Fundraising for nonprofits can be challenging, especially if you’re new to this space or have run out of ideas to engage donors and raise money for your cause. Fortunately, there are many proven strategies that are easy to implement, low-cost, and can be started with few resources.

This guide explores the top 25 creative fundraising ideas, what makes a fundraising campaign successful, and how to measure your success and optimize your outcomes.

Do you need expert digital marketing and media services for your fundraising campaign? Contact NextGen and let our team help you today!

Real-World Fundraising Campaign Examples 

There are many standout examples of real-world campaigns that garner global interest, and your organization can leverage them. 

These are a few of those examples of how your nonprofit can raise funds through proven campaign strategies. 

Movember 

If you’re looking for a creative fundraising strategy, Movember might be the perfect way to raise money. Movember is a global, real-world campaign that encourages men to grow mustaches in November to raise awareness and secure funds donated to men’s health. This idea will work for your nonprofit organization if your mission and values align with men’s health awareness and you want to take advantage of an existing campaign. 

Red Nose Day 

Red Nose Day is an annual fundraising campaign aimed at combating the cycle of poverty. It is typically held in March and is ideal for nonprofit organizations helping children in underserved communities thrive in education, well-being, and health. Organizations can host fundraising events with fun activities and challenges to celebrate this day and raise funds. 

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge 

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge quickly became a trend on social media, aiming to create awareness about ALS. This nonprofit fundraising strategy is effective because it already generates significant engagement and traffic on social media, making it easier to convert donors and members who support ALS awareness. 

Giving Tuesday 

Giving Tuesday is a global movement encouraging donations right after Thanksgiving, often paired with matching gifts. Regardless of your mission or the type of cause you support, you can align Giving Tuesday with your values and encourage supporters and organizations to join a gift-matching campaign. This is simple — a business can match any donation your donors and members make.

Jumbo Postcard Mailer

If you want to leverage direct mail fundraising, many nonprofits use a jumbo postcard mailer for short, quick messaging. Unlike traditional envelopes, postcards are often more flexible and affordable, with concise content that raises awareness about events or special programs you want to engage your supporters in. 

Peer-to-Peer and Community-Driven Campaigns

It’s essential to get your community involved in your nonprofit and become passionate supporters. Although fundraising for nonprofits can be challenging, peer-to-peer and community campaigns make it easier, as donors and members will share your cause with their networks. 

Walkathons or Fun Runs 

Walkathons or Fun Runs are excellent peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns involving the entire community. Participants can garner pledges for each mile or lap they complete or secure flat donations from supporters. It’s crucial to find sponsors from local businesses to cover the cost of your event, which will generate publicity for them and benefit both parties. 

Ambassador Programs 

To maximize contributions from your fundraising efforts, consider having your most loyal and passionate supporters raise money and awareness for your organization. Evaluate your strongest donor relationships and have them reach out to their networks and secure contributions for your cause. You can award the donors who have made the highest donations and give a social media shout-out to show your appreciation. 

Cook-a-Thon

Gather all amateur cooks for this fun fundraising idea. This strategy may be ideal if your organization is a food bank or you support a food-oriented cause. Challenge your supporters’ creativity and have them put their cooking skills to the test. You can choose a theme and have them create dishes within that theme and share pictures of their culinary creations on your dedicated fundraising platform or social media. 

Scavenger Hunts 

Scavenger hunts are fundraising activities that can work for all age groups and help bring the community together. In the weeks before the scavenger hunt, have your supporters raise funds through your online donation page and invite more supporters to join your hunt. You can leave clues around your neighborhood if you’re hosting an in-person event, or create a list of items for participants to find, regardless of the location. 

Bake Sale 

A bake sale is an old-fashioned and proven way to raise money for your nonprofit organization. Reach out to local businesses to sponsor your event, such as offering a venue, tables, and chairs. Your fundraising team can also host a baking competition to increase the money raised from your campaign. Participants will each bake a dish, and a panel of judges will determine the winner. This approach will add excitement to your bake sale!

“Give-it-up” Challenge

Another effective way to encourage participants to give up unhealthy habits and support your fundraising goals is a “Give-it-up” Challenge. Participants will choose to forgo something for 30 days and, instead of spending money on that item, will donate that amount to your organization. For instance, your nonprofit’s supporters can give up purchasing a cup of coffee daily or buying unhealthy snacks and use that money toward your cause.

Unique Event-Based and Digital Fundraising Ideas

Events are great for rallying excitement, and there are loads of ways to host effective fundraising events without breaking the bank. Here are some top event-based and online fundraising strategies to get started.

Virtual Trivia Night 

Online fundraising can be so much fun with a virtual trivia night. You can use platforms like Zoom to host a virtual event. To ensure a smooth experience, consider whether this will be an individual or team-based event and begin promoting it weeks in advance to raise awareness and engage participants. Understanding how much you want to increase in donations and making your online donation process as seamless as possible is vital. 

Silent Auctions 

Use virtual platforms to host a silent auction of donated items and services. Reach out to local businesses and your most dedicated supporters to donate products and services for your auction, such as spa days, gift baskets, celebrity meet-and-greets, classes, or photo shoots. Use alluring auction items that are easy to use or understand to make this auction work and ensure you sell tickets quickly.

Digital Art Show or Concert 

Partner with local artists and musicians to create a virtual art show or concert for your supporters. This is an excellent idea for digital fundraising, especially if you want to expand your reach beyond your local community and have supporters worldwide engage with your organization. It’s also much easier and more cost-effective than an in-person art show or concert, which results in more money for your cause. 

Crowdfunding Campaigns 

Crowdfunding campaigns are a common way to raise money online. Many platforms, such as GoFundMe or GiveBetter, allow you to create an online donation form. To boost these pages and optimize donor engagement, ensure your pages align with your organization’s mission, promote them through social media posts, and make it easy for donors and members to share your page. 

Digital Workshops 

Want to get your supporters engaged in gaining new skills while supporting your cause? Offer online classes, like virtual cooking, photography, music, marketing, content creation, or personal branding workshops. Donors and members will pay a fee to join your class, and you can partner with industry experts who may be interested in volunteering their time to your cause. You can use this idea to secure recurring donations by having supporters sign up for classes set at regular intervals. 

Online Book Sale

Group together bookworms for an online book sale. You add extra excitement to your event and make this an auction of collectible item books that are otherwise challenging to find—wondering where to find these books? Reach out to libraries and collectors who may be interested in donating to your event. 

Text-to-Give Campaigns

Text-to-give campaigns are easy to set up, and donors can effortlessly support your cause. To contribute to your organization, donors text a specified keyword to your shortcode, and the fee is charged to their phone bill. You can combine this campaign with your events to maximize donations. 

Email Fundraising Drive 

Email marketing is crucial for nonprofit fundraising because it fosters engagement and communication, making it easier to build relationships with your supporters. Start an email campaign to raise awareness or funds for your cause by sharing social proof, real-world stories of how your organization has made an impact, and CTAs to your online donation pages. You should also use fundraising software to automate your email campaigns. 

Low-Cost, High-Impact Fundraising Strategies 

Not every nonprofit has a large team or a high budget for fundraising campaigns. Here are some affordable fundraising ideas that can make a significant difference in your revenue. 

DIY Merchandise 

Many nonprofits design and create DIY merchandise as a low-cost and quick fundraising plan. You can sell simple, branded items, such as stickers, pins, tote bags, or water bottles. Some nonprofits also sell T-shirts with catchy slogans that resonate with their cause. This fundraising strategy works because supporters have something tangible to keep, creating awareness about your organization. 

Local Business Partnerships 

Host a fundraising day at a coffee shop or restaurant and donate the proceeds to your cause. Reach out to local businesses in your area that may be interested in supporting your fundraising efforts and making a positive impact. You could maximize this strategy by setting up a donation kiosk with more information on online giving, case studies of your organization, or selling branded merchandise to boost revenue. 

Car Wash

A car wash is an essential service, and it’s quick and cost-effective to use to raise funds for your nonprofit. You don’t need a lot of marketing materials to spread the word about your car wash fundraiser—flyers, email newsletters, social media posts, or word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing should do the trick. It’s best to offer different types of services and add-ons to increase the amount of money you raise. 

Raffle

Raffles are easy to implement. You can use this fundraising idea in schools with prizes donated by local businesses or in workplaces with donations from corporate sponsors. You can also add a raffle to existing fundraising strategies, like events, to get more donations for your cause. To get the most from your raffle, ensure you offer an attractive prize that supporters can’t turn down. 

Cutest pet contest

If your cause is related to animals, a cutest pet contest is the perfect fundraising strategy for you. All you need to do is create a campaign page and have people submit adorable photos of their pets within a specified timeframe. Each participant will then share their submission with their networks, who can vote for their pet by paying a fee—the submission with the most votes wins. 

Yard Sale

A yard sale is an affordable and effortless way to unite your community and raise funds for your nonprofit. You can host your yard sale at your local community center, and people and businesses can donate items to sell, with the proceeds going to your organization. 

What Makes a Fundraising Campaign Successful?

It’s essential to understand what makes nonprofit fundraising successful. The most effective fundraising campaigns have these elements: 

• Clear Goals: Define the amount of money you need to raise and what this money will be used for. 
• Compelling Storytelling: Understand how to incorporate your organization’s mission in nonprofit storytelling. This approach engages donors emotionally through mission-driven messaging, making it easier to retain and keep them involved for a longer period. 
• Strong Call to Action (CTA): Make it easy to donate or participate. Your CTA should be direct and concise. 
• Community Involvement: Successful campaigns empower supporters to spread the word and involve their peers in your fundraising efforts. Ensure your campaign is easy to share and participate in. 
• Credibility: You need credibility and trust to convince supporters to contribute to your organization. To build credibility, ensure your website has social proof and optimize your digital presence. Likewise, add trust badges and case studies to your donation pages. 
• Gratitude and Transparency: Always show your donors and members appreciation for their support of your cause, and share how their contributions help your organization. For instance, after each donation, send thank-you newsletters and share progress reports.

How to Measure Campaign Success and Optimize

Once you have launched your fundraising campaign, you need to measure your success and fine-tune your approach to optimize performance. Here are the top tips on how to measure campaign success: 

• Track Key Metrics: Stay ahead of the metrics that matter. This includes conversion rates, average gift size, donor retention, and traffic sources. 
• Use Donor Feedback: Send a quick post-campaign survey to gather input about donors’ experiences with your organization and contributing. These insights will help you improve your approach to make interacting with your organization much easier. 
• A/B Test CTAs and Email Subject Lines: Small changes can lead to significant results.
• Share Transparent Updates: Tell donors where their money went and what impact it had. This not only develops a personal connection with your supporters, but it also establishes credibility for your organization. 
• Analyze ROI: Compare total funds raised with time and money invested to identify your most efficient campaigns. While there are many excellent campaigns, not all of these ideas will work for your organization, so analyzing your ROI helps determine which strategies are best.

Get Creative With Your Fundraising

Whether you’re new to fundraising or looking for innovative ways to gain more supporters and donations for your nonprofit, you can’t go wrong with these creative fundraising strategies. 

There are many ways to raise funds for your cause through real-world campaigns, community-driven ideas, cost-effective strategies, and online fundraising efforts that make it quick and easy for donors to get involved.

Do you need digital marketing and media experts for your fundraising campaign? Contact NextGen Fundraising and let us help you!