Creative fundraising ideas
While bake sales and car washes are tried-and-true strategies for raising funds, it’s good to mix things up and keep your supporters on their toes with innovative fundraising ideas, too. To get inspired, check out these unique fundraiser ideas that offer a twist on traditional events and challenges—either by flipping them entirely on their head or introducing new and exciting themes.
%201.png)
Mini-golf tournament
Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause.









Grab bags
Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.









Shave for the cause
Create a peer to peer fundraising campaign and invite participants to create their own pages and compete to raise the most funds. Watch the leaderboard for live updates on who’s in the lead. The person with the highest amount raised or the most individual donations will shave their head—or nominate someone else to shave their own!









Pool party
Charge an entry fee for a fun day in the sun—think pool floats, squirt guns, and water balloons!
To make this fundraising event even more of a hit, sell summery snacks and drinks, too. Don’t forget the sunscreen!









Puppy party
Team up with your local animal shelter to host an event to raise awareness and funds for both the shelter and your organization or campaign. Attendees get bonus puppy snuggles!
At the event, highlight the different mobile giving options your supporters can choose from with live display.









High five booth
Brighten up someone’s day and raise money for a good cause. Set up a booth where passers-by or event attendees can make a donation of their choice and receive a high-five from you or your volunteers.
Make the donation process as quick and easy as the high-five itself—send people straight to your donation form with scan-to-donate.









Trivia night
At this crowd-favorite activity, you can come up with fun questions, charge entry fees for teams, and raise extra money by providing sweet and salty snacks.
Make the evening go even smoother with seamless attendee check-ins and easy payment options like Tap to pay, Venmo donations, and scan-to-donate.









Take a pie to the face
Set up a booth and invite people to pay to throw a pie at willing participants like teachers, bosses, or coaches—the more authority, the more satisfying!
With scan-to-donate, pie throwers use your QR code to land on your donation page instantly—no waiting around.









Donate or dare
Pledge to do something wild, exciting, or newsworthy if your fundraising campaign hits or exceeds its target.
Share regular campaign updates and add a goal bar to your fundraising page to keep the momentum going and encourage more donations.









Scavenger hunt
Set up a themed scavenger hunt in your venue, neighborhood, or across the entire town. Charge participants a small entrance fee and offer fun, donated prizes for the winners.
Streamline the process of selling tickets and create a hub for your hunt with a fundraising event page. Any energy saved can be spent on making your event even more exciting!









Talent show
Stage a talent show and invite members to take to the stage to show off their skills. Sell tickets, drinks, and snacks to raise money.
Make the whole experience feel even more interactive with text-to-donate. Invite audience members to vote from their seats and raise money for your cause at the same time.









High heels walk
Instead of a 5k, organize a high heels walk down a “runway” of your choice. Challenge supporters to see who can raise the most funds leading up to the event through peer-to-peer fundraising—and who can rock the best look. Encourage your supporters to personalize their pages to attract more donations!









Tie-dye fundraiser
Invite students to bring t-shirts, tote bags, socks, and other light-colored items of clothing for a tie-dye party. Charge a small fee for entry and supplies, and have some extra clothing items on hand to sell, too.
If you produce a large volume lot of tie-dyed items, create a donation form or buy-now auction to sell them to your community!









Crawl for a cause
Build community and explore your city with a themed art, food, or experience crawl. Collect registrations on your fundraising event page, and partner with the featured venues to benefit from a percentage of ticket or food sales at each stop.









School karaoke









Battle of the bands
Host a battle of the bands with local musicians. Change the audience a small ticket fee, or raise funds by selling drinks and snacks.
Raise even more money by livestreaming the show. Encourage your supporters to tune in, support the event, and donate what they can towards your goal.









Auction your time or skills
Ask supporters to volunteer their special skills, then auction their time and expertise to the highest bidder!
Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.









Workshop or masterclass
Put your community’s talents to good use.Host an expert workshop or masterclass series and raise funds through ticket sales.
You don’t need to limit your audience to only the people you can fit in the room. Consider livestreaming your event to make it more accessible and raise even more dollars.









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









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.









Carnival night
Host a magical fundraising event with traditional carnival games, rides, and booths. Charge an all-inclusive fee or make each activity pay-as-you-go using QR codes for a smoother donation experience.









Family dance
Give the “father-daughter” or “mother-son” dance an inclusive update and give families of all shapes and sizes an unforgettable night of cutting a rug together for a good cause.
Choose a theme, sell tickets for your fundraising event online, and raise even more by setting up a photo booth with silly props!









Haunted house
Create a spooky experience and raise funds by encouraging brave participants to enter—if they dare. Accept payments on the spot with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and more convenient options.









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









Cookie-decorating extravaganza
Volunteers bake batches of cookies to contribute to a decorating contest! Participants pay a small fee to enter and use frosting and other edible flare you provide to compete for the best cookie design.
To make your fundraising event even sweeter, bring in a cookie-decorating expert to show off some sweet tips and tricks.









Frequently asked questions
How can I be creative in fundraising?
Creativity in fundraising means thinking outside the box and finding unique ways to entice donors. Try hosting themed events, leveraging social media challenges, or tapping into the specific interests of your local community or audience. If you offer a spin on some classic, easy fundraising ideas, your supporters will surely love it, and you’ll be closer to your fundraising goal.
Why are unusual fundraising ideas important?
Alternative fundraising ideas keep donors engaged and active. They generate excitement around your cause with existing supporters and can even bring in new ones—especially with peer-to-peer fundraising!
How do I get supporters excited about a different fundraising idea?
If your supporters are used to the same predictable ways of raising money for your cause, new, creative ideas for fundraising might be an adjustment. To help get your audience on board, partner with local businesses that can boost your fundraising efforts, help spread the word, and even offer fun prizes for winners.
%201.png)
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox

Givebutter helps you turn ideas into impact
.webp)
Subscribe to
The Butter Brief
Get fundraising ideas, tips, and free resources right in your inbox

The most-loved fundraising platform
.png)
%201.png)