131 Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits and Individuals

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131 Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits and Individuals

Favorites	Events	Online	Creative & Unique	Free or Cheap	Quick and Easy
Crowdfunding	Pledge Fundraising	Text-to-Give	In Jail	Gift Wrapping	Bake Sale
Matching Gifts	Chili Cook-off	Custom Websites	Unique Art	Baby Photo Contest	Sell Donuts / Snacks
Text-to-Give	Silent Auctions	Peer-to-Peer Fundraising	Buy-a-Brick	50/50 Raffle	Penny Drives
See Our Favorites	See These Event Ideas	See Our Online Ideas	See Creative Ideas	See Fun, Free Ideas	See More Easy Ideas

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Use Our #1 Fundraising Idea — Crowdfunding

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The Best Fundraising Ideas

#1: Crowdfunding (Run a Free Fundraiser For Your Cause)

The Basics

Crowdfunding is a fundraising method that combines the power of social media with the support of your friends and family.

You can tell your story, upload photos and videos, and explain why you’re trying to raise money. Then, you share the page with your social networks via Facebook, Twitter, and email.

Create a unique fundraiser that will raise money and awareness for your cause, project, event, or need.

Why Crowdfunding Works

Fundraising is not a solo endeavor. You need the help of your friends, family, and community to successfully reach your goal.

Crowdfunding is the best way to reach out to everyone in your network and ask them for their support.

A crowdfunding campaign (see these great examples) can explain your reasons for fundraising and demonstrate what donations will go toward.

How to Get Started

With Fundly’s low fees (you pay nothing unless you raise money), great support, and lots of customization options, you can start raising money today.

Tell your story and post photos and videos that highlight your cause or project and help donors connect even more to your cause.

Share your campaign with your network! The more you promote your campaign, the more money you can raise.

Crowdfunding is a fun and easy way for individuals or nonprofits to raise money.

Visit Fundly and use our number one fundraising idea, crowdfunding.

Start Your Free Crowdfunding Campaign!

#2: Matching Gifts

Matching gifts, a form of corporate philanthropy which allows companies to match their employees’ donations to nonprofits, can help your organization reach its fundraising goals in no time.

Companies will match their employees’ donations at a 1:1, 2:1, or even 3:1 ratio, effectively maximizing the impact of a single eligible donation.

Using software like the Double the Donation matching gift database, donors can find out their eligibility status and take the next steps toward matching gifts with ease. If you are a large nonprofit, consider adopting 360MatchPro to automate your matching gift search.

See The Top Matching Gift Companies!

#3: Text-to-Give

Text giving is an excellent fundraising idea for nonprofits.

By partnering with a mobile giving service provider like Snowball, you’ll receive a unique text giving number and be able to choose unlimited keywords! Then, start promoting your text-to-give campaign far and wide so that your supporters know how to get involved.

To make a text donation, a donor simply texts a predetermined keyword (such as DONATE, GIVE, or even the name of your organization!) to your text giving number. The donor receives an automated response with a link to a simple online donation page, fills out basic contact and payment information, and submits their gift. It’s one of the easiest, most convenient ways to give thanks to developing technology and the popularity of the smartphone!

Learn More About Text-to-Give Programs!

#4: Face Mask Fundraisers

ABC Fundraising offers unique product fundraising ideas.

A face mask fundraiser is a new and extremely relevant way to raise money for your charitable cause. ABC Fundraising® will design a custom face mask with your color scheme and logo so you can start selling to family, friends, and your greater overall community for up to a 60% profit! That way, your supporters can remain safe and stylish by rocking their new face mask. As a bonus, they’ll work as a walking billboard to promote your mission!

Plus, you’ll receive your own personalized web store to start selling your masks online for a perfect hands-free fundraiser. They’ll even create a customized order-taking flyer with your logo on the masks so you can take orders in person, too. Although this is a great idea for any organization, they specifically focus on meeting the fundraising needs of schools and churches.

Learn More About Starting a Face Mask Fundraiser!

#5: Charity Auctions

Charity auctions are an easy and fun fundraising idea.

Charity auctions can be a fast-paced and energetic way for you to raise money and interact with donors face-to-face.

Ask for charity auction items from local businesses; try to get as many items donated for close to nothing. That way, you can put your budget into creating a great atmosphere for your attendees to enjoy.

Hire an auctioneer (or do it yourself), send out invites, and cater in food and drinks.

People will walk away with some unique items and experiences, and can raise money for your cause!

#6: Free Donation Tools

Fundraising is essential for every nonprofit. If your nonprofit is raising money online, you should explore a fee-free online donation tool.

Here’s how it works: you get a best-in-class online donation tool that’s completely free with no subscription fees or processing fees charged by the platform. Those platforms rely on donors who will help fund all of the platform expenses. If you’re a nonprofit looking for a year-round donation tool for your website we’d recommend DonateKindly!

Add a Free Donation Tool to Your Website!

#7: T-Shirt Fundraising

T-shirt fundraising is an easy and fun fundraising idea.

T-shirt sales are a classic fundraising method that works well for all causes. After all, who doesn’t love a comfortable, stylish t-shirt?

Not to mention, when you partner with an online t-shirt fundraising service like Bonfire, you can customize your apparel to your heart’s content and design an online fundraising page that promotes your cause. You can even accept additional donations on top of your t-shirt sales!

Learn About T-Shirt Fundraising!

#8: Advocacy Campaigns

Advocacy campaigns are an easy and fun fundraising idea.

While not technically a fundraising idea, advocacy and fundraising go hand in hand for many organizations and causes. Whether you’re fighting for human rights, environmental concerns, policy changes, or any other issue, support can take many different forms.

Without advocacy campaigns and rallies, your community would be uninformed! Advocacy options provide your supporters with ways to contribute to your cause in a non-monetary way and raise awareness for your mission.

Check Out This Amazing Advocacy Guide For Nonprofits!

#9: Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an easy and fun fundraising idea.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is similar to crowdfunding, but instead of you soliciting donations, your supporters will do it for you! Participants will create a fundraising page, set a goal, and ask their networks to contribute.

This type of fundraising campaign is beneficial to your organization because you can raise money and gain new supporters in the process. Hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser requires a capable fundraising tool that will allow you to create page templates and track your progress.

Learn How To Host A Peer-To-Peer Campaign!

#10: Shoe Drives

Shoe drives are an easy and fun fundraising idea.

Each year, the average person throws away 7.5 pairs of shoes. What if there was a way to turn trash into cash?

Hosting a shoe drive fundraiser is one of the most innovative fundraising solutions where you can help eliminate millions of pounds of waste all while raising money for your cause. All you have to do is work with a company who will turn your shoes into donations!

Funds2Orgs makes it really simple to host a fundraiser with most organizations raising a few thousand dollars through this free fundraising idea!

Discover How Shoe Drive Fundraisers Can Help!

Fundraising Event Ideas

Pledge Fundraising

A pledge campaign is a unique fundraising opportunity that collects promises of donations to be collected at a later date— rather than making an on-the-spot gift. This type of fundraiser is great for all sorts of causes, from schools and religious organizations to sports teams and charities.

To get started, decide what type of event to host. Walk-a-thons are a popular choice for pledge campaigns, although a similar structure can be applied to new and exciting ideas as well (like a dance-a-thon!).

Then, gather supporters who are willing to participate in your event. Provide each participant with an individual fundraising page, empowering them to solicit pledges from friends and family. Plus, be sure to encourage the use of social media and other digital sharing tools to get the word out far and wide.

Host a Chili Cook-Off

A chili cook-off is the perfect fundraising event idea for clubs and organizations to inspire their community come together and enjoy a great meal.

All you have to do is recruit your community’s best chili chefs to cook a pot of their delicious stew. Then, set a time and date, and sell tickets to your supporters and community members to taste each one!

Set up donation boxes in front of each pot so supporters can vote (by donating!) with their dollars on which chili they like the best. The winner can receive a small prize or trophy, and you can end up raising a lot of money for your cause!

Silent Auctions

Silent auctions are a fun way to get a little more face time with your donors while they bid on unique and appealing items up for grabs. Plus, if you find the right auction items, you have the potential to raise a lot of money!

Ask local businesses and individuals if they would like to donate items to your silent auction. Common items include gift cards to restaurants, signed memorabilia, lessons from a professional of some kind, gift baskets, and more!

You can enlist the help of a mobile bidding tool to create a tech-enhanced bidding experience for your attendees. Mobile bidding software also makes checking in, checking out, and item monitoring easier on your auction volunteers and staff.

Host a Golf Tournament

Golf tournaments are tried and true fundraising event ideas for nonprofit organizations as well as political campaigns and school fundraisers.

A leisurely golf tournament is a great way to get to know some of the movers and shakers in your community and ask for their support for your charity or cause.

Charge an entrance fee for individuals or teams. Once the tournament is over, you can give a speech or an informal talk and ask for donations or other types of support from your participants.

Host a hymn-a-thon to raise money for your church or religious organization.

Host a Sing-a-thon

Do you need to raise money for a project, event, or cause? Do you know a group of song birds in your network of peers? Host a sing-a-thon to put you and your friends’ talents to good use!

A sing-a-thon (or hymnathon for churches) is a singing event that helps you raise money. You can charge admission to the singing festivities and sell concessions throughout the event.

You can also create a request system where guests can ask for particular songs by donating a few dollars to the choir director or song leader.

Battle of the Bands

A Battle of the Bands event can be an opportunity to raise money for your creative project and a chance for local talent to get their music out into the community.

Create a physical and online sign up sheet for local bands who want to register. Spread the word about your event on social media, via email, and with flyers.

Charge a few dollars at the door or sell tickets online beforehand. You can also set up a concession stand to bring in some extra money.

Host a Serve-a-thon Event

A Serve-a-thon fundraiser helps your club or organization raise money while cleaning up your community at the same time.

Ask for donations per item of trash that you pick up on a given day. For example, someone might donate a dollar for every aluminum can you pick up.

Collect sponsorships and donations from people in your community, and then get out and clean up your town!

Have a Greek carnival to raise money for your fraternity or sorority

Have a Carnival

Holding a spring or fall carnival can be a great way to bring your community together for some fun and games while you raise money for your charity or project.

All you have to do is organize some simple (but still really fun!) games and activities, get the word out about your event, and charge an admission price.

You can even sell concessions if you want to make a little extra money throughout the afternoon or evening.

Hold a trivia night to raise money for your cause.

Organize a Trivia Night

You can organize a trivia night by pairing up with a local bar or restaurant. Advertise well in advance and charge an admission fee for trivia teams who want to put their knowledge to the test.

You can also ask the restaurant or bar manager if they would be willing to give you a portion of the sales from the trivia night to bring in even more money for your cause.

Make sure that you have a good system for asking questions and getting teams’ answers. You don’t want to have a disorganized trivia fundraiser!

Fundraising ideas for churches can be as simple as hosting a themed party.

Themed Fundraising Party

Themed parties are more common fundraising ideas for nonprofits, but anyone can use them to raise money for their cause or project.

Charge a few dollars at the door. People that show up in a themed costume can pay $3 while those in “normal” clothes can pay $5.

You can also sell concessions during the event to raise extra money. Just don’t forget to promote your themed fundraising party on social media. You want supporters to invite as many people as they can to help you raise more money!

Create an Obstacle Course Event

Obstacle courses can be fun challenges for kids, teenagers, and adults alike. Your club or organization can set one up to raise some extra money!

Create different games and obstacles that make up the larger course. Then, set up an online registration form.

Give people the option to participate as individuals or in teams. And don’t forget to offer a small prize for whoever gets through the course the fastest!

Host a virtual event

If your in-person fundraiser needs to be modifed or you’re having trouble getting all your supporters together, a popular alternative is hosting a virtual event.

Virtual events enable your organization to foster the same level of community and engagement as an in-person event without the need for physical space.

We recommend learning more about virtual events, the best practicies, and the ways to use technology to support success if this is something your organization is interested in.

Classic Car Show

If members of your club, organization, association, or community like to build, refurbish, and drive classic cars, this is the fundraising event for you!

Get as many classic cars together as you can and line them up in a common space like a parking lot or field.

Then, charge admission for people to come through and view the vehicles. You can even have side events like a raffle or auction to raise even more.

Angel Festival

An angel festival is a Christmas-themed fundraiser that gives you a chance to raise money for a project, event, cause, or charity.

First, you’ll need to recruit “designers” who will craft life-size angels out of whatever materials they want. Then, display the angels at a festival and sell hot cocoa and cider.

People vote on their favorite angel by placing money in containers underneath each one. It’s that easy!

Host an Art Auction

You might create artwork or know artists willing to donate their work to your cause. Why not try to make some money and put them up for sale at an art auction?

You can organize your own event, but that will take a lot of planning. Instead, see if any local auctions are willing to sell your art for a small fee.

Not only will you raise some extra money for your creative project, but you’ll be promoting local artists.

Host an Art Show

Whether you’re a marvelous artist or have a passion for the arts, you can use your interests to raise money for your project or cause!

Search your community for talented artists or use your own works to host an event that puts local artists in the spotlight or displays your creativity.

Find a venue that suits your exhibition. You can look into using a local school’s gymnasium or auditorium to keep costs low.

On the day of the event, charge a few dollars for admission and set up a donation table or booth for general contributions. And don’t forget to price the artwork for sale!

Host a dorm decorating contest to raise money for your Greek organization

Host a Dorm or Office Decorating Contest

Students and coworkers all love bringing their own unique touches to their dorm rooms and office spaces. You can put that creativity to use and raise some money with a dorm or office decorating contest!

Spread the word a month or two in advance so that contestants have time to prepare. Then, lead “audience members” throughout the halls, letting them vote on their favorite space with their dollars.

Whoever has the most votes at the end of the night can win a small prize or a portion of the money raised.

Hold a Field Day

Younger kids usually take part in a field day event in elementary school, but that event tends to get faded out as children move into middle and high school.

Get your older kids involved in an active event by hosting a field day!

You can plan for traditional games like tug o’ war, three-legged race, water balloon toss, and more! But don’t hesitate to make up your own fun and unique field day games.

Charge a small admission fee or charge per game at the event. You can even sell concessions and merchandise like water bottles, t-shirts, and caps.

BONUS: Get 99 great fundraising ideas for all causes as a PDF for free! Print it out, or share it with your colleagues!

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This fundraiser is a walkathon for pets.

Have a Walk-and-Paw-a-Thon

Walkathons a re a popular nonprofit fundraising event ideas that raise money and get people up and moving. A dog walkathon is the same thing but with adorable pooches!

Of course, people can still participate, but they can bring their (leashed) dogs along to keep them company while they walk. You should make sure to have water stations set up for humans and pups alike, especially if you host your dog walkathon on a really hot day!

You can charge an admission fee to raise money, but you can also sell shirts, caps, water bottles, and leashes to raise more.

With the proper promotion, your dog walkathon can be a major hit. Try it next summer to raise money!

Host a walkathon to raise money for your cause.

Host a Fundraising Walk

Many walkathons are organized to raise money for a medical cause.

Larger research institutions usually set up and promote these fundraisers.

However, if you want to set up a smaller-scale community fundraising walk for your particular cause, you definitely can!

Get in touch with friends and family members who have supported you in the past and ask if they would be willing to participate. You can also market the event to the larger community.

Charge an admission fee and sell merchandise such as t-shirts, water bottles, and hats along the walkathon route. And don’t forget to set up water stations for your participants!

You can wash dogs as a way to raise funds.

Hold a Dog-and-Car Wash

No, this fundraiser doesn’t raise money by having dogs wash cars. It’s all about washing cars and pooches. Many people would be willing to pay to have their car and dog cleaned.

You’ll obviously want to plan for a warm and sunny day and advertise by hanging up flyers and posting on social media. Then, set up two stations: one for cars and one for dogs. Have someone be in charge of explaining the prices for each wash and collecting the money from customers.

Make sure that you explain where the funds are going during the car and dog wash and encourage more donations.

People will drive off with shiny cars and fresh-smelling pups, and you’ll raise money for your cause!

Host a Kids’ Bingo Night

Bingo is a fun and easy game that even the youngest children can play. Use a weekend night to host a kids’ bingo night to raise money!

A bingo night can be a great way to educate people about your cause as well.

Throughout the night, remind attendees of what you’re raising money for and encourage them to make contributions during the event.

However, the majority of your proceeds will come from selling admission tickets, concessions, and products (if you have them).

Hold a concert to raise money for a military or veteran cause

Host a Patriotic Concert

Hosting a patriotic concert can be an excellent way to bring your community together to support an organization or cause.

You can enlist the help of local artists and bands to determine the line-up. Alternatively, you could make your concert have more of a karaoke vibe. Either way, your community is sure to have a fun and music filled evening!

Set a date and time, and then sell tickets at the door and offer concessions for a small price. Don’t forget to set up a general donation table to accept other contributions throughout the night.

Create a pet party to fundraise for animal-related causes.

Hold a Pet Party

A pet party can be as elegant or laid-back as you want. It could be a fancy gala-type event where pets and humans alike get all dressed up, or it could be an informal gathering at a local park on a Saturday.

Either way, you should set up a donation table so that pet owners can donate to your organization or cause.

Make sure that you have plenty of bowls of food and water set up for the dogs and other pets. You can even buy or make pet-themed snacks for the pet owners to munch on while their pets play.

Host a Parents’ Party

If your community has a lot of families, you can host a parents’ party while you watch the kids.

Hosting a parents’ party is an excellent way to give mom and dad a night out with their friends while you raise money!

All you’ll need to do is find a venue. Then you can charge a small amount and set up a fun night of food, drinks, and socializing for parents. You can also set up a donation box for other contributions.

You can even get volunteers to look after the children so that parents don’t have to pay extra money for a babysitter. Take care of their evening from start to finish!

Host a Family Fun Day

A Family Fun Day can be an easy way to raise money for your organization or cause. Plus, it brings your supporters and their families together for an afternoon.

Set up games, food and drink stations, and a donation table and send out invitations to your supporters. You can also hang up flyers around town to get the whole community involved!

You can host your Family Fun Day during the weekend. Have signs that direct people to the outdoor area you organized for fun, games, food, and fundraising!

Host a backyard barbecue to raise money.

Hold a Backyard Barbecue

Everyone loves a good old-fashioned barbecue. Whether you’re making ribs, chicken, or veggie burgers, a barbecue is a great way to bring your community together for a common cause.

You can use your summer barbecue as a way to raise money for any organization, project, or cause. All you have to do is advertise!

You can either charge a fee for your barbecue or simply set up a donation table with a jar for change. Make sure you explain the cause you’re raising money for, though.

Start your next fundraiser with a yard sale.

Barter and Trade Fair

A barter and trade fair is similar to a garage sale, but instead of purchasing items or services with money, people will trade items.

You can raise funds by charging each person an entry fee or a fee for every item/service attendees bring to barter. Plus, you can sell snacks and drinks to raise even more!

Use your monthly newsletter (if you have one) or post flyers around the neighborhood to let your community know about the event.

Car Wash

A car wash is an easy fundraising idea for nonprofit organizations and individuals because it gets everyone outside. Plus, a car wash is an incredibly simple fundraiser to pull off.

All you need are the suds, water, some sponges, and signs for advertising. Simply charge around $5 per car!

Rally a group of eager volunteers to stand a safe distance from the road and draw attention to your car wash with signs.

Host a Dance Off

A Dance-Off can be a great way to bring your community together and raise funds for your organization or cause!

All you have to do is set up a registration process and charge a small fee for people who want to participate.

You can raise more money by charging admission for attendees and selling concessions and branded sports merchandise during the event.

Game Night

Host a game night where your friends, family, community members, and/or coworkers can enjoy a few board games! In fact, you can make it a regular weekly or monthly event and sell food and refreshments to raise even more funds.

Make sure that you have a variety of board games to host your fun night. You can play games like Monopoly, LIFE, chess, dominoes, and so much more!

To make your game night a reality, you’ll need a space where you can host your event as well as volunteers to help set up and handle admissions.

Host a House Party

You’ve probably hosted a few get-togethers for your friends and family members (or even a few events for your organization). Use these opportunities to raise money for your cause!

You don’t have to make the night all about raising money, but you can mention your crowdfunding campaign and encourage people to make donations.

For example, if you’re asking for supporters to share your crowdfunding campaign with their network of friends, use your house party or get-together to let your friends and family know about your fundraising goals.

Throw seasonal fundraising events to raise money for your nonprofit or charity

Host a Seasonal Fundraiser

Seasonal fundraisers can take many forms, but their unifying feature is that they are related to the current season or holiday.

For instance, you can sell wrapping paper during Christmas, set up a pumpkin patch in October, or sell tulips around Mother’s day. The options are endless!

Seasonal fundraisers are great because you will always have a way to raise money, regardless of the temperature, time of year, or occasion. Additionally, you can make your seasonal fundraiser as involved or hands-off as you want. The fundraising decisions are up to you!

Kids’ Face Painting Event

If there’s another event going on in your local community, you can ask if you can set up a kids’ face-painting booth to raise money.

Make sure that you have lots of different designs and patterns as well as paint that is safe for children. You can also use the space to advertise the cause or project you’re raising funds for.

Charge a small fee for the face painting and put out a general donation jar to raise even more money!

Hold a culture fair as a way to raise funds.

Multicultural Fair

A multicultural fair is a great way for schools and other organizations to raise funds and showcase their diverse heritages.

Student groups can perform cultural demonstrations or sell products and food. Offer an incentive to the group who raises the most money!

Though this event will take a good deal of planning, you have the opportunity to raise money and educate your supporters about different cultures at the same time.

Organize a picnic as a fundraising idea.

School Picnic

A school picnic is a chance to get the entire student body outside for some fresh air, food, and fun.

Sell picnic tickets to students and families so that they can enjoy spending a unique lunch period in the sunshine. Alternatively, you can host your picnic on the weekend when parents are more likely to be available.

All your school needs to do is choose a nice spring or fall day, set up picnic tables or blankets, and provide food and drinks to your attendees.

Create a haunted house to raise money for your school

Haunted House Fundraiser

Boo! Don’t be scared; it’s just your next creative fundraising idea!

A haunted house is a fun way to raise money for your organization or school.

Enlist the help of a few spooky volunteers to dress up as ghouls, goblins, witches, and zombies.

Then, charge an admission fee for members of the community who think they can make it through your haunted house without getting scared. Sell cider, hot cocoa, and autumnal treats as concessions to earn extra money.

Have a Rubber Duck Race

A Rubber Duck Race is a silly fundraising event that can be a fun way to get to know more of your local supporters and inform them about why you’re raising funds.

Buy some yellow rubber ducks in bulk and write numbers on the bottom of them. Then, sell tickets with the same numbers to your local supporters.

Then, release the ducks into a local river or stream. The first one to cross the finish line entitles its “owner” to a small prize. Just make sure you have a way to capture all of the ducks once the event is over!

Host a marathon to raise money for your nonprofit or charity

Plan a Marathon

Marathons are a tried and true fundraiser for nonprofits that seek to raise awareness and get their entire communities involved for a common cause.

While they can take months to plan, marathons can be excellent opportunities to generate more revenue for your nonprofit or charity to continue advancing your mission.

Get the word out about your event early and make sure that participants are aware of the cause that they’re running for. You can set up an online registration portal so that supporters can pay their entrance fees, buy t-shirts or other merchandise, and share the event on social media.

Cultural Cuisine Night

A cultural cuisine night is perfect for the adventurous and food-loving traveler looking to raise money for a trip, an organization looking to educate supporters on diversity, and so many other causes. All you’ll need are some supporters who like to cook and eat!

Invite people to submit their unique and exotic dishes with a small donation attached. You can keep the meal specific to a country or region or just cook whatever you want.

People can then vote on their favorite dishes with their dollars. Whoever has the most “votes” at the end of the night can walk away with the pride of being the best exotic chef.

Host your own Olympic games to raise money for your walk, ride, or run

Hold Your Own Olympic Games

Everyone gets excited about the Olympics. It doesn’t matter if you prefer the summer or winter games, you likely have a favorite event.

You can replicate the Olympic games and raise money for any cause or project.

While it will take some planning, hosting a mock Olympic games can be great fun for the families in your local community. You can organize events like track and field races, swimming competitions, and more!

You can charge a small admission fee for attendees and sell (healthy) concessions for when people get hungry and thirsty. Don’t forget the medal ceremony!

Host a Community Picnic

A community picnic can be an excellent opportunity to get to know your supporters better, educate them about your cause, and raise money for your nonprofit.

Send out invitations a few weeks in advance and promote your picnic on social media and via email. You can either supply the food or ask people to bring covered dishes.

Charge a small admission fee for the picnic and set up a general donation table or booth. Have a staff member stationed at the table to answer any questions that attendees might have and give them more information about supporting your nonprofit and getting involved.

Host a location-setting event to raise money for your trip or adventure

Geography Bowl

If you have a few geography buffs in your friend group or family, you can host a game of geography bowl to put their knowledge to the test and raise money for your trip!

A geography bowl is essentially a trivia night, but with only geography questions! You can host the event in your home, or you can reach out to a local restaurant or bar.

Charge a small admission fee and encourage people to make donations throughout the night. Everyone will have fun guessing the answers to tricky geography questions, and you’ll raise some extra money!

Hold a Used Book Sale

If you’re someone who loves books (or a recently graduated college student!), you likely have stacks of publications that you won’t read or have read too many times to count!

If you need to raise money for a project or cause, you can try to sell some of your gently used books for some extra cash.

If you have used textbooks, you can sell them back to your college or university bookstore or to students who will need them for classes. Or you can pick a date and set up a a book sale event! All you need is a table located in a high trafficked area and price tags on the books, and voila, you’re set!

Host a Rockathon

If you need to raise money for an upcoming event or cause, try hosting a rockathon fundraiser with your friends and family members!

All you’ll need are a few rocking chairs and some willing participants.

In the weeks leading up to the event, request sponsorships for your rockathon. People can donate a certain amount for a particular time period spent “rocking out” (i.e, $5 for every hour spent in a rocking chair).

Then, set out your rocking chairs in a well-trafficked area and advertise!

Host a Memorial Dinner

An easy way to raise money and bring friends and family together after the passing of a loved one is to host a memorial dinner.

You can ask people to donate the food and drinks and have a general donation jar for individuals to contribute to throughout the evening.

As people eat and mingle, they can reminisce about the life of their loved one. A memorial dinner is a great way to help cover the cost of a funeral or memorial service while remembering the life of the person you care about.

Host a fundraising potluck to raise money.

Hold a Commemorative Potluck

A potluck can be a great to enjoy food and conversation with your friends and community. It can also be an easy opportunity to raise money to cover healthcare expenses (or any projector cause you’re raising funds for!).

People can bring along tasty dishes and a donation to help you reach your goal.

You can either ask people to make a contribution or charge a small fee ($2) for people to bring food to the potluck.

Balloon or Lantern Release

Balloon or lantern releases can be a way to raise money for your cause (or a memorial ceremony that you can host to remember your loved one).

Invite friends and family and let them know why you’re raising money. You don’t necessarily have to charge per balloon or lantern.

However, you can have a general donation fund that people can make contributions to during the ceremony. A lantern or balloon release can also be held in conjunction with another fundraising event, like a dinner or a walkathon.

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Online Fundraising Ideas

Create a website to raise money for your cause.

Create a Custom Website

Give your supporters a central location for keeping up with your cause, making online gifts, registering for events, learning about your adventures, and more by creating a dynamic website for your cause!

Organizations can work with a qualified, nonprofit-specific web design firm to design and develop an optimal site for their fundraising and marketing efforts.

The best nonprofit sites are informative, beautiful, and functional, making it easy for supporters to learn everything they need to know about your mission and get involved on the spot. Your web design firm can guarantee your donors love navigating your site and make sure it syncs up perfectly with the nonprofit software you’re already using.

Start a text-to-tithe campaign to raise money for your church or religious organization.

Text-to-Give Campaign

Text-to-give is quickly becoming a popular fundraising option for religious organizations and other nonprofits. And there’s a good reason for that: it really works!

Invest in text-to-give software and explain to your donors how to give using mobile phones. You can even use videos and images to show supporters how it works.

Not only is text-to-give incredibly easy for you to implement, but it also makes sense in our digital age. Many people forget to carry cash, but everyone has their phone on them!

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a great fundraising idea for your project, cause, or event. Not only does it enable you to raise more money, it also helps you expand your existing donor base!

In a nutshell, peer-to-peer fundraising enlists the fundraising help of your current supporters and empowers them to ask for donations on your behalf.

Each supporter builds his or her own donation page from a template tied to your main fundraising page. Then, your supporters reach out and ask for donations!

Create a crowdfunding campaign as a quick and easy fundraising idea.

Amazon’s Smile Program

While this strategy only works for nonprofits, it’s a great way to raise money for a cause without your donors having to spend any more than they normally would!

With Amazon’s Smile Program, nonprofits can register with Amazon to receive charitable donations. All your supporters have to do is use your organization’s Amazon Smile link when they purchase items through Amazon, and boom!

Your supporters get their Amazon products and your nonprofit gets charitable donations. Everyone wins.

Try a charity auction as a fundraiser for cancer research and awareness.

Charity Auctions

Charity auctions can be a fast-paced and energetic way for your nonprofit, educational institution, or faith-based organization to raise more money and interact with your donors face-to-face. You also have the opportunity to form some solid business connections!

Ask for charity auction items from local businesses; try to get as many items donated. That way, you can put your budget into creating a great atmosphere for your attendees.

Hire an auctioneer, send out invites, and cater in food and drinks. Make sure that everyone is aware of the rules of your charity auction beforehand. People will walk away with some unique items and experiences, and you can raise more money!

Use text-to-give service as a fundraiser for cancer research and awareness.

Donation Match Drive

Similar to the matching gift concept, you can launch a day-long matching donation campaign on social media. To host a donation match drive, you need to partner with a local business who is willing to match all donations made on a particular day.

The great thing about this type of matching donation fundraiser is that donors don’t have to be an employee of the company to have their gift matched.

Share your fundraiser a few days before the big day, promoting the business that will be matching gifts. Post reminders everyday leading up the event.

Viral Video Fundraiser

You’re probably familiar with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, where supporters dumped ice-cold water on their heads to raise awareness for ALS. Over 17 million people uploaded videos and the organization raised $15 million.

You can create a similar online fundraiser for your cause! All you need to do is pick a challenge or task that can be easily accomplished and something that’s related to your cause. Your task should also be something that people will enjoy watching.

Have a few of your staff members record themselves completing your challenge, share the videos online with a link to your online donation form, and then encourage others to do the same!

Conduct a giving day as a way to raise funds.

Online Giving Days

You’re probably familiar with #GivingTuesday, a national day of charitable giving that started a few years ago. In fact, you might already participate in #GivingTuesday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create you own giving day.

Giving days work so well because they create a sense of urgency and community. Your supporters will rally together to raise as much money as possible in the 24-hour period.

Your online giving day will require a lot of online promotion to reach as many supporters as possible. Share the details about your day via social media, in your emails, on your website, and through text messages.

Sell Products Online

Whether you designed branded t-shirts or started a cookie dough fundraiser, you should consider selling your products online. By setting up shop online, you can connect with interested supporters outside your community. Supporters from all over the country (or the world!) can contribute to your fundraiser and receive an awesome item in return.

To start selling online, you’ll need to find a wholesale provider to supply your product and create an online marketplace — either on your nonprofit’s website or through another platform.

Let supporters know about your products by sharing a link to your online store on social media and in emails.

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Creative and Unique Fundraising Ideas

Teachers in Jail Fundraiser

A teachers in jail fundraiser is a quick and easy way to raise a lot of money. Plus, students get a little break from classes, and teachers can catch up on grading and planning.

The premise is simple: classes pay a certain amount to have their teacher thrown in “jail” for that class period. The students get to hang out in the gym, on the playground, or in another communal area.

The teacher simply stays in the classroom and works on planning, grading, or other tasks. Your school stands to raise hundreds or even thousands of dollars!

Sell engraved bricks to raise money for your club or organization

Buy-a-Brick Fundraiser

A Buy-a-Brick fundraiser is perfect if your organization or cause is raising money to build or renovate a community building, sidewalk, or other structure (but it can work for any project!).

Before building commences, community members can buy a brick and have a message engraved on one side. This strategy invites supporters to share in the excitement of the project.

These types of fundraisers are perfect for commemorative walkways, staircases, and archways. They help pay for the structure while allowing people to leave their mark.

Create One-of-a-Kind Pieces

If you’re an artist or an inventor, you can use your creativity to fashion one-of-a-kind pieces that you can then sell to members of the public.

You can either set up a physical store or booth, or sell things in an online storefront.

Consider taking commissions from individuals who have a specific vision, but don’t hesitate to come up with your own unique pieces that you think will appeal to others’ tastes.

Then promote your sales through social media, word-of-mouth, and flyers. Put a price tag on each item and start selling!

Have a pie-throwing contest to raise money for your fraternity or sorority

Host a Pie-Throwing Contest

A pie-throwing contest can be a great mid-afternoon fundraising event that’s sure to draw a huge crowd, lots of laughs, and some extra fundraising dollars!

Create simple whipped cream pies in tin foil plates and charge a few dollars per pie. You, your staff (if you’re an organization), and/or a few volunteers can line up as the targets.

Supporters will get a kick out of the event, and you’ll raise some money for your organization, cause, or project.

Christmas Decoration Service

This fundraising idea can go a couple of different ways. Your can either charge a fee to put up Christmas decorations or to take them down after the holidays are over.

Either way, you will need to advertise your services to the community. You can hang up flyers, take out ads in the newspaper, and spread the word with social media and emails.

You’ll be able to spread some holiday cheer and raise money all at the same time!

A "yappy" hour is a social fundraising event for pets.

Have a social “Yappy Hour”

Everyone’s heard of Happy Hour, but what about Yappy Hour? This is a great fundraiser that can help individuals and animal organizations raise money for man’s best friend.

To start a Yappy Hour fundraiser, you’ll first need to partner with a local establishment like a restaurant or bar. You can charge an admission price and ask people to make donations throughout the night.

If the restaurant or bar is willing to donate a percentage of the night’s profits, then you’ll raise even more!

Host a Kids Camp

Do you remember the first time you held a tennis racket? What about when you and your friends ran your very first relay race?

You were probably pretty young when you started playing sports. Why not host a kids camp to raise money and educate children about sports and exercise?

You can charge a fee for a summer skills camp and bring all the kids in your community out for a few afternoons of practice, scrimmages, and fun. Maybe some of them will end up on your team some day!

Sell Engraved Bricks

If you’re raising money to build or expand your facilities, you can start an engraved brick fundraiser to raise money!

This fundraiser allows supporters to write a personal message on a brick that will be placed in a building, sidewalk, archway, or other structure.

You can charge by the word or line on the brick and set up an online form for individuals to submit their donations. Then, host a ceremony once the building is complete!

Stop the Clock

Stop the clock is a unique twist on the traditional raffle. All you need for this simple competition is a wind-up clock, volunteers, and a prize. Wind your clock to its full extent and have supporters or members of your community purchase minutes.

Assign each volunteer a certain number of minutes (1-60), so they can sell to supporters or purchase minutes themselves. The winner is the person who buys the minute the clock lands on when it stops.

You can also award prizes to those who purchased the exact minute an hour before and an hour after the clock stopped.

Host a Hospital Breakfast

You might have a loved one who has had to stay in the hospital for a few weeks or even a few months. Their hospital bills might have already started coming in!

If this is the case, you can host a hospital breakfast and invite members of the community to come out and support your loved one.

Ask the hospital if they’d be willing to donate some or all of the food for your fundraiser. You can charge a small admission fee and set up a donation table where people can give their own amount.

Read-a-thon

Who doesn’t love a great book? With this fundraiser, you can promote reading and raise money for any cause.

A read-a-thon is the perfect educational fundraiser! Students or any supporters obtain pledges from their friends and family members for the number of pages of books that they can read in a month.

Then, they log their reading times. Once the month ends, the supporters fulfill their end of the bargain and donate however much money they pledged. You can even offer a prize to the person who reads the most.

Host a Skills Clinic

A skills clinic is a great way to raise money while educating other children (or even adults!) about a particular hobby or skill that you or your kids have.

All you’ll need to do is get the word out about your skills clinic on social media and via email and have a registration process. You can charge a certain amount for kids and a slightly higher fee for adults.

You can also set up a general donation table or booth at the clinic and explain what you’re raising money for.

Try a Balloon Raffle

Balloon raffles aren’t usually a stand-alone event; they are often paired with other fundraisers like carnivals, field days, and family fun days.

But they’re so easy that you’ll be able to raise money in no time!

The only cost to you is a bag of balloons and some raffle tickets. Place the tickets inside the balloons and sell them to children and adults for a dollar each.

Whoever has the winning ticket gets a small prize at the end of the raffle. Depending on how many people come to your event, you could make quite a bit of money.

Try a reverse raffle to raise money for your nonprofit or charity

Hold a Reverse Raffle

Everyone knows how a regular raffle works, but what about a reverse raffle? This fundraiser can be a good way to raise money and have some fun!

Sell raffle tickets to your supporters at an event like an auction or gala. Then, draw the corresponding numbers out of a bowl or other container throughout the night.

The person with the last ticket in the bowl is the winner! The prize for a reverse raffle is usually something unique and desirable that encourages people to purchase more raffle tickets.

Have a fish tank fundraiser to raise money.

Fish Tank Funds

A fish tank fundraiser is such an easy and low-cost fundraiser; you’ll wonder why you never planned one before.

All you have to do is acquire a large fish tank. You don’t even have to buy one; try to get it donated if you can! Then, set it out in a prominent place in the community. Ask a local business if they’d be willing to keep your fish tank in their restaurant or store.

Supporters then drop in their spare coins and bills to see how quickly they can fill the fish tank. This fundraiser can take place all year long as well, so you’ll be able to raise quite a bit of money!

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Beard Challenge

If the men in your community are willing to participate, you can host a “Beard Challenge” to raise money for your cause. This fundraiser works well for military or veteran-related causes.

People can donate $5 to challenge someone in the community to grow a beard for a week. $10 would be two weeks; $15 would be three weeks, and so on.

With enough participants, you’ll end up raising a ton of money and nearly everyone in town will be sporting a beard. Don’t forget to let people know why you’re raising money!

Sell old prom dresses as a way to raise money for your school.

Prom Dress Drive

A prom dress drive is the perfect high school fundraising idea because it helps your school and your students.

Members of your community and alumni can donate their old, gently used prom dresses. After all, most people only wear their prom dresses once!

Then, your school can sell the dresses to your students at a discounted price. Just set up a date and time to host the sale. Make sure you have the proper equipment to store the dresses. Your students get a great deal on prom dresses, and your school raises money. It’s a win-win!

Host a straw draw to raise money for your school

Straw Draw Fundraiser

A straw draw is an easy fundraiser that you can pull off for a school or individual fundraiser.

Buy a pack of bendy straws and attach different prizes to each straw. Common prizes include extra recess time (for students), free services from businesses in the community, or a special basket full of goodies.

Your supporters then pay a dollar to pick a straw out of a basket or container. It’s so easy, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t host this fundraiser earlier!

Teach Fitness Classes

If you’re considered a fitness guru in your community (or even if you’re not!), you can put your knowledge to good use and teach exercise classes to raise money for your cause, project, or event.

Set up a date and location for your classes and advertise on social media, via email, and with traditional promotions like flyers and posters.

You can even turn your class into a regular event. Charge a small entrance fee and offer a discount for people who sign up for multiple courses.

Hold a Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a fun way for kids and adults of all ages to discover your local area and work together toward a common goal. Plus, you can raise money!

Have teams of kids or adults sign up and pay a registration fee. You can set up an online registration form or place one in a centrally-located spot in your child’s school (with permission, of course!).

Then, create a course and hide items around your community. The winners can even receive a small prize!

Host a color walkathon to spice up your event!

Do Artistic Commissions

If you have an eye for art, you can take artistic commissions to help raise funds for your project, cause, or event.

Advertise your artistic services on social media and let people know what your rates are for different works of art.

Just make sure that you stay on top of all of your requests. it might help to create a checklist of items to create along with the corresponding contact information for the individuals who placed the order. Don’t over book yourself and get stressed because you have too many projects to complete!

Pizza Bingo

Pizza bingo is a night of food and fun! You can host a community (or school!) pizza night where attendees can pay a fee to eat unlimited pizza and play plenty of rounds of bingo.

You’ll need to provide small prizes to your winners (and, at the end of the night, you should offer prizes to the students who didn’t win if it’s a school fundraiser).

You can find bingo providers online. You’ll also need an emcee to announce numbers and rile up the crowd.

Create and sell a cookbook as a fundraising idea.

Cookbooks

Do you love to cook? Do you have a lot of delicious family recipes you want to share? Why not create a cookbook?

You can raise money in a few different ways with this fundraiser. You can create a book with your own recipes, or your can charge your friends, family, and peers a small fee to include their recipes in the book.

Once you have your cookbook, you can sell it online or in your community to raise even more funds.

Sell military-themed merchandise to raise money

Sell Patriotic Merchandise

T-shirts, hoodies, and sunglasses are all items that you can customize and sell as a way to raise funds. In fact, it’s a great way to bring in a few extra bucks for a military-related cause.

Whether you know someone in the Marine Corps, the Air Force, or another branch, you can use personalized merchandise to boost your fundraising efforts.

You can use a wholesaler or work with a local manufacturer. Just make sure you advertise your merchandise and the cause you’re raising money for.

Try an Envelope Fundraiser

An envelope fundraiser is another easy and inexpensive way for individuals to raise money. The only cost for you is a few envelopes and a little time for set up.

Buy a pack of 100 envelopes and number each one. Then, hang them on a cork board in a central location. People who want to donate choose an envelope and give that amount.

With just 100 envelopes and the generosity of your friends and family members, you can raise over $5,000 with this fundraiser!

Sell Custom Water Bottles

One of the most crucial components of getting in shape and eating more healthily is drinking more water to stay hydrated during a workout.

If you need to raise money for a walk, run, or another event, you can create and sell custom water bottles to people in your community to quench their thirst!

Find a wholesale water bottle company that allows you to customize your containers, and then start selling!

Have classes compete in a penny war to raise money for your school

Penny Wars

Waging a penny war is one of the best ways to raise a little extra money at your school or office. You can host it all year long, and it fuels a little friendly competition.

At the beginning of the year, set out plastic bins or containers in front of each classroom or office department. Each morning, individuals can drop their pennies into the bins or they can sabotage another team by dropping a $1 into their bin, which cancels out 100 of their pennies.

The team with the most pennies at the end wins!

Flag Subscription Service

A flag subscription fundraiser is a longer-term way to raise money, but it can also help your community show some patriotism.

All you have to do is sign people up for the service, charge a small monthly or yearly fee, and hang holiday-appropriate flags on their front porches.

For instance, you could hang the American flag during November for Veterans’ Day, but you could change it to a holiday-themed flag during December.

Haircut Party

Often, people facing cancer treatment lose their hair. Because of that, many folks undergoing treatment decide to preemptively cut their own hair.

If that’s the situation you or a loved one is in, you can get a group together to get their hair cut and find a hair salon willing to participate and donate the proceeds to your cause, such as cancer research.

Recruit as many people as possible; the more cuts, the more money you raise.

Pink-Themed Party

This option from our list of creative fundraising ideas is a bit specific. It’s customized for those raising money for breast cancer research, treatment, and/or awareness.

Host a classic fundraising luncheon, but with a twist. Deck the whole thing out in pink. From food to wardrobe to decorations.

Of course, this model will work for a range of causes, as long as the cause has a signature color associated with it, like pink and breast cancer.

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Quick and Easy Fundraising Ideas

Have a Bake Sale

A bake sale is a tried and true fundraiser that brings tasty treats to your community while you raise money and awareness for your cause or project. Who can resist a good cause and a delicious cookie?

Make sure that you advertise your bake sale well in advance. You’ll also want to set up your table or booth in a well-trafficked area to attract more customers.

You can sell your tasty treats, but you can also place a tip or donation jar on the table for customers who feel extra generous. A bake sale is a great way to end a mid-campaign slump!

Get as creative as you want with the confections you create. The better they taste, the more people will want to buy them!

Host a penny drive to raise money for your run, walk, or ride

Start a Penny Drive

A penny drive is a low-cost and easy way to raise money without having to do a lot of work. All you have to do is set up containers in a well-trafficked area and let people know what you’re raising money for.

You may not raise a ton of money with a penny drive, but it’s a great way to educate people about the cause or project you’re fundraising for and gain momentum for your campaign.

Besides, people don’t just have to give pennies. They can give dimes, quarters, and even dollar bills during a penny drive.

If you’re working with a team, you can even turn a penny drive into a competition to see who can raise the most!

Sell doughnuts or other snacks to raise money for your club or organization

Sell Donuts or Other Snacks

Many clubs and organizations sell donuts or other sweet snacks to raise extra money. And there’s a reason for that: it works!

Pick a food item that the members of your community won’t be able to resist. You can also pick seasonal treats that correspond with the time of year.

No one can say no to sweets so your fundraiser is sure to be a success! Pick a date and time to sell your sweet treats.

Make sure that you explain why you’re raising money when you’re selling the snacks to people.

And if you have leftovers, consider giving your donuts away to your donors as a thank-you!

Sell T-Shirts and Other Apparel

T-shirts are the perfect product to pair with your crowdfunding campaign. Everyone can wear them, and if you can customize the shirt to highlight your cause or project, people will always remember it!

When you set up your crowdfunding campaign, you can set up giving levels. Each level can correspond to a different combination of items.

For instance, a $25 donation might get a donor a t-shirt, but a $50 donation might result in a t-shirt plus a hat.

The options for apparel are limitless. You can sell sweatshirts, hats, scarves, mittens, and more!

Guessing Games

Guessing games are classic ways to raise funds for many different causes.

All you need is a jar filled with the candy of your choice (think something small, like jelly beans!).

People can guess the amount of candy that they think is in the jar, paying $1 per guess. Be sure to put your jar in a public and high trafficked location for the most guesses and donations.

The winner takes home the entire jar!

Sell Candles

Hosting a candle sale is one of the best ways to raise money for your church or religious organization, but it can be used for any cause. It’s easy, effective, and fun for everyone involved!

There are many wholesale candle companies that you can purchase from. They might even offer discounts for organizations.

Choose seasonal scents that will make people’s homes smell delicious. You can sell the candles to individuals in the community.

Lend your creative services to the community to raise money

Serve the Community

If you’re skilled in a particular service like painting or repairing things, or other services, offer your skills to raise funds.

You can charge a flat fee or work by the day or hour until the job is complete. Just make sure that you and community officials are in agreement over the terms!

Offering your services also puts your handiwork out into the community where others can appreciate and enjoy it.

Partner with a local restaurant chain to raise money for your cause.

Partner with a Restaurant

There are tons of restaurant chains (and even local establishments!) that are willing to partner with individuals and organizations to help them raise money.

Most of the time, a restaurant chain or local eatery will have designated “fundraising nights,” where a portion of the sales from that night are donated to a charity.

You simply have to advertise the night and get the word out about the event. Many restaurant chains will have pre-made flyers or stickers that your staff and volunteers can hand out to promote the fundraiser.

Pajama Day

Hosting pajama days are the best nonprofit fundraising ideas for schools, and there’s a good reason for that: they work!

Advertise your pajama day well in advance and let students know that they have to pay a couple of dollars to wear their comfy pajamas to school for one whole day.

When the day arrives, go around to classrooms to collect the money and give students a special sticker to wear. This helps you know who has paid to wear their pajamas throughout the halls!

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Sell Coupon Books

No one likes paying full price for everything. To help people save a little money (and make some cash for your project or cause!), you can sell coupon books to individuals in your community.

Get in touch with a company that prints coupon booklets and order some in bulk.

Then, reach out to your friends and family members and start selling your coupon books! You can even advertise the booklets on social media and via email.

Appreciation Grams

Appreciation grams can help you raise funds and build camaraderie between your community. Plus, it’s a fundraising idea that’s relatively inexpensive to host and will work great for any time during the year.

You can charge people at work, school, or even in the neighborhood a small fee ($0.50 or $1) to send out a customized note that acknowledges anyone in the community.

You can get as creative with the notes as you like. For example, you could charge extra for different designs or include a piece of candy with each note.

Sell holiday decorations as a fundraising idea.

Wreath and Ornament Sale

Selling wreaths and ornaments is an excellent idea for you to raise funds during the holidays. For this fundraising idea, you’ll need a few volunteers to make and sell the items and craft supplies.

You can have your volunteers design one wreath or ornament to sell every year or have everyone create their own unique designs.

Additionally, you can sell other items like ribbon and wreath hooks.

Coffee

Coffee is a popular beverage. Why not use that popularity to raise funds for your cause or project?

You can either sell coffee beans (try fair trade coffee!), or you can sell cups of coffee during the day. Local coffee shops may be able to provide gourmet coffee at a discounted rate.

Either way, rally your friends and family to make the sales. They can reach out to their friends and peers with a personalized sales pitch!

Sell Branded Merch

If your organization, sports team or club has a dedicated fan base, they’d probably like to own some of your branded merchandise to show their support.

You can create and sell customized and branded t-shirts, water bottles, caps, phone cases, and more!

You can sell them at a physical storefront. But during the off-season, you can open an online store and market your merch on social media.

Try Selling Food and Products

A traditional way for individuals to raise money is to set up a lemonade stand, but don’t let your creativity stop there! You can sell other food, drinks, and products to raise money.

You can either set up an online storefront where supporters can use their credit cards to purchase merchandise, or you can go the old fashioned way and set up a table or booth with your food, drinks, or products.

Make sure that you have a sign that explains why you’re raising money and put out a container for tips or donations.

Try tutoring other students to raise money for your Greek organization

Try Tutoring Students

You might be a gifted mathematician. Or perhaps you have a knack for outlining essays and writing thesis statements.

Whatever your strong points are, you can use them to help out students and raise money for your cause, project, or organization!

Set up a tutoring service and charge a small hourly fee. Just make sure that you have the time!

Host a Community Yard Sale

They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. You can put this saying to the test and host a yard or garage sale to help pay for your medical expenses or raise funds any cause you support.

You don’t just have to sell your stuff, though! Make it a community event and invite your friends and family to join.

Don’t forget to promote the event on social media, via email, and with flyers. The more people know about your event, the more likely they’ll be to show up and support you!

Sell military-themed cookbooks to raise money

Create a Military-Themed Cookbook

If you have a star-spangled recipe or know someone that cooks with patriotic flair, consider compiling a military-themed cookbook to raise money for a military or veteran-related cause.

Ask for submissions well in advance and categorize them according to food type. You can even include pictures if you want!

Then, advertise your cookbooks online and with physical promotions. Military and civilian families will be lining up to purchase your patriotic recipe books.

Cookie Dough

Everyone loves a good cookie! Why not capitalize on that craving by selling cookie dough? It’s a fundraising idea that you can host year-round.

You can either sell cookie dough to your community or have your supporters sell to their friends, coworkers, and family. You can also sell treats on your website to reach even more people.

First, you’ll need to find a wholesale cookie dough provider with various cookie options. Then you’ll need to start selling your items!

Popcorn

Popcorn is a versatile snack that can appeal to all kinds of donors.

You sell different varieties of popcorn around the community or have students sell the popcorn (if you’re a school trying to raise money). Popcorn sells especially well near the holidays or at sporting events.

Your school will need to find a gourmet popcorn vendor. Some may offer profit margins as high as 58%.

A "Pennies from Heaven" fundraiser is a great fundraising idea!

Try a “Pennies from Heaven” Fundraiser

Pennies From Heaven is a cute twist on a penny drive. Instead of simply dropping change into a container, individuals try to toss their change into an umbrella hanging upside down from the ceiling!

This fundraiser can even be made into a competition to see whose umbrella ends up with the most money.

While this fundraiser won’t bring in tens of thousands of dollars, it’s a low-cost and easy way to raise a little extra money.

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Free or Cheap Fundraising Ideas

Wrap gifts during the holidays to raise money for your school

Gift-Wrapping Services

Once the holidays roll around, it feels like everyone is in a mad dash to buy and wrap presents for everyone on their list.

You can help these frenzied people out and earn a little extra money by offering gift-wrapping services.

You can partner with a local department or retail store or offer gift-wrapping services in a well-trafficked (but spacious) area. Offer extras like bows, ribbons, and tags to earn a little extra money.

This is a great idea to get the whole family involved: kids can help with tying bows if they’re too young to wrap properly!

Baby Photo Contest

Baby photos can be adorable, silly, and even embarrassing for some people. Why not get your neighborhood together for a baby photo contest?

All you have to do is ask people to submit copies of their favorite baby photos. Then, pin the photos on a bulletin board with corresponding numbers.

People then vote on their favorite photograph by placing change in numbered containers underneath the board. Whoever has the most money in their container at the end of the month wins a small prize and the bragging rights that come with knowing that they were the cutest baby in your community!

Host a 50/50 Raffle

A 50/50 raffle is an easy fundraiser for any individual looking to raise money for a specific cause, project, or event. They are usually paired with other types of fundraising events.

During a 50/50 raffle, individuals will buy a certain number of raffle tickets. For a normal raffle, the person with the winning number will receive a prize of some sort.

But with a 50/50 raffle, the prize is half of the money raised from the raffle ticket sales. The more tickets people buy, the more they might win!

Have a Pet Picture Day

For a pet picture day, you can ask a local photographer to donate their time and set up a “studio” at your shelter or organization. Then, invite pet owners to come and have their pets’ pictures taken!

You can have props that can be used during the photoshoot and a snack station for animals and pets owners alike.

To raise money, you can charge a fee for the pictures, but you can also sell packages of other merchandise with the pet pictures on them. Who wouldn’t love a t-shirt or a mug with their pet on the front?

Create a coach -punishment- to raise money

Coach “Punishment” Fundraiser

How many of your teammates would pay to see your coach duct taped to a wall, have their hair dyed a ridiculous color, or be forced to sit in a tree?

You can create a coach “punishment” fundraiser and raise some money for your team while having a little fun!

As long as your coach is in on the event, you can start fundraising for various types of “punishments.” People vote for their favorite ones with their dollars. Your coach has to do whichever one has the most money!

Try a “Give-It-Up” Fundraiser

A “Give-It-Up” fundraiser is a free fundraiser that can between you and a close friend, or it can be expanded to include your family members and other acquaintances. Participants agree to give up an indulgence for a certain amount of time and put the money toward your cause or project.

This indulgence can be something as simple as a daily latte, a weekly trip to the movies, or a fast food visit.

Instead of spending money on these expenses, you put the funds in a jar or a savings account. Over the course of several months or a year, you can save a lot of money!

Set up a Swap Shop

A swap shop is a great way to raise money while helping you clean out your garage, basement, and closet.

Designate an area to be your “store.” Then, have people donate their gently used clothing, books, home goods, and knick-knacks.

You then resell the items to other members of your community. Whatever you don’t sell can be donated to a thrift store or homeless shelter to be put to good use.

Sell flower bulbs to raise money for your cause.

Flower Bulb Sales

Flower bulb sales are a favorite during the spring and especially around Mother’s Day. All your have to do is buy flower bulbs in bulk and sell them around the community!

You can choose a wide variety of flowers or stick with classics, like roses or tulips. There are several companies that offer lots of options at competitive prices, all with the convenience of online ordering.

You can sell the bulbs to your family members, friends, neighbors, and other members of the community. You can even turn the fundraiser into a competition between your closest friends to see who can raise the most money.

Partner with a local restaurant to raise money for your team

Partner With a Restaurant

Many local chains or restaurants will gladly partner with a sports team, organization, or school to help them raise money for their various expenses.

Get in touch with the manager of a restaurant in your area and ask if you can host a fundraising night.

Once you establish a date and time, invite your friends and family members to come out and support you. The restaurant then cuts you a portion of the night’s sales.

Easter Egg Hunt

While hosting an Easter egg hunt can only be a once-a-year event, it’s a great opportunity to involve families and the surrounding community. Plus, an Easter egg hunt is incredibly simple to plan.

All you need is a large enough space to host your hunt, a couple hundred plastic eggs (or however many you think is enough), and treats to fill the eggs.

You can raise money by charging an entrance fee and selling Easter egg baskets so that the children can carry the eggs that they find.

Have a “Non-Event” Event

Sometimes, you just want to stay at home, snack on unhealthy food, and watch a movie. If you need a low-cost fundraiser, host a non-event!

Basically, you send out “invitations” to an event that isn’t going to take place. Tell people that “nothing will happen on Tuesday at 7:00” and let them know that they can stay in their homes and not worry about socializing.

Then, ask for donations for your cause or project. People will be grateful for a night of no social obligations, and you’ll raise some extra money.

Hold a bride and groom competition to raise money for your wedding

Host a Friendly Competition

If you and your friend, sibling, or other family member have a little bit of a competitive streak in you, you can try hosting a friendly competition to raise money. This fundraiser can also work great for weddings, with competitions between the bride and groom.

The competition can take place for one day or over the course of several months.

Plan out a few competitions and have your friends and family place wagers on who they think will win each one.

The competitions can be as daring and unique as you want. Just make sure that the events are all in good fun!

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Wheelbarrow Challenge

A wheelbarrow challenge is the perfect low-cost fundraiser. The only cost is a wheelbarrow, and you can likely have that donated by a supporter!

Place your wheelbarrow in a prominent and well-trafficked area in the neighborhood (with permission of course!). Encourage your community members to place their loose change in the wheelbarrow.

See how long it takes to fill the wheelbarrow. You’ll be amazed at how much money you can raise by collecting spare change.

Compile and Sell Recipe Books

If your loved ones enjoy cooking, you can compile and sell a cookbook that contains all of their favorite recipes. You can even have members of the community contribute their own!

You can sell the recipe books at another fundraising event or you can list them on an online storefront.

Create and Sell Custom Calendars

Wall or desk calendars are the perfect fundraising product. They can promote your nonprofit’s cause and are easy to create and sell.

Start creating your calendars in the middle of summer. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to advertise and sell them to members of your community before the new year starts.

You can add images of the people or animals that you serve and add quotes, statistics, and other facts that educate supporters about your nonprofit’s mission. Sell the calendars in your nonprofit’s offices and in your online storefront so that anyone can purchase one and support your cause.

Sell Merchandise that Celebrates Your Loved One

In addition to your crowdfunding campaign, your family can sell merchandise, like t-shirts and hats, to raise money after a loved one has passed.

These shirts, hats, or other pieces of merchandise can be worn during another fundraising event, like a run or walk, or at a memorial service.

The shirts can be customized with a phrase or picture to make them truly unique. Selling t-shirts or other merchandise can be a great way to remember your loved one and raise some extra money.

Teach healthy cooking classes to raise money for your cause.

Teach a Healthy Eating Class

We could all stand to eat a little healthier. Whether you need to cut carbs or stop drinking soda, our bodies deserve healthy food!

You can start teaching healthy cooking classes to raise money for your event, project, or cause.

Use the opportunity to teach healthy eating practices to members of your community. All you have to do is charge an entrance fee and spread the word via social media, email, and physical advertisements like flyers.

While teaching cooking classes will take up some time, it can be a great way to get your entire community on the track towards healthier eating.

Partner with a local coffee shop as a fundraising idea.

Partner with a Coffee Shop

Many coffee shops have an outside sitting area where customers will sit and sip coffee while their dog sits nearby. These types of cafes are perfect for fundraising partnerships! All you have to do is ask!

If you know that a coffee shop owner is a dog-lover, ask them if they would be willing to host fundraising events.

You can host human-exclusive fundraising events, but it’s much more fun to get the pooches involved too! You can have pet fashion shows, competitions, and other events at the coffee shop.

Apply for Community Grants

Local or community grants are often distributed by foundations, companies, or governments to qualifying nonprofits that submit an application.

The grant-writing process can take lots of time and energy, but even if you receive only one grant a year, it can be a major benefit to your organization.

Do some research and look for grants in your area that you might qualify for. Oftentimes, foundations and companies will distribute grants to nonprofits that share similar values and missions, so start with grant-making entities that have similar visions to yours.

“Best Seat In The House” Fundraiser

If you currently attend high school or college, you can set up a “Best Seat In The House” fundraiser to raise money for your club!

All you have to do is hold a traditional raffle! The only difference is that the prize is two of the best seats at a sporting event.

Sweeten the pot a little by offering free concessions to the winners in addition to their prime seats.

Writing Letters

Writing letters is a great way to raise money for your cause, project, or event. You can send out letters asking for general donations, sponsorships, charity auction items, volunteer time, and more!

Your letters should be genuine and personal. Always start with your donor’s preferred name and try to reference any past relationship or donations.

You can use letters to direct people to your online giving pages or crowdfunding campaign, but you should also include a self-addressed envelope within your letter to encourage people to send in checks (make sure you tell donors not to send cash!).

Host a date auction to raise money for your fraternity or sorority

Hold a Date Auction

Everyone understands the struggle of dating while juggling the rest of their life. If you want to help people find true love and raise a little money in the process, hose a date auction!

Have willing participants come up with themed dates (picnic date, movie date, etc.) and have audience members bid on the date they’d like to go on the most. You can even sell concessions to raise more money.

Make sure that the auction is all in good fun and that everyone understands why your organization is raising money.

Hold a tree-planting ceremony to raise money

Hold a Tree Planting Event

If you have a green thumb or know many people in the community who do, you can raise funds by hosting a tree-planting event. This event will work well for environmental organizations, but it can work for any type of project or cause.

Sell saplings to attendees and speak about the cause you’re raising funds for.

This is a fun way to involve the entire community and support the environment at the same time!

Principal Punishment

A principal punishment can be a hilarious way to get your school in the fundraising mood while poking a little fun at your principal or administrator.

Have students vote on their favorite “punishment” by placing money in containers in a central location. The punishments could range from hair dyeing to wearing a silly costume for a week. Make sure that you promote the fundraiser for several weeks to get students excited about the “punishment.”

Once the voting period is over, hold the principal to his or her side of the bargain. Students will get a kick out of the event, and you’ll raise some extra money!

Host a Rent-an-Athlete fundraiser to raise money

Try a “Rent-an-Athlete” Event

A “Rent-an-Athlete” fundraiser involves individuals hiring your team members to complete a specific task.

Common jobs include mowing lawns, cleaning gutters, babysitting, and dog walking, but feel free to get creative!

You can charge per task or by the hour. Make sure that community members know why you’re trying to raise money for your sports team.

Specific amount, specific date fundraisers are effective because they're simple and quick.

Specific $$$, Specific Date

A “Specific Date, Specific Amount” fundraiser is a deceptively simple way to raise money, and that’s why it’s part of our free fundraising ideas list.

All you need to do is pick a date and a dollar amount and ask people to give that amount on that day.

These fundraisers are especially effective for individuals, like health and medical fundraisers, because you can base the date/amount around the person you’re honoring and raising money for.

Try out one of our free fundraising ideas, hug-o-grams.

Give Hug-o-Grams

Hug-o-grams are just like candy-grams or appreciation-grams. People pay a small fee to send a hug to a friend or loved one.

You’ll need to advertise your hug fundraiser, and you’ll want to recruit some good huggers to participate!

Because it is comforting, this is an especially effective fundraising idea for those raising money after a tragedy, such as the loss of a loved one.

Use Our #1 Fundraising Idea — Crowdfunding

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Additional Resources for your Fundraising Success

7 Tips for Fundraising Success

Every crowdfunding campaign can use a little help every now and then!

Whether you need advice about shooting and uploading crowdfunding photos, writing descriptions and updates, or sharing your fundraiser with your friends and family members, we’ve got your back.

Click below to learn more about the top seven crowdfunding tips that can be used for all types of fundraising efforts and campaigns!

Discover 7 actionable tips for crowdfunding success!

10 Fundraising Examples

You’ve heard the stories about fundraisers surpassing their goal, but how often does that really happen?

The answer? More frequently than you might think! In fact, individuals and organizations often meet and exceed their goals when they use Fundly to set up a fundraiser and share it with their friends and family members.

Check out these ten crowdfunding campaigns that all exceeded their fundraising goals by sizable margins in just a matter of weeks!

See how these 10 campaigns succeeded!

Before your start fundraising, understand the basics with this ultimate crowdfunding guide.

Understand Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has been used to raise money for everything from creative projects to medical costs and more!

Why is it so popular? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that a crowdfunding campaign is insanely easy to set up and share with your friends, family members, coworkers, and other peers.

See for yourself! Take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Crowdfunding and learn how you can make the most of this fundraising craze!

Become a crowdfunding expert with our introductory guide!

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