Fun run fundraiser ideas

Whether you’re looking for fresh 5k fundraiser ideas to liven up your annual donation drive or you’re exploring fundraising walk ideas for the first time, coordinating this kind of event requires a few key elements. Start by choosing a theme, setting a location, and recruiting volunteers. You’ll also need a fundraising platform like Givebutter to manage registration and donations. Then, check out our full guide to charity run planning for step-by-step instructions and expert tips!

You can raise money for a fun run in several creative ways. Popular options include collecting pledges and registration fees, creating sponsorship proposals, and selling merchandise like custom water bottles. To further boost your fundraising efforts, you can also include extra activities like a raffle or bake sale on the day of your event.

Givebutter’s registration fundraising makes it easy to combine team fundraising signups and ticketing in one seamless experience. 

One of the most important tasks to check off your fundraiser planning checklist is promotion. To start, set up an online donation page and encourage participants to sign up for team or peer-to-peer fundraising. You can also send emails, post flyers, and create shareable social media posts for your supporters to spread the word and encourage giving before the big day.

Don’t forget to ask your sponsors to help promote your event, too—and consider reaching out to local media, especially if you have an exciting theme that will make for good visuals (like colored powder!).

Depending on the scale of the event, upfront costs typically range from $1.5K to $3K. Common expenses include water stations, t-shirts, signage, and volunteer support. To offset these costs, many organizers secure corporate sponsorships or offer matching gift opportunities to double the impact. 

To make your fun run an event to remember, try adding a theme! You could host a costumed fun run, an ugly sweater 5K, or a superhero run. If themed isn’t your thing, offer custom shirts or prizes so participants have something to remember their achievement. 

Another great way to make your fun run interesting is to host it in a scenic location or tie the fun run route to your organization’s mission.