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All fundraising ideas
Cheap fundraising ideas
Making an impact doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Changemakers looking to raise funds without burning a hole in their pockets can choose from hundreds of inexpensive fundraising ideas. This list of lower-cost and free fundraising ideas will help you reach your goal without breaking the bank.
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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!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/high-heels-walk
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Peer-to-peer
Grown-up bake sale
Sell donated or homemade gourmet goodies like croissants and macarons for the ultimate grownups-with-a-sweet-tooth fundraiser.
Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.
Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/grown-up-bake-sale
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Events
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tie-dye-fundraiser
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School karaoke
A silly and fun way to raise funds, students pay a small donation to sing family-friendly karaoke songs over the school’s P.A. system or in a special assembly.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/school-karaoke
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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
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/one-day-giving-event
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Cold water plunge
Challenge your supporters to take a dip in an icy cold body of water to raise funds and awareness for your cause! Participants can set up their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages connected to your campaign, where they can share their stories, set a personal target, and bring in donations from friends and family.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cold-water-plunge
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Peer-to-peer
Birthday fundraiser
Instead of birthday gifts, ask friends and family to make a donation to your nonprofit cause!
Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to share your story, upload photos and videos, and let supporters leave comments as they give.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/birthday-fundraiser
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Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
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!
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:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/rent-your-space
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Give it up challenge
Ask supporters to “give up” a small indulgence—like their morning coffee—for a set amount of time and donate those funds to your campaign instead.
Create a fundraising page to share challenge ideas, set suggested donation amounts, and post updates or donor shout-outs to keep momentum going.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/give-it-up-challenge
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Peer-to-peer
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/workshop-or-masterclass
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Auctions
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
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/10-000-steps-challenge
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Peer-to-peer
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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
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/face-painting
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Yard sale
Turn old treasures into new funds for your good cause! Ask community members to host individual garage sales and donate their proceeds to your campaign—or host one large community yard sale using donated goods.
Create a fundraising page for your event, post campaign updates to keep people engaged, and update the fundraising total as donations come in.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/yard-sale
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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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/penny-wars
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Teacher spelling bee
Put your teachers and school admins in the spelling spotlight. Ask for an entry fee and charge contestants for “help” if their skills are rusty (like buying an “ask-the-audience” pass!).
To make this event virtual or hybrid, livestream it from your event page for attendees to watch from home.
To make this event virtual or hybrid, livestream it from your event page for attendees to watch from home.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teacher-spelling-bee
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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
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/weeknight-meal-cooking-class
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pajama-day
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Pages & forms
Online garage sale
Collect new and used goods from your community and sell items on a first-come, first-served basis—virtually. To introduce some fun competition and bring in more funds, turn the sale into an auction with buy-now pricing options!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/online-garage-sale
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Auctions
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
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lemonade-stand
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Discount cards
Create and sell discount card coupon books full of deals to local restaurants and businesses. Sell the coupon books on a custom donation form and share it far and wide!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/discount-cards
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Family photo day
Partner with a local photographer and charge a fee for photo packages with themed backdrops or props. Create custom tickets with time slots for families to sign up to keep the day moving smoothly.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/family-photo-day
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Trike-a-thon
Set up a mini racecourse and encourage family and friends to sponsor your little big-wheel racers by making a donation on their behalf through your fundraising page. Don’t forget to award prizes!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/trike-a-thon
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/kids-art-calendar
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Auctions
Pages & forms
Corporate matching gift drive
Create a special awareness campaign and fundraiser that highlights the matching donation programs that many companies offer.
Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation.
Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/corporate-matching-gift-drive
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Community potluck dinner
Invite each person to contribute a dish and invite at least two people to join your dinner. To keep everything organized, customize your fundraising page or donation form so participants can note what dish they’re bringing when they RSVP—and make a contribution to your campaign.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-potluck-dinner
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most affordable fundraising idea?
The most affordable, low-cost fundraising ideas typically utilize existing resources and free tools. Many nonprofits launch online fundraising campaigns with free fundraising software or organize events with low overhead, such as car washes, bake sales, or virtual talent shows in which participants donate their time and artistry for the cause.
Is there a free fundraising platform?
Yes! Givebutter is an all-in-one fundraising platform that is completely free to use. Unlike other fundraising websites, Givebutter pricing doesn’t include hefty subscriptions or hidden fees. Instead, it’s funded by optional tips from donors.
How do I start a free fundraiser?
If you want to start a free fundraiser, the best tool you can use is an online fundraising page where you can easily collect donations and spread the word about your efforts.
It takes just a few minutes to create a free Givebutter account and launch any campaign, whether it’s a donation form, a peer-to-peer fundraiser, or a livestream event. Plus, don’t forget to take advantage of Givebutter’s full suite of CRM and engagement tools to streamline your efforts for fundraising that’s free and easy.
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