Fundraising events are organized to gather financial support for a cause or organization. These activities range from small local gatherings to large public events, including auctions, galas, dinners, competitions, or sales. Beyond raising funds, these events aim to enhance community awareness and engagement. They are crucial for nonprofits to connect with donors, showcase achievements, and secure essential funding for ongoing operations and initiatives.
Fundraising is the lifeblood of a nonprofit. You know it, we know it. It is an excellent way to raise awareness and find support for your cause. That's why we've compiled a list of 49 fundraising event ideas. Whether you need a quick boost or a long-term strategy, we have the ideas to make it happen.
What Is a Fundraising Event?
A “fundraising event,” aka fundraiser, is organized by nonprofits and charities to raise awareness and identify potential donors to support a cause.
Nonprofits raise funds from institutional donors like the government, philanthropists, foundations, or individuals who care and want to contribute to the cause. Did you know that in the US, 85% of donors volunteer, and 81% attend nonprofit fundraising events?
Fundraising events can be as big and exciting as a concert or auction or as down-to-earth as a neighborhood block party or bake sale.
Out-of-the-Box Fundraising Event Examples
1. Donate Your Change Drive
Contact your local businesses and ask them to place donation jars near registers. Encourage rounding up purchases for donations on the difference. This easy and low-budget fundraising idea can be organized in small or larger volumes, according to your resources and aspirations.
2. Worst Talent Show
Turn the tables on traditional talent shows with your worst performance. Entry fees or money for votes can 'save' contestants from elimination, ensuring it resonates with the fundraiser's audience.
3. Reverse Raffle
Instead of buying winning tickets, you sell tickets for NO WIN. The last one NOT winning is the winner of a lesser prize. This fundraising idea is completely different and adds some ingenuity, as it brings some thrill to the old raffle idea.
4. Rent-a-Skill
Auction your supporters' rare skills, from doing yard work to tech support or even offering lessons on how to bake well, right down to dog walking. Donors will bid on the service they would most want. This fundraising event idea is the best way to keep your volunteers and supporters active while providing valuable service to your donors.
5. Blindfolded Taste Test Challenge
Have you seen those Instagram reels where people guess the food or drink while being blindfolded? You can replicate this idea for your next fundraising event. Charge a nominal entry fee and give a prize to the person with the most correct guess.
Fundraising Event Ideas for Nonprofits
6. Bake Sale
Organize a bake sale where you sell baked products, and people buy them for a price. This is more or less a very classic idea of how to raise funds, and it can be executed at any point during the year. It is also a great way to bring your volunteers and supporters together, especially if you need some helping hand in your nonprofit event planning.
7. Gala/Concert
Organize a charity gala or benefit concert and sell tickets. The event may include live music, stand-up comedy, food and drink service, or other forms of amusement combined so everyone can have a lively and worthy time.
8. Online Race
Host a virtual race and encourage participants to raise money for your cause by asking friends and family to sponsor them. Participants can complete the race on their own time and location, making it a convenient and accessible option for people of all fitness levels.
9. Silent Auction
Organize an annual silent auction with local businesses and ask people to donate all types of items or experiences. Let participants bid on the products, and after a particular fixed time, the people with the highest bids get the items. All proceeds go to your cause.
10. Golf Tournament
Host a golf tournament with proceeds going to charity, allowing entrance through fundraising for the charity. The golf entrants should pay for a round of golf, and sponsors should pay per hole played.
Fundraising Ideas for Schools and Colleges
11. Dorm Room Décor Auction
Have students donate or create dorm-friendly items and host a lively auction. This is perfect for the start of the semester when everyone's styling their rooms. Think cozy throws, decorative lighting, organizers for textbooks and supplies, mini-fridges, or even funny doormats. Partner with local businesses to score some donated items and create a wider variety for bidding.
12. Fix-it Fair
Organize a fair where students with handy skills (bike repair, phone screen replacement, clothing mending, etc.) offer their services for small donations. Set up a booth in a common area or during a campus event for high visibility. Promote the event through social media and fliers in relevant departments or student housing.
13. Campus Photography and Art Sale
Another fundraising idea for students is to hold a photography or art exhibit featuring student work. Offer prints, postcards, or small canvas prints for purchase. Collaborate with the campus art department, photography club, or other student artists to gather various styles and mediums. Consider partnering with local cafes or common areas to display the artwork for a week or two before the sale.
14. Step Challenge
Team up with a fitness app or utilize pedometers to track steps over a week or month. Set team and individual goals, with prizes and recognition for top steppers. Incentivize participation with pledges per step or a flat donation for joining.
15. Pop Culture Bee
This fundraising event tests participants' pop culture knowledge. It’s like a Spelling Bee, but you ask questions about pop culture instead of spelling. The event features challenges based on slang, movie quotes, and song snippets, and participants pay a small entry fee to compete. Bonus points are awarded for donations.
Fundraising Event Ideas for Corporates
16. Balloon Pop Extravaganza
Take the concept of balloon pop to a whole new level—pun very much intended. As your team members make their way across the finish line, have them enticed by colorful balloons containing either fun little prizes or a chance to win and participate in some ridiculous challenge. Employees pay to "attack the blimps" (balloons) and see what they get! This adds an element of surprise and lighthearted competition.
17. Departmental Decathlon
Encourage the heads of all your departments to come together and have a sort of decathlon, urging them to compete in a suite of challenges related to their domain of interest. Sales could go head-to-head in a "Pitch-Off," Design could host a "Paper Airplane Throw" contest, and Marketers could duke it out in a "Keyboard Typing Race." Offer a mixture of skill-based and purely silly challenges to help celebrate each team's talent and quirks.
18. Bingo with a Twist
Another fundraising charity event idea for corporates is bingo but with a twist. All you need to do is print custom bingo cards filled with inside jokes, company lingo, and references to project names. Make up for the dry B-12 calls with side-splitting verbiage or departmentally applicable terms. Get creative with prizes such as hotly contested parking spots for a week, gourmet coffee deliveries, or even a "Take the Boss to Lunch" gift certificate.
19. Karaoke for a Cause
Everybody loves karaoke. It's the biggest and best fun you can have at your fundraiser. Charge a small entry fee to make your fundraiser the most fun and gigantic event. Organize some snacks and drinks on sale to raise money further. Turn up the volume with local celebrities or sports figures to draw more attention to your event.
20. Vegas Night
If you are into virtual corporate events, this fundraising charity event idea is for you. Use online apps or turn your office into a gambling room. Employees buy chips and use the chips for classic games like poker, roulette, blackjack, or craps. All proceeds go toward your chosen cause. This promises a fantastic night of good-hearted competition and a chance to feel like a high roller in Vegas right in your office.
Also read: A complete corporate event planning guide.
Fundraising Ideas for Instagram
21. Talent Showcase
Leverage the power of social media for events for your next fundraising. Reach out to musicians, dancers, artists, and other creatives to have them post short performance clips with a donate link to your organization in their bio. You can curate these or even put them together yourself in a themed Stories Highlight or Instagram Reels. This showcases hidden talents in your community while generating donations.
22. Recipe Swap and Donation Drive
Invite your followers to share their favorite comfort foods, unique dishes, or healthy snack recipes with a photo on social media or your website. Compile an e-cookbook from all the sent-in recipes and offer it for download in exchange for a donation.
23. Show Us Your Passion Contest
Set a theme for your cause (volunteering, nature, helping those in need). Ask followers to share photos showing their passions related to the theme. People must submit entries with a hashtag, and consider each donation is a "vote" for that entry. The top three photos could appear on your site or, ideally, be made into a collage for social media.
24. Take a Photo a Day for a Cause
Choose a topic relevant to the mission (e.g., 30 days of gratitude, acts of kindness). Give a photo theme daily and ask followers to respond with their interpretation using a designated hashtag. That kind of brings in community and maybe asks for a small donation to get the full list of prompts.
25. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Post a series of photo clues around your city or relevant locations. Followers guess the location and donate per clue solved. The first to solve them all wins a prize related to your cause.
Fundraising Ideas for Kids
26. Candy Sale
Turn kids' love for sweets into a sweet way to raise funds. Buy candy bars at discounted bulk prices, and kids can literally be your representatives. They can sell them in schools wherever allowed, in different parents' workplaces, or door-to-door. This classic fundraiser couldn't be easier to pull off and always plays well.
27. Kids Contribute Auction
Indulge the little ones by encouraging them to participate as active donors. Kids can contribute by donating homemade items, gently used toys, or even preparing artwork for an auction. They can also play the supporting role of congratulating the bidder and handing over the items, showing the work or impact of your efforts being done in their surroundings.
28. Design-a-Shirt Fundraiser
Let kids design a T-shirt featuring your thematic topic and vote for the best item. Afterward, sell the T-shirts to those who support your cause and make the little ones proud of their creation.
29. Face Painting
This fundraising event idea allows students to engage in service learning as they volunteer at the face painting booth and paint children's faces at community events. You can even raise funds for your charity by charging for face painting with a small amount or selling some snacks and drinks.
30. Shoe Drive Fundraiser
Get your children and family members together to donate the shoes they may have outgrown or lie unused around the house. Partner with an organization that will help collect and redistribute the shoes and then fundraise according to the volume of shoes collected. This would send a message of sustainability while helping someone in need.
Spring Fundraising Ideas
31. Flower Arranging Workshop
Organize a florist or an appropriate volunteer to teach an interesting flower-arranging workshop. Arrange for some flowers, wrapping paper, and other tools for those who don't have them, and put on a few snacks and drinks to go with the social atmosphere. Charge a nominal fee for participation, including all the costs, and add a donation to your cause.
32. Mother’s Day Breakfast
Partner with a restaurant or host the event at church and offer a special brunch-style menu for a really sweet Mother's Day treat. Advertise your event vigorously using offline and online channels, and sell tickets or "reservations" in advance to drum up a good turnout. You can also make it special with flowers, entertainment, and maybe a raffle for all the moms who are present.
33. Community Garden Picnic
Put out some chairs and have a picnic in the community garden. To demonstrate human resistance and social interactions in the garden, plan a menu like a potluck but with donated food to keep the costs very low, or charge an entry fee for participation. You can also consider including games, music, or garden tours to get people involved and interact with each other.
34. Easter Egg Hunt
Find an open outdoor venue, such as a park or schoolyard, to hold the plastic eggs filled with treats and maybe even some prize tickets. Charge a small entry fee per participant and seek new sponsorships from local businesses to support the raffle.
35. Earth Day Clean-up
You must collaborate with your city's local environmental groups or the park department for this fundraising event. Provide gloves, bags, and tools for volunteers and have a prize for those who collect the most trash, measured by weight. Also, consider asking participants to get a pledge from people or sponsors where they get money for each pound of garbage they collect.
Summer Fundraising Ideas
36. Swim-a-Thon
Seek permission from a local pool to allow swimmers to receive pledges per lap swam or as flat donations. Promote this idea in fitness groups and, to make it more engaging, maybe additionally design it as a team competition.
37. Barbecue Extravaganza
A summer must-do! Sell barbecue plates and various drinks, mount raffles and contests, or hold craft beer tastings for adult visitors. Solicit donations of food and sponsorships for profitability.
38. Water Balloon Battle
Bring the most cherished, classic summer game alive with a water balloon battle. Choose a big outdoor park with plenty of room to run, hide, and launch those water bombs. Plan to have a charging door for a small entry fee for participants or charge a sum for every purchased water balloon if it is in a rented facility. Partner with local shops to supply donations to keep costs low.
39. Ice Cream Party
Collaborate with a local shop or conduct your own social event. Charge per serving or team up with an auction for an even larger fundraiser. And don't forget to sell your mission alongside the goodies.
40. Summer Excursions
Host day hikes and camping trips, wildflower walks, or take a group out with a guide to pick mushrooms in the forest. Charge a small participation fee or hire local experts to ensure proper safety.
Fall Fundraising Ideas
41. Pumpkin Carving Contest
This fundraising event idea requires participants to pay a small fee to enter the contest. You only need to supply the carving tools—probably even sold at the door—either selling pumpkins or letting them bring their own. The contest runs in age categories and is judged by a local celebrity. Some of the prizes awarded could be bragging rights, lifetime memories, and, of course, a treasured pumpkin.
42. No-shave November
Donors to this fundraiser pledge to put their razors down for one month while they raise money for the Testicular Cancer Foundation. This fund-raising event is generally virtual, which may be modified to suit other causes. In essence, it involves a group of people raising money and awareness for a cause by not doing a specific thing or giving something up.
43. Fantasy Football League
Run a fantasy football league to bring together would-be participants and help them decide what entry fees are appropriate. Before the game, you can decide with the "players" whether the entry fee goes to the prize pot or as a separate donation. You can track the player's performance through ESPN or NFL.com, making it easy to run the fundraiser.
44. Rake-a-Thon
This service allows community residents to have their yards cleaned in the fall for a flat fee or donation to the organization. It could be a great local church service project or done with high school Key Clubs and youth sports teams. Set up your online fundraiser page with suggested donation tiers to capture donations.
Winter Fundraising Ideas
45. Hot Chocolate Station
Set up a hot chocolate station at a holiday concert or, better yet, a Christmas market or on a busy street. Offer hot chocolate and nuts, fruit, marshmallows, or whipped cream to add to glasses filled with steaming chocolate. Don't forget to offer dairy-free versions.
46. Holiday Elves
Promote a “Holiday Elves” service to your community where elves set up Christmas trees, dispose of Christmas trees, set up Christmas lights, shovel snow, and provide other useful seasonal services in exchange for donations.
47. Hygge Winter Party
Celebrate the Danish word for cozy comfort by throwing a Hygge-inspired gathering for people who believe in your cause. All you need to do is to find a location (fire inside or out), encourage comfy clothes, and bring blankets and pillows. Serve up mugs of hot chocolate, tea, and snacks. Add a cover charge for entry to this most comfortable and intimate party around town.
48. Snow Day Fun
If real or artificial snow is anywhere near your nonprofit organization, why not hold a snow day fundraiser? It could range from activities such as snow tubing to a cross-country ski-a-thon. You can organize this yourself or in collaboration with a local company, and you can even reach an agreement to share a certain percentage of the tickets sold with them. A partnership with a company will also provide the equipment and expertise that will go a long way in ensuring convenience in the organization and implementation of the event.
49. Gingerbread House Competition
Organize this contest by asking individuals or teams to pay an entry fee to participate. Enclose the instructions in a nutty box. Give contestants the option of building it on-site before a live audience, taking all good things in life, including time, into consideration, or submitting previously done works that have been presented. Judges will reward prizes based on appearance, originality, and fun.
Types of Fundraising Events
As a nonprofit event planner, you can choose different fundraising events to fit your style and goals. Here are a few of them:
- Run/walk: Think casual 5Ks or community trail hikes—these are easy to organize and perfect for nonprofits of all sizes.
- A-thon events: Walk-a-thons, dance-a-thons... you name it. These events are great for raising awareness, building community, and boosting your bottom line.
- Competition (non-sport): Eating contests, open mic, the ultimate bake-off, or talent shows–get creative. Supporters love to compete for a good cause. (Check those local laws first).
- Fashion Show: Team up with local boutiques for a stylish event that excites everyone. This is a fun way to showcase your cause and attract new supporters.
- Auction: Auctions are always a classic. They attract a wider audience and boost attendee engagement while supporting your mission.
- Art Exhibit: Tap into your community's artistic side. Partner with local artists to host a show where some sales benefit your work.
- Gala: Galas can be major money-makers (especially with sponsorships), but they take significant planning and event management.
- Concert: From local bands to star-studded shows, concerts are crowd-pleasers. Remember, bigger acts mean bigger expenses and, sometimes, bigger event execution.
- Sporting Event: Sell concessions, run a merch stand, and partner with local sports teams to maximize game day energy.
Big Goals Demand Big Fundraising
There you have it: 49 creative fundraising event ideas. Fundraising is the lifeblood of your nonprofit, and with careful planning and some preparation, you can bring these ideas to life.
Need help streamlining the planning? Event management software can make your life easier, allowing you to focus on your cause.
John Hunter
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