Need to raise funds but out of ideas? Don’t wait around for a eureka moment — we’ve got you covered! Whether you’ve had a mid-project slump, need to collect resources for an emergency or simply want to raise awareness — here are 44 unique nonprofit fundraising ideas to help you maximize donations. Implementing these ideas with the help of fundraising software is a top-notch combination that can inspire donors to align with your cause.
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Article Roadmap
- Fundraising Ideas for Schools and Colleges
- Athletic Fundraising Ideas
- Virtual Fundraising Ideas
- Cheap Fundraising Ideas
- Creative Fundraising Ideas
- Classic Fundraising Ideas
- Some Tips To Keep In Mind
- Importance of Measuring Campaign Success
- Next Steps
Fundraising Ideas for Schools and Colleges
1. Spelling Bee
Spelling bees are not only entertaining but also a great opportunity for children and young adults to brush up on their vocabulary and language skills. You can advertise the event at a number of local venues like churches, gyms, educational institutions and more. Promoting it online with a series of posts and reels can help it reach a wider audience.
2. Bake Sale
An excuse to indulge in delicious cookies served by adorable kiddos? Sign us up! This classic fundraising idea is simple, budget-friendly and sure to attract a good audience.
You can make it a contest, and supporters can donate to taste and vote for their favorite item. Or you can scrap the competition and charge a flat fee for each baked good. Do take note of your locality’s food-serving laws before committing to the event.
3. School Talent Show
Children can display their unique set of talents while contributing to a cause. You can charge a registration fee and sell audience tickets to parents who wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.
Give a virtual option to aunts, uncles and grandparents who can’t make it and widen the reach of your audience. Make sure to pre-record or live stream it on a reliable internet platform with minimal hiccups. You can also encourage attendees to donate in the name of their favorite performers or loved ones.
4. Photo Booth
It’s no secret that today’s generation loves taking pictures. Use it to your advantage and set up photo booths, props, equipment, lights and cameras so you can give them their main character moment.
Get a volunteer to help budding student photographers hone their skills. After the event, you can gather the best photos and turn them into a calendar for proud parents. You can also encourage students to tag your social media handles when they post pictures.
5. Disco
Bring the 70s back with this groovy fundraiser idea. Excited students would jump on the prospect of dancing the day away with their friends at their own school. You can sell entry tickets and charge extra in case someone wants to play a song of their choice. If you’re not particularly into what Gen Z listens to, you can always turn the event into a silent disco and regulate noise levels.
6. Teachers vs. Students Trivia
A showdown between teachers and students, who will emerge victorious and who will bite the dust? You can charge a registration fee and sell tickets to the whole school, who’ll be sure to attend this fun event and support the cause.
The trivia topics could be anything, not just limited to school subjects, so there’s a fair chance of anyone winning. But beware, for you could be surprised by how much your math teacher knows about pop culture and the Kardashians.
7. Art Sale
Tap into students’ creative talents and provide a platform for them to display their art. You only need to chip in for art supplies and other nominal costs for this affordable idea. Get teachers to help you organize the event at the gymnasium or school grounds. Charge each artist a fee to participate and a flat fee for parents and other students to browse the collection.
8. Bookworm Fest
Organize an event where parents and children can delve into the world of books without any interruptions. Parents can donate for every minute or page they and their children spend reading. The only rule? No use of technology (unless it’s an emergency).
This wonderful peer-to-peer fundraising idea provides an opportunity to disconnect from the online world and encourages more children to read.
Athletic Fundraising Ideas
9. Run for a Cause
A 5k race, marathon or walk-a-thon is a surefire way to raise money for your cause. You can set a revenue goal and implement peer-to-peer fundraising so participants can raise donations upon registration. Charge entry fees, prepare incentives and promote the campaign vigorously on social media.
You can also organize it virtually, like the Hike for Haiti virtual challenge encouraging students and families to climb 200 flights of stairs. This distance represents how much the students of Marre à Coiffe need to travel to access clean water and other necessities. People all over the world posted photos of them doing this challenge and managed to raise over $344,000 in the process.
10. Golf Tournament
Host a golf tournament and get various small and large-scale companies involved. You can request local sports authorities to rent a golf course for a minimal fee or ask them to donate a portion of their proceeds to the cause. Charge registration fees and money for snacks and drinks during breaks.
11. Relay Races and Dances
Relays are a great way to get people involved with a cause and cater to their fun-loving and competitive spirit. Get participants to fundraise upon registration and sell tickets to family and friends who want to cheer for their loved ones.
Add an interesting twist like getting participants to wear costumes or organize humorous hurdles like a three-legged race. Or you can arrange a 24-hour relay dance marathon instead and encourage participants to show you what they got!
12. Treadmill Relay
Partner with a local gym for this nonprofit fundraising idea. Ask participants to pick a time slot (15 mins, 30 mins, 45 mins or more) and encourage them to donate for every milestone they hit on the treadmill. You can also organize this virtually and get participants to donate for how many miles they run.
13. Sports Lovers Arena
Rent a place and center it around a beloved sport like football, basketball or baseball. You can organize the game, charge teams for registration and sell tickets to the audience. In case you have a modest budget, it can also be small dribble challenges or dunk contests if you pick basketball, for instance.
Get a projector and live telecast that sport’s national or regional games. You can sell merchandise of popular sports teams or organize trivia about the game. Sports lovers would surely visit and help raise money for your organization.
14. Exercise Lessons
Get in touch with a local yoga, tennis or zumba expert who’s willing to donate their skills for a good cause. You can find qualified instructors at local gyms, workout studios or through social media. Host a fun-filled afternoon with mood lighting, a killer playlist and post-workout snacks to attract donors and donations.
Virtual Fundraising Ideas
15. Photo Contest
Run a virtual photo contest to connect with donors more organically and increase your nonprofit’s reach. Pick a theme and ask people to submit entries for a registration fee. You can put entries on your website and charge a small donation from people who want to vote, or you can decide the winner from who gets the most likes on social media.
Make sure participants are using appropriate hashtags and account tags. Share the winner’s entry on your social media handles and website. You can also ask a local gallery to display the winner’s picture for a week.
16. Ten Thousand Steps Challenge
This idea encourages people to reach their fitness goals with the incentive of completing them for a cause. Ask participants to set a goal for themselves — be it a hike, indoor cycling or a ten thousand steps challenge.
They can track their progress on an Apple Watch, Strava app or other fitness trackers. Encourage them to donate once they reach their goal, and you can acknowledge them on your social media stories.
17. Cooking Class
Ask employees, volunteers or donors if they’d be willing to host a cooking class or hire a professional chef for the virtual session. Charge a flat fee or fundraising minimum from participants who want to attend the live stream. You can also charge extra for getting tips or attending a Q&A session after the class.
18. Twitch Video Game Fundraiser
Twitch is a great platform to reach large sets of audiences who are interested in helping out nonprofits. Invite gamers to share your fundraising website in the chat during live streams. Ask them to say a few words about your mission and encourage them to further share your firm’s details with their friends and family. This is a simple and effective way to bring organic attention to a worthy cause through gamers.
19. Indulge Coffee Heads
Help supporters gift a cup of coffee to the Lorelai Gilmores in their lives. Set up a fundraising page where donors can place orders, donate and even leave personalized notes for their loved ones.
You can partner with local cafes for this mission. Supporters can pay more if they want specialty beverages like pumpkin spice latte or hot chocolate.
20. Reversed Raffle
Host the classic raffle game but with a fun twist. This method works best if you auction something everyone would love, like a paid trip or a pop star’s concert ticket. Unlike regular raffle, the winner is the one with the last remaining number. It’s a brilliant way to build anticipation during a live stream event for the grand prize.
21. Virtual Bingo
Another classic game, Bingo, is easy and fun to play. You can find tons of virtual bingo games on the internet. Pick one of them and encourage supporters to get their family and friends to attend. Charge a small registration fee and keep an eye-catching prize ready for the winner. You can also pick other popular virtual board games like monopoly or scrabble.
22. Documentary and Q&A
Live stream a documentary related to your cause and get someone involved in the film to join the session. You can also bring someone with specialized knowledge in the field and open the floor for discussion with some Q&As. Movie buffs will surely attend this event and donate to your nonprofit.
23. Giveaway
A simple concept that many online platforms have successfully implemented to date, it’s affordable and has a high ROI. Post a photo on your nonprofit’s Instagram with rules on how to enter the contest. Ask supporters to share your post on their stories and tag three friends in the comments to participate.
Pick a random entry and declare them the winner. The giveaway prize can be modest, like a free meal at a local restaurant or a vintage designer item people would love to have their hands on. You can offer additional entries to people in exchange for donations.
Cheap Fundraising Ideas
24. Upcycling Party
2010s fashion is out, and lately, it’s been all about Y2K nostalgia. Instead of throwing away your old clothes, bring them to this event to upcycle them into something trendy. Get some basic sewing kits, fabric glue, fabric paint, brushes and scissors, and you’re all good to go. You can find tons of ways to upcycle clothes online, like turning old jeans into a midi skirt, making patchwork denim, turning old tops into bandanas or just sticking rhinestones on everything.
You can also buy a bunch of tote bags to paint beautiful designs on. Tie-dying, crocheting and clothes swapping are other such options. Ask participants to post pictures of their upcycled items and tag your social media handles. The event is environment-friendly and helps donors breathe new life into old clothes.
25. Polar Bear Plunge
This excellent peer-to-peer fundraiser idea is cheap, adventurous and fun to execute. There’s nothing like jumping into ice-cold water — be it at a local beach, lake or pool and it’s sure to attract a lot of donors. You can encourage supporters to invite their friends and family, charge a registration fee and raise money on behalf of your organization.
26. Community Bonfire
There are few things in the world as comforting as having a bonfire with like-minded people. Keep some smores, hot chocolate and campfire songs ready to meet your fundraising goals. Talk about your mission and appreciate supporters for their contributions at the event.
You can also get tents and other supplies for an overnight bonfire and plan some activities to entertain donors. Something simple like a movie screening and jamming to favorite songs would work well.
27. Pet Talent Show
We come across adorable and funny pet videos on the internet all the time. Whether it’s cockatiels singing Addams family’s theme or dogs dancing around, we can’t get enough of them and neither will your supporters.
Organize a talent show and invite local pet owners to display their pet’s usual and unusual talents. Sell tickets for everyone who wants in on the showbiz and raise money for your nonprofit.
28. Scavenger Hunt
Classic, timeless and budget-friendly to execute, a scavenger hunt is the perfect opportunity to rope in supporters, old and new. Design a map or clues, hide a bunch of miscellaneous objects around town and let the game begin!
You can sell tickets for a local fun-filled afternoon and charge extra if donors want hints beforehand.
29. Comedy Night
Laughter is the best medicine and a great way to form connections. Invite volunteers and up-and-coming stand-up comedians to perform a short sketch for your cause. Along with selling audience tickets, you can encourage donors for additional support by purchasing food and drinks at the venue. Try to find local comedy clubs or bars that can offer their place or contribute a portion of their proceeds back to your cause.
30. Tea Party
Who wouldn’t love an elegant tea time accompanied by biscuits, cakes and soothing music? You can source beverages and food from local cafes that want to help with your cause. Take out your finest china and cutlery and invite supporters to relax at your classy high-tea event.
31. Fashion Show
Partner with a local venue and encourage supporters to buy tickets to your exclusive event. You can pick a theme and turn it into a cosplay affair as well. Ask participants to design their own costumes or collaborate with local boutiques willing to help out.
You can recruit volunteers and makeup artists to make sure the event runs smoothly. That’s it. Let your donors strut away and give you their best Bella Hadid face.
Creative Fundraising Ideas
32. Meditation Night
Invite people to unwind and rejuvenate at this mindfulness retreat in exchange for their donations. You can find yoga instructors or meditation experts willing to conduct wellness sessions for the cause. Find a quiet and comfortable place to help your participants destress. You can easily live stream and turn it into a virtual event as well.
33. Heritage Walk
Get a volunteer from a local museum or an amateur history enthusiast to conduct a walk at historic and unexplored places in the city. Ask them to delve into the rich stories surrounding the place and sell tour tickets. This hyper-local event will leave supporters with newfound knowledge and memories and encourage them to donate in the future.
34. Movie Night
Host a film screening at a local auditorium or park and invite attendees to the event in exchange for donations. Pick the movie based on a social media poll and encourage donors to donate a small amount for their favorite option.
You can even have a hate-watch marathon for shows and movies we all love to hate. Just make sure to get some popcorn and binge away!
35. Potluck
Offer your supporters a fun evening of live entertainment, music, great conversations and food from all over the world. This cheap and easy-to-execute fundraising idea is great for promoting diversity. All the attendees have to do is bring a meal of their choice.
Prepare an elevator pitch for the event where you talk about your nonprofit’s mission and thank donors for their support.
36. Speed Dating
Play cupid for your supporters and help them meet like-minded people with a shared interest in philanthropy. Speed dating events are the perfect opportunity to create a welcoming atmosphere and break the ice between people. Get volunteers to play live music and serve drinks to keep the event lively and bustling.
You can also host a speed-friending event where people get 30 seconds to chat with the other person to see if they can hit it off. Promote the event on social media and challenge the notion that it’s hard to make friends as adults!
37. Playback Theater Performance
Playback theater is a type of improv performance where audience members tell their stories and watch them re-enacted on the spot. Gather a bunch of talented volunteers who want to break a leg and sell tickets for the show.
Seeing one’s personal stories come to life in front of them will surely leave a lasting impression on your donors. If you can get a local theater artist on board to guide the program, you’re looking at a super successful fundraising event.
38. Pub Crawl
This unique nonprofit fundraising idea is a brilliant way to put a philanthropic twist on a fun Saturday night. Plan the route and decide which breweries and pubs you’ll visit. Encourage the venues to donate some of their proceeds to your cause and promote the event on social media.
You can also organize a brunch crawl instead if that’s your cup of tea. Enjoy a lovely morning with your donors over mimosas, pancakes and Eggs Benedict.
Classic Fundraising Ideas
39. Auction
A timeless fundraising event, auctions work their magic well and help reach your nonprofit’s goals. You can auction off many items. The most popular ones include vacations, antique items, art pieces, date nights and other larger-than-life commodities. Supporters may prefer a live, silent or virtual auction. Just get a gavel and passionate host to auction away!
40. Karaoke
This is the ultimate group event where your donors are guaranteed to have fun and show off their singing abilities. Pick a theme (90’s bubblegum pop, musicals, disco, tv show themes), show lyrics on the big screen and watch the audience loosen up. You can divide donors into groups based on their generations and battle it out to make the evening more fun.
41. Car Wash
Get some soap, wax, sponges, brushes and other equipment your volunteers need for the wash. Car wash fundraisers are easy to organize and provide great returns. You can rent out a place where people can get their cars or go door to door and wash cars on location.
42. Trivia
Embrace your inner know-it-alls and show everyone what you got. Trivia quizzes are an affordable nonprofit fundraising idea and can be held virtually or in person. Prepare a set of questions, find an engaging host and let the night begin!
Many bars host weekly trivia nights, and you can request them to use their venue. You can sell tickets for the fun-filled competitive event and charge for snacks and drinks.
43. Wine Tasting
Wine-tasting events are a classic, elegant and timeless way to raise money for nonprofits. Ask a local venue to host your event or request them to donate some of their proceeds to your cause. You can also get different kinds of wine bottles from local wineries and restaurants.
Consider recruiting a sommelier who will teach your guests how to taste each wine and explain the history behind them. Get some fine wines, cheeses and wine glasses, and you’re good to go ahead with this bubbly event.
44. Concert
This tried and true event will bring all live music junkies to help your cause. You can hire a popular local band or give the stage to amateur music groups. Sell entry tickets, food and drinks and collect additional donations from people who want to vote for their favorite band.
Make sure to offer a larger-than-life prize to the winning team and post about them on your social media page. You can also make this a virtual event and live stream the performance.
Some Tips To Keep In Mind
- Make a solid event plan and have a thorough idea of your fundraising goal. Decide upon the venue, theme, budget and type of fundraising event it would be.
- Market your event using traditional marketing, email marketing and social media.
- Think in terms of ROI — sometimes you plan a low-budget fundraiser, while other times you need to invest money and resources to have a successful event and raise donations.
- Listen to your supporters. If they want a fancy dinner party, give them that. If they’d prefer a heritage walk, go that route.
- Don’t stress too much about picking the perfect idea, as it’s the fact that you’re shining a spotlight on your cause that counts. Figure out how to best do that, and that’s a good start.
Importance of Measuring Campaign Success
If your nonprofit’s revenue is breaking even or operating at a loss, your campaign hasn’t been effective. It’s vital to assess and measure your fundraising campaigns based on metrics like the return on investment (ROI), donor retention rate, donor growth rate, social media engagement, average fundraising amount and average gift size.
Nonprofits must adapt to the changing times and keep track of the latest ways to attract donors. Always invest in long-term donor engagement. Whether it’s by conducting foolproof and old-school fundraising events or capitalizing on viral social media trends — let your donors speak to you and tell you what they want.
Next Steps
Phew — there you have it, 44 fundraising ideas for nonprofits to suit any occasion! Fundraisers come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from simple, affordable ideas to long-term campaigns that require bigger budgets. Narrow down your favorite choices, pick one that best suits you and measure how successful it was.
One of the proven methods to maximize campaign effectiveness is by using dedicated fundraising software. Check out our software comparison report and requirements template for further help.
Are there any fundraising ideas we missed that your organization swears by? Let us know in the comments below!