Charity Fundraising Ideas: 60 That Actually Raise Money

If you are looking for the best fundraising ideas to support a great cause, choosing the right activities is the key to success. Effective charity fundraising does not have to be complicated or stressful. Whether you are searching for simple fundraising activities or learning how to fundraise for the first time, our guide offers sixty proven ways to raise money for charity and make your next event a huge success.

Fundraising totals come down to two things: how many people take part, and whether they're giving on a card or scrabbling for change.

Below are sixty ideas sorted by how much organising they need, plus the levers - matched giving, Gift Aid, contactless, a public target - that raise more from the same event.

Whatever you run, register with the charity first. Most send a free kit and paying-in details, and it saves you money.

Easy fundraisers (an hour to organise)

When you need to get a campaign moving quickly, low-effort charity fundraising ideas are the perfect solution. You do not need weeks of planning or a large budget to make an impact. These simple ideas for charity fundraising can be set up in under an hour, making them ideal for busy offices, schools or local community groups who want to start collecting donations immediately.

• Dress-down or non-uniform day, £1 to £2 a head.
• Wear a colour day.
• Bake sale - see our bake sale ideas.
• Coffee morning.
• Raffle with donated prizes.
• Guess the weight of the cake.
• Name the teddy.
• Sweets in a jar.
• Office quiz at lunchtime.
• Swear jar for a fortnight.
• Bring and buy book or plant stall.
• Silly hair or silly hat day.

Sponsored challenges

If you want to inspire people to donate, asking individuals to push their limits is one of the most effective ways to raise money. Personal achievements capture people's attention and encourage generous sponsorship from friends, family and colleagues. These individual and group challenges are highly visible fundraising activities that can help you reach a much wider audience online and offline.

• Sponsored silence.
• Step challenge across a month.
• Sponsored walk, run, swim or cycle.
• Head shave or leg wax.
• Give up chocolate, coffee, alcohol or social media.
• 24-hour gaming, baking or cycling stream.
• Couch to 5K as a team.
• Sponsored read or spell for schools.
• Climb the height of Snowdon on the office stairs.
• Wear the same outfit for a week.

Events worth the effort

While some fundraising ideas for charity take a little more planning, the financial rewards and community spirit they generate are well worth the extra logistics. Larger scale events bring communities together, create memorable experiences and encourage people to dig a bit deeper. With the right organisation, these flagship events can easily become the biggest earners in your annual calendar.

• Quiz night with a bar and a raffle - the highest earner per hour of planning.
• Race night with sponsored races.
• Talent show or open mic.
• Fun day with stalls, in a school field or car park.
• Auction of promises: a day's gardening, a cake, a lift to the airport.
• Ceilidh or barn dance for community groups.
• Curry or pie and pea night in a hall.
• Car wash day.
• Craft fair with tables sold to stallholders.
• Sports tournament: five-a-side, netball or rounders.

Workplace fundraising

Bringing fundraising for charity into the office is a fantastic way to boost staff morale while supporting incredible causes. Employers are increasingly keen to back their teams, meaning corporate settings offer unique avenues to increase your donation totals. From friendly team rivalries to company-backed schemes, your day job can easily double as a powerful platform for doing good.

• Matched giving - check first, it can double everything.
• Payroll giving sign-up drive.
• Dress-down Friday all month.
• Bake-off between departments.
• Senior staff swap jobs for an hour.
• Desk decorating competition.
• Charity of the year vote to get everyone invested.
• Volunteering day, if your employer offers paid time.
• Sell unwanted branded stock or old equipment.

How to raise more from the same event

Once you have selected your favourite fundraising ideas, the focus shifts to maximising every single donation. Knowing how to fundraise efficiently means making it as simple as possible for supporters to pledge their cash. A few strategic tweaks to your setup can significantly increase your final total without requiring you to host a completely new event.

• Take contactless. Card gifts run consistently higher than cash.
• Set a public target and show progress on a board.
• Add Gift Aid to every sponsorship form - it adds 25% at no cost to the giver.
• Ask for matched giving from employers before the event, not after.
• Round up: 'suggested £2' beats 'donations welcome'.
• Photograph everything and post the same day - late donations follow the photos.
• Say the total out loud halfway through. People push it to a round number.
• Thank people by name publicly, and with a card if they did the heavy lifting.

Key things to remember

• One well-run event beats three half-organised ones. Pick the quiz night.
• Recruit a named person per job: money, food, prizes, setup. 'Everyone helps' means nobody does.
• Thank people the same day, publicly and by name. It's what makes next year possible.

Frequently asked questions

What are the easiest charity fundraising ideas?

A dress-down day at £1 a head, a bake sale and a raffle. All three can be organised in an afternoon and between them cover most of what a school or office raises in a year.

What raises the most money?

Sponsored individual challenges and quiz nights. Both get people giving by card in larger amounts rather than putting coins in a tin.

What is Gift Aid and should you use it?

Gift Aid lets a UK charity claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated by a UK taxpayer, at no cost to the giver. Always include the declaration on sponsorship forms and online pages.

Do you need permission to fundraise for a charity?

Register your event with the charity first. They'll confirm what you can use their name and logo for, and send materials and paying-in details.

Where to shop next

• Macmillan Coffee Morning ideas
• Bake sale ideas
• Red Nose Day ideas
• Children in Need ideas
• Buy party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Cake toppers
• Table confetti
• Pin badges
• Thank you cards
• Work party ideas
• Celebration ideas
• Celebration cake ideas and toppers
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Cards for volunteers and organisers

Thank you and well done cards, blank inside, posted first class.