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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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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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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
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/feast-of-ideas
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/superhero-run
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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:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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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:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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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. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/expert-lecture-series
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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! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/reverse-raffle
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sponge-toss
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/playing-for-good
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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.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/spooky-bake-sale
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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. 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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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! 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/car-smashing
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/5k-walk-run
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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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
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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
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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:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-costume-contest
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ale-tasting
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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
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/recycling-drive
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Events
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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
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/charity-golf-day
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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. 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/photo-contest
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Events
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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
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/summer-day-out
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