Top Ten Fundraising Event Ideas

Top ten proven fundraising event ideas

1. Clothing drive

A clothing drive is a great way for people to recycle unwanted clothing while also raising money for a good cause.

1. Ask people you know or the wider community to donate their unwanted clothes to sell as part of the drive.
2. Arrange a space for the sale. This could be your house, garden, in the office, or a local community space. If you mention that you’re raising money for charity they may lend you the space for free or at low cost.
3. Charge a small entry fee to raise extra money for your fundraiser.
4. If the fundraiser is successful then use the same format to raise money again by hosting a book sale or a yard sale.

2. Auctions at events

If you’re hosting a fundraising dinner, party or gala (perhaps at a public space, local restaurant, gallery, or private home) then an auction can be an effective way to raise significant amounts of money on the night.

1. You can either host a silent auction, where people anonymously bid on items, or a live event with an auctioneer. Winning bids are paid in the form of donations.
2. For auction items, ask for donations from community members like local artists and local businesses. Ask local restaurants to donate cooking classes, tour companies to donate outings, or wineries to donate a tasting session and any others to donate goods or services that can be auctioned off.
3. Make sure to state which businesses have helped with the auction so that donating to your cause gives them some promotion, creating a win-win situation. See if any of them will commit to matching gifts made my donors too, to boost the money you raise.

3. Walk-a-thon

Walk-a-thons are easy to take part in because they’re usually accessible and can be done anywhere, from your local park to a national park. There’s often different levels of difficulty available, they aren’t costly and people of all ages can take part.

1. Have different levels of sponsorship available for donors to choose from, such as donating a certain amount for every mile you walk or donating to a team of walkers.
2. Have sponsors make their donations directly to your donation page and share with their network to increase money through peer-to-peer fundraising.
3. Anyone taking part can set up teams and issue challenges or friendly competitions for them to enjoy, like taking part in a fun run, a adding an obstacle course to the walking route, or having prizes for those who reach the finish line first.

4. Party or banquet

Hosting a dinner party or charity banquet is a great way to gather a large group of people together for a successful night of nonprofit fundraising where everyone enjoys a good meal while helping to raise money.

1. Parties and banquets can be hosted at a home, clubhouse or banquet hall. Find the right venue for your fundraising efforts and invite your friends, family and neighbors.
2. For bigger events sell tickets or charge a small entry fee, or ask for a small donation on the door. Make it clear that money for refreshments or anything extra at the event goes towards the final fundraising goal.
3. Raise extra money by hosting a 50/50 raffle on the night. You can sell raffle tickets and have local businesses donate prizes like a gift card or gift basket, and the overall winner can take home half of the money raised through ticket sales with the other half going to the nonprofit.

5. Benefit dance

Hosting a benefit dance (or better yet, a themed benefit dance) is often a fun high school fundraising opportunity and a great way for adults and children to come together and raise funds for a good cause.

1. Share the link to your fundraiser on social media and ask anyone who wants to attend to contribute a small fee as payment for a ticket.
2. Try and make the event as social as possible by encouraging students and parents to dress up in their best outfits and put in requests for their favorite songs. You could also theme the night around the holidays like Halloween or Christmas.
3. Think of extra mini events you can get students to sign up to ahead of time to take part in on the night, like a fashion show, a talent show, or even karaoke.

6. Charity sports event

Host a charity sporting event like a football match, basketball game or a golf tournament to raise money for a local or high school sports team.

1. Charge a small registration fee to in exchange for contributions to your fundraiser.
2. Ask local sports organizations and teams if any of the coaches would be willing to help coordinate the family-friendly event. Amateur leagues may already have a following that you can tap into.
3. See if local businesses can donate prizes for the winning team, and get additional donations on the day by running extra events for kids and parents like a raffle or a scavenger hunt during half time.

7. Community bake-off

Make everyone happy by getting the best bakers in the neighborhood to take part in a charity bake-off and then sell off the delicious baked goods to collect further donations.

1. Find a venue where you can host a number of bakers, like a high school or local restaurant.
2. See if you can get businesses to donate ingredients and then have contestants pay a small registration fee to take part.
3. Once you’ve crowned the winner, host a bake sale to sell off all the cakes and cookies made during the competition to further raise funds.
4. Food fundraising events are great opportunities to raise money so if the bake-off is a success consider doing a follow up event like a cook-off, an ice-cream social or a pancake breakfast.

8. Craft for good causes

Invite people to get creative and use their crafting skills for a good cause.

1. See if any local artists are able to donate their time and help run craft workshops.
2. Offer simple classes like paper craft, making handmade jewelry, or tie-dying t-shirts to keep it accessible and inexpensive.
3. Ask anyone attending to donate to your fundraiser and then sell the handcrafted items afterwards to raise more money.

9. Car wash

Car washes have long been a popular way to drum up support for a cause. All you need is to find a parking lot and some buckets and sponges and away you go.

1. Advertise your car wash on your fundraiser page and get people to share the information on social media.
2. Let drivers know they can receive a car wash on a certain date in exchange for a donation to the cause or non profit you’re supporting.
3. Get out in the community and spread the word of your fundraiser. Washing cars can also help your fundraising team bond while working together.

10. Barbecue night

Host a summer evening barbecue, add a dash of music and entertainment and you’ve got yourself a fundraising event. If it isn’t the season for outdoor events, then take the fun indoors. You can use a similar format to set up a movie night, a games night (for video games or board games) or a trivia night.

1. Ask volunteers to help out by bringing side dishes such as potato salad, fruit, vegetables, dessert, crisps and drinks.
2. See if you can find a local band or musician open to donating a performance.
3. Toss in outdoor games — maybe cornhole, three-legged races, bocce, croquet or horseshoes.
4. Ask guests to make a suggested donation in exchange for tickets. Give them a chance to donate during the night as well, via a donation station.

Connect with your community and create momentum

• Your event can strengthen bonds and offer light at the end of the tunnel. If your fundraiser is in response to a stressful situation, gathering neighbors helps ease the emotional weight.
• If you’re raising money to achieve a positive goal or to support a friend or a charity in need, an event can inspire everyone, creating a positive energy that carries your fundraiser to the end.
• If your beneficiaries can attend the event, donors and potential donors get a chance to connect with them — and see the importance of their contributions first hand.

Make your crowdfunding fundraiser an eventful one

Ready to get started with one of these fundraising event ideas? Get more inspiration from our easy fundraising ideas and creative fundraising ideas pages. With our tips, event fundraising just got easier — and your event is sure to be effective, fun and memorable. Crowdfunding on GoFundMe is free for fundraiser organizers, and you can begin withdrawing funds as soon as you start receiving donations. Start your event fundraiser today.