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Easy fundraising ideas

Raising money for your organization can feel overwhelming, especially when fundraising is just one task on a very long to-do list. These simple fundraiser ideas are quick to pull together and easy to execute, so you can spread the word and collect donations for your cause. 

From favorites like board game nights and baked goods sales to donation pages and photo contests, the easiest fundraising ideas will help you hit your goal fast—without burning out your team.

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Penny wars


Organize a friendly competition between grades or classes to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Just grab a few jars and encourage students to find some loose change to get started! 
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Pajama day

For a small donation, students can come to school in their pajamas and enjoy a cozy day. Grownups can organize a pajama day fundraiser at work, too! Accept donations in advance or on the day of via multiple payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo.
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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. 
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Kids’ art calendar


Turn kids’ finger paintings and drawings into custom calendars—or transform them into keepsakes like photo books, mugs, or t-shirts. Sell the merch using a fun, eye-catching auction or fundraising page.
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Virtual book club


Host a virtual book club and charge a small registration fee or ask for donations to join. Hold regular discussions via Zoom or another video conferencing platform to keep the community engaged.

Set up recurring donations as a simple way to collect membership fees for ongoing gatherings.
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Teacher “jail”


Challenge students to meet a fundraising goal. If they succeed, their teacher gets “locked in jail” (aka gets to relax in the teachers’ lounge) while students take over the classroom for fun and games. Use a custom fundraising page with a live goal bar to build excitement!
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Engraved bricks


Allow supporters to “buy” a brick for your next construction project that will have their name or dedication engraved on it for all to see.

Use custom fields on your donation form to capture essential details for donors’ bricks—and be sure to set a word count limit so they don’t go over!
Cost:
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Toy drive


Set up a toy drive so your community members can donate toys or cash to support families over the holiday season. Distribute toys to those most in need and use extra funds to buy additional gifts.

Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
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Postcard drive


Handwritten messages can make a huge impact on your fundraising by helping donors feel seen and appreciated. During your next campaign, have volunteers write and mail postcards to your contacts asking for support. 

Add a modern twist by including a short URL that links directly to your fundraising page. 
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Coffee morning


Host a coffee morning and invite your community members to join you for tea or coffee, cake, and a warm conversation. Ask a local coffee shop to sponsor the event or donate a percentage of the morning’s profits to your cause. 
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Naming rights


Offer supporters the chance to name a bench, tree, sculpture, or pathway in recognition of their gift.

Create custom labels on your donation form for different naming tiers (e.g., $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).
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Text-to-donate


With text-to-donate, raising funds is as easy as sending a text. Display your shortcode at fundraising events, share it on social media, or add it to signs so your supporters give using their mobile devices right on the spot—no matter where they are.

See for yourself how easy it is! Text “DEMO” to 53-555.
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Best seat in the house


Auction off tickets to the best seats at an upcoming performance, sports game, gala, live concert, or other experience your group is hosting.

Use Givebutter to create unlimited types of event tickets—perfect for customizing your VIP packages.
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Envelope fundraiser


Distribute branded envelopes around your community and invite supporters to pick one up, insert a donation, and drop it off at a designated location. 

Spread the word with easy email marketing software. Share campaign details and send reminders as the deadline gets approaches. 
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Count the jellybeans


Fill a jar with jellybeans (or another candy) and have guessers write down their number estimation alongside their name. 

Use scan-to-donate or other mobile payment options to accept donations for each guess and award a prize to the person whose comes closest! 
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Baby picture guessing


Ask employees to bring in baby photos, then hang them up and challenge everyone to make a donation to guess who’s who!  
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Desk decorating contest


Choose a theme and invite your coworkers to pay a small entry fee to decorate their workspace. Let others donate $5 to vote for the best “dressed” desk through each participant’s peer-to-peer fundraising page. Track the leaderboard in real time to see who’s in the lead!
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Holiday card campaign


Send a festive holiday card—by mail or email—to share season’s greetings, thank your supporters, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals

Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
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Cup of coffee


Set up a coffee cart in the office and invite employees or passersby to donate the cost of their morning beverage to your cause. 

Offer scan to-donate and accept Venmo donations to make giving even easier.
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Shoe drive


Invite your community members to donate gently worn or newly purchased shoes that you can sell at a pop-up shoe drive.

Make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and multiple payment options, including Venmo.
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Pi Day


Celebrate Pi Day on March 14th by inviting your community to contribute to your cause. Set the suggested donation amount at $3.14, $31.40, or $314.00, but let supporters know that any amount adds up to something great.
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Sponsor a stud


Let donors "sponsor" a piece of lumber for your next construction project. Customize donation amounts on your donation form to align with the cost of materials (e.g., $50 donation equals 3 studs). 

Don’t forget to invite all sponsors to the ribbon-cutting ceremony when construction is complete!
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Hot chocolate stall


Set up a cozy drink stand to warm up your community! Offer coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and an array of syrups and toppings for an added fee. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

Make it easy for supporters to pay as they order with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and other seamless options.
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Scratch card fundraiser


Buy a batch of scratch cards from a wholesaler. Each circle hides a dollar amount, typically ranging from 50 cents to several dollars. Participants scratch off as many spots as they’d like—the total amount revealed is how much they’ll donate!

Collect cash or accept virtual payments on the spot with Tap-to-Pay, Venmo, and other convenient options.
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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.
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Frequently asked questions

To raise funds for your cause quickly, look through super-easy fundraising ideas featured on this page to find one (or a few!) right for you. Then, check out our step-by-step guide on how to raise $1K in 30 days for a smoother journey toward your fundraising goal.

The best thing about these fast fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations is that they don’t require expert knowledge, extensive planning, or a lot of upfront cost. Instead, these fundraising efforts only need a few materials and plenty of enthusiasm—perfect for teams with limited resources.

We’ve designed this list to meet two criteria—that they’re fast to plan and simple to execute. Each of these can be planned with little effort, making them ideal for anyone on a tight budget or in need of last-minute fundraising ideas.

Bake sales, read-a-thons, car washes, and scavenger hunts in a local park or partnering with a local restaurant are some of the best quick fundraising ideas. Other great examples include text-to-donate, matching gifts, and online fundraising campaigns.

If your nonprofit team is small (but mighty!), focus on nonprofit fundraisers that don’t require too much setup effort. Raffles, car washes, and yard sales will raise funds for your cause without requiring a huge lift. Virtual fundraising events—like fun runs, concerts, or movie nights are also great options for small teams because they are low-cost and can bring in significant revenue through charging an entry fee.

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