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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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Gift wrapping
Source donated paper, set up a gift wrapping station in a popular location, and charge for holiday gift-wrapping! Use scan-to-donate or Venmo to accept payments on the spot.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gift-wrapping
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Chili cook-off
Invite participants to prepare their best chili for attendees—and offer prizes for the winner! Create team fundraising pages for each chili recipe/culinary team. There, supporters can cast their vote with a donation and watch the live leaderboard to see which chef is in the lead!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/chili-cook-off
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Easter egg hunt
Host an epic Easter egg hunt and set up a fundraising event page so families can register with a sliding-scale donation.
Add an Easter Bunny photo booth or bake sale and accept donations with scan-to-donate or Venmo on the day of the hunt.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/easter-egg-hunt
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Gift basket showdown
Using peer-to-peer fundraising, participants compete to raise the most money for your campaign. The winner gets the first pick from a selection of gift baskets.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gift-basket-showdown
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Peer-to-peer
Auctions
Pages & forms
Virtual bike-a-thon
Set a distance and have your bikers pay a registration fee to join in. Then, foster some friendly competition by encouraging supporters to start or join a team, raise funds, and set off wherever they are.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-bike-a-thon
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Peer-to-peer
Events
Wine pull
Collect donated bottles of wine, disguise the labels, and invite attendees to buy them blindly to discover what they’ve won. For some extra fundraising, host a livestream wine-tasting class afterward for everyone to learn more about their picks.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/wine-pull
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Auctions
Home exercise classes
Invite local fitness instructors and coaches to donate their skills and invite community members to join you for at-home exercise classes in exchange for a donation.
Manage everything in one place by broadcasting your classes with a livestream right on your event registration page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/home-exercise-classes
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Local celebrities
Invite a local children’s book author or beloved mascot to an event. Guests will pay a fee to attend, ask questions, and take photos!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/local-celebrities
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-book-club
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Events
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Student art auction
Auction off student art projects online, in person, or both! Add photos and descriptions of each masterpiece using auction software for easy bidding and sharing.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/student-art-auction
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Auctions
Events
Pages & forms
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teacher-jail
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Farmer’s market
Approach a local farmer’s market with a sponsorship proposal and see if they can host a special fundraising event for your cause or dedicate a certain percentage of their Saturday morning profits to your campaign. Be sure to outline all of the perks that vendors can expect from the collaboration, like free publicity.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/farmer-s-market
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Events
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Bingo night
Sell bingo cards and offer exciting prizes to keep everyone engaged all night long—either virtually or in person!
In the lead-up to your fundraising event, entice attendees with campaign updates featuring teasers of some of the prizes at stake to build anticipation.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bingo-night
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Events
Book sale
Partner with a publisher or local book store and host a book sale to raise money. Sell books of all kinds or organize the event around a theme—romance novels, religious books, or children's literature—whatever will resonate with your community.
Make sure to spread the word about your sale and send reminders using free email marketing software!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/book-sale
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Pages & forms
Superhero run
Charge an entry fee to participate in a costumed fundraising run. Encourage runners to raise even more for your cause through their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages, and award prizes for race winners, best super hero costumes, and most donations raised!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/superhero-run
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Peer-to-peer
Lip sync competition
Invite community members to sign up and submit their songs for an unforgettable lip-sync battle. Recruit a volunteer panel of judges to select the winners—and don’t forget prizes for the winners!
Sell tickets for this fundraising event online, streamline check-in, and accept extra donations with the same easy platform.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lip-sync-competition
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Parents’ night out
This fundraising event can be a fun gathering for parents—or a chance for grownups to drop off their kids for a few hours in exchange for a donation to your cause. Charge an hourly rate or flat “entrance fee” and give caregivers some priceless peace and quiet.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/parents-night-out
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Basketball bonanza
Challenge contestants to score as many points as they can within the time limit. Charge an entry fee and check attendees in as they line up.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/basketball-bonanza
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Peer-to-peer
Events
Night at the museum
Secure a sponsorship from a local museum and invite families and community members to make a donation to enjoy a crowd-free evening of fun.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/night-at-the-museum
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Peer-to-peer fundraising
Multiply your reach with a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign in which individuals reach out to their own networks of family, friends, and coworkers to solicit donations for your cause.
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/peer-to-peer-fundraising
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Peer-to-peer
Board game night
Host a pay-to-play fundraising event where participants can compete against their friends in games like UNO or Sorry. Sell goodies for competitors to snack on to make this event extra sweet.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/board-game-night
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Special series
Create programming for a special series of sermons designed to help raise money for your current fundraising project.
Tie sermons directly to your goal and reach more supporters by livestreaming right from your fundraising page. Anyone can tune into the stream, make a donation, and learn about your campaign all in one place.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/special-series
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Festive volunteers
Rally volunteers to act as festive little helpers to put up holiday decorations for others in your community in exchange for donations.
Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights.
Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/festive-volunteers
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Pages & forms
Expert lecture series
Recruit local experts, professors, speakers, and community leaders to donate their time and expertise for a series of talks on a certain theme.
Sell tickets to in-person attendees and offer a livestreaming option to increase donations and reach interested supporters from anywhere.
Sell tickets to in-person attendees and offer a livestreaming option to increase donations and reach interested supporters from anywhere.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/expert-lecture-series
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Events
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/toy-drive
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Pages & forms
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We're always cooking up new ideas, so check back soon for fresh picks!
Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime
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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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