Planning fundraising events is essential for nonprofits looking to engage supporters, boost donations, and increase awareness of their cause.
To help inspire you, here are 19 Fundraising Event Ideas for Nonprofits that can attract supporters, generate funds, and support your organization’s mission.
1. Charity Gala Dinner
A charity gala dinner combines elegance with philanthropy, offering a chance to gather supporters for an enjoyable evening while raising substantial funds for your nonprofit.
Host a Black-Tie Event
Organize a black-tie gala to attract high-profile donors and community leaders. Features of a successful black-tie gala include:
- A formal dinner with gourmet cuisine, adding a touch of luxury.
- Live entertainment such as music, dance performances, or stand-up comedy.
- Include elements that promote understanding customer experiences, such as guest speakers who share stories related to your cause.
By selling tickets and securing sponsorships, you can generate significant funds while covering event costs, helping you to secure a larger budget for your nonprofit. The elegant setting also fosters networking opportunities and helps build relationships with major donors.
Offer Silent Auctions During the Gala
Include a silent auction during the gala to boost your fundraising efforts. Solicit donated items such as vacation packages, unique artwork, or exclusive experiences. Using mobile bidding platforms allows guests to place bids conveniently, with real-time updates to add excitement.
2. 5K Charity Walk or Run
Hosting a 5K charity walk or run is a great way to promote healthy activities, engage the community, and raise funds for your cause.
Organize a Themed Charity Run
Add a unique theme to your charity run to make it more memorable and attract a broader audience. Consider creative themes like:
- Color Runs: Participants wear white and are splashed with colorful powder at different points along the route.
- Holiday Runs: Tie your event to a holiday, such as a Halloween costume run or a Santa-themed run during the winter season.
- Glow-in-the-Dark Runs: Host the event in the evening, providing participants with glow sticks or neon accessories to create an exciting experience.
Themed runs often generate greater publicity and participation, allowing you to reach more supporters while raising awareness for your nonprofit.
Host a Virtual Run for Remote Participants
Offer a virtual run that allows supporters to participate from any location, making your event accessible to a wider audience. If you’re transitioning to virtual events, this approach allows participants to track their distance using fitness apps and share their progress on social media to raise funds and awareness for your cause.
3. Online Silent Auction
An online silent auction offers a flexible and accessible way to engage supporters from anywhere and raise significant funds.
Provide Exclusive Auction Items
Curate a selection of exclusive and highly desirable auction items to generate excitement and encourage bidding. Great options include:
- Unique experiences like behind-the-scenes tours of popular attractions or virtual meet-and-greets with celebrities.
- Artwork created by local artists, supporting both your nonprofit and the local creative community.
- High-end vacation packages, signed memorabilia, or rare collectibles.
Exclusive items tend to attract interest and motivate higher bids, increasing the overall fundraising potential of your auction.
Utilize Bidding Software
Use reliable bidding software to ensure a smooth and efficient online auction and to utilize attendee intelligence effectively.
- Simple registration and bidding processes: Make it easy for participants to sign up and place bids quickly.
- Real-time updates and secure payment processing: Provide a seamless experience for bidders and ensure secure transactions.
- Data analytics to inform future fundraising strategies: Gather insights from the auction to help optimize future events.
By moving your auction online, you expand your reach and allow more people to participate, increasing both engagement and revenue.
4. Golf Tournament Fundraiser
A charity golf outing is an excellent way to attract participants enthusiastic about the sport while supporting your cause.
Host a Charity Golf Outing
Invite participants to register individually or in teams, with entry fees contributing directly to your fundraising goals.
Make the event more exciting by adding contests such as:
- Longest Drive Contest: See who can hit the golf ball the farthest down the course.
- Closest to the Pin Contest: Challenge players to land the ball closest to the hole on a par-3 course.
Additionally, host raffles or silent auctions during a post-tournament luncheon to raise extra funds. Using event management software can streamline registration and organization, ensuring a successful event. These added elements make the event more engaging while boosting donations.
Offer Hole Sponsorships
Increase fundraising opportunities by offering hole sponsorships to local businesses or individual supporters. Sponsors receive branded signage at their designated hole and recognition in event materials. This increases your nonprofit’s revenue while providing valuable marketing exposure for businesses, creating a mutually beneficial partnership.
5. Community Carnival
A community carnival is a family-friendly event that engages supporters of all ages. With games, food, and entertainment, this type of event is both fun and effective at raising funds. For more engaging event ideas, consider incorporating unique activities that appeal to a wide audience.
Organize Family-Friendly Games
Offer classic carnival games such as ring toss, bean bag toss, or balloon darts. You can also include activities like:
- Live performances by local musicians or entertainers: Add to the festive atmosphere.
- A petting zoo or face painting booths: Popular with families with young children.
- Arts and crafts stations for kids: Encourage creativity and engagement while raising funds through small participation fees.
Charging a small fee for each game or activity pass contributes directly to your fundraising goals while attendees have a great time participating.
Sell Food and Merchandise
Increase your event’s revenue potential by selling food and merchandise. Offer:
- Food stalls serving carnival favorites like popcorn, cotton candy, and hot dogs.
- Branded merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, or reusable water bottles featuring your nonprofit’s logo.
These sales not only boost donations but also help spread awareness of your cause as attendees wear and display your branded items.
6. Charity Fashion Show
A charity fashion show offers a unique way to raise funds while showcasing local designers and talent. This event can also help develop your brand identity by aligning your cause with the creative arts.
Showcase Local Designers and Brands
Collaborate with local fashion designers and boutiques to feature their work on the runway. Promote the event through social media and local media outlets to attract a diverse crowd. Leveraging audience data can help you increase event ROI when promoting the event. Sell tickets to generate funds and offer VIP packages with perks such as front-row seating or a meet-and-greet with designers. This adds exclusivity to the event, encouraging higher ticket sales and donations.
Conduct a Silent Auction for Featured Clothing
Complement the fashion show with a silent auction, offering attendees the chance to bid on the clothing and accessories displayed on the runway. This not only boosts fundraising but also adds an interactive element to the event, making it more engaging for attendees.
7. Scavenger Hunt Fundraiser
A scavenger hunt is a fun and interactive way to engage participants while raising funds for your nonprofit.
Plan a City-Wide Scavenger Hunt
Organize a scavenger hunt that takes participants through various local landmarks, businesses, and historical sites. Charge an entry fee for each team and design creative clues that require participants to explore and solve riddles together. This interactive event utilizes gamification in events to create a memorable experience while raising funds for your cause.
Offer Prizes for Winning Teams
Motivate participants by offering exciting prizes for the winning teams. Donated gift cards, unique products, or certificates of recognition can be great incentives. This encourages more competitive fundraising efforts while adding excitement to the event.
8. Charity Cook-Off Competition
A cook-off competition combines food with friendly competition, creating an exciting event that brings together food enthusiasts and supporters of your cause.
Host a BBQ Cook-Off
Invite amateur and professional chefs to compete by cooking their best BBQ recipes. Using event management tools can simplify event planning, making it easier to organize participant registration and ticket sales. Charge an entry fee for participants and sell tasting tickets to attendees. Chefs can also gather sponsorships from local businesses to further boost donations. This event attracts food lovers and offers plenty of ways to raise funds for your cause.
Offer Food Tasting Tickets
Sell tasting tickets that allow attendees to sample different BBQ dishes and vote for their favorites. This interactive element not only drives higher participation but also increases revenue through ticket sales.
9. Wine Tasting Fundraiser
A wine tasting fundraiser is a sophisticated event that allows supporters to enjoy fine wine while raising funds for your cause.
Organize a Wine Tasting Event
Partner with local wineries to host a wine tasting event where attendees can sample a variety of wines. Sell tickets for the event and offer light appetizers to accompany the tasting. Include a silent auction to raise additional funds during the event.
Offer VIP Wine Pairing Dinners
For your major donors, offer an exclusive VIP experience that includes a wine pairing dinner with a local chef. This intimate event provides a high-value experience that can generate significant donations and strengthen relationships with key supporters.
10. Charity Bingo Night
Bingo nights are fun, community-oriented events that raise funds while encouraging participation and social interaction.
Plan a Bingo Fundraiser
Host a bingo night at a local community center or online to engage a broad audience. Charge an entry fee for participants to receive their bingo cards, and offer prizes for the winners. Adding additional fundraising activities like raffles or auctions can further boost donations.
Offer Prizes for Winners
Secure donated prizes from local businesses or sponsors to create excitement and incentivize participation. Offering attractive prizes enhances the fun and competitive spirit of the event, drawing in more participants.
12. Virtual Talent Show
A virtual talent show allows supporters from around the world to showcase their talents while raising funds for your nonprofit. Use an event planning checklist to ensure your virtual talent show runs smoothly.
Encourage Donors to Showcase Talent
Invite participants to submit videos of their performances, such as singing, dancing, comedy, or magic acts. This inclusive event allows various talents to be displayed, engaging supporters and encouraging participation from different groups.
Allow Voting via Donations
Let the audience vote for their favorite acts by making donations. This interactive format encourages performers to promote the event, increasing overall fundraising and spreading awareness for your cause.
13. Charity Trivia Night
Trivia nights are engaging and competitive events that can draw a wide audience while raising funds for your cause.
Host a Themed Trivia Event
Choose a fun theme for your trivia night, such as pop culture, history, or sports, to increase engagement. Host the event in person or online and offer prizes for the winning teams. A themed trivia night can attract a diverse crowd and create a lively atmosphere.
Charge Entry Fees for Teams
Charge an entry fee for teams to participate in the trivia event, and include additional fundraising activities such as raffles or silent auctions to boost donations. Trivia nights offer an entertaining way to raise funds while encouraging community involvement.
14. Art Auction Fundraiser
An art auction fundraiser supports local artists while raising funds for your nonprofit, combining culture with philanthropy.
Showcase Local Artists’ Work
Host an art exhibition that features work from local artists. Allow attendees to bid on pieces through a live or silent auction. Offering both traditional and immediate purchase options can attract a wide range of participants.
Host a Live Auction During the Event
Hire an experienced auctioneer to run a live auction for select pieces. Promoting these works in advance builds excitement and maximizes bidding activity. A live art auction can be a culturally rich and successful fundraising event.
15. Charity Bake Sale
A bake sale is a classic and community-driven way to raise funds while engaging local supporters in your cause.
Organize a Community Bake Sale
Encourage supporters and volunteers to donate baked goods, and set up sales stations at busy locations like farmers’ markets, schools, or places of worship. Adding interactive elements like a baking competition can increase participation and draw larger crowds.
Offer Pre-Order Options
To accommodate more supporters, offer pre-order options for baked goods through an online platform. This allows remote supporters to participate and increases your overall sales potential.
16. Charity Dance Marathon
A dance marathon is an active and energetic event where participants raise funds through sponsorships or pledges for dancing a certain number of hours.
Host a Dance Marathon Challenge
Invite supporters to collect pledges for each hour they dance during the marathon. This fun, active event engages participants and fosters a sense of community while raising significant funds for your nonprofit.
Provide Prizes for Top Fundraisers
Offer prizes for participants who raise the most funds. This can encourage friendly competition and increase overall donations by motivating dancers to surpass their fundraising goals.
17. Charity Car Wash
A charity car wash is a straightforward event that provides an opportunity for community members to contribute while receiving a valuable service.
Set Up a Donation-Based Car Wash
Host a car wash in a high-traffic location and encourage donations in exchange for services. Promote the event through social media and local community channels to maximize attendance and awareness.
Provide Supplies and Partner with Local Businesses
Partner with local businesses to supply car wash materials, such as soap and sponges. Recruiting volunteers to help wash cars ensures the event runs smoothly while keeping costs low.
18. Pet Parade Fundraiser
A pet parade fundraiser is a fun and family-friendly event that celebrates pets while raising funds for your cause.
Organize a Pet Costume Parade
Invite pet owners to dress up their pets and participate in a parade, charging an entry fee for participants. Promote the event on social media and partner with local pet-related businesses for sponsorships, adding to the event’s visibility and fundraising potential.
Award Prizes for Best Costumes
Offer prizes for categories such as “Best in Show,” “Most Creative Costume,” and “Funniest Pet.” You can also sell pet-themed merchandise and accessories during the event to raise additional funds.
19. Talent Auction
A talent auction offers supporters the chance to bid on unique skills or services provided by local professionals.
Auction Off Services from Local Experts
Invite local experts, such as photographers, chefs, or personal trainers, to donate their services for auction. Hold the auction in person or online, and promote it widely to attract bidders.
Offer Group Lessons or Workshops
Collaborate with local professionals to host group workshops where participants pay to attend and learn valuable skills, such as cooking or photography. This creates a personalized, interactive fundraising event that benefits both the nonprofit and the participants.
By implementing these 18 fundraising ideas, you can engage your supporters, boost donations, and help your nonprofit achieve its mission. Choose the events that best suit your organization, and start planning meaningful experiences today.