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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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Donation matching
Build relationships with local businesses and major donors that can offer matching donations to feature during your next campaign.
Matching gifts create an enormous incentive for supporters who understand that they can automatically double (or even triple or quadruple!) their impact for your cause.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/donation-matching
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Flamingoed
Invite supporters to make a donation to have lawn flamingos placed on their friends’ yards. Volunteers will sneak them onto recipients’ lawns so they awake to a pink surprise!
To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flamingoed
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Events
Pages & forms
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/coffee-morning
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Events
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).
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/naming-rights
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/text-to-donate
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Adopt-a-mile fundraiser
Raise funds for a mission trip by asking congregation members to “adopt a mile.” This is a fun way to tie your fundraising activity into the experience and drive donations closer to your goal.
Highlight how close you are to reaching your target by displaying a live goal bar on your fundraising page, where the fundraising goal total equals the number of miles.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/adopt-a-mile-fundraiser
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Guest speaker event
Host a webinar or TED-style talk with an interesting topic and a captivating guest speaker sourced from your network.
Raise funds for your livestream by selling tickets and include upgrades like signed copies of books to bring in even more donations.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/guest-speaker-event
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Events
Virtual gala
Showcase live or pre-recorded presentations and guest speakers, host an auction, and solicit donations—all livestreamed from your event registration page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-gala
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Events
Auctions
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/best-seat-in-the-house
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Auctions
Used book sale
Reserve a space and ask your community to donate their gently used books for a cause. Set a price for each book and use scan-to-donate or Venmo to easily accept payments on the spot.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/used-book-sale
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Movie marathon
Host a mega movie marathon packed with hits from a popular franchise or films that match a specific theme or season. Raise extra funds by selling drinks and snacks, having a costume competition, or conducting a movie trivia quiz throughout.
Enjoy a better experience with engaging event ticketing options, such as online and in-person ticket sales and app-powered check-ins.
Enjoy a better experience with engaging event ticketing options, such as online and in-person ticket sales and app-powered check-ins.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/movie-marathon
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Events
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Telethon
Livestream an engaging program from your fundraising page with information, entertainment, and impact stories to inspire viewers to donate. Task volunteers with accepting gifts over the phone and replying to comments and gifts on your supporter feed. Don’t forget to display a live thermometer so everyone can watch donations come in in real time!
Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/telethon
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Online bake sale
Sell homemade or donated treats through a donation form, event page, or buy-now auction, and organize volunteers to make deliveries after purchase! For some additional funds, allow recipients to make a donation alongside their purchase.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-bake-sale
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Auctions
Pages & forms
Street painting competition
Choose a theme and secure a paved area where supporters can register to paint their own parking space or designated square.
Ask a local business to donate painting supplies, then invite the community to vote for their favorite design by making a donation ($1 = 1 vote) using a scan-to-donate QR code.
Ask a local business to donate painting supplies, then invite the community to vote for their favorite design by making a donation ($1 = 1 vote) using a scan-to-donate QR code.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/street-painting-competition
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Events
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/envelope-fundraiser
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Virtual scavenger hunt
For this totally remote fundraising event, charge a registration fee and ask participants to use their computer or mobile device to complete various challenges. Share instructions and updates and announce winners from a livestream hosted right on your event page.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-scavenger-hunt
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Events
Virtual concert
Ask local musicians or bands to perform for a livestreaming audience and invite viewers to make donations or purchase tickets to attend virtually right on your event page.
Make sure to feature a donation thermometer on your page to encourage viewers to make extra donations and get you closer to your goal as they enjoy the music.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-concert
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Events
Cupcake wars
Have kids prepare their favorite cupcake recipe to sell at a cupcake-only bake sale. To add some friendly competition, invite attendees to vote on their favorite by making a donation to the tastiest cupcake’s team fundraising page. Use a leaderboard to show real-time votes and award prizes for the winning bakers!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cupcake-wars
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Virtual auction
Take the bidding online by allowing participants to browse your silent auction catalog, place bids, and win from anywhere!
Use auction software that makes the bidding process smooth and simple for you and your donors.
Use auction software that makes the bidding process smooth and simple for you and your donors.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-auction
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Auctions
Pages & forms
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/count-the-jellybeans
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Pages & forms
CEO challenge
Challenge company leaders to undertake fun or silly activities if you reach your fundraising goal. For example, the CEO could agree to wear a superhero costume for a day if your office reaches its fundraising target by a certain date. Use a custom donation page with a goal bar so everyone can watch donations roll in—and make sure you hit your goal.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ceo-challenge
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Pages & forms
Office mini-golf tournament
Transform your office space into a mini-golf course for a day! Employees create teams and pay a small fee to participate—or, to raise even more money, encourage coworkers to set up their own fundraising pages and accept donations from friends and family.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/office-mini-golf-tournament
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Peer-to-peer
Events
Office Games
Organize a series of lighthearted office games like chair races or paper airplane contests. Charge a small fee (donation) for participation and award prizes to winners. Offer scan to-donate to make the process smooth and simple.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/office-games
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Events
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Peer-to-peer
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/desk-decorating-contest
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Peer-to-peer
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/holiday-card-campaign
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Looks like we don’t have any fundraising ideas matching that criteria 🔎
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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