Seven Team Fundraising Ideas to Get You to Your Goal

When someone wants to raise funds, one of the first things we suggest is to assemble a fundraising team. If you’re already on a sports team or any other kind of team, you’re halfway there. Teams of all shapes and sizes use our free platform to raise funds. Whether you’re looking to cover travel costs, buy new equipment, or donate money to a cause outside your team such as an environmental charity, team crowdfunding is the most effective way to reach your fundraising goal. Here are some great team fundraising ideas to get your team started.

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Ten popular fundraising ideas for teams

1. Host a clinic

Whether it’s soccer or robotics, your team has a specific set of skills that others want to learn. Use those skills to your advantage by hosting a clinic. (For example, Darin organized a community baseball clinic to raise money for his friend Robert’s cancer treatment.) Charge an entry fee via a donation to your fundraiser, and ask businesses to sponsor scholarships.

2. Organize an exercise class

Get people moving for a good cause. Organize an exercise class and ask participants to donate at the door. If you ask a venue to host your class, tell them why you’re raising money—they may be inclined to sponsor the event and give you the space for. From Crossfit to Soulcycle to yoga, the options are endless.

3. Host an -a-thon

Most of us are familiar with walkathons, but why not put your own spin on it? Brainstorm an event that fits your cause and team, find a venue, pick a day and time, and ask participants to secure pledges. If people don’t want to pledge a certain amount, give them the option of a flat-fee donation. On GoFundMe, we’ve seen teams host a Swim-A-Thon, Read-A-Thon, Skate-A-Thon, and Spin-A-Thon.

4. Hold a competition

Sometimes a little friendly competition motivates people to donate more. It can be as intense as a bodybuilding for a good cause or as laid back as a bocce ball tournament. Not into sports? Get creative with your ideas, like the team that competed in a gingerbread build-off challenge for charity. Have people donate a fixed amount to participate. Consider creating a fun trophy for the winner.

5. Take on a challenge

What better way to show your dedication for a cause than by taking on a major challenge that raises money at the same time? After his father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Stu dreamed of running long-distance races with his family to raise awareness of the disease—and with his GoFundMe, he was able to do just that.

6. Offer unusual rewards

Sometimes we see teams offer rewards to their supporters as an incentive to donate. For example, wrestling champion AJ Mendez offered to mention donors in tweets to her following, and the JFK Library offered custom calendars.

7. Create something you can give

Make something for your fundraiser that relates to your cause. A few examples we’ve seen on our site are a can sculpture for your local food pantry, brown bags full of food, clothes, and hygiene products for homeless people.

Examples of teams raising funds on GoFundMe

1. 28th Annual Beta Omicron Bike-A-Thon

The men of the Beta Omicron fraternity of Tennessee State University have been organizing charity bike-a-thons for 28 years. During the event, they ride their bicycles 250 miles from Nashville to Memphis by way of Highway 70. For their most recent charity bike-a-thon, the brother raised more than $1,400 help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

2. Katie Heintz Memorial Basketball Tournament

Northern Michigan communities have been coming together for more than 12 years to organize a benefit basketball tournament to honour the memory of Katie Heintz, a 16-year-old student who passed away from leukemia. All proceeds from the GoFundMe and other fundraising events go to the Munson Healthcare Pediatric Infusion Clinic.

Fundraising team, assemble!

Your team might be surprised at the power of your combined social networks and fundraising skills. Hold a team meeting, brainstorm ideas, and assign fundraising roles. And if you haven’t already, start your fundraiser today and get your team on track for success. For more information about fundraising with a team, check out our team fundraising page.