To demonstrate how even small donations can make all the difference, ask fundraisers to give up a daily beverage and donate the money they would have spent to your cause instead. Think of these ideas as the building blocks for your strategy: Did you know that your supporters can raise money for your nonprofit simply by browsing and shopping online? Get donors involved from all over the world with a virtual fitness challenge. These creative and fun fundraising ideas will almost always perform better than even the most well-organized but run-of-the-mill fundraising project. Identify potential businesses in your area that donors have shown an interest in and highlight the incredible marketing opportunity those establishments will receive from this event. Offer a prize for the winning band to incentivize participation, and consider offering a prize to the band that raises the most money. Host a Clean-Up Day In our increasingly busy society, sometimes things around the house get out of hand. Encourage them to share their activity on social media and ask their networks to take action too. Take it to social media to garner additional votes, and be sure to send an email blast asking community members to help determine the winner. This can easily become a virtual event as well by sending a gift card to each donor who reaches the designated fundraising level. They also sold sponsorship packages, and anyone who purchased a sponsorship had their organizations logo and program information included on special marketing materials inside the tailgate cooler. Thats why weve put together this list of 12 fundraising ideas that are perfect for every school. Donors can simply choose the envelope that corresponds with the amount they want to give and place their donation inside the envelope. Invite local chefs to cook up their best barbecue plate and ask guests to donate, taste, and cast their votes for their top choice. All you need to get started are some envelopes and a bulletin board. Plan a kayak race or a swim relay to take advantage of the great outdoors. Pick supervisors and organize auditions. Sometimes fundraising can feel like an insurmountable challenge, especially if you work at an organization with only a few people on staff. At Party Packs, we're here to make sure you don't miss out on this special occasion. Sending a candygram is a great way to let your friends and family know you care about them. If your organization is looking for a cheap way to bolster donations, try a 50/50 raffle. Whether youre raising money for a charitable cause or personal project, youve always got options when it comes to cost-effective, inexpensive, and free fundraising ideas. Plus, a crowd of people all wearing the same shirts can drum up excitement about your fundraiser! Today, everyone has a professional-grade camera in the palm of their hand. This list includes: online fundraising ideas for individuals As participants bid on their favorite items, they foster a fun, competitive environment while raising funds for your nonprofit. Plus, people can show their support throughout the event by sending individual donations to friends or family members competing in each round. As an organization grows, it increasingly needs to seek out the support of these major donors, and conducting donor research is the best way to make sure you find the right supporter to ask. If your organization needs to fund a major project or event, these are the sorts of fundraising ideas youll need to focus on. Charge a flat rate for tickets and consider adding a peer-to-peer fundraising element to bring in charitable donations from a wider audience. Youth Sports, High Schools, Middle Schools, Churches. When you collaborate with a local restaurant, you can raise a portion of the nights proceeds for your cause. Events have always been one of the most popular ways for organizations to fundraise. Heres a creative way to get everyone (including your four-legged neighbors) excited to support your project or cause; host a pet costume party and contest! Consider how you could raise additional funds the day-of, whether thats an on-site concession stand or branded merchandise. When people travel for the weekend or just go away for the day on business, it can be challenging to find someone they trust to take care of their pets. Invite nonprofit influencers or local personalities to judge, and motivate them to help spread the word to get people excited about your show. Flash mob is one of the great ideas for a charity fundraising event that can be executed with minimum cost. Bungee Jump For Charity - For adrenaline junkies, a bungee jump can be an exhilarating way to raise money and showcase your daredevil nature. The Fund-a-Need or special appeal is already an exciting, emotionally charged point of the event. Sell tickets and snacks for suggested donations, and invite attendees to help determine which movie youll stream by donating a few dollars toward their favorite film on the list. This timeless game is the perfect way to spin up competition at a local school or university. People can donate for the chance to taste test and vote for their favorites, or scrap the competition idea and simply charge a flat rate for each baked good someone purchases. And partnering with a restaurant isnt as difficult as you might think. View details on 23 exciting revenue enhancers sure to entertain guests and raise more for your cause. Heat up the skillets and recruit a team of passionate volunteers to serve up endless stacks of pancakes in support of your nonprofit. Partnering with a local food truck is both an easy way to raise some support for your project or cause. Trivia nights are a weekly occurrence at bars for a few simple reasonstheyre easy to organize, affordable to host, and can be customized to appeal to any audience. Small Prize Game Ideas Usually, the fundraising organization will ask for donations of used books to sell at the event later on, but feel free to get creative to find the method that works best for your community. Upgrade your next fundraising event with exclusive donor data from our Event Attendee Insights Report. Try gathering your auction and procurement committees and coming up with your own auction game ideas. It's a product that is appealing to both children and parents, and truly sells itself. Do your research and explore your connections to identify potential airlines, hotels, car services, and restaurants that would be willing to support this offering. 27 Unique Gala Ideas for the Ultimate Fundraising Event By Social Tables When you think of a gala, you probably imagine a formal, regal event. Whichever you decide, offer the opportunity to showcase the winning photo at your next event or share it on social media for everyone to see. As Fundraising Editor, Summy brings hands-on experience in nonprofit development, event fundraising, publishing, copywriting and design to Winspire News. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Peer-to-peer fundraising(one of the big things you can do on the CauseVox fundraising platform) accounts for of all online donations, so it's one of the best virtual fundraising ideas out there. A balloon raffle is a fun and inexpensive fundraising idea that both individuals and nonprofits can use. Used book sales and rummage sales are some of the easiest fundraising ideas for groups of all sizes, particularly community groups and organizations. Inside each jar is a small, folded piece of paper. If you decide to forge ahead with a raffle fundraiser, there are plenty of fun ways to entice supporters. Reach out to a food truck entrepreneur in your neighborhood to discuss your cause and ask if theyd be willing to take part in a percentage fundraising event. Pet costume events and parades make great additions to other kinds of public fundraising events, like fall festivals. Keep it simple by creating a custom campaign page where supporters can place their orders, submit their donations, and even leave a personal message for the recipient of their coffee-gram. Use a combination of these ideas to reach your fundraising goals and further your cause. To bring in an even bigger crowd, promote your garage sale on social media a few weeks in advance. A post shared by Winspire! Give readers an easy way to make a donation, like providing a URL to your donation page or crowdfunding campaign. Charge an entry fee per team, or ask participants to fundraise for entry. If you cant tailgate in person, make it a virtual celebration. Nearly any organization can hold a silent auction either in-person orvirtually, and they pair well with many fundraising events from galas to golf tournaments. Ask a local restaurant or bar to host your fundraising event and encourage participants to form teams in advance. Tap on students creative talents to advance your worthy cause and strengthen your nonprofits sense of community. Have someone number the envelopes and post them on the bulletin board in a centralized location. You can spread a little joy and raise money this holiday season by selling and sending personalized messages with candy and other delicious treats attached. You can host your auction online or in person, both presenting their own unique set of benefits. Incorporating fundraising games into your event can be a great way to maximise the fundraising potential in the room. Next, gather up donated items from local businesses to auction off, and start promoting your online event. Something as simple as a bag toss, a cookie decorating station, or a holiday movie screening would work well. Sell tickets for the event, collect donations throughout the evening, and livestream the performances for all donors to enjoy. This fundraising event idea is perfect for families and children. Either stick with the classic Olympic events, like basketball and track and field, or get creative with more unique games, like bag toss or bocce ball. Put a fresh spin on the traditional 5K or 10K by turning it into a team relay race. Kick back, relax, and try out these easy free fundraising ideas. Perhaps each leg of the race demands a particular costume theme or a humorous obstacle like carrying an egg on a spoon or a three-legged race. One half goes to your organization and the other goes to a lucky winner. Leverage partnerships to help offset costs, and be sure to double down on promotion leading up to your event to build a case for why supporters should offer their support. Ask contributors to submit their recipes online and include a dedication, doodle, or note with each submission so that the book feels unique and personal to your organization. In return, your nonprofit can offer an exclusive perk, prize, or public recognition on your website or social media platforms. Maybe you've got a team member who can . All it takes is some creativity and a bit of promotion to start making a profit on merchandise. 9 Live Auction Fundraising Games 1. Get creative to think of a fun challenge and accompanying hashtag, then start promoting it! For example, Movembers annual campaign challenges supporters to grow their facial hair for the entire month of November to raise awareness for mens health. Categorize all performers into individual age brackets, then leave it up to the audience to determine which group deserves the karaoke crown. Ask each artist to pay a nominal registration fee to showcase their work, then set a flat ticket price for attendees to browse the collection. Created by Jonathan Feinberg, the Wordle NY Times game is available on the New York Times website. Basketball fundraising is a way to bring in cash for your group or team. Whichever you choose, just make sure you have plenty of butter and syrup to go around. Ask each person to submit their photos to your team directly, then publish them to your event landing page where people can vote for their favorite through small donations. These groups are typically in the best position to partner with a food truck. Thankfully, online auction software and services have made auctions a more realistic fundraising idea for more groups than ever before. 37. How SEO can Boost your . Supporters worldwide posted photos and videos of themselves on social media climbing stairs at the gym, at a local stadium, and even in their apartment complexes, raising over $344,000 in the process. Are you an expert at HTML code? Peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the most popular fundraising trends in recent years. This raffle works best when there is a great travel package to be won, such as a travel package to New York or Las Vegas. Is your budget the biggest limiting factor of your fundraising project or campaign? Your own social media challenge probably wont get quite as popular as the Ice Bucket Challenge, but its still one of the most effective fundraising ideas for creative individuals and organization. The only real expense youll have with this fundraising idea is the cost of printing the discount cards. Basically, youll pick a day and a reasonable dollar amount and ask people to give that amount on the day youve chosen. Gather all the items around your home that you no longer want, and ask your friends and family members to donate items to your garage sale. The more we sell, the more you could win.". This could be a great idea for an event thats raising funds for an adoption, or an organization that works for the good of babies and small children, like a diaper bank. To earn their spot in the competition, set a minimum fundraising amount that each participant must meet to play. Identify volunteers, donors, partners, or board members willing to take a shift in the dunk tank and sell tickets to those interested in sending them for a swim. Home/Winspire News/23 Raffle & Game Ideas to Bolster Your Fundraising Event. While getting an adult to sit in the tank might take a little convincing, this fundraising idea is an engaging weekend activity sure to leave everyone laughing. Take a look to find the right fundraising event for your nonprofit: 1. Wine and dine your community of supporters with an invitation to a wine night fundraising event. 2. Consider organizing a craft festival fundraiser for your community! Invite your supporters to an elegant evening of dinner, drinks, live entertainment, and ample fundraising opportunities to recognize the success of your organization and help attendees better understand your impact. Promote your event and charge vendors a fee to set up a booth or stand. Start organizing your event by securing a pet-friendly space to host it. If there are any strips left, the auction resumes. While you could simply donate money to the organization yourself, the social impact and increased awareness thats generated from a crowdfunding campaign can. If 100 envelopes are filled, your organization could raise over $5,000 for your cause. Throw out a suggested fundraising goal, prepare incentives, and send participants tips on how to reach out to their networks to solicit additional donations. After you send free online invitations to help organize your fundraiser, you can get started on planning fun and exciting games for your event. Check with your local gaming authority to see if you need a raffle license or permit. This fundraising idea isnt just for professional artists. If youve already considered designing custom fundraising merchandise, be sure to choose a platform or service that offers multiple ways to sell apparel online. Our Favorite Fundraising Ideas 1. Gather talented friends and family members to help create and sell custom crafts, like bracelets, paintings, keychains, or hand-stitched blankets. Whatever approach you decide to take, this easy fundraising idea is a simple way to raise money and awareness for your cause. Alternatively, you can number each of the champagne glasses and hold a draw to pick the lucky number. Give attendees plenty of time to register to bring a dish, and decide how much you want to charge for tickets. This family fun event can be a school-wide picnic or field day where you can offer games and mini competitions. This fundraising idea has the potential to raise a lot of money and can be fairly inexpensive when planned carefully. Encourage supporters of all ages to participate in a battle of the generations. A post shared by melva (@preppiecurler) on Sep 30, 2018 at 5:34pm PDT. (@teamwinspire) on May 15, 2017 at 6:01am PDT. Host the event at a location thats easily visible and accessible from high-traffic areas. To take it one step further, ask people to dress in theme or have participants earn branded swag for each stop they make on the crawl. To find a qualified instructor, reach out to local gyms or workout studios to see who might be interested in donating their skills for a good cause. For the proud grandparents, aunts, and uncles who cant travel into town every time your children are participating in a school concert, provide a virtual option to keep them involved and expand the reach of your event. 50 percent of the pot goes to the winner, and 50 percent goes to your organization. You can host the raffle at an in-person event or take it virtual by selling the raffle tickets online. Bury the prizes in the sand. You can also make this an online fundraising event by asking bands to perform for your virtual audience in a closed venue. The person with the photo that has the most money wins! . carnival games for fundraisers fundraising games Get A Quote It could include selling merchandise, hosting a basketball tournament or contest, or soliciting sponsorship donations. We recommend checking out Candid, who are industry leading experts in helping people and organizations find funding and grants. Art Show Tap on students' creative talents to advance your worthy cause and strengthen your nonprofit's sense of community. Charge per scoop or set a flat ticket fee for an all-you-can-eat option. If youre interested in running a t-shirt fundraiser for your cause, find a fundraising platform, like Bonfire, that allows to you sell apparel and will ship your items for you. If thats not within your budget, offer the winner a set of free tickets to your next fundraising event. Round up supporters and foodies around a friendly culinary competition. Monthly Fundraising Ideas No matter the season we've got loads of great fundraising ideas that are sure to be fun and get people engaged in your charitable cause. One of the most popular school fundraisers is cookie dough. Unique pledge campaigns are a great way to catch the attention of supporters for your personal fundraising project. Consider Virtual Fundraising. Sell tickets to your event through a branded campaign page, and consider restricting your sales to two-pack tickets to ensure all attendees bring at least one guest. This idea combines the momentum of a live auction with the surprise of a raffle. Charge for admission and refreshments on the big day. Put a creative spin on the traditional 5K by hosting a community-wide color run. Alternatively, your nonprofit can partner with a local retailer. When participants share photos of themselves online using the event hashtag or mention Movember in their captions, theyre organically boosting cause awareness and educating others on the importance of Movembers work. Many food trucks will likely be eager to get involved in order to help out and reach new customers for the first time! Consider tapping on event sponsors to support your event, or think about creative ways to collect in-kind donations from your community to keep walkers fueled throughout the day, like drinks, snacks, and sunscreen. Join the 2023 NCAA Bracket Games right here for a shot at a trip to the 2024 Final Four. In addition to opening up donations to your staff, supporters, and collective networks, reach out to local celebrities or philanthropists for those high-ticket items. Research some free community spaces to rent, or consider striking a deal with a local business to host your event for a portion of the proceeds. Contestants create their best holiday dishes with a specific ingredient or other criteria, and people pay to taste each dish and cast their votes. These events work well for personal fundraising projects in which a community comes together to support a neighbor in need. 23 Raffle & Game Ideas to Bolster Your Fundraising Event, A post shared by Ball Mason Jars Oficial (@balloficial), A post shared by Winspire! Are you ready to start raising money for your cause? If you host your event in person, you have additional opportunities to raise money through merchandise, food, or drink sales, educate supporters on your recurring giving program, strengthen donor relationships, and more. The raffle portion of the ticket strips are deposited into a draw barrel, from which a single ticket is drawn. For even more ideas, download our latest resource, the Raffles & Games Handbook. T-Shirt Fundraisers Fundraising Potential: +++++ Cost: Free Popularity: Designing and selling t-shirts is a great fundraising idea that both individuals and organizations can use to raise money. A local park is probably your best bet. Invite supporters to dig out their family recipe books for a community potluck. Whether you focus on yoga, tennis, or self-defense, host an afternoon where participants can donate to receive a lesson from a local expert. Designing and selling t-shirts is a great fundraising idea that both individuals and organizations can use to raise money. Hike 'n' bike. Fun and Inexpensive Fundraising Event Ideas These fundraising event ideas are easily scaled to any budget or audience, and can help drive in revenue for your cause. That way, the restaurant or bakery gets its brand in front of more people and your organization can keep overhead costs as low as possible. You might choose to structure your used book sale in a number of ways. Just make sure to get the contact information of the recipient so you can send the candygram to the correct person. Or know basic photography skills? If youre looking for a free way to raise money for your cause or project, you can offer dog walking services to the pet owners in your neighborhood. Create an event landing page with the details of your offering to ensure donors know exactly what theyre signing up for, then follow up with each participant to confirm the date, time, and location. The Nonprofit Event Attendee Insights Report. Attached to each glass is a small pouch, and inside one of the pouches is a real diamond; all others contain a cubic zirconia. You can sell different tiers of tickets, rewarding those who donate larger amounts with additional attempts to dunk the person inside. Although most commonly held at a track, you can take this event to a local park or even online to host a virtual walk-a-thon. Once all the envelopes have been filled, the fundraiser is over. Host a clothing drive ahead of the onset of freezing winter temperatures to support and protect community members in need. Attendees can reserve their spot in the game with a flat registration fee, but be sure to remind them to invite friends and family members to join the fun. The person holding the corresponding ticket wins the trip! Raising money for your cause can be as simple and heartwarming as organizing a baby photo contest! However, we believe the best fundraiser ideas should be total fun. Charity auctions are a quintessential fundraising idea for nonprofit organizations because they work. For animal shelters today, Where the world goes for premium custom shirts, How to Design a Great Looking Custom T-Shirt, T-Shirt Color Combinations That Always Work, raise money for cancer research and awareness, Google offers an Adwords Grant to nonprofits, School Fundraising Ideas that Work for Any Grade, To contribute to and support a charitable cause, To raise support for a personal issue, like healthcare costs, To fund a personal creative or entrepreneurial project. Everyone at your office or in your community can participate by bringing in a silly, adorable, or even embarrassing photo of themselves as a child. Balloon raffles work best when they are an activity nested within a larger event, where you have a large audience of donors in one location, like during a fundraising gala or auction. Ask local businesses to donate breakfast staples like muffins, fruit, bagels, and coffee for this easy fundraising idea. Send participants running all around town with an organized scavenger hunt. 32 Simple and Effective Virtual Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits 1. All bidding was submitted online prior to the livestream and remained open until one hour after the virtual program ended. Prepare elegant cutlery, fine china, and classic tea party snacks. After all the jars have been sold, and following a countdown from the emcee, guests open up the jars. For an added incentive, see if a local gallery would display your winners photo for a week. Supporters can write their name or a short message on the paper and tape them around your organizations lobby. Wordle challenges players to guess a hidden five-letter word within six guesses. Stagger your performers so that all the musicians, singers, and dancers are evenly distributed throughout the show. With all the different options to choose from, this funny fundraising twist on the classic 5K never gets old. When its time for your organization to begin thinking about this fundraising idea, youll likely need to invest time and money into new donor research resources, although DIY prospect research is often effective, too. Text-to-Give. 1) Fundraising potential . Think carefully about what donors might be willing to pay, and weigh it against your organizations, the value of the deals, and the cost of printing the books. Keep it simple with a flat registration fee, or tap into the potential of your supporters networks through peer-to-peer fundraising. One hundred jars were sold at an event. Add up all of your ticket sales, then divide them in half. Participants can still fundraise to earn their registration, and then your supporters can vote on the best performance. Hope for Haiti hosted their third annual virtual Hike for Haiti Challenge in 2021, which challenged students and families to climb 200 flights of stairs. How about switching up the usual 5K run/walk with a roller-skating race? Next, have supporters and their networks place orders. Food is a reliable way to attract attention and incentivize supporters to donate to your cause! Charge an entrance fee and invite attendees to create their own masterpieces. Its the most direct way to engage with individuals who have already expressed interest in supporting your work. The long-awaited Coronation of King Charles III promises to be one of the most defining events of 2023. If youre considering hosting a potluck-style event but arent sure of the best way to get your supporters really excited to get involved, consider organizing an international food festival. Rather than rely solely on entry fees, learn how to launch a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign so participants can start raising money upon registration. Invite guests to dress up and donate to participate. Walk-a-thon. Youll also want to make sure you have plenty of space to wash, dry, and collect money from customers. Visual art, pottery, and knit apparel are common examples. Paint jam. Crowdfunding with custom apparel is a common example. A game night can be a fun and engaging fundraising event idea that provides attendees with a unique and enjoyable experience while raising valuable funds for your cause. Get creative to find the right idea for your project, but remember that theres no motivator quite like a good meal or snack! Your international food festival can be potluck-style, where each participant volunteers to bring a home-cooked dish, or you can reach out to local restaurants and invite them to participate. Think about your online audiences and the mission of your fundraising project. Provide supporters with data showcasing the impact of $5, $10, and $20 donations. Enlist volunteers to deliver the goods and encourage tips in the form of donations. Virtual concert Just because we're living through a worldwide pandemic doesn't mean we can't enjoy our favorite artists performing live! If weve learned anything from Twitch, its that video games can bring people together from all over the world to support a worthy cause. We share the nuts and bolts of these plus 18 more ideas, all in a printable and shareable PDF. Bring musicians together and host a concert or a mini-festival benefitting your organization. This proves the potential fundraising power of a dance marathon and reaffirms the impact of peer-to-peer fundraising. 15 Fun & Unique Fundraising Ideas for Kids February 7, 2023. A restaurant fundraiser allows supporters to eat at a local restaurant or bakery on a particular day, and the restaurant donates a percentage of its sales back to your cause. Clarify how each dollar will directly benefit a community member and remind donors how much just $5 can do for someone in need. There are a few essential social media and online fundraising ideas to be aware of if youre trying to start an online fundraising project. The specific date, specific amount fundraiser is an easy way to raise money for any cause, especially for individuals that want to raise money quickly. (@teamwinspire), 30+ Best Live Auction Items for Nonprofit Fundraisers, 30+ Silent Auction Basket Ideas for Nonprofit Events, The Ultimate List of 100+ Silent Auction Item Ideas. If youre thinking about incorporating custom merchandise into any of your fundraising projects, make sure to include a design challenge! Encourage them to purchase their own treat and attend a livestream ice cream social to connect with fellow supporters. Your main expenses will be space and marketing materials, although you can likely partner with a local park to save on the cost of renting a space for the day. Invite gamers to create a fundraising page that they can share with viewers during their Twitch event. The smallest to the largest nonprofits rely on email campaigns as one of the most effective fundraising and communication methods available.