Fundraising ideas for teens
While bake sales and car washes are tried and true ways to raise funds, they can start to feel stale over time. These fun fundraising ideas for teenagers will help you raise what you need for your band trip, sports team, or youth group community service project without repeating the same old idea. Plus, they’ll encourage friends and family to take part in reaching your fundraising goals, too.
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Car wash
Gather volunteers, soap, and plenty of rags to wash cars in exchange for donations. Easily accept onsite payments with a scan-to-donate QR code featuring Venmo and other modern methods.
Give this classic fundraiser a fresh twist by adding a theme! Encourage volunteers to dress up as ‘80s icons, classic Disney characters, superheroes—you name it.









Pop-up clothing shop
Ask community members to purge their wardrobes and donate sell-worthy items to your cause. Host a pop-up clothing shop at a local venue and sell tickets for entry!









Social media challenge
Choose a theme and hashtag, then encourage supporters to post a video or photo, tag others to join in, and donate!
Explore more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.









Raffle
Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky’s the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything your community members will love.
Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!









Obstacle course
Challenge supporters to navigate walls, mud pits, and rope climbs. To amplify your impact and spark some friendly competition, encourage team fundraising—all supporters can join an existing team or create their own to compete!









Color run
Spray participants with brightly colored powder along the course of your charity fun run. By the end, runners will be rainbow-ed! Set up a photo booth at the finish line for selfies, and encourage donations on social media via a scan-to-donate code.









Walkathon









Ugly sweater run









Halloween costume run
Ask supporters to wear their silliest or spookiest Halloween costumes during this fun run. Use team or peer-to-peer fundraising to help participants set a donation goal and spread the word. At the end, award special prizes to the race winners, the teams or individuals who raised the most, and the best costumes!









T-shirt design contest









Coach or teacher dare
Challenge a coach or teacher to do something wild (like shaving their head!) if your team reaches its fundraising goal. Build anticipation by letting supporters track your progress in real time with a fundraising page that features a live goal bar.









Fan Combine









Players vs. parents game









Dance-a-thon
Supporters can donate, leave encouraging messages for the dancers, and purchase tickets to join in the fun—all in one place.









Mascot showdown
Join forces with your rival team for a good cause. Organize a race or other competition between your mascots during halftime at a big game, and ask supporters to vote for their mascot by donating on a team fundraising page. Use text-to-donate or a QR code to bring in even more funds from the stands during the event.









Concession stand
Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create customticketswith mouth-watering pictures of available treats!









Jeans day
Sell passes for a day out of uniform or a day in jeans. You can even turn it into a friendly competition to see which grade has the highest participation. For easy payments, use scan-to-donate, Venmo, or other convenient methods.









Shoe-decorating
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!









Crafts night
Charge an entrance fee and check in attendees as they arrive for an evening of creativity and fun. Ask volunteers to bring craft supplies or request donations from local art stores.









Principal for the day
Auction off the chance for a student to be school principal for the day! The lucky student will get to greet classmates as they arrive, make morning announcements, visit classrooms, and enjoy a special lunch with the principal.









Open mic night









Pumpkin Games
Perfect for the Halloween season, challenge participants to a pay-to-play series of games like pumpkin races and decorating contests. Sell tickets in advance or on the day of using scan-to-donate or Venmo.









Coding bootcamp









Virtual movie night
Host a virtual family movie night using Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party) on your favorite streaming platform. Collect donations before or during your fundraising event, and make it more interactive and fun with movie trivia questions throughout the evening.









Grow-your-own garden kit
Ask local nurseries to donate herbs, seeds, and soil you can use to assemble gardening kits. Bring volunteers together to assemble everything and sell them on a custom fundraising page or donation form.









Frequently asked questions
How do you motivate teenagers to fundraise?
Motivating teenagers to participate in fundraising efforts requires tapping into their interests, needs, and desire to make a difference. Peer-to-peer campaigns can add a fun social element to any teen fundraising ideas, plus some friendly competition to keep things exciting.
What are the most popular fundraising ideas for teenagers?
Good fundraising ideas for teenagers often include activities that are hands-on. Viral social media challenges and in-person competitions like sports events and talent shows are popular choices, providing opportunities to be creative and interact with others.
What are some easy fundraising ideas for teenagers?
Easy fundraiser ideas for teens include movie nights, craft sales, and karaoke parties, which require minimal effort and resources, making it simple for high school students—and parents—to be successful at fundraising.
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