Are you struggling to decide what to do for your next fundraiser?
Do you have a high target to hit, and just aren’t sure how to get there?
Whether you’re trying to raise funds for a nonprofit, club, or association, there’s a lot of pressure riding on you to find the best idea and to raise enough money to keep your organization going.
To help you out, I’ve created this comprehensive list of fundraising ideas that can suit any organization, no matter your type, time frame or budget.
These are all ideas I’ve heard of through working with thousands of other organizations over the years, proven to generate a positive return for your organization if they’re properly coordinated.
In this post, you can expect to see:
- The cost for each idea, with the lowest-cost fundraisers indicated by $ going all the way to $$$$ for the highest-cost fundraisers.
- The complexity for each idea, which is rated on a scale of 1 to 4. 1 indicates an easy fundraiser that’s quick to plan, and 4 indicates an event that takes a lot of coordination with different stakeholders to get up and running.
- The expected return for each idea, also indicated from $ to $$$$.
You can check out the infographic below for inspiration, or scroll down to read the fundraising ideas in order.
1. Art Auction
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 4
Expected Return: $$$
Ask members of your community or their kids to donate art, coordinate with a local shop to have them framed, and then auction them off. Pump up the hype by adding a theme like “come dressed as your favorite art or artist” and make a little extra cash for your charity by selling concessions.
Challenges to Consider:
Getting art from local artists who already have some recognition in your community might help with sales.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
You could also partner with an art gallery to get proceeds from sales at an opening.
2. Bowling for Bucks
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
Coordinate with a bowling alley to rent a group of lanes — or the entire building if you know you’ll have a lot of participants — and sign up teams. Participants can raise pledges per pin or just raise donations in general.
Challenges to Consider:
Renting lanes at a bowling alley can be costly. Reach out early to see if you can get a discounted rate for booking multiple lanes or the entire space.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
The bowling alley, of course!
3. Community Passport
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 3
Expected Return: $$$
Collaborating with local businesses to create a passport of special places and deals with the community is a great way to build buzz for them and fundraise for you. Ask each business to offer a deal to include in the passport and agree to “stamp” the page when the deal has been redeemed . You could sell the passports at a local community event and offer a prize to the first community member to stamp all their pages!
Challenges to Consider:
To work well, there needs to be quite a few local businesses participating.
The Best Time to Do This:
This could work well outside of the busy season, when businesses will want to encourage more people to visit.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
Any local businesses willing to donate to your cause.
4. Doggy Happy Hour
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
Drinks and puppies — what more could anyone ask for? Ask your community members to bring out their cutest four-legged pals for an adorable doggy happy hour at a reasonable entrance fee. While this event is a great fit for animal-related organizations, puppies are really just a hit to raise money for any demographic.
Challenges to Consider:
Make sure people understand the allergy risk, and that parents sign a consent form for children under 18 if your event is open to minors.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
This is a great event to invite your SPCA chapter to partner with you on!
5. Educational Clinic
Overhead Cost: $-$$$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
If your nonprofit is filled with experts, leverage their knowledge to host a clinic, conference, or workgroup. Paid registration required helps fill your coffers, but be sure to offer discounts for those who may not be able to afford to come.
Challenges to Consider:
If your nonprofit doesn’t have any experts that people would pay to see, consider reaching out to someone else who’s well-known in your community who can offer some skills to share.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
A local bookstore might be a good location for hosting (particularly if your expert has written a book they can sell!).
6. Fun Run
Overhead Cost: $-$$$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
From a city-spanning, timed marathon to a quick family one-miler, a fun run can be as easy as gathering on the local track or as complicated as you want to make it. The good news: runners like to run, and they’re growing in numbers. Be creative and get people out moving!
Challenges to Consider:
See above.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
7. Ghost Tour
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
Does your town have some haunted places? Organize a haunted walk to showcase them — or make the stories up yourself!
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll need to get willing guides who will rehearse their stories beforehand (and dress up in a spooky costume).
The Best Time to Do This:
Ghost walks can be good anytime of year, but might perform even better around Halloween.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
If you’re not familiar with the history of your area, consider partnering with a museum or historical society to help you out.
8. Hockey Puck Shot
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $
You could run this as a competition to hit a target from a set distance, or to score a set number of goals within a limited time. It can also be run with any other kind of sport, such as most baskets in basketball or the highest score in darts.
Challenges to Consider:
As long as you have a venue, you’re good to go!
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime works, but consider doing it around the time of playoffs for your chosen sport so that people are extra riled up!
9. Inner Tube Water Polo
Overhead Cost: $-$$
Complexity to Plan: 3
Expected Return: $
Two competitive teams are pitted against each other for an exciting game of water polo. The catch: the participants must wear ridiculous costumes and always be inside of their polka dot inner tubes! Sell tickets to this crazy game, pump the music, and be sure to stack the first row of seats with super soakers and water cannons and sell 5-minute slots in the “penalty box” so audience goers can torture their favorite players!
Challenges to Consider:
Location is everything for this event! You’ll want a pool that has seating for viewing, like those used to watch competitive athletes.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime works, but warm weather months will be better if you’re hosting at an outdoor pool.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
The YMCA and public pools used for school competitions are good options.
10. Jumble Sale
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
One person’s junk is another person’s treasure… so why not raise money for something good with it, right? With even just a few neighbors clearing out those messy basements and clutter closets, you can turn a decent profit.
Challenges to Consider:
A few key logistics to consider are the location of sale (make sure you’ve got ample space for those larger items), as well as a convenient location where donations will be collected prior to the sale.
The Best Time to Do This:
Yard sales are best around April, when people are doing their spring cleaning and looking to get rid of things!
11. Kick the Habit
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 1
Expected Return: $$
Get people to donate to kick a habit – it could be smoking, sugar, shopping – anything! Donate the money you’re saving by cutting out this habit, or get other people to donate to sponsor you. This could work particularly well for organizations that have a link to a specific habit — for instance, a charity helping lung cancer patients could encourage people to give up smoking.
Challenges to Consider:
Tracking that people are actually doing what they say they are can be difficult.
The Best Time to Do This:
People are often more inclined to change their habits around the new year or during a religious observance such as Lent or Ramadan.
12. Lego Night
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $
Charge a reasonable entrance fee and invite children of all ages to build their coolest creations in hopes of winning a prize. You could also sell baked goods and drinks at the event for a little extra revenue.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
13. Movie Night
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 3
Expected Return: $$
Everyone loves a good movie night! Hold it at your local community centre (or school gym) and charge admission. You can also have a concessions stand for a little added boost.
Challenges to Consider:
There are several factors you’ll need to consider with this fundraiser, including movie licensing, renting a projector and/or a screen, and how you’ll get sound. Choosing a comfortable location is also key.
The Best Time to Do This:
Since you’ll be inside, you can do it anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
Consider partnering with a local movie theatre to split proceeds — you might not get quite as many donations, but you also won’t have to handle the challenges mentioned above.
14. Newlywed Game Night
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 3
Expected Return: $$$
Separate couples at the beginning, and have half of each couple stay in the room while the other half leaves. Get their answers to a variety of questions, and then have their partner try to guess the same answer! Depending on how many questions and couples you have, this can go on all night.
Challenges to Consider:
A bar or restaurant might be your best bet for a venue.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
15. Open House
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$$
Collaborate with a local landmark or venue that isn’t normally accessible to the public, and arrange a day when visitors can get a guided tour. You can sell tickets, and also offer a concession stand.
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll have to work closely with the venue to meet any security requirements they might have, and keep in mind ways to make this event accessible to as many people as possible. You might also need to split proceeds with them, particularly if their staff are the ones giving tours.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime, although if the venue requires any outdoor walking, the dead of winter might not be ideal.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
You’ll need to partner with the venue, such as a governmental building or museum.
16. Paper Airplane Toss
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 1
Expected Return: $
Section off part of your parking lot (or other open space) into squares. Put donated prizes into each area and sell registration forms that can be turned into paper airplanes. Participants can toss their paper airplanes to win the prizes. For those who want another go, they can keep buying more forms, and keep making more planes!
Challenges to Consider:
Just make sure you have a wide open space available and you’ve picked a day with great weather. No one wants a field full of soggy planes.
The Best Time to Do This:
This event would work whenever the weather is nice.
17. Quarter Mile
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 1
Expected Return: $
Work together to collect enough quarters to stretch them a quarter mile through a store or parking lot. If you hit this goal, try for a mile!
Challenges to Consider:
Obviously, you’ll need the space to stretch a quarter mile or more if you’re lucky!
The Best Time to Do This:
This is a great outdoor activity for any time the weather is nice.
18. Rubber Ducky Toss
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 1
Expected Return: $
Find a wide open space and get hold of a vast amount of rubber ducks. You could either set up a target, and award a prize to the person who manages to throw a duck to land the closest, or give an award for the duck that is thrown the furthest. Use sticky labels on the bottom of each duck to assign them a number, and note down each contestant’s name and contact details against the number of their duck.
The Best Time to Do This:
Spring or summer, when participants will be happy to stand outside and chat as they throw ducks.
19. Silent Disco
Overhead Cost: $$$
Complexity to Plan: 3
Expected Return: $$
If you haven’t heard of a silent disco before, it’s an opportunity for people to dance while listening to their own music through headphones (or for several DJs to play music at once). There are companies such as https://www.silentevents.com/ that rent everything you need to run a silent disco, so setting up doesn’t need to be difficult. Because there’s no noise, the disco can be held almost anywhere that there’s enough space. Popular with teenagers particularly!
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll need to get enough participants interested to cover the costs of renting a space — and to make sure they don’t feel silly dancing alone!
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime, but summer is best if you want to hold it outdoors.
20. Teeter Totter Marathon
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 1
Expected Return: $
This is a quick fundraiser that follows the idea of a dance marathon, but for kids. Get people to donate for each minute the child is on the seesaw (or the swings) and see how high they’ll go!
Challenges to Consider:
Make sure you have a playground available to use, whether it’s in your neighbourhood or at your school.
The Best Time to Do This:
This could be a good end-of-the-school-year fundraiser, since it’ll be nice outside.
21. Ultimate Frisbee Tournament
Overhead Cost: $
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $
This type of event can work equally well with Capture the Flag or any other casual sport that doesn’t require a lot of training. Charge admission for teams or individuals to register, and get ready for a day of outdoor fun!
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll need to thoroughly promote your event (try talking to local leagues or your community centre) to make sure you get enough people. Keep participants hydrated by having water on hand (and maybe snacks that can be purchased too).
The Best Time to Do This:
Late spring or early summer — you don’t want anyone to overheat!
22. Video Game Tournament
Overhead Cost: $-$$$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$$
Get a variety of games and systems together and start playing! Make sure you have a good variety of games, including some new ones that your audience might not have tried (if anyone has a VR set, now’s the time to pull it out!).
Challenges to Consider:
Ask community members to donate video games and loan you some controllers to keep costs low. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough gaming systems to support attendance, which could also be loaned by community members.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
Your community might already have some unwanted games to donate (or loan).
23. Walk for a Cause
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
A walk can be a great way to get people involved. Not only do the walkers have to spread the word about your cause in order to get sponsorships, but you can give away t-shirts that advertise what you’re raising money for.
Challenges to Consider:
Make sure to keep it safe — have water and medics available just in case.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
Don’t forget to coordinate with local authorities to make sure the course is safe and closed.
24. X-mas Santa
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$
Posing with Santa is a classic childhood activity. You can also sell photos with Santa for an extra small fee.
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll need to hold your photos somewhere that gets decent pedestrian traffic, as well as promoting it well beforehand (to compete with all the other Santas around!) Before Christmas, of course! Try to plan it for early December, before schedules are too hectic.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
Consider partnering with your local mall Santa to get a part of the proceeds donated to your organization.
25. Yoga with Animals
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 3
Expected Return: $$$
Yoga with kittens and goats (to name only a few) is all the rage right now, so why not try it out yourself?
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll have to find animals who are relaxed enough to do yoga with.
The Best Time to Do This:
Anytime.
Sponsoring or Partnering Organization:
This is the perfect event for an animal shelter or petting zoo to get involved with. You can also ask a yoga studio to donate their instructor’s time for your event.
26. Zorbing
Overhead Cost: $$
Complexity to Plan: 2
Expected Return: $$$
If you’ve never heard of zorbing (we hadn’t either), it’s the latest extreme sport to get popular. All you do is climb into a big, inflated ball… and roll down a hill. Whoever gets to the bottom fastest wins!
Challenges to Consider:
You’ll have to find an organization in your area that rents these spheres. You’ll also need to find a big enough hill in your area to roll down. If you don’t have a suitable hill, consider doing bubble soccer for a similar thrill.
The Best Time to Do This:
Over the summer!
You can also see all these ideas (and 150+ more!) in our original post.