50 fundraising ideas that will make an impact

Fundraising makes a significant difference for any organization, especially those working to improve their communities. Organizing a successful fundraiser may be a big undertaking, but it’s also fun and rewarding, and Paperless Post is here to help with everything from elegant fundraising event invitations you can customize to match your organization’s branding to professional management features to help plan your event seamlessly.

To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of the best fundraising ideas for nonprofits, schools, religious organizations, and more.  

Choosing a fundraiser type

Choosing the fundraising event type that best suits your needs is an important first step in the planning process and depends on your organization’s specific goals and community. Janine Repka, Senior Development Manager at Crime Victims Treatment Center, says that one of the most important things to consider when researching fundraiser ideas is your target demographic. “For some organizations, a 5K run is a really good idea, because the people in your network are families with young kids,” says Ms. Repka. “But that’s not going to work for an organization that has a different demographic. Being honest with yourself about what your community will respond to is key.” 

To help you decide on the type of fundraiser you want to organize, it’s important to get clear on your goals, budget, and available resources, says Ann Marie Elmayan, Director of Development for the nonprofit mentoring organization Spark the Journey. “First of all, I ask what are we hoping to accomplish—and is a fundraiser the best way to accomplish it? What is the budget and what flexibility do we have with the budget? If this is a first-time event, you will want to determine your goal based on what you plan to spend—you want to at least break even. Think about what you can make based on past donor support, the number of donors you currently have, and what types of gifts you usually get.”

Easy fundraising ideas

Whether you’re short on time, staff, or resources, easy fundraising ideas may be what you need to reach your goals. Here are a few simple ideas to raise funds for your organization with minimal effort:

1. Organize a point-of-sale round-up fundraiser

A simple way to raise money for your organization is to ask a local grocery store, drug store, or other retail outlet to participate in a round-up fundraiser to benefit your cause. When customers check out, the cashier asks if they’d like to round up their total to the nearest dollar for your organization. Many local and national retail chains participate in round-up fundraisers—talk to the store manager for details.

2. Set up donation jars

Collect a bunch of large jars, and cut slots in the lids. Use super glue to secure the lids to the jars, and adhere colorful labels to the jar that clearly explain the cause for which you’re collecting money. Ask local businesses if you can set out a jar next to the cash register for a predetermined amount of time—a few days, a week, or even a month. When time’s up, collect the jars, and use tin cutters to open the lid around the slot to retrieve the donations.

3. Partner up for a restaurant dine-to-donate night

Numerous local and national restaurants and chains offer schools and nonprofit organizations the chance to raise money through a dine-to-donate night. On the agreed-upon date, the restaurant will donate a percentage of sales made between certain hours. All you have to do is spread the word and encourage your circle to dine out for your cause.

4. Create a crowdfunding campaign

Creating a campaign on an online crowdfunding platform is a low-lift method for raising donations that you can easily advertise through social media, your website, or email. Simply decide on the specific cause your funds will be going toward, write up a blurb with all the pertinent information, set your financial goal and a designated period of time the campaign will take place, go live on your chosen platform, and begin spreading the word! 

5. Offer a 50/50 raffle 

 

Organize a community raffle where half of the donation funds will go toward your organization or cause, and the other half will go directly to a raffle winner. Either incorporate this raffle into an existing community event and ask the organizer if you can set up a table to collect donations and hand out raffle tickets, keep it entirely virtual and seek out entries online, or host the raffle as a part of a larger event you’re already throwing, like a bake sale, field day, or holiday party. Community members will be excited to contribute to a charitable cause and have a chance to win big. 

6. Start a social media challenge

We all remember the viral Ice Bucket Challenge that completely took over social media and raised both awareness and donations for ALS research. Garner the same kind of enthusiasm and creativity with your own fun social media challenge. 

Create an easy-to-replicate and approachable challenge for people to participate in, such as a choreographed dance, a spicy food eating challenge, telling a comedic anecdote about a topic, or anything that aligns with your cause. Think of a relevant hashtag, plan a donation landing page for participants to share, and get posting. 

7. Leverage email marketing

If you already have access to an email contact list, sending out regular—but not too frequent—emails to drive support is an effective and easy way to communicate your fundraising needs to a large audience. Send an email to your contact list about once a quarter with updates on your organization, information on upcoming events, and a straightforward link to donate to the cause. 

If you’re sending invitations for a fundraising event through Paperless Post, you can also easily include a Links Block to send any donation page to your guest list. You can also make your invitation email sleek and on-brand with our Custom Email feature that allows you to edit the look and content of the message guests receive in their inboxes with your logo, colors, and more. 

8. Sponsor a fantasy league

Fantasy sports leagues are both fun and simple to create. Gather a group interested in participating in a football or other sports fantasy league, let them know that the cost-of-entry will either partially or fully go toward your organization’s fundraising efforts, and get ready for kick-off. You can incentivize signup further by offering prizes, like branded merchandise, or prizes donated from local businesses that you ask to co-sponsor the league (or multiple leagues!) with you. 

9. Employ peer-to-peer fundraising 

Peer-to-peer fundraising can be driven either directly by you, other individuals in your organization, or friends and family that you ask to help with raising awareness and donations. It essentially means one-to-one asks for donations either in person or via social media, which can create a personal touch and allow for hyper-specific outreach. You or your peers can reach out directly to those they have personal relationships with, and people they know may be particularly interested in donating to the cause. 

10. Hold a photo contest

Encourage followers of your organization to participate in a photo contest on social media. First, decide on a theme—such as cutest baby photos, pet pictures, or funny doodles—and post examples to get the ball rolling. Then, ask followers to share their own entries via Instagram, along with a set hashtag and a link to donate to the prize fund. Ask participants to tag your organization’s account and share with their networks to drive awareness and donations. Set a date to choose a winner, and offer a portion of the proceeds raised as the prize that you announce on your social feeds. 

Fundraising ideas for nonprofits, charities, and foundations

Charitable organizations and foundations work tirelessly to improve their communities and the people who live there—and they’re always looking for ways to keep donations coming in to finance their good work. A combination of several easy, smaller fundraisers and one or two bigger ones keep the funds coming in all year long. These non-profit fundraising ideas will get you started.

11. Art show and silent auction

 

Approach local artists to participate in a gallery show of their work in exchange for a portion of the proceeds from sales. Promote the show, and have attendees buy art off the wall or via a silent auction. Partner with a local gallery, or transform your own space into a showplace. Make it a fancy event with wine and cheese, or invite a local brewery to serve their favorite beers. Add a Photo Gallery Block to your art show invitation to entice invitees with a few select photographs of the artwork for sale.

12. Offer donation-based fitness classes 

 

Hold fitness classes for your community with a professional yoga, pilates, or kickboxing instructor—or find a volunteer who knows their stuff and can teach the class for free. Make it a theme, like “Yoga in the Park” or “ZUMBA at the Zoo.” Accept donations at the beginning of the class, and set up a sign with a QR code that leads to your donation page. Make it an ongoing weekly Saturday morning event, or promote it as a month-long offering in the evenings—whatever makes the most sense for your community and target demographic. 

13. Game night happy hour

Host an epic one-night board game extravaganza—or host a weekly Friday night happy hour game night where attendees pay an entry fee to compete for the title of Trivia Titan, Mahjong Master, Chess Champ, or Boggle Boss. Partner with a local bar to receive a percentage of sales, or host the event at a community center and sell concessions. Reach out to corporate sponsors for sweet prizes that will incentivize people to participate and thank them in a Sponsors Block on your event page.

14. Put on a car wash

Car washes are appealing to the masses—people love their cars, and having them washed provides immediate gratification. And if it’s for a worthy cause, all the better. The best place to hold a car wash is on a busy street where volunteers can wave signs toward passing traffic—and drivers can see the car wash in action. Drivers can pay cash, or you can use an app like Venmo or CashApp to collect the funds. Offer add-ons like waxing or vacuuming, and sell drivers a cold beverage to enjoy while they wait. 

15. Host an open mic night

Raise awareness for an important cause and have some fun while doing so. Book a well-known performer or poet, and announce their involvement using Paperless Post’s Speakers Block feature on your invitation to the event. Plan ahead, decide on a theme, and try to invite some performers who are connected to the charity you’re supporting.

16. Organize a craft fair

Gather local artisans and talented craftspeople from your network or community to sell their work at a craft fair where a portion of the proceeds go toward your foundation or charity. Sell items like beaded jewelry, knit or crocheted scarves and blankets, homemade candles, paintings by local artists, and more. Rent space at a community center or hold the fair outdoors in a park or recreational area. Set up a booth where you provide information about your organization and gather contact information from attendees. 

17. Sell branded merchandise

Design and sell branded t-shirts, tote bags, baseball caps, or water bottles to sell directly via your website or through a printing partner. Get friends and volunteers to pose as your models and post photos on social media to advertise your merch. Bring boxes with your products to sell at any events you host, and offer these items as prizes for raffles or contests. Branded merchandise not only raises money but gets your organization’s name and branding out there for the world to see. 

18. Host a fashion show

Host a charity fashion show showing off your organization’s branded merchandise, clothing from local designers you partner with, or a combination of both. Sell tickets online and at the door to raise funds, and have refreshments for sale to add even more to the donation pot. You’ll be raising money and awareness for a good cause while showcasing (and potentially selling) the work of talented fashion designers or retail stores who will appreciate the advertising opportunity.  

19. Throw a pet adoption event

If advocating for animal rights is a relevant cause for your charity or foundation, sponsoring a pet adoption event may be the purr-fect fundraising fit. Work with a pet store or animal shelter to host a dog or cat adoption event where a portion of the adoption fees, along with additional donations made, will go toward your organization. 

20. Organize a bar crawl 

The best fundraising ideas for nonprofits combine philanthropy with fun. If your target audience loves to have a good time, partner with neighborhood bars to create a day-long bar crawl. Advertise the crawl’s route on social media and get bars to agree on a percentage of profits that will go to charity. Send a Paperless Post invitation via a shareable link to post anywhere on the web, and add a Schedule Block to let everyone know the order of bars to attend at specific start and end times. 

21. Host a speed dating night

Set up a speed dating event to raise money for your organization via ticket and drink sales. Partner with a local bar or restaurant to provide the venue, or host it at an available community center or event space. Spread the word to singles in the community—and consider hosting the event around Valentine’s Day for an even more romantic vibe. Provide sheets of paper for participants to take notes on their mini-dates, and notify them after the event if they have any mutual matches via a private message on your Paperless Post invitation. 

22. Lead a wine-tasting class

 

Sell tickets for an educational and delicious wine tasting class hosted by a knowledgeable sommelier at a local wine shop or winery that you partner with and split proceeds. If space at the winery is limited, set a maximum capacity on your Paperless Post invitation as well as an RSVP deadline to ensure an accurate headcount you can share with the hosting venue. 

23. Dive into a cold water plunge

Perfect for a unique winter fundraising event around the holiday season, organize a plunge where participants get together and jump into an ice-cold lake, ocean, or other body of water. Have plungers donate money to participate, or invite them to solicit pledges from friends and family to partake in this chill charity event. 

Fundraising ideas for schools

Fundraising initiatives continue to be a major source of school funding for projects like replacing playground equipment, stocking the library with new books, and providing enrichment opportunities for students, like field trips and special guest speakers. Some school fundraisers involve the students collecting money, while others are hosted by the PTA or other organizations. The best school fundraising events have a “fun” factor that engages students, families, and the larger community. These are some of the most popular and successful fundraiser ideas for schools.  

24. Hold a penny drive

Loose change shows up everywhere, so why not ask kids to collect it? Penny drives can be as simple as placing a jar in each classroom and asking students to collect change from home. During the penny drive, consider asking local businesses to allow you to place donation jars near the cash register to collect change from their customers. 

25. Challenge kids to a read-a-thon

 

Read-a-thons help cultivate a love of reading, and they’re a great way to get entire families involved in raising funds for a good cause. Have students collect pledges from friends and family, and create a way for kids to keep track of their reading logs on paper or online. Create excitement with sponsor-provided prizes for kids who read the most books or log the most minutes, and promise a pizza or popcorn party to the grade or the classroom that reads the most or collects the most money.

26. Give parents a night out

Parents need an occasional night out, and many will be more than willing to pay a little extra for the privilege, especially if it benefits their children’s school at the same time. Choose a weekend afternoon or evening for the event, and set up activities in the gym or multi-purpose room to keep the kids engaged. Gather volunteers—teachers, administrators, office staff, and (supervised) older students—to facilitate the fun. 

27. Host a pancake dinner

Breakfast for dinner? Yes, please. Invite the school community to dine on pancakes—set up in the gym or cafeteria, and have the principal and other administrators man the griddle while the teachers or PTA members act as servers or sous chefs. Charge an entrance fee, and sell raffle tickets—or tickets for games like cornhole, tic-tac-toe, or ring toss. Solicit donations from your corporate sponsors or community partners to buy small prizes. 

28. Play field day games

Hold an outdoor field day extravaganza on school grounds featuring activities like tug-of-war, wheelbarrow races, hula hoop competitions, three-legged races, water balloon tosses, dodgeball tournaments, and more. Host your event on a Saturday or Sunday during the academic year, or in the summer before everyone returns from break. Charge an overall entry fee or pay-per-game tickets and partner with local businesses to provide cotton candy, popcorn, snacks, and prizes.  

29. School spelling bee

Raise funds with an educational angle by hosting a schoolwide spelling bee. Charge an entry fee at the door or sell tickets in advance to families and interested community members through school communications, email marketing, and even bulletin board flyers at your local libraries, cafés, and bookstores. Group participants by grade for primary rounds, and have an overall championship round for the top speller.

With Paperless Post, you can send one combined invitation to a group or family, allowing one member to RSVP for the group, and enable both adult and child headcounts to keep track of how many parents and students will be in attendance. Additionally, use Guest Tags to label guests however you wish—such as “Spelling Bee Participant” and “Audience” tags to help keep track of how many spellers have signed up. 

30. Hold a prom dress drive

One man’s (or woman’s) closet clutter is another’s new favorite retro fashion find. Invite students, their families, local community members, and any thrift shops or retail stores to donate unwanted or lightly used prom or other formal dresses to a fundraiser dress drive. Then host a dress sale a few weeks before prom season in your school gymnasium or multipurpose room. Use the money from dress sales to help fund the prom itself—or any other school needs. 

31. Organize a walk-a-thon 

 

Encourage students and families to participate in an exciting walk-a-thon or fun run where each race participant either pays a signup fee or helps raise funds through pledges or individually solicited donations. Set a route for the race around town or keep it small with multiple laps around the schoolyard. Choose a fun theme to incentivize participation, like a color run with paint or colored powder thrown throughout the race, or have a fun costume-themed run around Halloween.

32. Host a talent show

Show off your student body’s many musical, theatrical, comedic, and physical talents with a ticketed talent show for families, friends, and the community. Alternatively, host a rocking battle of the bands night for student and local musicians to perform and compete for the top honor voted on by the audience or a panel of musically inclined faculty members. Send one of our customizable music party invitations for the night and include a Links Block with a signup spreadsheet to keep track of the talent show participants. 

33. Sell tickets to a school dance

One of the best fundraiser ideas for schools is selling something students already want, like tickets to attend the homecoming dance or senior prom. Offer discounted ticket prices for early birds, and set up ticket sale booths in the cafeteria or at after-school events like football games. Use the funds raised to make it the best dance ever, with elevated décor and a live musical performance. 

34. Create a wish list drive

Who doesn’t love a little online shopping? Have teachers and faculty compile a wish list on an e-commerce site with supplies they need for the classroom and other useful items for students, like backpacks and binders. Send the wish list link to families of students, share it on social media, and encourage everyone to send it far and wide to anyone interested in helping out a good cause. Get your school’s art class to create cute artwork to give as incentives for the most purchases, or ask students to write adorable thank you letters to be shared with top donors. 

35. Sell holiday candygrams

Either for Valentine’s Day or the holiday season, sell sweet candygrams for students to send one another to spread joy and show they care. Offer heart-shaped lollipops, festive candy canes, or individual cookies or pieces of chocolate. Allow students to write personalized messages on their candygrams, and have an option to send individual flowers with the candy for an additional cost. 

36. Have an ice cream social

Bring a little sweet treat to your school with an ice cream social. Either on a weekend day or after school weeknight, invite students and their families to purchase tickets for a retro 1950s-themed ice cream social. Provide a build-your-own sundae bar, on-theme decorations, and a dance floor for everyone to twist and jitterbug the night away. Let everyone know the theme in a Details Block and ask guests to dress in their best sock hop attire. 

Fundraising ideas for mosques, temples, and churches

Religious organizations are pillars of support in many communities, but they often need support of their own to maintain their services. These fundraisers get the whole congregation involved to help foster relationships and build community.

37. Hold an old-fashioned bake sale

 

Bake sales are a classic fundraiser beloved by all—and they’re easy to put on. Have members of your group provide baked goods, and hold the sale immediately after services so the whole congregation can stop by for something sweet to take home for Sunday dinner’s dessert. Include a silent auction for extra-special cakes—and sell cups of coffee, tea, or cocoa for those who want to enjoy their baked goods on the spot. 

38. Sell a recipe book

Since time immemorial, congregations have bonded over food, and they’ll likely jump at the chance to submit their favorite recipe for a church cookbook fundraiser—they can even include a story about the recipe or a picture of the finished dish. Gather the recipes and use an online book-making service to easily design and print your books. Sell them to members at a profit—you can even market them to the larger community through an email or social media campaign.

39. Organize a “give something up” campaign

Ask your congregants to choose something to give up for a month and donate the money they would have otherwise spent on it. This fundraising drive can coincide with Lent or another religious observance, or you can make it part of a wellness campaign. Ask parishioners to tally up their donations weekly and submit the payment on your organization’s website. When the campaign ends, host a reception to celebrate.

40. Set up a rummage sale

A rummage sale is a great fundraising idea to consider during spring cleaning season. Have congregants donate gently used items they no longer want, including books, clothes, toys, kitchen items, bedding, tools, and more. Advertise your sale in the newspaper and promote it on local online forums and social media channels. Hold the sale on your premises, and make it an even bigger event with craft booths or concessions.

41. Host a potluck party

Invite members of your congregation to a festive potluck dinner. Host the dinner party at a community center or your building’s event room and ask for donations on-site or charge a flat price in advance to attend. Have guests each bring a flavorful dish that represents their family or culture—or just their favorite thing to cook! Include Guest Questions with your invitation to ask what dishes guests plan to provide to ensure that each meal course is covered. 

42. Throw a 24-hour dance marathon 

Tell members of your congregation to lace up their dancing shoes for a 24-hour dance marathon fundraising challenge. Raise money for your religious organization while throwing an all-night party where participants compete to keep moving and grooving on the dance floor for 24 hours straight (with a few breaks, of course). Have each participant raise pledges and donations, and offer an enticing prize for the last dancer or pair standing. 

43. Plant trees in the community

Help the environment and beautify your area while also raising funds with a day of tree planting. Partner with a local plant shop or nursery and ask for donations from members of your congregation to sponsor individual trees. You can offer engraved plaques with the donor’s name or an inspirational quote or message of their choosing to drive donations. Not only will this be a fun bonding activity for your planting volunteers, but donors will be able to visit their trees for years to come, taking pride in what their generosity has grown into. 

44. Hold a bingo night

Invite members of your group to a rousing bingo night held either at your own facilities or a local community center. Charge a fee to play, and encourage additional donations by providing snack and drink options. Offer prizes for the winners donated by local businesses or members of the congregation. Send invitations via email, text, or link, and track RSVPs in real-time with our advanced Analytics view to keep count of how many bingo boards you’ll need to provide.  

Big money fundraising ideas

If you have the time and budget, a large fundraiser can bring in substantial donations. With some volunteers and smart planning, even small organizations can pull off a large-scale fundraiser. These are some of the most popular and well-attended fundraising ideas with potential for big returns.

45. Throw an elegant gala

A gala is just the thing to create buzz for your cause and get lots of potential donors through the doors. Your gala can take whatever form works best for your organization, audience, and budget. 

Whatever type of event you choose, says Kara Hoover, an event operations manager and volunteer for St. Jude Children’s Hospital’s charity golf tournaments, tailor your fundraiser to offer options for different giving levels. “You can have different levels of tickets for entry, and you can have easy grabs for sale,” says Ms. Hoover. “Those kinds of things are fun—and they’re immediate gratification for people.” She also suggests including some kind of valuable takeaway. “People either want an experience, or they want to build a community with other people, or they want tangible items, such as donating to win an auction item.” Options include dinner and dancing, a costume ball, or a cocktail party. You can book entertainment for the event, like a jazz trio, or plan a recognition or awards ceremony.

“We once had a gala that recognized incredible honorees and that blew our donation goal out of the water,” Ms. Repka. “We chose and cultivated the right honorees who we knew would bring in donors.”

To offset some of your costs, find corporate sponsors for your event. Send gala invitations via email, text, or shareable link. Use Guest Questions to manage attendees’ dietary restrictions and Guest Tags to help with seating arrangements. Thank your sponsors in a Sponsors Block on your event page spotlighting their business logos and descriptions. 

Ms. Repka takes full advantage of thank yous as a way to cultivate relationships—and raise even more funds. “You can use your follow-up materials to do a last call for donations,” she says. “Send a link with photos—people love to see pictures of the event.” If your gala raised big money from large-scale or corporate donors, consider hosting a donor appreciation event to thank them in person. 

46. Host a charity golf tournament

 

Bring your community together for some friendly competition with a golf or ping pong tournament. Find corporate sponsors to help organize or fund the event, and book a few popular local food trucks to feed the crowds—and donate a portion of their sales. Provide free t-shirts for participants, and have plenty of extras on hand to sell, along with other branded merch that’ll keep you on their radar once the event is over.  

47. Put on a benefit concert

A benefit concert can pull in large crowds, resulting in impressive returns on ticket sales alone. Ask local bands to donate their services to the cause, or book a regional or national act for even higher ticket sales. Hold the event at a local club, hotel ballroom, or outdoor location, like a park or parking lot. Set up a table where you can sell merch or concessions, give people information about your organization, and accept cash donations.

48. Throw a comedy-for-a-cause show

Everyone loves to laugh, and a well-attended comedy show can lead to an impressive amount of fundraising through both ticket and drink sales. Reach out to comedy clubs in your area about hosting the event at their venue and ask them about comedians who may be interested in donating their time to a worthy cause. As a bonus, any participating comedians will want to promote the show on their social media accounts, providing free marketing for your fundraiser and expanding your reach beyond your existing audience.  

49. Roll the dice with a casino night

 

High-rollers and card sharps in your community will have a blast playing rounds of roulette, blackjack, and poker at a thrilling casino night, with ticket proceeds going toward your organization or cause. Make it a formal event with cocktail attire requested for a touch of sophistication, and decorate the space to make everyone feel like they’ve been transported to the Las Vegas Strip. 

50. Host a VIP movie screening

Roll out the red carpet for an upscale movie night—partner with a local movie theater to rent a screening room for the evening or put up a projector screen at a local park for an outdoor summer gathering. Charge guests for tickets and offer to share proceeds with the movie theater or any local restaurants that provide tasty concessions. For the true Hollywood experience, set up a step-and-repeat photo-op decorated with your organization’s logo for guests to pose in front of as they enter. 

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