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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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Cornhole tournament

Gather your community for a friendly cornhole tournament. Set a donation amount to participate, and don’t forget prizes for the winning team.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cornhole-tournament
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Events
Fundraising page

Touchdown sponsorships

Ask local businesses to sponsor your team for the entire season! Create a sponsorship proposal that outlines exactly what donors will get in return—like featuring their signage or logo each time you score!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/touchdown-sponsorships
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Donation forms

Legacy giving

Encourage supporters to make a planned gift to your organization (e.g., bequests, charitable trusts, or beneficiary designations) to leave a lasting legacy. Wealth screening software can help you identify the best donors to reach out to right in your CRM.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/legacy-giving
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Donation forms

LGBTQ+ workshop series

Charge a registration fee for a series of educational workshops or panel discussions on topics such as gender identity, allyship, and queer history.

Spread the word and follow up with attendees using free email marketing software.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lgbtq-workshop-series
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Events

Holiday-grams

Put together bundles of holiday cards and small gifts and charge extra for distribution at your club, school, college, or workplace.

Customize your donation form with custom fields to collect all the details you need—such as the recipient’s name, a personalized, heartfelt holiday message, and where the gram should be delivered.

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

CEO challenge

Challenge company leaders to undertake fun or silly activities if you reach your fundraising goal. For example, the CEO could agree to wear a superhero costume for a day if your office reaches its fundraising target by a certain date. Use a custom donation page with a goal bar so everyone can watch donations roll in—and make sure you hit your goal.

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

Cup of coffee

Set up a coffee cart in the office and ask employees and/or passersby to donate the cost of their morning coffee towards the 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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Donation forms

Basketball tournament

Host a basketball tournament between different schools, teams, or departments. Sell event tickets and offer drinks, snacks, and merch using Tap to Pay.

Step things up by challenging each team to see who can raise the most. Encourage them to create team fundraising pages to track their impact and build momentum toward game day.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/basketball-tournament
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Events
Peer-to-peer

Trash-a-thon

Team up to clean up! Rally volunteers to collect litter in your local community, and have each participant gather sponsorships based on bags filled or hours spent. It's a powerful way to raise funds and make a visible impact.

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

Open mic night

Invite community members to perform music, poetry, or comedy for a good cause. Ask audience members to make a small donation and offer snacks to raise more funds using easy in-person mobile payments like Tap to Pay and scan-to-donate.

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

Sell merch

Branded T-shirts, sweaters, shorts, or water bottles are a great way to raise cash and advertise your organization. Set up an online store and sell merch at community events.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sell-merch
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Fundraising page

Thrifty fashion show

Host a fashion show featuring only second-hand clothes, which will then be on sale after the show! Charge an entrance fee, sell food and drinks, and remember to send a big thank you to everyone when your fundraising event is all over.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/thrifty-fashion-show
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Events

Church choir performance

Organize a night of beautiful singing performed by your talented church choir. Sell tickets for a small fee and invite audience members to make donations at the end of the celebration from their phones with an easy text-to-donate code.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/church-choir-performance
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Events

Players vs. parents game

It’s kids vs. grownups in this ultimate showdown. Ask for a small donation per participant or family or charge a small fee for supporters to come watch it all go down.
Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/players-vs-parents-game
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Events
Peer-to-peer

Haunted house

Create a spooky experience and raise funds by encouraging brave participants to enter—if they dare. Accept payments on the spot with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and more convenient options.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/haunted-house
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Events
Donation forms

Community service day

Organize volunteers to take part in a day of community care in which you work together to tackle projects and tasks in exchange for donations from your community members.

Showcase every project or fundraiser you’re working on with a central giving hub. Your supporters can then see all your amazing work in one place.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-service-day
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Events
Fundraising page
Donation forms

Pancakes for parents

Charge a small entrance fee for a dropoff pancake breakfast just for kids, allowing parents to take some much-needed time to rest and relax.

Make the whole process even more convenient for parents with easy online ticketing and scan-to-donate options at the door.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pancakes-for-parents
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Events

Donation drive

Set up a donation drive to collect valuable in-kind donations or financial gifts for your cause. This can be done by setting up a drop-off zone in person or collecting donations online through a fundraising page. No matter the format—make sure to share your fundraising goal far and wide to keep the momentum going!

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

Peer-to-peer fundraising

Multiply your reach with a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign in which individuals reach out to their own networks of family, friends, and coworkers to solicit donations for your cause.

Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/peer-to-peer-fundraising
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Peer-to-peer

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

Sponsor my uniform fundraiser

Bring your A-game to a uniform sponsorship drive!

Create a fun, easy sponsorship form so players can rally support from friends and family to help cover uniform costs——because looking sharp on the field starts with a little team spirit (and a lot of love from your biggest fans).

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/sponsor-my-uniform-fundraiser
All
Fundraising page
Peer-to-peer

More money, no problems

Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a 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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Fundraising page
Donation forms

Student battle of the bands

Invite student-run bands to rock out for a prize! Charge entry fees and offer rad, donated prizes for the winners. Have each band create a team fundraising page, and encourage attendees to cast their votes for their favorites bands with a donation!

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/student-battle-of-the-bands
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Events
Peer-to-peer

No-talent show

Sell tickets to an all-but-traditional talent show where people make a fool of themselves for a good cause. Offer seamless event ticketing, sell food and drinks, and let the laughs begin!

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
Share this idea
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/no-talent-show
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Events
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