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All fundraising ideas

Best fundraising ideas

No matter your budget or team size, the best fundraiser ideas can significantly impact your cause. With hundreds of great fundraising ideas out there, it’s tough to create a list of the best. This list includes tried-and-true classics as well as creative twists on old favorites. All of these fundraisers made the cut by being low-cost or low-effort while also bringing in the most dollars.

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Animal allies


Encourage recurring donors by launching an animal ally monthly giving program. Your monthly supporters will receive exclusive updates about the animals their money is helping, plus access to special events and volunteer opportunities.

Cost:
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2
Impact:
3
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Fur a good paws


Host the ulti-mutt fundraiser your animal charity or veterinary nonprofit with this pun-tastic theme. Rally your community in support of their four-legged friends for a day of celebration and giving.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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Take a stroll


Host an inclusive fun run event that’s a little more leisurely. Set a time window for participants to complete their stroll and encourage them to collect donations through peer-to-peer fundraising pages. Be sure to showcase their achievements on social media! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/take-a-stroll
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Peer-to-peer

Movement challenge


Go solo or form a team to complete a chosen movement challenge in support of your cause. Great for health-related organizations or any group that wants to raise funds through physical activity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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Themed run


Make your peer-to-peer fundraising run truly memorable with a standout theme! Ask participants to dress up and choose a route relevant to the theme. Encourage participants to create teams to build community and boost the competitive spirit! 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/themed-run
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Marathon


A marathon is a classic fun run fundraising event—perfect for your most ambitious supporters! You can host your own fundraising event, or give supporters the resources they need to raise money for your organization by running in an existing race. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/marathon
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Bowl-a-thon


Reserve lanes at a bowling alley, ask participants to gather pledges for an all-you-can-bowl night, and watch the donations roll in on team fundraising pages.

Offer special prizes for the team with the highest score, most creative name, or even the best uniforms.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bowl-a-thon
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More money, no problems


Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a donation form or fundraising page with photos, videos, and a compelling story in order to encourage gifts. Be sure to customize your donation amounts and add descriptions that are specific to your needs and impact.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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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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Silent auction


Swap your traditional auction for a silent one, where supporters or live audience members can bid any time before the auction ends. With a silent auction, your supporters are able to bid on items online or with their phones via QR code, making it easy and accessible for all.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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Social media challenge


Choose a theme and hashtag, then encourage supporters to post a video or photo, tag others to join in, and donate!

Explore more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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Raffle


Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky’s the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything your community members will love.

Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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Virtual fun run

Take your fundraising run online—or create a hybrid event—by encouraging participants to complete a designated distance anytime, anywhere! Be sure to use peer-to-peer fundraising to spread the word and bring in some major funds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-fun-run
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5k walk/run


Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer and team fundraising tools that let supporters create their own donation pages, set goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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Ugly sweater run

Get festive by encouraging supporters to wear their ugliest holiday sweater for a fun run! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word—along with photos of them in their ugly regalia. Offer a special award for the “best” dressed.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ugly-sweater-5k
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Touchdown sponsorships

Ask local businesses to sponsor your team for the entire season! Create a sponsorship proposal that outlines exactly what donors will get in return—like featuring their signage or logo each time you score! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/touchdown-sponsorships
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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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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:
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Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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Team sponsorship

Ask local businesses to sponsor your team in exchange for logo placement on jerseys, in programs, or on stadium banners. Be sure to follow sponsorship proposal best practices to make the most of this partnership! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/team-sponsorship
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Concert for a cause


Work with popular local musicians and performers to host a benefit concert with a percentage of the proceeds going towards your cause.

Want to make sure everyone can listen in and donate, no matter where they are? Livestream your concert to the masses and enable people to contribute to your campaign without leaving the stream.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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Crowdfunding campaign


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

Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/crowdfunding-campaign
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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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Rent your space

Rent your field, venue, office, or community space to other groups and organizations to make the most of any time it isn't in use.

Spread the word that your space is available for rent with your email marketing software. Don’t forget to include photos of the space to encourage interest! 
Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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Gala night


Plan a sophisticated gala night with music, food, and a silent auction.

Get your supporters excited about your upcoming event with an eye-catching gala invitation template. Include details on how to buy tickets, or add a scan-to-donate QR code.
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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10,000 steps challenge


Encourage members to set up a fundraising page and accept pledges based on how long they’ll commit to their 10k-steps-a-day habit.

Invite participants to set up a peer-to-peer fundraising page where they can share their personal stories and interact with supporters.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/10-000-steps-challenge
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Frequently asked questions

Classic, large-scale events like gala nights, silent auctions, and sponsored runs or walks are often the most profitable fundraisers. These events bring together corporate sponsors, generous benefactors, and many individual donors for a day or night of supporting a worthy cause. 

Other profitable ideas include crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising, which expands your audience to your supporters’ networks to spread the word and raise funds.

The most popular fundraising events typically have a high turnout because they are family-friendly and feature people's favorite activities. Some popular ideas to raise awareness and donations include movie nights, fun runs, bake sales, bingo nights, golf tournaments, and fashion shows.

If your goal is to raise money fast, look for easy fundraising ideas—like a car wash, photo contest, or karaoke night—and host several different events. Another great way to raise money fast is with large and small donations to an online fundraising campaign. Our guide on how to raise $1K in 30 days will walk you through the process from start to finish.

With so many good ideas for fundraisers in the world, what makes for the best? The very best ideas for fundraising are as follows: 1. Simple to plan, 2. Easy to manage, and 3. Bring plenty of attention (and donations) to your good cause. For the ideas on this page, we’ve focused on highly effective fundraisers that don’t require a big budget or complicated coordination.

To find the right fundraiser, start with data from past fundraising efforts if you have it. Identify which of your previous fundraising activities generated the most interest and money, then plan similar events in the future.

Use your target audience’s interests as a clue, too. If your group is animal-focused, good fundraiser ideas include a pet photo contest or a dog walking day in the local park. You could also ask your supporters and local community directly—have them vote on a few ideas and host whichever event is the most popular.

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