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Top ten fundraising event ideas for charity

When it comes to organising your own fundraising event, there are endless creative and effective ideas to raise funds and awareness.

As well as organising the event itself, make it easy for people to donate by setting up a fundraising page and having physical donation buckets for people carrying cash. When writing your fundraising story, include any personal connection to the charity and detail how the money raised will be spent.

Remember to spread the word on social media, in the local community, and among loved ones. Share regular reminders ahead of the event itself, and send fundraising updates as the donations come pouring in.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Challenge events

Challenge events allow people to take on a personal physical challenge while raising money for a cause they care about.

The most popular are charity runs, such as the London marathon or a local half-marathon. There is nothing like the palpable energy of an endurance race—runners and crowds included—to raise vital funds for good causes. Triathlons and cycling events are also effective ways to raise money.

Ask participants to raise money through peer-to-peer fundraising and post regularly online about their training to remind people to donate.

Walkathon

With these events, participants usually ask donors to give a certain amount based on the total number of miles completed.

Have sponsors make their donations directly to your fundraising page. Participants can set up teams, with a little friendly competition to inspire people to go even further.

These events are easy to take part in because they’re usually accessible. There are often different levels of difficulty available, they aren’t costly, and all ages can usually take part.

It doesn’t have to be limited to a walkathon, however. Sponsored challenges, such as a sky dive or abseil, will certainly catch potential donors’ attention. These can be done as part of a personal trip or an officially sponsored event.

Sports day

For those wanting physical fun without the high stakes, why not go for an old-school sports day? Think egg-and-spoon, three-legged, and sack races—anything to make you look extra silly.

It’s a great, accessible event that can appeal to people of all ages, from young people to older generations.

Charge a small entry fee and sell refreshments to raise extra funds.

Jumble sale

Ask people you know or the local community to donate their unwanted clothes to sell as part of the jumble sale (or charity car boot sale). Local businesses may have extra stock or goods they could donate to the cause to help raise more money.

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.

Charity auction

Hold a dinner, reception, or party (perhaps at a public space, restaurant, gallery, or private home) and conduct an auction. It can be a silent auction or a live event with an auctioneer. Winning bids are paid in the form of donations.

For auction items, ask for donations from individuals and local businesses. Ask restaurants, tour companies, wineries, spas, gyms, hair stylists, artists, and any others who can donate goods or services.

Be clear in what you’re fundraising for. You should provide information about the cause and inform people what they’re donating to. You could also direct them to your fundraising page. Donating to your cause gives them the halo effect and some promotion, creating a win-win situation.

Bake sale

Everyone loves a bake sale. It’s a delicious way to raise money and gets the community involved. Make it a coffee morning to get the local community together and invite a representative from the charity you’re supporting to say a few words about the cause. This will help inform potential supporters and encourage them to dig a little deeper into their pockets.

Afternoon tea

Rather than a bake sale, why not host a lavish afternoon tea to raise money for your event? Assemble your best bakers in the local community and liaise with local business owners for a venue (or baked goods). Then you can charge people a small entry fee, making sure to cover any costs and have enough left over to make a sizeable donation.

No venue? No problem. Why not host an afternoon tea picnic in an informal setting, such as the local park? Afternoon tea needn’t be fancy.

Quiz night

Everyone loves a quiz or games night, so it’s a perfect excuse to get people together to raise money. Spread the word in the local community and amongst friends and family. Encourage people to form small teams and charge a small admission fee.

Make sure there are plenty of activities and refreshments for people on the night, with the proceeds going to charity. You could team up with a local pub or community space to host the event.

Party or banquet

Hosting a dinner party or charity banquet is a great way to gather a large group of people together, enjoy a good meal, and gather donations.

Invite your friends, family, and neighbours. Parties and banquets can be hosted at a home, clubhouse, or banquet hall. Try selling tickets in exchange for donations.

Craft for good causes

Invite people to get creative and use their crafting skills for a good cause. Something simple like papercraft or handmade jewellery would keep it accessible and inexpensive

Ask anyone attending to donate to your fundraiser and then sell the handcrafted items afterwards to raise more money.

Car wash

Car washes have long been a popular way to drum up support for a cause. Advertise your car wash on your fundraiser page and on social media. Let donors know they can receive a car wash on a certain date.

You can sell tickets in advance in exchange for a donation, or take donations at the event. Get out in the community and spread the word of your fundraiser. Washing cars can also help your fundraising team bond while working together.

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 neighbours 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 firsthand.

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 organisers, and you can begin withdrawing funds as soon as you start receiving donations.

If you’re a charity, check out GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy), a comprehensive fundraising platform for charities and nonprofits. It offers fundraising tools, donor management, and data insights so you can maximise your fundraising efforts.