14 Easy Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits

When you visualize fundraising, you may think of elaborate galas, intricate campaigns, and exhaustive efforts. However, it can be a lot easier! Whether you’re a seasoned nonprofit organization or just starting, incorporating simple fundraising ideas into your strategy can yield remarkable results.

In this guide, we list 14 easy fundraising ideas for nonprofits. From community events to online initiatives, these approaches simplify the fundraising process without a ton of time and resources. Let’s explore these strategies that maximize donations while minimizing stress.

1. Bake Sale

Who can resist fresh-baked goodies? A bake sale is a classic, easy, and effective way to raise funds. The best part? You don’t need to be a professional baker to participate—all you need is a team of enthusiastic volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves.

Encourage your volunteers to whip up various treats, from chocolate chip cookies to pies and everything in between. The key is to offer a diverse selection that caters to different tastes and dietary preferences, including options for those with food allergies or dietary restrictions.

You’ll want to host your bake sale in a high-traffic area or during a popular community event such as a farmer’s market, festival, or other community event. Just make sure you have permission or proper permitting to be there.

Remember to promote your bake sale on social media, in email newsletters, and with flyers.

2. Social Media Challenge

Remember the ice bucket challenge?

Harness the power of social media with a challenge campaign of your own. Design a challenge that resonates with your organization’s mission, whether it’s promoting fitness, kindness, creativity, or anything that sparks interest. Encourage supporters to participate and share their experiences on social media platforms while asking for support for their activities.

You can encourage participation with incentives or prizes that help foster a sense of community around the campaign.

By leveraging social media, you can ignite enthusiasm, drive engagement, and raise funds while spreading awareness for your cause.

3. Fast for a Cause (Give a Pizza)

Encourage donors to give up a small indulgence, such as a pizza out, and donate that money instead. It’s a fun, easy twist on fundraising.

For the best results, set up a recurring donation form based on the typical price of a pizza. Offer multiple donation levels, such as $25 for a single pizza or $50 for a pizza meal.

Plan an email campaign, schedule social media posts, and consider text-to-give options to encourage more participation. You can even provide a printable or shareable pizza icon for donors to show they participated.

4. Set Up a Text-to-Give Campaign

Convenience is vital when it comes to fundraising. A text-to-give campaign can make it easier for donors to support your cause quickly from their mobile devices. After all, mobile giving is a powerful fundraising activity.

Here’s how it works:

• Set up a phone number and keyword donors can text to initiate a donation. Use a keyword associated with your nonprofit that is easy to remember and spell.
• Display the number and keyword prominently at your events, on your website, and any physical materials such as flyers or banners. The increased visibility can encourage spontaneous donations.
• Integrate GiveWP and the Text-to-Give add-on with your WordPress website. This streamlines the donation process, allowing donors to contribute from their phones.

5. Goods Sale

Much like a bake sale, you can host a goods sale, where you collect donations of certain used items (or buy them in bulk) and sell them to raise money. Think of it as an organizational yard sale.

Everyday items for a nonprofit goods sale include used books, unused items from your nonprofit, or a collection of donated goods (anything from furniture to sporting goods to clothing).

6. Host a Contest

Engage your community with a contest. Contests are easy, fun, and creative.

Start by choosing a theme that inspires imagination and relates to your nonprofit mission, such as “Cutest Pet” or “Best Nature Photo.” Encourage participants to submit their entries, such as photos, drawings, or digital designs.

This type of fundraising idea is perfect for social media. You can even host a donate-to-vote option to pick the winner or ask for a small donation to enter the contest. Consider offering small prizes or recognition for winners in different categories or age groups.

7. Deliver Dessert or Other Goods

You can bake without the sale to support your nonprofit. Instead of a bake sale, have volunteers make goodies and deliver them directly to donors. Alternatively, you can partner with a local restaurant or bakery to deliver desserts and charge set prices.

This easy fundraising idea can work for other items such as flowers, meals, socks, popcorn, and more.

8. Giving Day

Create a sense of giving urgency with a 24-hour day of giving for your nonprofit. Whether it’s part of a specific fundraising event or a random day chosen strategically, a 24-hour donation blitz can be a highly effective yet easy fundraising strategy.

Here’s how it works:

• Setting a specific timeframe for donations motivates supporters to act quickly. Emphasize the limited-time opportunity and the impact their donations can make within that window.
• Build anticipation with a robust marketing campaign using email newsletters and social media posts to generate excitement about the upcoming donation blitz.
• Enhance the impact by pairing it with a specific fundraising event or initiative. Whether it’s a virtual gala, a charity auction, or a live stream, offer supporters additional incentives to donate during the 24 hours.
• Provide real-time updates on progress toward your fundraising goal to keep donors engaged throughout the day. Consider offering incentives such as matching donations, exclusive perks for donors, or shoutouts on social media to encourage participation.
• Take the extra opportunity to thank supporters and celebrate the collective impact of their generosity.

9. Send a Virtual Gift

Make fundraising fun with personalized gifts like e-cards, holiday cards, or event tickets. Choose special occasions like holidays to launch your campaign with options to different tastes and budgets.

Volunteers can help create the gifts if needed. Combine your efforts and use artwork from a contest campaign to feature on these gifts. The whole process is fairly easy but still drives an impact.

10. Scavenger Hunt

Create an engaging adventure with a themed scavenger hunt that can be virtual, hybrid, or in-person. This dynamic fundraising activity can be easy while engaging participants and supporting your cause.

How to do it:

• Pick an exciting theme for your scavenger hunt.
• Sell tickets or ask for donations to join the hunt.
• Create fun challenges related to the theme.
• Offer prizes for completing challenges or raising funds.
• Spread the word and encourage participants to share using social media hashtags.

11. Donation Jars

One of the oldest (and easiest) fundraising ideas is still around because it works: Place small physical jars around town, like in local restaurants.

To encourage donations, make sure to add information about your organization and mission to the jar. Also, include a QR code for online donations and more information if people are interested.

12. Birthday Dedications

Encourage people to dedicate their birthdays to your cause. This fundraising idea is straightforward and easy while encouraging donations.

They can create a personal page on your site and ask friends and family to donate instead of giving gifts. They share social media to spread the word. Provide customizable donation pages to make it easy, using the GiveWP Peer-to-Peer add-on.

Facebook also allows users to donate with a birthday campaign if you have a registered charity on the platform.

13. Raffles

Whether you’re raffling off gift baskets or organizing a 50/50 raffle, this is a fun and easy activity that can help generate funds for your cause.

Here’s how you do it:

• First, check the rules and regulations for conducting raffles in your state to ensure compliance. (These can vary widely, and some states require permitting.)
• Gather themed gift baskets that include anything from gourmet treats to spa essentials or even themed merchandise.
• Amp up the thrill with a 50/50 raffle where participants purchase tickets for a chance to win half of the total proceeds. The remaining half goes toward your nonprofit. This type of raffle can be conducted virtually.
• Embrace the convenience of virtual raffles to reach a wider audience and streamline the ticket-purchasing process.

14. Trivia night

Themed trivia nights are trendy, easy, and fun.

Host virtually or in person at a local venue, inviting neighbors and supporters to come together for a good cause. Pick a theme that will encourage extra support or that pertains to your organization.

Request a small participation fee, which doubles as a donation toward your fundraising efforts; it should be enough to cover event expenses and contribute to your cause. Consider enhancing the event’s appeal by offering prizes for attendees, such as gift cards, merchandise, or experiences, and incorporating a raffle to boost fundraising potential further.

Many local venues may offer trivia nights and may team up with your organization for this fundraiser. All you have to do is make the ask.

Start Fundraising With GiveWP

GiveWP has all the tools you need to support the fundraising ideas above. You can manage everything from your website, from flexible donation forms to text-to-give and peer-to-peer giving.

Plus, the Event Tickets Block, currently available as a beta version, allows you to offer tickets and accept donations at the same time. Creating a new event or activity for your fundraising events has never been easier!

Explore all GiveWP plans or download it for free to get started.