Your go-to source for fundraising inspiration
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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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
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/comedy-roast
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Feast of ideas
Celebrate the knowledge and passion of your school or learning community with a gala or dinner event centered on sharing ideas, insights, and wisdom.
Cost:



1
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2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/feast-of-ideas
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Events
Auctions
Pages & forms
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!
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/superhero-run
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Storybook Character Dress-Up Day
Invite students to come to school dressed as their favorite storybook characters. Charge a small participation fee and organize storytimes throughout the day.
Cost:



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Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/storybook-character-dress-up-day
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Events
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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:



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3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/silent-auction
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Auctions
Expert lecture series
Recruit local experts, professors, speakers, and community leaders to donate their time and expertise for a series of talks on a certain theme.
Sell tickets to in-person attendees and offer a livestreaming option to increase donations and reach interested supporters from anywhere.
Sell tickets to in-person attendees and offer a livestreaming option to increase donations and reach interested supporters from anywhere.
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/expert-lecture-series
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Events
Reverse raffle
Unlike a traditional raffle, the last ticket holder gets the grand prize in a reverse raffle. Offer custom ticket types to feature various raffle items so participants have lots of options.
Before you start planning, be sure to check for any state regulations on raffles where you live!
Before you start planning, be sure to check for any state regulations on raffles where you live!
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/reverse-raffle
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Events
Auctions
Pages & forms
Water balloons & sponge toss
For this fundraising event, charge a small fee per water balloon or sponge, and let students throw them at each other during a pep rally or outdoor event. For easy participation, offer scan-to-donate and accept multiple payment methods like Apple Pay, Venmo, and more.
Cost:



1
Effort:



1
Impact:



2
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sponge-toss
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Events
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Playing for good
Turn a standard golf tournament into something meaningful by spotlighting your cancer charity. Invite teams to sign up, host a raffle or auction, and encourage guests to give generously throughout the day.
Cost:



2
Effort:



3
Impact:



3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/playing-for-good
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Events
Auctions
Pages & forms
Teacher spelling bee
Put your teachers and school admins in the spelling spotlight. Ask for an entry fee and charge contestants for “help” if their skills are rusty (like buying an “ask-the-audience” pass!).
To make this event virtual or hybrid, livestream it from your event page for attendees to watch from home.
To make this event virtual or hybrid, livestream it from your event page for attendees to watch from home.
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teacher-spelling-bee
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Events
Spooky bake sale
Decorate cookies and other treats with Halloween flair and sell them at a fall festival or community gathering. Or, make the bake sale the main event!
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/spooky-bake-sale
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Pages & forms
Events
Themed auction
Partner with local businesses to source items for a themed auction with a variety of attractive packages, exciting products, and alluring getaways.
Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations.
Asking for items to sell at your auction can feel daunting at first, so use this silent auction donation request guide to help you build relationships and attract amazing donations.
Cost:



2
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2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/themed-auction
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Auctions
Smash it!
Ask your local junkyard to donate totaled cars and invite supporters to make a donation to take a sledgehammer to them.
Sell different kinds of tickets online for smashers and audience members and offer food and drinks to raise even more during the fun. Don’t forget the safety goggles!
Sell different kinds of tickets online for smashers and audience members and offer food and drinks to raise even more during the fun. Don’t forget the safety goggles!
Cost:



2
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/car-smashing
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Events
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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All
Events
Peer-to-peer
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
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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Events
Pages & forms
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.
Cost:



2
Effort:



3
Impact:



3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/art-festival
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Events
Golf auction
Plan an in-person, virtual, or hybrid auction themed all around golf. Ask club members and local golf companies to donate items or experiences, and see if you can encourage a celebrity or local expert to get involved.
Cost:



2
Effort:



3
Impact:



3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/golf-auction
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Auctions
Pet costume contest
Invite owners to enter their pets in themed costume categories like "cutest" or "most creative." Charge an entry fee and ask attendees to vote for their stylish furry favorite by donating to the pet’s individual fundraising page.
Cost:



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Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-costume-contest
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All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Pages & forms
Ale tasting
For a fun twist on the usual wine tasting, sell tickets online and in person to an ale-tasting event instead. Host an evening of learning about brewing, tasting different beers, and raising money for a good cause.
Cost:



2
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ale-tasting
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Events
Teen film festival
Invite teens to showcase their own short films and charge admission to audience members. In order to cast a vote for their favorite films, supporters must give a donation to the film’s/filmmaker’s team fundraising page. Watch the results roll in on the live leaderboard and offer awards for the best film winners in various categories.
Cost:



1
Effort:



3
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teen-film-festival
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Recycling drive
Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a local service to turn these items into funds.
Recycling drives work great for long-term fundraising. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them when and where they can drop off materials via your email marketing software.
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/recycling-drive
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Events
Pages & forms
Charity golf day
Combine two or more golf-themed events into your own charity or nonprofit golf day. Host a golf tournament, hand out sponsored awards, and end the day with an evening gala and an auction.
Cost:



3
Effort:



3
Impact:



3
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/charity-golf-day
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All
Events
Peer-to-peer
Photo contest
Run a short photo contest for an inexpensive, all-ages fundraiser. Choose a theme, charge a small fee to enter, and invite community members to submit their photos alongside their donations in your supporter feed.
Raise even more by turning the top photos into a deck of cards or a calendar.
Raise even more by turning the top photos into a deck of cards or a calendar.
Cost:



1
Effort:



2
Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/photo-contest
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Events
Pages & forms
Summer day out
Raise funds and give your supporters a memorable experience at the same time with an excursion to an exciting attraction, museum, or other destination.
Use a fundraising event page to make registration and payment easy, and add custom fields to capture important information from each participant, such as t-shirt size or dietary restrictions.
Cost:



2
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Impact:



2
Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/summer-day-out
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Events
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