100+ Fundraising Event Ideas for Nonprofit Organisations Can Execute

Running a fundraising event is one of the best ways to raise money for a charity. It’s a fun way to raise money, but it’s also a great way to get your message out there and to meet new people. It takes effort to host a fundraising event. You need a little planning and preparation. You can ask for donations from people and raise money for your cause.

However, the more enjoyable your ideas for fundraising events are, the more people will engage. If you have no option for in-person events, consider hosting an online fundraising event. A lot of people do this today. An online fundraiser is a beautiful way to raise money for your charity with a small budget.

There are many ways to host fundraising events, from in-person to virtual. Event organisers are also concerned about how to organise a fundraiser for a family. All you need is a unique event idea that attendees will love and attract to the event. If you are wondering how to make charity event ideas, we have over a hundred fundraising ideas to excite all participants and donors. Before walk into the ideas let’s know all about fundraising event first.

What Is a Fundraising Event?

A fundraising event is one that aims to increase donations and awareness of a cause. A half marathon, concert, silent auction, neighbourhood picnic, and more can all be used as fundraising events.

Fundraising events are used by nonprofits to generate funds for their initiatives. Events give community members and contributors the opportunity to interact with people in a more active way than simply making donations. Additionally, meetings with donors allow organisations to restate their objective and talk about ways that individuals might become more involved in their work.

Types of Fundraising Events

Fundraising events can be categorized based on their purpose, audience targeted, and format. Identifying the correct type of event makes sure that your fundraising campaign succeeds because it will target the right demographics and work in the achievement of your goals. Here goes the more detailed categorization of fundraising events along with descriptions that shall help you to understand their purpose and potential.

Community-Based Fundraising Events

The focus here is on the engagement with a local community for togetherness to raise money for a cause. This is done by building trust and goodwill with the participants toward the organisation, along with giving out information. It is supposed to be casually conducted and is generally inclusive of people.

Corporate Events

These events are planned to help businesses and professionals engage in various philanthropic activities. Actually, most of them incorporate networking and creating corporate relationships. The whole concept behind the events is soliciting substantial financial support, sponsorships, or donations from organisations by giving them an avenue to show their social responsibility.

Educational and Advocacy Events

Educational fundraising events focus more on awareness and educating the people about a cause. A good event educates and inspires participants, thus assuring a loyal base for years to come. An integral approach toward creating an emotional and intellectual bond with the cause ultimately is long-term engagement.

Cultural and Entertainment-Based Events

Cultural and entertainment-based events incorporate artistic and recreational activities for the purpose of attracting an audience and raising funds. Events offer participants an experience, and they allow for creative and innovative ways to promote the mission of an organisation. Events can be quite dynamic and appeal to a wide range of audiences.

Online Fundraising Events

These events use digital platforms to raise funds and reach global audiences. They are cost-effective and can be organised with minimal logistical challenges. The focus is to create interactive and accessible experiences that enable supporters to contribute from any part of the world.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Events

In peer-to-peer events, individuals or teams fundraise on behalf of the organisation. Participants actively activate their networks to secure donations, thereby increasing the reach and impact of the fundraiser. This is an event that empowers supporters to become ambassadors for the cause.

Seasonal and Holiday Events

Seasonal events are themed around a certain holiday or specific time of year to take full advantage of festive spirit that encourages generosity. These tend to be events that offer family-friendly activity and enjoyment while encouraging people to contribute and participate in the event.

Sports and Competitive Events

Sports and competitive fundraising activities involve physical activities or a challenge to attract participants and donors. These attract those who enjoy a test of skill and/or participation with others, with usually a sense of achievement associated in support of the cause, too.

Fundraising Event ideas

Here are the categories you can follow:

• Annual fundraising event ideas
• Ideas for k-12 school
• Ideas for colleges and universities
• Ideas for sororities and fraternities
• Virtual fundraising event ideas
• Ideas for sports club
• Ideas for churches and religious organisations
• Fundraising event ideas for museums
• Fundraising event ideas for workplaces
• Fundraising event ideas for small budgets
• Advocacy fundraising event ideas
• Sports and fitness fundraising event ideas
• Art charity event ideas
• Foodie fundraising activities
• Extreme fundraising events
• Community charity fundraising event ideas

Annual fundraising event ideas-

1. Community potluck

To execute this event, you must unite your community over a common cause and tell them to get some good food with a community potluck. Encourage everyone to whip up their dishes and then gather to share a meal. Give everyone enough time to register to bring a container for the event; thus, you don’t wind up with many of the same ones.

2. Travel raffle

To pull off a travel raffle, you will need some great contacts. Try to make the trip so enticing that everyone who hears about it will rush to enter the ruffle, including you. For the travel package, ensure airfare and accommodations for two people. To fill out the winner’s travel itinerary, include tickets and activity coupons.

3. Movie night

You can choose a cinema hall for screening your selected movies or put up a screen and speaker in another location chosen to execute a movie night event. You need to ensure that your event’s space is adequately prepared. You can raise funds by selling tickets, candy, popcorn, and drinks at the event.

4. Golf Tournament

Fundraising with a golf tournament can be great fun. You will need only a great course, a date with sunny weather, a team to attract participants and sponsors, some donations, including golf balls and drinks, and some winner awards. You can plan to sell tickets to individuals, but a two or four-person group ticket will quickly attract more attendees. You can give some free group tickets to attract local companies and sponsors. On the final day, ensure a smooth system of executing all the plans and provide a short presentation of your organisation’s goal to encourage attendees to donate with as many funds as possible.

5. Charity auction

A charity auction can be an event with events, as it can pair your many fundraising staples. At first, you have to decide what kind of auction you want to execute. It can be silent, live, online, or combo-related to the event where the auction will be a part. If the auction is a central attraction, it would be better to go live or home; otherwise, silence is the best option for accompanying auction events. Once you have your list, you can promote some of the items as a teaser in advance to attract an audience.

6. 5K Walk or run

Charity-run fundraising events work like a game changer for any organisation, at any time and of any size. 5k runs are effortless to promote. In this event, you must secure a venue and arrange refreshments for racers and a memorial t-shirt. Here, entrance fees and donations are your income source. You can earn additional income from the participants, who can be your unique fundraising superpower. The racer can create their profile through your leading crowdfunding site and encourage others to donate to their family and friends. They can also expand your organisation’s reach by raising awareness.

7. Oddball events

Oddball event is not a traditional one; it’s a different and unique kind of event where attendees can have more fun to attend such an event. It would be best if you thought of a creative idea related to your organisation and the leading cause of your organisation. For example, the November organisation challenges men worldwide to let their facial hair grow free for a month, targeting to raise male health awareness issues. This event has become so successful that it has become a household name. So, try to be as creative as possible to execute an oddball event. Your nonprofit oddball event could also be the next popular one in the fundraising field.

8. Guided tour

You can organise a guided tour in nature, your city, or any other place where you think your donor and supporter can be interested. If the weather is bad, you can shift your tour to a museum or gallery. You can raise your funds by taking the registration free in exchange for the time.

Fundraising event ideas for k-12 school

9. Trivia tournament

Trivia tournament night is considered a great fun event for students. You can charge an entrance fee and an admission fee for the audience to collect your funds from holding the event. To execute a trivia tournament, pick a night and trivia topic to cover and decide how many students you want per team. You will also need to set questions that students will answer that night. Offer rewards for the top 3 winner groups that would be exciting for students.

10. School-wide yard sale

One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure. This could be the central theme of a yard sale held in school. There are both chances that a yard sale can be a hit or miss, but you have to give your hundred percent to make the deal a win-win event. Try to collect as many used items as you can. You can ask students, faculty, guardians, and staff to donate their gently used products for sale. You can also search for some refreshments and snack donations for additional funding. Try to get the whole town involved in the sale and promote it like there is no tomorrow.

11. I won’t come down until

This is strange but considered a fruitful event. This event is eventually named after a beloved school person, like the vice principal or any other faculty member standing on a roof, sitting in a tree, or being kept in an office room until the fundraising goal is met. No one wants a loving teacher held up for too long, so all the students and staff will willingly join the event. When the set-up goal is achieved, you won’t believe the excitement.

12. Talent show

The talent show is a traditional and fun event where the participants are students and faculty members. You can turn the show evening into a theatrical production by selling tickets to your friends and family. You will need to have a committee for the show management; thus, there is no repetition of the same category performance, and therefore, the audience remains supercharged. You can have a voting system to select the winner and give the winner a trophy until the following year’s show.

13. School lock-in

Both students and parents love a school lock-in event. Here, students can hang out with their friends while parents can enjoy having some time. For this idea, you can plan activities by picking a theme, like a circus with carnival games or a pajama party with a movie night. It would also be fruitful to pack the day or night with lots of fun, snacks, and drinks; thus, students remain entertained and excited to join the event all the time.

14. Haunted house

The haunted house is a great Halloween event that a school can host around October. In this kind of event, decoration is the central fact to keep in mind. You can decorate the whole school area with spooky spiders, lanterns, and other creepy paraphernalia. You can ask for the decoration equipment as a donation from a local party store or students’ parents to minimize the event cost.

You can choose some willing volunteers from students to play ghouls and goblins. You can recruit the school drama club and generous alumni to act in the haunted house. Finding some make-up volunteers from students to transform the artist into scary monsters would be best. The best thing you can do at the haunted house event is place the volunteers strategically around the school wearing scary make-up to make it more realistic.

Fundraising event ideas for colleges and universities

15. Alumni happy hour

You can host an alumni happy hour event at the weekend by partnering with a local bar. This event is a favourite to most graduates because they can feel again that they are 22. The connection between alumni and colleges or universities always remains strong, so fundraising becomes easy to hold this happy event. You can sell tickets and ask for donations to rain money in such an event.

16. Alumni networking breakfast

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and a great fundraising event for a nonprofit organization. You need to invite your alumni to the event, and it would be better if it is held on a weekend morning. You can also add expert guest speakers to give extra value to the event. You can ask for donations from the alumni and sell tickets to raise your funds.

17. Alumni networking dinner

Networking is an essential practice for people of all ages, especially for those new in the workforce. In such a case, no event can be better than an alumni networking dinner or breakfast. You can use this event to connect various alumni in the same field and raise funds for your organisation. You need to post the event on social media and send promotions to the entire alumni network to make the event more engaging.

18. Student variety show

You can use your student’s talent to collect a good fund. Let your students show off their talents and skills through various shows that are entirely populated and produced by volunteer students. You can sell the show tickets to alumni, faculty, staff, students, and parents. Try making the show as creative as possible with different kinds of artists like comedians, magicians, acrobats, poets, and many more. You can also hold a raffle as a part of the show to maximise your fundraising effort.

Fundraising event ideas for sororities and fraternities

19. Throwback Thursday dance

You can take advantage of the popularity of the 90s among the young stars of 18-22 and host a throwback Thursday with 90s dance. You can theme the dressing style like the 90s with high-waisted jeans to oversized flannels. You can charge a small fee for entry to raise funds for your organisation.

20. Campus carnival

Campus carnival is a huge event to host where the permission of your university is a must to take first. It takes a lot of planning and helping hands to execute a campus carnival. Here, the primary source of your fund will be selling tickets, selling food and refreshments, and setting up some donation boxes with signs of your cause throughout the carnival.

21. Philanthropic pub crawl

To host this event, you must first fix the cause for what you want to raise funds. Once it is decided, your pub crawl needs a theme. For example, if you raise funds for an animal shelter, tell everyone to dress up like their favourite animal. You must set up a few members throughout the event to maintain the donation boxes.

22. Speed dating

Speed dating is when you can get to date someone briefly, like 7-a0 minutes. This is a fun event to execute where people can introduce new faces. Afterward, they can reconnect with the person they enjoyed at the event. Here, you can charge a flat entrance fee of $10 or $15.

23. Date night auction

Date night auctions can give you multiple opportunities to make money. To execute the event, you will need some brave volunteers to participate in the auction as a prize. Whoever offers the highest bid can get the chance to take the volunteer on a date, so it is essential to participate in the event willingly.

24. Fashion show

When you want to host a fashion show, you must recruit some bold sorority of fraternity members as your model. You can use university theaters, cafeterias or gymnasium floor as the location for the fashion show. In this event, you can make money by charging admittance and voting for their favourite outfit with dollars.

Virtual fundraising event ideas

25. Online petition

With the help of an online petition, you can raise awareness of your cause and bring new donations that increase visibility. You can also ask for donations alongside petition requests, coupling supporter action and supporter funding in one step. Moreover, an online petition needs explicit action to demonstrate a clear theory of change.

26. Jail and bail

Jail and bail is a crazy but exciting event. In this event, the volunteer gets arrested for various cause-themed crimes and remains there until the fund to pay the bail has arisen. To execute the event, first, you must set up online fundraising pages and promote your cause and event through them. Once a volunteer is arrested and bail is set, it’s just waiting to reach the goal of having freedom.

27. Virtual road race

You can easily host fundraising road races virtually. Everything in this event is identical to an in-person race except the location. Here, participants still pay a registration fee and get an event t-shirt. They cover the same distance but at different places in the country. After they have reached the destination, they need to report their time, and the winner will be selected.

28. Virtual bake sale

Though the sale is virtual, the baked goods are very much authentic. First, you need to post a bake sale menu on your donation page; thus, interested people can browse and learn about the sale. They can also make their orders in exchange for donations online, and your bakers can ship off the requested products. You can check out food-centric social media to learn how to take appetising pictures of baked goods to post online.

29. Viral video challenge

In this digital age, people would love to go viral with videos. To host this event, you must first set a challenge about something related to your cause. After determining the challenge, it’s time to set a time limit and get the participant into it. The main goal is to establish a chain where videos will blow up the web and fund.

30. Big night in

Hosting an online DJ night can bring the disco into people’s homes. People can dance in their living room or any place they want, watching each other party on an online platform like Zoom. Just throw an epic party online, and the fundraising is on.

31. Watch party

You can host an event online using streaming sites to watch a movie together. You can get guests at the party to donate the amount of a regular cinema ticket. To make it more interesting, you can add a fancy-dress competition with a prize for the best costume based on the movie.

32. Online cook along

You can teach cooking to live using one of many hosting platforms where people can join straight from their kitchen in exchange for donations. When hosting an online cooking class, you need to send a shopping list of ingredients first class. At the end of the event, you can enjoy meals together but virtually.

33. Instagram challenge

You can create a challenge where people can participate on Instagram. For example, it can be sharing memories, Different pictures, or songs every day, tying it back to your charity goals. You can encourage them to tag your organisation in every entry. The rule you can fix is that the more shares received, the more likely they will win a prize.

34. E-sports competition

You can host an e-sports competition using an available online platform where you can include various online games. The entrance fee for the competition can be a great source of your funds. You must give the winner a portion of the fund, but the rest goes to your organisation.

35. Online car boot sale

You can ask people to donate clothes they no longer use and sell them on sites such as Depop, Vinted, or Facebook marketplace. You could even auction them off using your own social media profile.

36. Zoom open mic night

You can let people show off their talents by organising an online open mic night. Try to involve various acts like stand-up comedy, singing, and dancing. You can sell the event tickets using your organisation’s online page and your profile.

37. Karaoke contest

People feel more comfortable participating in karaoke from their homes because it’s easier to drop guard when looking at a laptop. Please set the contest around them, like 80s power ballads or musicals.

Fundraising event ideas for sports club

38. Skills clinic

You can run a skills clinic at your club with the help of your player-coach. Parents will love to donate to your club if you can ensure an active and healthy day for kids in your locality. You can set the event in two sections, giving a skill-based lesson in the first half and finishing it with a practical study in the second half.

39. Heavy lifter helpers

Sports clubs are full of young athletes who can be the asset of heavy lifter events. Set the possibility for a day weekend or a series of the weekend. You can offer to move, lift, open, or carry services in exchange for donations.

40. Bowl-a-thon

Bowl-a-Thon is another way of saying bowling for bucks. Like others, you need to get competitors to collect donations and pledges up until the event using the crowdfunding method. Here, a participant can have their crowdfunding pages to give extra effort to the event.

41. Hopes for Hope

Hopes for Hope is an event where your supporters can show off their basketball skills in exchange for raising funds for a good cause. To execute the event, you will need a basketball court, lots of basketballs, and volunteers to organize the event.

Fundraising event ideas for churches and religious organisations

42. Work a thon

You can have some young people as volunteers from your organisation offer to do odd jobs for those in the community. You can organise the event as one time a day when all the volunteers are available or make it an event series offering every Saturday for one or two months in exchange for the charity fund.

43. Pop-up restaurant

A pop-up restaurant is a great idea when everyone is busy with office work. Mostly, Thursday night is the well-fitted time when people are already tired, and there is more work for the rest of the week. The meals chosen for the restaurant can either be freshly made or premade, easy to heat, and ready to serve.

44. Wreaths and wrapping

You can set up shops with the help of your volunteers during the holiday outside popular stores and offer wrapping services. You can charge a fixed fee for the wrapping or wrap for free while holding a donation jar.

45. Carolling for a cause

This is a seasonal fundraising event you can host every December. Church remains blessed with groups that go caroling, so you don’t have to give extra effort to execute the event. You can charge people according to the number of songs they want your group to sing.

46. Scratch card Sunday

This is an easy-to-host event for churches. Every Sunday, lots of people come to curses, and this is when you need to recruit your volunteers with a lottery-style scratch card with 8 to 10 scratch-off symbols on it. The rules are the participant will scratch their cards and donate the sum of whichever numbers appear.

47. Grab a box

Grabbing a box is a great fundraising event where you must prepare multiple packages, filling them with items from affordable to luxury. Offer the packages to audiences in exchange for a flat fee per box, like $10. The excitement is on when one has a chance to get a luxury item for only $10.

48. Picture with Santa

Picture with Santa is one of the perfect fundraiser ideas for small groups of kids and parents. You should schedule the event for a weekend in December. All you need to do is have a volunteer dressed up like Santa and an expert photographer chosen from the volunteers. Remember to set up photos both with Christmas decorations, and you can charge an amount for every family as a donation for the charge in exchange for taking pictures.

Fundraising event ideas for museums

49. Local artist auction

A local artist auction is a multipurpose event where the relationship between the museum and the local artist improves. In such an event, a museum can showcase new talents, promote the museum, and, at the same time, raise funds. It would help if you highlighted the stories behind each piece of art; thus, people can get more connected to the work, and the auction gets a success getting a high price.

50. Night at the museum

A night at the museum in a special fundraising event that runs all night. You can add whatever level of formalities you want in such an event, from a black-tie event with a sit-down meal to a family-friendly sleepover with carnival games. But remember to set up donation boxes and solicit donations in person during the event. You sell tickets with various services like early access tickets, free drink tickets, or best seat tickets.

51. Family fun day

You can host a family fun day once a month. It would be best if you choose a day like the second Sunday of every month so children and parents can attend together. Try to make the event mesmerising so that parents get happy to give the museum a high-quality donation.

52. Galas

No place can be better than a museum for galas. The theme and art of the museum are décors themselves. You have a beautiful location, so you should take advantage of it. All you need is a great plan to execute the gala and include as many ways of fundraising in the event as possible.

53. Cobweb scavenger hunt

People who love museums will be fond of historical and old artifacts. Taking advantage of their passion, you can host a cobweb scavenger hunt that challenges teams to find a series of historical landmarks throughout the city. The rules can be set up like this: each time they see a milestone, take a selfie in front of the location and share it on the social media page.

Fundraising event ideas for workplaces

54. In-house competitions

A healthy competition for a good cause is admirable by all. You can spill teams of your office staff according to the team or match them to create a new group. Set a time limit, maybe a week or a month, to collect a handsome amount of funds. At the close of the competition, you can set a more significant event like a charity run or walk.

55. Supervisor rental

Supervisor rental is an event where you must find a supervisor who wants to serve willingly for fundraising. You can set a day for the event and give your supervisor for rent to anyone in the office for half an hour or an hour. The task your supervisor is to do needs to be respectable.

56. Premium parking

Premium parking is one of the perfect events for working places to execute for fundraising. Everyone loves having their particular excellent parking spot reserved in parking decks. You can run this event throughout the year, depending on the size of your office. In exchange for a few dollars, they can have the great opportunity of premium parking, and you can raise your funds.

57. Recycling drive

If your office is thinking of raising funds for an environmental organisation, a recycling drive can be the perfect event for you. You can have employees work to gather recyclables from family, friends, and neighbours and from any place they can. You can host a drive day to advertise the community for giving their trash to you to broaden the scope of the event. Finally, at the end of the event, you can exchange the garbage with a local recycling center for a cash reward.

58. Embarrass the authority

When planning to execute the authority event, you must first choose an embarking task. But it would help if you didn’t try anything too mortifying. For example, you can select a dunk tank of ice water, a pie to the face, or a silly outfit. After that, it’s time to choose a few famous people to do the task that can be done by employees voting with dollars.

Fundraising event ideas for small budgets

59. Guess how many candies there

This is one of the classic and easy-to-execute events for small-budget fundraising. You will need some containers full of candy and let participants guess the number of the candy containers. Whoever is closest to the number will be announced as the winner of the container. If there is a tie, you can use a similar game as a tiebreaker. You can charge participants a fixed amount or ask for a donation of whatever amount they want to give.

60. Weight loss a thon

Weight loss is about dropping pounds and getting fit in the skinny jeans that you used to wear before putting on weight. The weight loss journey always remains in planning for most people, but executing this plan is a challenging task in practice. When you can win a prize in exchange for losing weight, it will punch your weight loss journey. This event will need a duration of time cause weight loss is not a daily task. Here, donors can pledge money when participants reach their target loss, or they can offer a donation per pound. You will need fitness instructors to execute the event, and you can ask them to volunteer as donations for your cause.

61. Personal challenge

This is a peer-to-peer fundraising event where you can be creative. There are numerous challenges that your supporter can take part in to raise funds for your organisation. It can be anything like cutting or dying hare, a vow of silence for 24 hours, or adventure challenges like bungee jumping or skydiving.

62. Daily indulgence drop

Daily indulgence drop is a budget-friendly fundraising idea where organisers eventually ask the participants to pay the small expenses for a period they don’t need to do. Instead of buying the less necessary things, they can donate their money to the fundraiser.

63. Dollars for dares

Truth or dare is a top-rated game we all played in college. The idea of dollars for a dare has come from this game. All you need to do is set up a crowdfunding page and announce that you want to compete to raise the funds to execute the event. It would help if you told the story of your Cause when promoting the event; thus, people can connect with the emotion of your organisation.

64. Flash mob

The flash mob is one of the great ideas for a charity fundraising event that can be executed with minimum cost. To complete this event, you will need a volunteer to choreograph and organise the mob and some creative participants, and select a public location where you can perform the mob. The central fact working behind a successful mob is the element of surprise, so avoid posting about the mob on social media.

65. 50/50 raffle

If you are on a budget, then a 50/50 raffle is the best event option for your organisation. All you need to do is sell as many raffle tickets as possible. You can give discounts on raffles for bulk buying to grow the pot. You also have to set a time limit, and when the time is finished, choose the lucky winner and split the earnings.

Also Read: How to Sell More Tickets with Your Event Email Marketing

Advocacy fundraising event ideas

66. Tree planting party

Tree plantation party is proven to be a perfect way to both raise funds and awareness. At the same time, tree plantation parties can greatly contribute to the environment.

 At first, you will need to contact your city hall to know where you can hold the party and ensure you take all necessary permissions. You can ask for a donation from a local gardening store. Thus, you can spend on something other than buying trees or seeds. You can add some refreshments and good tunes during the event; therefore, participants can have more fun and a relaxed experience at a tree plantation party.

67. Animal de-stress day

If you are an animal advocacy group, animal de-stress day is the best option to raise funds for your cause. Stress relieving is the best quality for pets; nobody can resist it. To execute this event, you will need some pets. If you are already a rescue organization, there is no cause to worry about. On the other hand, you can team up with a rescue organisation to solve the problem. You can make money by giving people a chance to hang out for 10 or 15 minutes with their favourite pets in exchange for a fixed amount or whatever they want to donate.

68. World Market

When you think of hosting an event for international advocacy groups, the world market is one of the best options. You can ask volunteers to contribute to the event according to their culture and heritage. You can host the event in a local park or an ample communal space. Encourage participants to decorate their booths representing their heritages. Remember to advertise the event through available channels to ensure a solid buyer turnout.

69. The non-event event

You can find the idea silly about non-event events at first, but it will make great sense after going through the whole concept. The main attraction of the non-event event is a series of compelling email appeals sent to the donors. In your first email, you can start by explaining your forgoing event to get as many funds as possible to contribute to the cause. After that, you must send donors a series of follow-up emails throughout the week. Remember to send thank you notes to those who act on your appeals. The best part about the non-event event is you can save all the donations for your cause without spending on organising an event.

70. Cause week

As there is a week for every cause, you can choose one related to your reason, which can help you raise awareness quickly. It is one of the best ways to host advocacy events. As it is a long-time event throughout the whole week, you can plan different fundraising events to promote your cause with action.

Sports and fitness fundraising event ideas

71. School-style sports day

School-style sports are fun to participate in, and it reminds me of my childhood days with lots of happiness. Three-lagged races, tug of war, and egg and spoon are some school-style sports you can add to the event. You can host your event at a local park or hold an online event where people will record their attempts. You can charge attendees to take part. Thus, you can build up your charity fund.

72. Remote fun run

A remote fun run is one of the best easy-to-execute events. The best part of the event is you don’t need to worry about people gathering in large sizes or logistical support such as arranging road closures for the event. Attendees might donate or ask for sponsors before the race at their own choosing time. They can share their time and route via an app where you can track them and announce the winner.

73. Obstacle course

You can organise an obstacle course that makes a standard race more interesting. Participants always find obstacle courses more rewarding, and it also helps to raise huge funds. You can design races, including obstacle courses like walking on a beam, rope and wall climbing, climbing stairs, running through sprinklers of soapy water, dodging water balloons filled with paints, jumping through tiers, mud pits, and many more. You can charge an entry fee and a participant’s expense, and remember to prepare a prize for the winning team.

74. Daily exercise challenge

You can ask people to participate in a sponsored exercise challenge based on what they did the day before. For example, you can choose one month, and on day one, they do five crunches, rising by 100 by the end of the month. People will be excited to track their progress on social media. You have to ensure they tag your organisation to get the full benefit.

75. Charity zumbathon

You can arrange a more extended Zumba class with numerous instructors. Set a winning price for participants who can keep dancing for longer. Here, attendees can seek sponsorship and compete to be the last person standing. The main thing about this Zumbathon event is it can be hosted both off and online.

76. Wild swimming challenge

The quirkiness of the wild swimming challenge event is beyond description. You can raise money by letting people dip in the ocean or a local river. You can take cues from Scotland’s New Year’s Day Loony Dook event. You can also seek sponsorship based on each minute they can spend in the icy water.

77. Goal-kicking contest

This goal-kicking contest is an exciting event. You can charge an entry fee as a donation and let the audience bet on who they think the winner will be. You can also make some arrangements for refreshments at the event. Let people see and feel excited about who can score the most goals in a soccer shootout.

78. Quidditch tournament

Quidditch tournament is one of the unique fundraising ideas. You can be surprised that some Muggles have found a way to make quidditch a real-life sport. It is both fun to watch and play. You need to set up a charity match and let people live their wizard dream in exchange for fundraising.

Art charity event ideas

79. Wine and watercolours

You can host a watercolor painting class along with drinks where you can charge people entry at the door to collect your funds. It will be a relaxed atmosphere where people will go with the flow and relieve their stress with a little donation.

80. Art auction

You can ask local artists to draw and donate paintings inspired by your organisation and host an auction of the paintings. You can use online sites to execute your event if an in-person auction isn’t viable.

81. Craft along session

People always find craft sessions interesting. You can choose the easiest craft, like designing jewelry, making pots, or decorating frames, and host a craft session. You can plan to hold a virtual event session and then ensure that you first prepare all attendees and send raw materials and needed instructions before the session starts.

82. Tie-dye lesson

Tie-dye is a seventies style, but now back in a big way. You can ask people to bring an old t-shirt they no longer wear to redesign it with tie dye to make a custom piece. You can consider a ticketing system to collect donations. Thus, people can pay whatever they want when running your event.

83. Life drawing class

You can host a life drawing class and teach interested people. The best thing about this event is it can either take place in person or online. Attendees will always find sparks exciting conversations in this event, and it also helps raise awareness of body positivity. Here, you can charge for entrance and sell donation tickets when the event is on.

84. Collaging classes

You can host an event to create unique collages using old magazines and newspapers. These paid sessions can be mindful and relaxing. At the end of the event, people will have unique artwork they can keep forever. You can have a bonus sharing your event details and artwork on social media, but before sharing that, make sure to permit the creator.

85. Totes and tees competition

You can throw a competition with the help of a local artist to design unique t-shirts and tote bags that you can sell to raise funds for your organisation. These will also help raise awareness for your cause and the art form.

Foodie fundraising activities

86. Cookbook party

To execute this cookbook party, choose a cookery book and tell participants to cook one dish from it. You can discuss the liking and disliking of the book while enjoying each other’s dishes. You can ask attendees to pay a membership fee to raise the funds.

87. Cocktail-making competition

You can host a contest to see who can mix up the best cocktail in honour of the charity. You can set a winner cash prize for the qualified one, and the money from entry fees can increase the charity fund. To make it more inclusive, you can add an alcohol-free element.

88. Coffee and cupcakes

Setting up a coffee or a cupcake stand in a busy area, especially in the morning, is a tremendous idea that can earn you considerable funds. You must ensure that the information about your fundraising campaign and organisation remains clear and visible. You can ask a local coffee shop to donate coffee and cupcakes to your cause.

89. Cook-offs

Cook-offs are classic and engaging nonprofit fundraising ideas. They are entertaining, cater to a broad audience, and have a high return on investment. You can pick a theme; plenty of willing participants will easily participate. You can sell tickets and charge a small entrance fee to raise your funds.

90. Local munch boxes

You can get a few local restaurants and cafes on the list and put them together for the ultimate lunch box featuring treats from all. You can auction them on social media or sell them via delivery sites. This is proven an easy way to raise funds for a nonprofit organisation.

91. Bake sale poll

A Bake sale poll is an event that is executed based on describing feelings one buys a cake for. You can choose a cause of the day and create two batches of cupcakes-one to support each idea and the other to set up a stall. Here, people can express their feelings based on the cupcakes they buy. The more contentious the issue, the more people will feel passionate about winning.

92. Cake decoration competition

You can host a cake decoration competition by choosing a show-stopping cake and getting aspiring bakers to try and recreate it. This event can take place in person or online and is ideal for sharing on social media. You can charge people a registration fee and reward the winner.

93. Meat-free Monday dinner party

Hosting a vegan dinner party is a different idea from traditional ones. You set the date on a Monday as it is the beginning of the week and give extra energy to participants to kick off the whole week by participating in a quirky event. The amount guests will pay for the privilege will be your charity fund.

94. Come dine with me contest.

You can get four groups to participate in the competition and coke meals for each other. Every person needs to pay a sum to participate. The final round can be executed with the winner of each group. You can give the winner a quarter of the profit as a prize and the other three quarters will go straight to your organisation.

95. Barbecue

There are several ways of raising funds using a barbecue, which is a family-friendly event. You can sell barbecue plates, sauces, and drinks and organise auctions and raffles for the barbecue event. To execute the event with a minimum cost, you can ask to donate food, condiments, an

d buns to the local markets, butchers, and grocery stores in exchange for promoting them at your barbecue event.

Extreme fundraising events

96. Theatre for a cause

Theatre for a cause has always proven to be a win-win fundraising event. You can partner with local theatres to execute the event with the help of their extraordinary performance. Holding this event, you will get to raise funds, and your sponsors will see a theatre performance. Moreover, you can ask the theatre to donate part of the profit from the exceptional performance. When there is no option of local theatre available, you can plan a cinema for cause screening at the local cinema.

97. Muddy obstacle course

You can create your version of muddier by hiring a field for the event and putting together an obstacle course. You can offer people to enter the event as a solo or team. The fundraising opportunities in this event are twofold, as pay to join and ask for sponsorship.

98. Do you dare?

Regarding funny fundraising ideas, no event can be better than wacky dares based on the amount of money pledged by the public. This could take place on social media platforms. It makes it easy to broadcast the dares as they happen and to raise awareness.

99. World record attempt party

A world record attempt party is an unusual event, but the fundraising for your cause is guaranteed with its execution. You will need to look through the most beatable world records and pick a suitable one you would like your participants to try and beat. Next, you must find an appropriate location for the party according to the selected record and the number of participants. You must also arrange good music and food and invite local media to cover the event.

Community charity fundraising event ideas

100. Create a coupon book

Coupon books can earn you a good fund at a low cost. You can approach local businesses to donate goods or services through a coupon book. People will buy it to redeem in their local community, and your nonprofit organisation will receive the book sales profit as a charity fund.

101. Chalk mural trail

You can hire local artists to create chalk art that can be easily washed away at the end of the event. Raising awareness that a charity organisation wants to know the community is considered sophisticated. You can charge a small amount to visit the chalk trail, showing the mural as an outdoor gallery.

102. Swap shop

One person’s trash can be another person’s treasure. It would be better to get everyone on the street to bring stuff they no longer use and let them swap with each other. Whatever is left can be sold or donated to your charity organisation.

103. Community colouring contest

To execute a colouring contest, you need to create a black-and-white design that can be painted thus people can colour it in their own way. The finished design can be displayed in windows, and the winner can be selected with a voting system. You can get sponsors by asking to donate the winner’s prize and raise funds by charging a registration fee.

104. Gardening service

You can help busy people in your community ideas with a gardening service. You can cut grasses, trim bushes, and plant flowers in exchange for a small fee to fund your charity organisation.

105. Host a street party

A street party is a simple but, at the same time, one of the best fundraising event ideas for nonprofits. First, you need permission from the council with a special license to close down a selected street. You can also add a potluck dinner event with it and get to know your neighbours. You can restrict doorstep drinks with a donation at the party.

106. Pet show

Pet show is a phenomenal way to involve the community, including four-legged friends. First, you must decide what kind of pet you want to show at your event. An outside and open place can be the appropriate location for this event. Spring and fall seasons are the most convenient time for pet shows when the weather remains neither so cool nor so hot. Finally, remember to bring supplies to clean pets and plenty of food and water.

107. Junk donations

Recycling is the key factor when you are thinking of junk donation. Offer to take old kinds of stuff like printer cartridges, ancient cables, and worn-out laptops off your neighbour’s hands and make the way to benefit your charity. This old stuff also can fetch good money from recyclers.

108. Seeding sale

Growing plants from seed has proven to be a popular calming task during the lockdown and extremely rewarding. You can set up a plant sale by selling cuttings from your favourite plants. Seeding sale is a tremendous way to rain funds for charity.

109. Scavenger hunt

You can host a scavenger hunt, including little things to find. It should be created based on such little things as seen on a neighbourhood stroll. People can enter this event by sending photos of each item via social media sites or email. The first person who finishes finding everything can be announced as the winner. The registration fee can raise charity funds with lots of fun in this event.

110. Set up a wishing tree

By setting up a wishing tree, you can send wishes that will feel empowering to the universe. It doesn’t always need to be a tree. You can set an old piece of the fence, either. Please set up a space where people can post their anonymous messages. It should be set up in a local place like a park. You can charge a small fee to add a message to the tree or fence.

How to promote your fundraising event

Planning the fundraising event itself is just half the battle. A more important battle well-seeks to ensure people know about such an event and, for a reason to act-participate or give towards it. Good publicity ensures the difference between the goal and failure of a case. Below are some key strategies to help spread your word and increase your participants for your fundraiser.

Leverage Social Media Platforms

Social media is the best promotional tool. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will give you huge coverage with less cost. Create event pages, post engaging posts, and also use targeted advertising to gain visibility. Of course, hashtags to make your campaign discoverable!

Use Email Marketing

Email marketing remains one of the surest ways to reach out to your supporters. Send out invitations, updates, and reminders in the lead-up to the event. Personalize the emails to make them a bit more personal to your audience.

Leverage Influencers

Local influencers and community leaders can be great to help spread the word. Partner with them to help spread the word among their followers. Their endorsement will add credibility and bring in more attendees.

Engage with Local Media

Inform local newspapers, radio, and television channels about your event. A press release for the cause and details of the event may inspire them to promote it on their behalf.

Early Bird Incentives

Create excitement by offering early bird discounts or exclusive perks to attendees who register or donate early. This not only encourages early engagement but also builds momentum for the event.

Flyers and Posters

Flyer and poster marketing work nicely, especially for events organized in the local vicinity. Put them up in busy spots, such as cafes, libraries, and community centres.

Share Stories and Testimonials

People relate through stories. Share personal experiences or testimonials about what one stands for. This emotive call to action will send ripples among the prospects and encourage them to respond to your cause.

Create a Countdown

Create a countdown to the event in order to build anticipation. Use daily or weekly updates on your website and social media to remind your audience and keep them engaged.

Partner with Businesses

Local businesses can serve as sponsors or collaborators for your fundraiser. They can help promote your event to their customers while you provide them with recognition and advertising opportunities.

Follow Up After the Event

Post-event follow-ups are just as important. Share photos, videos, and success stories to thank attendees and encourage them to support future events. This builds a loyal community of supporters for your cause.

Top 5 Most Successful Charity Events

Charity events play an important role in fundraising, creating awareness, and engaging societies for a cause. Throughout the years, hundreds of organizations have run effective campaigns that not only reached but sometimes exceeded their targets. Here are five of the most successful charity events to inspire innovative approaches and results.

COVID-19 Campaign – Charity: Water

Charity: Water is an international organization providing clean drinking water to those in need. They had a campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic, urging for clean water and sanitation.

Overview: Charity: Water is dedicating its COVID-19 campaign to serving less privileged communities, the most vulnerable groups of this season, where clean water has become a lifeline. The communication shows clearly just how important clean water remains not just for hygiene but even basic disease prevention.

Key Success Factors: Their transparent operations and powerful storytelling resonated with donors worldwide. They leveraged digital platforms, showing real-time updates on how donations were making a difference, which strengthened donor trust and engagement.

Impact: The campaign raised millions of dollars and directly improved the lives of countless individuals in vulnerable communities, reinforcing the organization’s reputation as a leader in sustainable development.

Virtual Walk To End Epilepsy – Epilepsy Foundation Texas

The Virtual Walk to End Epilepsy was a one-of-a-kind event that creatively reimagines the traditional walkathon due to constraints brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overview: Through this virtual event, individuals can choose to walk, jog, or run anywhere, raising awareness and funds to benefit epilepsy research and support services. In fact, given the virtual format, it promises to be one of the most accessible events ever across the state and beyond.

Key Success Factors: The Epilepsy Foundation Texas widened its reach by taking the event to a digital platform. The event asked participants to share their progress on social media to build more visibility. Personal stories of people suffering from epilepsy further motivated contributors.

Impact: Not only did the event raise quite a substantial amount of money, but it also developed a very strong online community of supporters who felt connected despite being physically apart.

Virtual Spring Games – Basset Hound Rescue of Southern California

Basset Hound Rescue of Southern California brought animal lovers together in a very unique and fun way to be involved in the cause of adoption and rescue.

Overview: During this charity event, animal lovers were engaged through virtual activities and games with their animals. Fundraising was also supported at the event through merchandise purchases and online donations.

Key Success Factors: The event’s playful theme, along with the interactive elements, encouraged broad participation. Showcase participant submissions via social media, such as photos and videos of their pets, to create a lively community atmosphere.

Impact: The campaign raised funds to support veterinary care, food, and shelter for rescued basset hounds, while increasing awareness about adoption opportunities.

Dance Marathon – CFTK

Carolina For The Kids’ annual event, the Dance Marathon, mixes high-energy dancing with serious commitment to the cause for the support of pediatric patients and their families.

Overview: A student-run event that includes students dancing for a number of hours to raise money for both medical care and family support programs. This creates not only a fun atmosphere but a sense of unity and commitment among participants, especially college students.

Key Success Factors: It feeds on the energy and commitment of its volunteers and participants. The campaign over social media, live performances, and the testimony of beneficiaries who have benefited from it made it more appealing.

Impact: Through the years, Dance Marathon has raised millions that gave vital assistance to families whose children were suffering from these pediatric illnesses. It also encouraged young people to be involved in philanthropic work.

Destination Independence 5K Walk – Beyond Blindness

Destination Independence 5K Walk is an annual charity event that Beyond Blindness hosts to empower visually impaired individuals and their families.

Overview: The walk-a-thon will raise money for vital services, including early intervention programs, mobility training, and access to technology. Participants and sponsors join together to make this a very inclusive and uplifting event.

Key Success Factors: The event builds strong community through the direct participation of visually impaired individuals and their families. Corporate sponsorships and local partnerships add to its success, along with emotional storytelling showcasing the life-changing impact of their work.

Impact: The 5K Walk has consistently raised substantial funds, supporting transformative programs and raising awareness about the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals.

What are some good fundraiser ideas?

Exploring inventive fundraising concepts can infuse your nonprofit with fresh energy. Engaging options include:

• Charity walks.
• Captivating auctions.
• Delectable bake sales.
• Interactive virtual events.
• Elegant gala dinners.
• Themed parties that align with your nonprofit’s mission and resonate with your supporters.

Moreover, nonprofit fundraising organisations are competitive. The more unique events you can execute, the more people will be involved in raising your funds. You have to give a reason to people. Thus, they can sit down to hear you telling your cause and give their money to raise your funds. You can create your next event with the help of EventBookings, one of the most popular event management organisations in town. Executing your event with us will be as easy as taking meals at your home.