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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.

Givebutter fundraising progress graphic showing $45,000 raised out of a $50,000 goal (90% complete), with a smiling yellow character holding a light bulb and a green 'Support Now!' button.

All fundraising ideas

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Celebrity guest appearance

Invite minor or major league players or other celebrity guests to your fundraising event to make a general appearance, offer a meet-and-greet session for VIPs, or participate in the event themselves! You can sell tickets and offer food and drink at an additional cost to make this fundraising event a big win for your cause.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/celebrity-guest-appearance
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Events

Bake to give raffle

Gather your community’s star bakers and turn their sweet creations into a fundraising feast!

Ask members to whip up their favorite cakes or cookies to sell at your event. Want to add some extra excitement? Sell raffle tickets and give away delicious baked goods as prizes

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/bake-to-give-raffle
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Fundraising page
Events
Auctions

LGBTQ+ trivia night

Charge a registration fee for a fun night of testing your LGBTQ+ knowledge. To raise additional funds at this fundraising event, sell pride-themed merch, drinks, and snacks, too!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lgbtq-trivia-night
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Events

50-yard-line movie night

Hang a projector screen (or large, white sheet) from the goalposts at the football field. Charge a small entrance fee, sell popcorn, and enjoy an outdoor movie night together—football-themed film or not! 
Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/50-yard-line-movie-night
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Events

Discount cards

Create and sell discount card coupon books full of deals to local restaurants and businesses. Sell the coupon books on a custom donation form and share it far and wide!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/discount-cards
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Donation forms
Fundraising page

Telethon

Livestream an engaging program from your fundraising page with information, entertainment, and impact stories to inspire viewers to donate. Task volunteers with accepting gifts over the phone and replying to comments and gifts on your supporter feed. Don’t forget to display a live thermometer so everyone can watch donations come in in real time!

Cost:
1
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/telethon
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Events
Peer-to-peer
Fundraising page

Tool drive

Rather than requesting a financial gift, ask supporters to donate new or gently used tools and construction equipment for your programs and services. Or, sell them in an annual community tool sale. Don’t forget to send friendly reminders and guidelines on what kinds of tools can be donated using free email marketing software!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/tool-drive
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Events
Donation forms

Holiday card campaign

Craft a festive holiday card to mail directly or send digitally to your supporters. Extend season’s greetings, express gratitude for their support, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals.

Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/holiday-card-campaign
All
Donation forms
Fundraising page

Baby picture guessing

Invite employees to bring in baby photos. Hang them all up and ask everyone to make a donation in order to guess which colleague is depicted in each picture!  
Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/baby-picture-guessing
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Donation forms

Oozeball tourney

Turn the sand volleyball court into a temporary mud pit. Ask participants to pay an entrance fee and create team fundraising pages where friends and family can show their support with donations.
Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/oozeball-tourney
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Events
Peer-to-peer

Maze for a cause

If you don’t have corn maze capabilities, find a large outdoor space where you can build a maze from hay bales!

Charge an entrance fee to walk the maze, and make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and Tap to Pay options.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/maze-for-a-cause
All
Events
Donation forms

One for one pledge

Whether you’re offering branded merch, boxed lunches, or other appealing products, incentivize even more donations for your cause by pledging to give away one “reward” item for each one purchased. (For example, for every pair of cozy socks sold, you’ll donate a pair to a local shelter.)

Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/one-for-one-pledge
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Fundraising page

Serve-a-thon

Turn your volleyball skills into a high-energy fundraiser with a serve-a-thon! Players collect pledges for every successful serve they make during a timed event. Invite teammates, supporters, and even future players to join in the fun. It’s a great way to raise funds, strengthen your team, and build community—all while spiking your fundraising goals.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/serve-a-thon
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Events
Fundraising page

Local celebrities

Invite a local children’s book author or beloved mascot to an event. Guests will pay a fee to attend, ask questions, and take photos! 
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/local-celebrities
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Events
Donation forms

Alumni night

Sell tickets to an all-inclusive alumni dinner before a big game or event. During half-time or intermission, bring out the alumni for special recognition. Alternatively, you can livestream a special alumni message during a virtual event.

Cost:
3
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/alumni-night
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Events

Penny wars

Grades or classes compete to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Grab a few jars and encourage students to find some loose change to get started! To ensure that no one forgets their cents at home, send reminders to parents with free texting software.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/penny-wars
All
Fundraising page
Donation forms

Easter egg hunt

Set up an epic Easter egg hunt and create a fundraising event page for families in your community to register and make a sliding-scale donation to participate.

Create an Easter Bunny photo booth and host a bake sale to bring in even more donations with scan-to-donate and Venmo donations on the day of the hunt!

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/easter-egg-hunt
All
Events

Street painting competition

Choose a theme and secure a paved area where supporters can register to paint their own parking space or designated square.

Ask a local business to donate painting supplies, then invite the community to vote for their favorite design by making a donation ($1 = 1 vote) using a scan-to-donate QR code.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/street-painting-competition
All
Events
Fundraising page
Donation forms

Harvest dinner party

Host a grand harvest or Thanksgiving dinner party for special guests. Raise money through exclusive ticket sales, and use corporate sponsorship best practices to secure a partnership with a local restaurant or catering company.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/harvest-dinner-party
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Events

Rent your space

Rent your field, venue, office, or community space to other groups and organizations to make the most of any time it isn't in use.

Spread the word that your space is available for rent with your email marketing software. Don’t forget to include photos of the space to encourage interest!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/rent-your-space
All
Donation forms

Trivia night

At this crowd-favorite activity, you can come up with fun questions, charge entry fees for teams, and raise extra money by providing sweet and salty snacks.

Make the evening go even smoother with seamless attendee check-ins and easy payment options like Tap to pay, Venmo donations, and scan-to-donate.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/trivia-night
All
Events

Pride-themed merch sale

Design and sell pride-themed merchandise such as t-shirts, buttons, stickers, and flags. To drum up excitement, create a custom donation form, event, or fundraising page that includes images of the available items.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pride-themed-merch-sale
All
Donation forms
Events
Fundraising page

Membership drive

Incentivize supporters to invite friends and family to sign up for a membership during a specific period of time. Offer discounted rates or additional perks, and accept recurring donations with ease on a user-friendly platform.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/membership-drive
All
Fundraising page
Donation forms

Birthday fundraiser

Encourage friends and family members to make a donation to your nonprofit cause instead of giving you a birthday gift.

Givebutter’s fundraising pages make it easy to get creative and express your personality. Add photos and videos, share your story, and leave comments and drawings for your supporters as they give.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
Share this idea
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/birthday-fundraiser
All
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer
Donation forms
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