered can get the ingredients they need to follow along with the cooking class teacher during the livestream.

Virtual Lecture Series

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Give your supporters a chance to learn about topics related to your cause by hosting a virtual lecture series. After your supporters pay a registration fee, they’ll get access to the livestream links for a series of lectures given by your board members, professors, or other community leaders.

For example, if your organization is focused on getting kids excited about reading, you might have a literacy expert speak about why it’s so important for parents to read to their children. For another lecture, you might ask a neuroscientist to speak about the importance of reading for brain health.

Virtual Video Challenge

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For this fundraiser, choose an activity like lip syncing to a popular song or doing 50 pushups. Record a few of your staff members or administrators completing the challenge and pick a hashtag that connects the activity to your cause.

Then, share the videos and encourage your supporters to participate in the challenge and complete their own! You can raise money by encouraging each supporter that makes a video to donate a certain amount of money.

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Virtual Tour

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Virtual tours are great for organizations that own museums or historic landmarks. Sell tickets to an online tour with a knowledgeable tour guide, and take your virtual attendees on a journey they’ll never forget!

Be sure to tell exclusive stories on your tour or to show your attendees places at your museum or landmark that in-person visitors can’t usually experience in person.

Virtual TED Talk Night

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TED Talks are influential speeches people give on a variety of subjects. Host your own virtual TED Talk Night by asking community members to share their expertise on a certain topic or to tell their life story.

Sell tickets to your event and encourage people to ask questions in the chat feature during your livestream.

Virtual Wine Pull

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Are your supporters sommeliers in the making? Host a virtual wine pull via livestream. Auction off different bottles of wine or have your attendees pay to have a bottle of wine selected for them at random.

This gives your supporters the chance to try something new and donate to your cause. Make sure you have a solid plan in place for delivering the wine to your guests’ homes.

Virtual Book Club

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One thing that bookworms love almost as much as reading books is talking about books. Stimulate your supporters’ love of books, storytelling, and community by hosting a monthly book club. You could read books that relate to your organization’s cause, or leave the book selections up to club members.

Charge your book club members annual dues and meet virtually on a monthly basis to discuss what you’ve read.

Virtual House Parties

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Ask a few of your major donors to host virtual house parties on behalf of your organization. During these house parties, they can talk up your cause and answer questions about your work before asking their attendees for donations.

To go above and beyond with this fundraiser, have dinner delivered to the attendees’ homes so they can enjoy it during the virtual party.

Office Fundraising Ideas

Used Book Sale

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If you have some bookworms in your community, try hosting a used book sale at a local office park or library. All you’ll need to do is set up a temporary “bookstore.”

Advertise well in advance for individuals to bring their gently used books to the sale. People will feel like they’re getting really great deals for some of their favorite books. Instead of paying full price at a bookstore, they can pay a little less, add some new favorites to their book collections, and help your cause—a win-win-win for everyone involved!

10,000 Step Challenge

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Have your supporters pledge to walk 10,000 steps a day for a certain amount of time (a month, for instance) and have their friends and family sponsor their effort.

Participants can track their steps using a pedometer app and then collect pledges on your behalf. Not only does it encourage employees to get moving, but office giving might increase overall when participants become aware of your nonprofit and interested in your cause.

Can and Bottle Return Fundraiser

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Offices can host a can and bottle drive to raise money with the help of their employees. Simply have employees gather all their recyclable cans and bottles and provide a place for them to drop off the items.

At the end of your drive, you can take the cans and bottles to a recycling center and receive a check in exchange for your collections. To make it more fun, have departments compete to see how many cans and bottles they can recycle in a week.

Food Truck Fundraiser

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Food trucks are experiencing a growing trend in popularity. Collaborate with a nearby food truck to support your organization by donating a portion of the day’s earnings to your cause. Either host a dedicated food truck fundraiser or incorporate the truck into one of your existing events to maximize fundraising potential. With a wide range of options available, including tacos, burgers, ice cream, and cannolis, there will be something to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Your supporters will undoubtedly enjoy indulging in their favorite treats conveniently located at your office parking lot.

Wine Tasting

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Host an event where everyone can enjoy some great wine while attracting support. Charge an admission fee to participate in your event, and have a sommelier lead the tasting.

To earn extra money, sell snacks like cheese boards and gourmet chocolate to go with the wine.

Office Olympics

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Inspired by NBC’s hit show The Office, this office fundraising idea will leave everyone feeling like a winner. Simply come up with easy, straightforward Olympic-type “events” office employees can participate in to win medals.

These might include a paper airplane toss, a coffee mug relay, an office chair race, or something outrageous like bubble soccer. Make sure to host an awards ceremony at the end to crown your champions.

Crazy Hair Day

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Promote an engaging atmosphere in the office by organizing an event called Crazy Hair Day. When colleagues show up with unconventional hairstyles and vibrant colors, it will bring amusement to everyone. Implement a dollar voting system among employees to determine the wildest hairdo. This will not only inspire employees to go all out with their styles but also generate funds for your organization. Remember to reward the winner with a prize.

Nap-at-the-Office Auction

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The premise of this fundraiser is simple. All you’ll need to do is auction off an hour of the workday for one lucky employee to take a nap in a quiet part of the office.

Make the bidding interesting by starting at $50. The most coffee-dependent and sleep-deprived workers will be willing to pay for an energizing nap in the middle of the day!

Happy Hour

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After work, employees gather for a fundraising event where they can savor beverages and appetizers. Collaborate with a nearby bar or restaurant and request them to contribute a specific portion of their happy hour earnings to your organization. Foster a lively atmosphere by organizing entertaining activities such as trivia or karaoke, urging your employees to mingle and relish their refreshments.

Ice Cream Social

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On hot summer days, hosting an ice cream social is the perfect way to raise funds for your cause and allow supporters to mingle with each other.

Recruit volunteers to help you serve the ice cream and make sure there’s plenty of flavor options and toppings. Plan a short speech to explain to guests why you’re raising funds.

Obstacle Course

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Host an obstacle course at a park and use parking cones, slip ‘n’ slides, and rope to create a challenging course for your participants. Have them pay to register for the event, and celebrate their successful completion of the course by passing out medals.

Additionally, you could sell branded t-shirts or water bottles to pull in extra funds.

Musical Office Chairs

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Encourage employees to embrace their competitive nature through a straightforward fundraising activity. Organize a musical chairs game utilizing office chairs and present an exciting reward. Whenever an employee is eliminated from the game, they are required to contribute a small donation to your organization. Additionally, participants have the option to pay an additional fee to rejoin the game and vie for the prize. Following several rounds, the winners can be challenged to compete against each other for a grand prize!

Pajama Day

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There are some days where a suit and tie just isn’t going to cut it. Have employees donate to your organization to participate in a pajama day. Encourage them to wear their favorite pair of pajamas, slippers, and a bathrobe.

After all, who hasn’t wanted to see their boss wear bunny slippers?

Office Decorating Contest

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Employees love to bring their own unique flare to their workspaces. Put that creativity to good use by hosting an office decorating contest.

Announce the date of the vote so your employees have enough time to bring in their favorite decor. Those not participating in the contest can vote for their favorite desk or office using their dollars.

Game Night

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Hosting a game night is a family-friendly office fundraising event that doesn’t require a huge budget. All you need is a few board games and card games. You can also transform your game night into a tournament where guests can compete for a prize.

Just charge a couple of dollars for admission to the game night. If you’re looking to make a little extra cash, set up a concession stand to sell soda and snacks to your guests.

Trade or Barter Fair

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The Barter and Trade Fair is similar to a book swap. Participants simply bring items or services to trade. To ensure that your event is as successful as possible with lots of valuable goods, send out surveys to assess what items participants might want to obtain, bring, and trade for the fair.

You can either charge an admission fee or charge per item or service that attendees bring to trade.

Appreciation Grams

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Appreciation grams are highly effective in various settings such as clubs, offices, churches, and schools. They serve not only as a means to raise funds but also as a way to foster camaraderie within your community. Individuals can be charged a nominal fee to send out personalized notes that recognize the strengths and achievements of others. These appreciation grams can be conveniently delivered to recipients’ offices or desks, and for an added touch of enjoyment, consider including a small treat or piece of candy.

Flag Subscription Service

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This fundraiser is more of a long-term commitment than a one-off event. But it does have the potential to raise a lot of funds.

Ask workers to sign up for your flag subscription service. You’ll hang up and take down holiday-appropriate flags on their porches or lawns. You can charge a small monthly or yearly fee.

4-Day Work Week Auction

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Who doesn’t love a long weekend? Similar to a Nap at the Office Auction, this fundraising idea gets employees pulling out their wallets.

Auction off a free Friday for one employee in the office. Make sure you’re clear that the free Friday off doesn’t count toward their PTO limit. Start the bidding at $100 and watch the donations come rolling in.

Lunch Break Dance Party

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Sometimes you just have to get up and groove in the middle of the day. Invite employees from local offices to participate in a lunch break dance party. This event will last about thirty minutes and you can charge an admission fee at the door.

To make the event extra fun, bring in a local DJ and sell sandwiches or tacos that participants can enjoy for lunch after they’ve worked up an appetite while dancing!

Wrapping Up Fundraising Ideas

Raising funds is a challenging endeavor, but with these incredible fundraising suggestions, you can secure the necessary funds to advance your mission. When deciding on a fundraising idea for your organization, it is crucial to have a well-developed strategy to promote it to your supporters and keep them engaged throughout the campaign.

Sean Kennedy Author Headshot

About The Author

Sean Kennedy

Sean Kennedy is an entrepreneur with a knack for turning bold ideas into successful ventures. As the co-founder of One Up Digital, Sean has a track record of starting and exiting businesses across various industries, including retail, hospitality, and digital marketing. Currently based in Michigan, Sean is deeply committed to his latest venture, Smile.Markets, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at revolutionizing how organizations raise funds.

For those interested in learning more about how Smile Markets is changing the fundraising landscape, visit Smile Markets for Causes.

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