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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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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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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
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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Pages & forms
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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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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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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Pages & forms
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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Pages & forms
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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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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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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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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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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Pages & forms
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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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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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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Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
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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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