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Fundraising ideas for individuals on behalf of nonprofits

Whether you’re a passionate individual supporter or a nonprofit organization eager to engage more people in your fundraising efforts, we’ve pulled together a slew of individual fundraising ideas that are sure to make an impact. 

From birthday donations and crowdfunding campaigns to baked goods sales and social media challenges, this list of easy fundraising ideas for individuals will help you find the inspiration you need to start raising funds for your favorite organization.

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Mini-golf tournament

Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause.

Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
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Grab bags

Reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a small number of products that you can bundle together and offer donors online.

To attract more partnerships from businesses, create a sponsorship proposal that emphasizes the benefits for them, like free publicity and marketing opportunities.

Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Auctions

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:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/donation-drive
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Shave for the cause

Create a peer to peer fundraising campaign and invite participants to create their own pages and compete to raise the most funds. Watch the leaderboard for live updates on who’s in the lead. The person with the highest amount raised or the most individual donations will shave their head—or nominate someone else to shave their own!

Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/shave-for-the-cause
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March Madness

Raise money while cheering on your favorite NCAA players with a bracket competition culminating in a ticketed March Madness watch party.

To take this fundraising idea online, take advantage of livestreaming tools, too!

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

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:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/trivia-night
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Recycling drive

Ask supporters to collect recyclable materials like cans, bottles, or even old tech, then use a service that helps you turn these items into cash. Recycling drives work as great long-term fundraising activities. Keep your supporters engaged and remind them where and when they can drop off materials with your email marketing software.

Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/recycling-drive
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House party

Host a house party and charge a small entrance fee to gain entry. Choose a theme to match your audience or fundraising campaign goal.

Sell event tickets online in advance, check guests in with our mobile app, and use Tap to Pay and Venmo donations to accept latecomers on the spot.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Crowdfunding campaign

Collect online donations from friends, family, and community members by creating a fundraising page that lays out your needs and the impact that you will make with the money you raise. Use photos and videos to make your story more engaging, and use a goal bar to showcase your progress.

Be sure to follow crowdfunding best practices in order to make your campaign an even bigger success!

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
3
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Grown-up bake sale

Sell donated or homemade gourmet goodies like croissants and macarons for the ultimate grownups-with-a-sweet-tooth fundraiser.

Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/grown-up-bake-sale
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Events

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:
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Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/birthday-fundraiser
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Give it up challenge

Invite supporters to “give up” something small like their morning coffee order for a set amount of time and donate those funds towards your campaign instead.

Create a fundraising page for your challenge, including a list of ideas and suggested donation amounts. Share campaign updates and donor shout-outs to keep momentum going toward your goal!

Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/give-it-up-challenge
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Workshop or masterclass

Put your community’s talents to good use.Host an expert workshop or masterclass series and raise funds through ticket sales.

You don’t need to limit your audience to only the people you can fit in the room. Consider livestreaming your event to make it more accessible and raise even more dollars.

Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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Auctions

10,000 steps challenge

Encourage members to set up a fundraising page and accept pledges based on how long they’ll commit to their 10k-steps-a-day habit.

Invite participants to set up a peer-to-peer fundraising page where they can share their personal stories and interact with supporters.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/10-000-steps-challenge
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Peer-to-peer

Yard sale

Turn old treasures into fresh new funds for your good cause! Ask community members to host individual yard sales and donate their proceeds to your campaign. Or, host one large community yard sale using donated goods.

Create a fundraising page for your yard sale, use campaign updates to keep your community engaged, and update the fundraising total to reflect how much you’ve raised.

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/yard-sale
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Lemonade stand

Sell lemonade (and maybe some tasty treats, too!) to raise funds for your cause. Make purchases smooth as butter with scan-to-donate and donation forms that accept every payment method, including Venmo!

Cost:
1
Effort:
1
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/lemonade-stand
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Cookie-decorating extravaganza

Volunteers bake batches of cookies to contribute to a decorating contest! Participants pay a small fee to enter and use frosting and other edible flare you provide to compete for the best cookie design.

To make your fundraising event even sweeter, bring in a cookie-decorating expert to show off some sweet tips and tricks.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/cookie-decorating-extravaganza
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Escape Room Challenge

Charge a participation fee and challenge teams to solve puzzles and clues to "escape” from various spaces in this exciting, community-building fundraising event.

Cost:
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Impact:
2
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Corporate matching gift drive

Create a special awareness campaign and fundraiser that highlights the matching donation programs that many companies offer.

Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/corporate-matching-gift-drive
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Events
Fundraising page

Flower bouquets

Partner with a local florist to set up a stall where volunteers make, wrap, and sell flower bouquets for Mother's Day, Easter, or any other spring celebration.

Create a fundraising page with custom donation amounts featuring a photo of each kind of bouquet and the number available so donors can reserve bouquets online or purchase in person.

Cost:
2
Effort:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/flower-bouquets
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Fashion show

Host a fashion show that showcases talented local designers, fashion students, or both! Make it inclusive and invite people of all sizes and abilities to be your models.

At this fundraising event, you can bring in donations by charging entrance fees, selling food and drinks, and adding a silent auction.

Cost:
2
Effort:
3
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fashion-show
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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:
2
Impact:
2
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teen-film-festival
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Peer-to-peer

Gift wrapping

Source donated paper, set up a gift wrapping station in a popular location, and charge for holiday gift-wrapping! Use scan-to-donate or Venmo to accept payments on the spot.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/gift-wrapping
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Fundraising page
Events

Gift basket showdown

Using peer-to-peer fundraising, participants compete to raise the most money for your campaign. The winner gets the first pick from a selection of gift baskets.

Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
1
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Virtual bike-a-thon

Set a distance and have your bikers pay a registration fee to join in. Then, foster some friendly competition by encouraging supporters to start or join a team, raise funds, and set off wherever they are.

Cost:
1
Effort:
2
Impact:
3
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/virtual-bike-a-thon
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Frequently asked questions

When it comes to raising funds solo, there are plenty of effective personal fundraising ideas that don't require the support of a large team or organization. Once you choose a nonprofit you want to support, take advantage of online fundraising by creating a personal fundraising page, asking friends and family to contribute to your donation page in lieu of gifts on your birthday, or even running a race and asking for small donations.

There are numerous ways to ask for donations, but be sure to keep a few best practices to keep in mind. Instead of sending generic messages, personalize your outreach to each potential donor. Share why the cause is meaningful to you and how their contribution can truly make a difference. And don't forget to express genuine gratitude for their support, no matter the size of their donation.

While birthday donations and crowdfunding are classic single-person fundraising ideas, larger-scale fundraising campaigns and events are more likely to bring in higher donations with greater speed. Whether you charge an entry fee for a concert, ask local businesses to sponsor a car wash, or sell tickets for a block party, exciting events have the potential to attract a large audience and help you reach your fundraising goal more quickly.

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