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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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Nostalgia night party

Pick an era (like the ‘90s), set the scene, charge an entrance fee, and sell themed merch, food, and drinks. To encourage even more donations during the festivities, display mobile giving options and your goal bar using live display
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Art festival


Secure a large space, reach out to local artists, and charge an entrance fee to your very own art festival. Check-in attendees and accept payments at the door and use scan-to-donate to encourage additional in-person donations throughout the event.
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Community service day

Organize volunteers to participate in a day of community care—tackling local projects and tasks in exchange for donations from your community members. 

Showcase every project or fundraiser you’re working on using a central giving hub, so supporters can see all your amazing work in one place.
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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!
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/chili-cook-off
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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. 

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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.  
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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:
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Impact:
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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.
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Auctions

Kids vs. grownups field day


Organize an afternoon of hilarious games and exciting dual-team events, like tug-of-war, that are sure to get the competitive spirit going.

Charge entrance fees for this fundraising event, sell snacks and drinks, and don’t forget prizes for the champs!
Cost:
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Impact:
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Teddy bear picnic


Host a picnic where participants can bring along their favorite stuffed animals and enjoy simple brown-bag lunches or treats from a mini bake sale. This fundraising event is a sweet and family-friendly way to bring in needed funds.
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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.
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BBQ cookout

Host a BBQ cookout featuring grilled meats, sides, and desserts. Charge entrance fees and ask for donations at this fundraising event, too. Make this fundraising event even tastier by sharing sponsorship proposals and inviting local restaurants to sponsor your event (or even compete!). 
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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:
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International Women's Day fundraiser


Highlight the power, strength, and talent of women in your community today and throughout history with a special fundraising event.

Whether it’s in-person, virtual, or hybrid, raise more and stress less with easy online registration, mobile app check-ins, and live display
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!  
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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.
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Multicultural fair

Showcase dishes and traditions from around the globe and celebrate the diversity of your community with a multicultural fair fundraiser. Sell tickets and set up food, drinks, and gift booths for attendees to enjoy.
Cost:
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Impact:
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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.
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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.  
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TikTok dance-off


Challenge participants to create a dance and post their video to social media. Each person must tag someone and donate once they’ve completed the challenge.

For easy and simple sharing, create a custom fundraising page that’s optimized for mobile!
Cost:
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Impact:
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Cooking competition


Take inspiration from the TV show “Chopped” and challenge teams to a culinary showdown!

You can get even more spectators in on the fun by livestreaming the event and asking for donations throughout the program.
Cost:
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Impact:
2
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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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