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Fundraising ideas

We’ve got the best fundraising ideas for good causes of all shapes and sizes! Check out our curated lists or browse all fundraising ideas below by cost, effort, and impact.

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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.  
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gift-basket-showdown
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/more-money-no-problems
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Fantasy football draft party

Host a live draft event where participants pay an entry fee to join a fantasy football league, with proceeds benefiting your team or program. Set the scene with big screens and food vendors!
Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fantasy-football-draft-party
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Influencer collaboration

Partner with local celebrities, influencers, or experts to amplify your campaign on social. Ask them to donate, match contributions, share your campaign with their followers.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/influencer-collaboration
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Peer-to-peer

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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pay-you-not-to-ask-me-again
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Disc golf fundraiser

Swap traditional golf for disc golf and attract a new crowd to help you raise money. Sell tickets for people to take part, and livestream the event so your community can cheer on participants and donate from wherever they are.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/disc-golf-fundraiser
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Events
Peer-to-peer

Spring cleaning

Rally volunteers together for a spring cleaning of your community space or a street in your neighborhood. Reach out to local businesses to sponsor the event and offer supplies. Then, invite donations from your local community with scan-to-donate signage as you work!
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/spring-cleaning
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Singing telegram

Unleash your inner performer with a singing telegram! Cast willing team members to be singers, and and sell performances for a set donation amount. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/singing-telegram
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/student-art-auction
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Cup of coffee


Set up a coffee cart in the office and invite employees or passersby to donate the cost of their morning beverage to your cause. 

Offer scan to-donate and accept Venmo donations to make giving even easier.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cup-of-coffee
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Caroling


Embrace the holiday spirit and spread joy by going caroling around town or at a seasonal event. Pass the hat for cash donations and display a large QR code or text-to-donate number for easy mobile giving.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/caroling
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Events

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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/movement-challenge
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Peer-to-peer
Events
Pages & forms

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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/refer-a-friend
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Pet-friendly bake sale


Choose a location in a high-pet-traffic area, request treat donations from pet supply stores, and get to selling! Offer multiple payment methods, including scan-to-donate and Venmo.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-friendly-bake-sale
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School karaoke

A silly and fun way to raise funds, students pay a small donation to sing family-friendly karaoke songs over the school’s P.A. system or in a special assembly. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/school-karaoke
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Team mission trip fundraiser

Raise funds for your mission trip with a team fundraising campaign. Individuals and groups can create personalized fundraising pages and compete to see who can raise the most by a certain date! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/team-mission-trip-fundraiser
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Peer-to-peer
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Sports clinic


Host a sports clinic or skills camp for participants to learn from top coaches, pro players, or other notable experts. Depending on the scale of your clinic, you can sell several tickets to the public or offer just a few spots as a big-ticket silent auction item at a fundraising event.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sports-clinic
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Auctions

Cookie-decorating extravaganza


Volunteers bake batches of cookies to contribute to a decorating contest! Participants pay a small fee to enter and use frosting and other edible flare you provide to compete for the best cookie design.

To make your fundraising event even sweeter, bring in a cookie-decorating expert to show off some sweet tips and tricks.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cookie-decorating-extravaganza
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Comedy roast

Invite participants to roast their teachers or coaches—in a light-hearted way. Sell tickets online and check-in attendees as they arrive, in addition to offering in-person donations for entry (and snacks!) with Venmo and scan-to-donate. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/comedy-roast
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Food truck Friday


Choose one Friday every month to be Food Truck Friday, in which you partner up with a local food truck to visit the area and promote their arrival.

In exchange for driving more business their way, use a sponsorship proposal to negotiate a percentage of profits for your good cause.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/food-truck-friday
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-movie-night
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Skate-a-thon


For a fun twist on a walk-a-thon, swap the walking shoes for rollerblades or quad skates and raise money for a good cause.

Encourage participants to create peer-to-peer fundraising pages they can personalize with their own stories and updates leading up to the big day. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/skate-a-thon
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Events
Peer-to-peer

Speakeasy night


Sell tickets to a prohibition-era-themed night that features poker, themed cocktails, live music, and more. Sell tickets to this fundraising event ahead of time, and accept donations from latecomers on the spot, too.


Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/speakeasy-night
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/coach-dare
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