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All fundraising ideas
Online fundraising ideas
Virtual fundraisers are a powerful way to involve more supporters with your cause—anyone around the world can join and donate!
The possibilities are endless, but we’ve assembled a list of our favorite online fundraising ideas—including virtual happy hours, livestream telethons, and book clubs—to help get your digital party started.
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Share “tails” of impact
Bring your supporters together for an event to showcase the stories of animals you’ve helped—or tell your “tails” of impact directly on your fundraising page. Share stories that tug at your donors’ heartstrings and show the impact of their generosity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/share-tails-of-impact
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Events
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Arts for animals
Whether you’re hosting an animal art auction or a concert to promote environmental awareness, animals and the arts go hand in hand when it comes to fundraising.
Dedicate time during your event for a “mission moment” to remind supporters why they’re essential to your work—and highlight the positive impact their donations make.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/arts-for-animals
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Events
Auctions
Pet portraits
Pet owners love having portraits of their pets—even if they’re not made by professionals! Host a fun pet portrait fundraiser where volunteers draw or paint pictures of supporters’ furry friends. Ask donors to bring a photo of their pet or upload one when they make a donation online.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-portraits
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Events
Auctions
Pages & forms
Movement challenge
Go solo or form a team to complete a chosen movement challenge in support of your cause. Great for health-related organizations or any group that wants to raise funds through physical activity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/movement-challenge
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Peer-to-peer
Events
Pages & forms
Themed run
Make your peer-to-peer fundraising run truly memorable with a standout theme! Ask participants to dress up and choose a route relevant to the theme. Encourage participants to create teams to build community and boost the competitive spirit!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/themed-run
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Marathon
A marathon is a classic fun run fundraising event—perfect for your most ambitious supporters! You can host your own fundraising event, or give supporters the resources they need to raise money for your organization by running in an existing race.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/marathon
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Cutest pet contest
Who has the cutest pet in your community? Host a photo contest to find out! Invite participants to submit a photo of their four-legged (or feathered or scaly!) friend for a set donation amount. Then, open up voting to the public—each vote can be a small donation. Crown a winner, raise funds, and flood everyone’s feed with cuteness.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cutest-pet-contest
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Events
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Church trivia nights
Put your knowledge to the test with a faith-filled trivia night! Pick a lively host, sell team tickets, and let the friendly competition begin.
Want to reach an even bigger audience? Go hybrid or virtual so everyone can join in on the fun!
Want to reach an even bigger audience? Go hybrid or virtual so everyone can join in on the fun!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/church-trivia-nights
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Events
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Autographed jersey auction
Connected to the right people? Procure and auction off autographed jerseys (or other memorabilia) to your supporters. You’d be surprised how willing athletes are to offer their signature for a good cause! Take advantage of intuitive auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more—no matter if your auction is in-person or completely virtual.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/autographed-jersey-auction
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Auctions
Baseball hit-a-thon
Collect pledges or donations from supporters based on the number of hits they make during a designated period of time. Have each participant create a personal peer-to-peer fundraising page and reach out to friends and family for donations!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/baseball-hit-a-thon
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Events
Peer-to-peer
More money, no problems
Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a donation form or fundraising page with photos, videos, and a compelling story in order to encourage gifts. Be sure to customize your donation amounts and add descriptions that are specific to your needs and impact.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/more-money-no-problems
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Pages & forms
Silent auction
Swap your traditional auction for a silent one, where supporters or live audience members can bid any time before the auction ends. With a silent auction, your supporters are able to bid on items online or with their phones via QR code, making it easy and accessible for all.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/silent-auction
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Auctions
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/social-media-challenge
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Pages & forms
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!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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Events
Pages & forms
Virtual fun run
Take your fundraising run online—or create a hybrid event—by encouraging participants to complete a designated distance anytime, anywhere! Be sure to use peer-to-peer fundraising to spread the word and bring in some major funds.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-fun-run
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Events
Peer-to-peer
5k walk/run
Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer and team fundraising tools that let supporters create their own donation pages, set goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/5k-walk-run
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Team apparel sale
Sell custom team apparel like T-shirts and hats featuring your team's logo and colors—online, in person, or both! Be sure to collect key info—like size and color—using custom fields on your donation forms.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/team-apparel-sale
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Events
Pages & forms
T-shirt design contest
Encourage supporters to submit their best t-shirt designs to enter a competition. Set up team fundraising pages for each design and have supporters donate to vote for their favorite. Each donation will appear on a leaderboard so everyone can watch the votes (and donations!) come in.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/t-shirt-design-contest
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All
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Jersey auction
Auction off game-worn jerseys from your team or donated professional jerseys either online or in person. Take advantage of free silent auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/jersey-auction
Please enter a valid email address.
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Auctions
Coding bootcamp
Partner with coding organizations and offer students discounted class fees and programs. Be sure to include some appealing benefits for participating companies in your corporate sponsorship proposal, like free marketing and publicity.
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/coding-bootcamp
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Events
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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-movie-night
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Events
Swag sale
Raise some extra funds for your organization or club and spread the word about your cause by selling branded swag like totes, stickers, and t-shirts.
With advanced ticketing features, you can offer each item on a mobile-friendly platform and add an image and available amount so supporters can easily purchase and share their sizing info, too!
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sell-swag-or-merch
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Grab bags
Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.
To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/grab-bags
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All
Auctions
Pages & forms
Donation drive
Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/donation-drive
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Pages & forms
Pay you not to ask me again
Give your supporters a way to opt out of all your upcoming donation requests during a big fundraising effort. If they contribute via your donation form before a certain date, you’ll take them off your email and call list for the whole campaign! Then, you can easily segment your email list with your built-in CRM and marketing tools.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pay-you-not-to-ask-me-again
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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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Get top features for your virtual fundraiser
Frequently asked questions
What is a virtual fundraiser?
A virtual (or online) fundraiser is a campaign or event created to raise money for a good cause through a website or online platform. While nonprofit organizations have been using this fundraising strategy for quite some time, it became even more popular during the pandemic, when in-person events weren’t possible.
Unlike in-person fundraising opportunities, virtual fundraisers allow people to participate from anywhere using a computer, phone, or other mobile device. It's like bringing the fundraising party to your living room! You can host a virtual event to connect with others and encourage supporters to invest in your mission—all without leaving home.
How can I raise money virtually?
You can raise funds online through donation pages, peer-to-peer fundraising, or crowdfunding campaigns, as well as virtual events like livestream concerts, talent shows, or auctions.
Some of the best digital fundraising ideas leverage social media platforms (e.g., Facebook Live, social media takeovers), email campaigns, and text-to-donate tools to collect donations. Online merchandise sales can also help boost your fundraising efforts.
What is the best online fundraising site?
The top fundraising sites include trusted platforms like Givebutter, GoFundMe, Fundly, Kickstarter, and Donorbox. Each offers different features, fees, and support, so it's important to choose the one that aligns best with your fundraising goals and needs.
What are the best virtual fundraising ideas for a small team or solo organizer?
Birthday fundraisers and peer-to-peer campaigns work great for small teams or solo organizers. Just set up a simple fundraising page and share it with friends and family—they already want to support you! These fundraisers are easy to launch, require minimal coordination, and maximize your personal network's power to spread the word.
Do virtual fundraisers raise as much as in-person events?
Yes! With the right internet fundraising ideas, you can raise as much as—or even more than—in-person events. Virtual fundraisers often provide benefits like broader reach, lower costs, and more convenience. Success depends on choosing fundraisers that translate well to an online setting (e.g., virtual galas, auctions, telethons) rather than those that lose appeal virtually—a virtual car wash might not be a big draw.
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