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Fundraising ideas

We’ve got the best fundraising ideas for good causes of all shapes and sizes! Check out our curated lists or browse all fundraising ideas below by cost, effort, and impact.

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Lemonade stand


Set up a classic lemonade stand—and maybe add some tasty treats—to raise funds for your cause. Make purchases seamless with scan-to-donate and mobile-friendly donation forms that accept Venmo and other popular payment methods. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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Ales for tails


Partner with your favorite animal-friendly brewery and invite supporters to sip refreshing beverages—all for a good cause.  

Charge a set ticket price that includes a donation and two beer tokens. Pair the event with a pet costume contest to make it even more memorable and raise more funds. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Events

One-day giving event


Take part in Giving Tuesday or create your own giving day in which you mobilize your community to reach your fundraising goal in one day.

Keep your supporters invested in your progress with a goal bar and campaign updates that highlight milestones, matching gifts, and special shout-outs throughout the day.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/one-day-giving-event
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Flag football tournament


Bring fans onto the field for some football fun! Teams register and pay to play and fans buy tickets to cheer them on.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flag-football-tournament
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Peer-to-peer

Donation drive


Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/donation-drive
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Town hall event

Host a town hall event to give community members an opportunity to learn about your organization, program, or new project. Display your text-to-give code prominently around the space to raise funds from inspired audience members. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/town-hall-event
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Sports team car wash

Host a car wash where team members do the washing in their uniforms! Schedule players in shifts and offer premium wash packages for higher donations.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sports-team-car-wash
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Desk plant sale


Host a desk plant sale featuring potted greenery employees can purchase to decorate their workspace while supporting your cause. Accept Venmo donations and other seamless payment options for quick, easy transactions.
Cost:
2
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/desk-plant-sale
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Battle of the food trucks

Host a showdown between some of your favorite food trucks. Ask each truck to donate a percentage of sales towards your good cause, and award a fun prize to the truck that makes the most sales that day. 

Partnering with food trucks is a great way to reach your fundraising target. Discover how to secure corporate sponsorships.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/battle-of-the-food-trucks
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Jog-a-thon


Host a family friendly jog-a-thon at your local running track. Participants can collect pledges for the number of laps they jog, walk, or run. Recruit volunteers to tally the number of laps each participant completes. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/jog-a-thon
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Peer-to-peer

Summer day out


Raise funds and give your supporters a memorable experience at the same time with an excursion to an exciting attraction, museum, or other destination.

Use a fundraising event page to make registration and payment easy, and add custom fields to capture important information from each participant, such as t-shirt size or dietary restrictions.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/summer-day-out
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Cooking competition


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

You can get even more spectators in on the fun by livestreaming the event and asking for donations throughout the program.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cooking-competition
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Pet costume contest


Invite owners to enter their pets in themed costume categories like "cutest" or "most creative." Charge an entry fee and ask attendees to vote for their stylish furry favorite by donating to the pet’s individual fundraising page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-costume-contest
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms

Pay you not to ask me again


Give your supporters a way to opt out of all your upcoming donation requests during a big fundraising effort. If they contribute via your donation form before a certain date, you’ll take them off your email and call list for the whole campaign! Then, you can easily segment your email list with your built-in CRM and marketing tools. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pay-you-not-to-ask-me-again
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Face painting


Set up a booth where passersby can get their face painted by volunteers from your group in exchange for a small donation.

Make it easy for people to give with scan-to-donate. All they need to do is scan the QR code and they’ll land on your donation page in seconds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/face-painting
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Events
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Dog walking


Set up a service where volunteers walk or play with community members' dogs in exchange for a donation. Or, auction off this opportunity to the highest bidder! 

Simplify the process for your supporters by using custom labels on your donation forms—for example, $50 for a two-hour walk.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/dog-walking
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Auctions

Swing to bust cancer


Raise awareness and funds for cancer research or care with a golf or tennis-themed fundraiser. Sell tickets to watch or participate, and boost donations with merch, refreshments, and auction items.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/swing-to-bust-cancer
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Peer-to-peer
Auctions
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Year-end fundraiser


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

Use the year-end giving checklist to make sure you’ve covered every angle!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/year-end-fundraiser
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Uncork it for cancer


Plan a wine-themed lunch or dinner event featuring delicious food and drink, live music, and great conversation—all while raising money for cancer care and research. Include an auction to attract even more donations.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/uncork-it-for-cancer
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Auctions
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Apple bobbing


Set up a stall where people can try apple bobbing in exchange for a small donation. This activity works especially well as part of a fall festival or Halloween event with a range of seasonal activities for families to enjoy.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/apple-bobbing
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Movie marathon

Host a mega movie marathon packed with hits from a popular franchise or films that match a specific theme or season. Raise extra funds by selling drinks and snacks, having a costume competition, or conducting a movie trivia quiz throughout.

Enjoy a better experience with engaging event ticketing options, such as online and in-person ticket sales and app-powered check-ins.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/movie-marathon
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Events
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Weeknight meal cooking class


Reach out to local chefs to volunteer to host a class or series for cooking easy weeknight dinners. To make this event virtual, livestream the class(es) so that donors can watch and cook along from home!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/weeknight-meal-cooking-class
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Video challenge

Launch a video challenge that invites followers to do something fun, challenging, or unexpected. Have them share their videos on social media and tag their friends.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/video-challenge
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Events

Speed dating

Find a venue, write up some icebreaker cards, and set a time limit for each date. Charge an entrance fee to this fundraising event and watch the sparks fly.

Encourage extra donations if participants find a special someone! 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/speed-dating
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