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Nonprofit fundraising ideas

From charity balls to penny drives, the possibilities are endless when it comes to raising money for good causes. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next big event or seeking creative concepts on a smaller scale, we’ve assembled a whole spread of fundraiser ideas for nonprofits to get you across the finish line.
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Building tour

If you're opening a new building, offer a VIP tour to your community members. Set a ticket price or auction them off. To raise the most from your VIP building tour, use auction software to host a fun and stress-free experience for your supporters.
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Auctions

Sand ‘n’ sip


For a summer twist on a paint 'n' sip, invite donors to join you for a day of fun on the beach alongside a wine-tasting experience. To reach your goal, sell tickets for your fundraising event online and strike up a sponsorship deal with a local wine company.
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Beach Games

Plan an exciting beach competition including an Olympics-style championship for events like volleyball, surfing, and sandcastle making. 

Ask participants to pay a small fee to register and raise even more funds by selling cold drinks and ice cream.
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Street clean up

Use the longer days of summer to your advantage by organizing a street clean-up to keep your neighborhood looking fresh and welcoming. 

Partner with local businesses to sponsor the day and encourage donations toward your charity or group. 
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Swim-a-thon


Swap your sneakers for a swimsuit or trunks and host a swim-a-thon to raise money for your cause. Set a route that feels achievable, and invite participants to create their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages to help you reach your goal.

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Peer-to-peer

Summer day out


Raise funds and give your supporters a memorable experience at the same time with an excursion to an exciting attraction, museum, or other destination.

Use a fundraising event page to make registration and payment easy, and add custom fields to capture important information from each participant, such as t-shirt size or dietary restrictions.
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Summer project sale


Host a yard sale/craft fair event focused on helping people finish those summer projects they've been meaning to tackle. Cater to a range of DIY projects with materials like paint, furniture, craft supplies, scrapbooking materials, and more.

Use email marketing software to spread the word about the upcoming sale and share a printable map, so attendees know what kinds of booths will be there.
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Impact:
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Tool drive

Rather than requesting a financial gift, ask supporters to donate new or gently used tools and construction equipment for your programs and services. Or, sell them in an annual community tool sale. Don’t forget to send friendly reminders and guidelines on what kinds of tools can be donated using free email marketing software!
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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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Refer a friend


For successful referrals to your program, offer your current members discounted membership fees, merchandise, or entry into a raffle. Create custom fields (like “Who referred you?”) on your donation forms to keep track of eligible members.
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Membership drive


Incentivize supporters to invite friends and family to sign up for a membership during a specific period of time. Offer discounted rates or additional perks, and accept recurring donations on a monthly or annual basis.
Cost:
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Impact:
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Outdoor adventure day


Charge participants a registration fee for a full day of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and nature walks. Use marketing tools to tease different activities and remind supporters what to bring along on the big day!
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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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Comedy night


Sell tickets to join your organization for an evening of laughter, drinks, and fundraising! Partner with a local venue and ask other businesses for corporate sponsorships to offset costs and bring in even more dollars for your cause.
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Give $5, grab 5 friends

Ask your supporters to donate $5 to your cause. Then, each donor has to tag at least five people via social media. The goal is that each person who gets tagged matches that $5 gift to your campaign—and then tags five others.

This is a great social media fundraising idea that can spread quickly within your community, helping you raise funds fast.
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Impact:
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Build-a-thon


Invite supporters to have a tangible impact on their communities by raising funds and committing to volunteer their time to help build homes for those in need.

Participants create personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages where they can share their commitment to this cause with their friends and family, encouraging them to donate and support the initiative.
Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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Fitness challenge


Participants commit to completing a certain number of workouts and collect pledges for each milestone achieved using personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages.

Watch as donations come in and friends and family share words of encouragement on the supporter feed.
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Peer-to-peer

Home decor workshop


Charge a registration fee and provide materials for attendees to create their own home decor. Selecting seasonal DIY projects—such as holiday wreaths or pumpkin painting—is a great way to draw a larger crowd. Take this event to the next level by turning it into a competition! Once all projects are completed, attendees can donate to vote for who should be crowned winner.
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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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Drag show


Sell tickets for a night of performances by local drag artists and musicians (with food and drinks available, too!).

Manage your event ticketing, check in your attendees, and accept additional donations in person with easy fundraisng event software.
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LGBTQ+ workshop series


Charge a registration fee for a series of educational workshops or panel discussions on topics such as gender identity, allyship, and queer history.

Spread the word and follow up with attendees using free email marketing software.
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Popcorn fundraiser

Partner with a popcorn supplier and sell gourmet popcorn to family, friends, and community members. Add mouthwatering images to tickets to showcase all the different flavors available.
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Drag bingo


Sell bingo cards for a night of drag entertainment and competition! Winners receive donated prizes. To raise even more at this memorablefundraising event, offer drink specials and sell eye-catching merch.
Cost:
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Impact:
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LGBTQ+ trivia night


Charge a registration fee for a fun night of testing your LGBTQ+ knowledge. To raise additional funds at this fundraising event, sell pride-themed merch, drinks, and snacks, too!
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Pride-themed merch sale


Design and sell pride-themed merchandise such as t-shirts, buttons, stickers, and flags. To drum up excitement, create a custom donation form, event, or fundraising page that includes images of the available items.
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Frequently asked questions

Many valuable funding sources are available for your nonprofit, including foundations, corporate sponsors, and major donors. Our favorite strategy, however, is more grassroots: fundraising campaigns and events that rally community support for your cause, like the ideas shared on this page.
New to fundraising? Learn how to start a fundraiser with step-by-step guidance and even more inspiration.

When it comes to easy fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations, it all depends on your resources, time constraints, and how much you need to raise. One tip is to incorporate your fundraising efforts into pre-existing events, like partnering with a local team to promote your text-to-donate campaign at their next big game.

Pro tip: Offering mobile-friendly payment options makes the entire process easier for youandyour donors.

Some of the highest-raising charity fundraising ideas put the focus—and goal—on a specific day or moment, like Giving Tuesday or an annual benefit auction. Auctions with high-ticket items and campaigns with incentives like matching gifts can also bring in large donations for a more successful fundraiser.

When you need results fast, consider setting up an online fundraiser that includes a social media challenge or some friendly competition. With a peer-to-peer campaign, your supporters can create their own donation pages and spread the word online, building momentum toward your collective fundraising goal.

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