22 Fundraising ideas to help you raise money

Before you fundraise: a quick checklist

Here’s what you need to decide before you fundraise:

1. Decide what you’re raising for (and who handles the money): The first thing to decide is what you’re raising money for. Then choose whether you’ll collect the funds yourself or use a service like GoFundMe to direct funds directly to your chosen charity.
2. Set a realistic target and timeline: Ensure your fundraiser’s success by setting a realistic target and planning a reasonable timeline.
3. Get permission if you’re fundraising “for” a charity: If you’re fundraising for a specific charity, get in touch for permission and assistance.
4. Keep it transparent (especially offline collections): Maintain transparency (especially with offline collections) by being clear about where the funds are going and providing donation receipts.
5. How to set up your fundraiser in 30 minutes:
   • Choose your cause/charity
   • Make sure you’re familiar with charity registration and tax
   • guidance for charities and sports bodies, if necessary
   • Set up an online page
   • Let people know and start asking for donations

Charity fundraising ideas to help raise money

From sporting activities to community events, raise money while getting active and spending time with friends.

Best fundraising ideas for sports

Ready to burn off some energy in the name of a good cause? Whether it’s running, riding, or something completely different, we have collected the best fundraising ideas for sports below. If you’re not naturally sporty, worry not – there are plenty of activities to get involved with. Remember, the only thing better than getting fit is getting fit in the name of charity.

1. Run a race for charity

Running is one of the most popular fundraising ideas to help raise money for a good cause, but if you’re just getting started don’t be disheartened. You don’t have to be ready to run a marathon to get involved. Smaller, 5K races for life have raised hundreds of millions for charity, and they hurt a lot less the next day. However, if you’re looking for something to test you, why not consider a 4x4x48 challenge, where you run four miles every four hours for 48 hours. Whether you’re running alone or joining an established event, just set up a GoFundMe for people to support you. Alternatively, for a lower-impact activity, there are many formal charity walks to get involved with, such as for Amma Ireland. You can also plot your own route like fundraiser Dylan, who walked 600km for Pieta House.

2. Play in a charity football match

The beautiful game goes hand-in-hand with charity fundraising, and it’s easy to get involved. You can organise five-a-side games if you can’t find 22 people willing to play. One way to organise is through a club, or with workmates or school friends. Don’t be afraid to get creative: some football fundraising ideas involve playing Harry Potter-themed matches and 24-hour games. Sell tickets online or at the door with proceeds going to your chosen cause.

3. Swim in a swimathon

Looking for a swim challenge? Whether you decide to raise money by jumping in the sea, or swimming laps in your local pool, it’s a great way for individuals and groups to raise funds. Set up an online page for donations/support. Fundraisers can organise an event at any time – all you need to do is decide to take the plunge.

4. Take on a charity bike ride

No one forgets how to ride a bike, so there’s no excuse for ignoring a cycling challenge. These are wonderful because of their versatility. You can opt for a virtual challenge, and ask for sponsorship to ride a long distance on your Peloton or Wattbike, or go for one of the big biking events such as Tour De Lough Corrib.

5. Tee off on a golf day

Contact your local golf clubs to see if they offer any discounts for charity rounds and make your next tee time for a good cause. Your local golf course may have resources/assistance available for charity events. Raise funds with entry fees, cash buckets and QR code donation links.

6. Raise money on a sponsored walk

If you’re looking for a great way to exercise that’s lower impact, think about a sponsored walk. There are many formal charity walks to get involved with, such as for Amma Ireland. If you prefer to march to the beat of your own drum, you can plot your own route like fundraiser Dylan who walked 600km for Pieta House.

7. Climb the four peaks of Ireland

Looking to really test your limits and see some beautiful views on the way? Look no further with the four peaks of Ireland, where you climb the highest peaks in four provinces and raise money for charity. Set up an online page for your fundraiser and let people know your goal and what you’re fundraising for. Whatever you choose, make sure you train well and take friends with you. Good luck!

Setting up your sports fundraising ideas for success

• What you need: Equipment (e.g. a standing bike, football gear), a destination (e.g. a local football club)
• Time to set up: If you’re fundraising solo, you might need a few weeks to a few months to train for the big day. If you’re doing something with friends, you’ll want at least a month to make sure everyone’s on board.
• Steps:
  1. Choose how you want to ‘compete’ (solo/in a team/as part of an online challenge).
  2. For fundraisers like bike rides, walks, or climbs, pick a length that suits you. You’ll want something challenging enough to bring attention, but not so challenging that you don’t feel confident you can complete it.
  3. Set a fundraising goal. Consider your timeline, community, and charity and pick something within reach.
  4. Set up a donation page and share with friends/family/local and online sporting communities
  5. Train! Posting about your training online can be a great way to spread the word about your fundraiser.
  6. Complete the event. Whether it’s a match, a race, or a solo challenge make sure to enjoy yourself.
  7. Wrap-up. Once you’ve finished, make one last push for donations
• Promote it in Ireland: Use local sporting communities to get the word out. Community apps like Cyql for bike-riding can be useful, especially if you want to turn it into a fun group event.
• Success measure: While meeting your fundraising target is one success measure, the potential for a long lead-up makes sporting challenges great for raising awareness, as well as funds. If you’re doing it for a smaller charity, you might aim to help increase their online followers/presence, or you might hope to see greater awareness for specific issues within your community.

Best fundraising ideas for the community

Put the fun back in fundraising by getting involved in the community. We have put together some examples ranging from easy ideas to raise money for charity to things that take a little more finesse. Either way, they are some of the best ways to raise money for charity and make some friends along the way.

8. Host a coffee morning

The official coffee morning is run by Macmillan and raises millions every year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put on a DIY coffee morning for a good cause. Simply pick a time and place, get your friends and family together, get the teas on, and share the link! Anyone can host it in their home, making it ideal for small groups, community centres or parish halls. Make sure you think about the best games to maximise donations, and make it a morning to remember. Alternatively, swap English Breakfast for Long Island Iced Teas and host your own cocktail party.

9. Organise a skills auction

Everyone’s got something to offer, and they can offer it while raising money for charity with a skills auction. Get a group of talented friends together, set up a time and place and make sure your community knows they can come and bid. You don’t have to be a virtuoso to take part: skills auctioned off in the past include marketing help, flat pack building, and cleaning.

10. Host a cocktail party

Got a friend who loves to show off their skills behind the bar? Put them to work and host a cocktail party to fundraise for your charity. Make sure you share the link with guests before, after, and during the event. If you’re feeling particularly extra, you can print off some QR codes and hand them out with the drinks. As always, drink responsibly. Make sure there are non-alcoholic options available for those who don’t drink or in case younger guests attend.

11. Run a charity quiz

If you want to test your community’s knowledge of trivia to the limit, think about running a charity quiz and asking those taking part for a small donation in return for an evening of entertainment. Host your quiz IRL or use online tools to host an internet quiz and get as many people as possible involved without having to book a venue. May the best quizzer win!

12. Set up a movie marathon

Everyone loves a big night in – so go all out with a themed movie marathon. You could try watching every single Harry Potter film in 24 hours, go for a sci-fi theme, or plan a day where you watch every single film made by one actor. Whatever you decide, fire up the popcorn machine and make sure you take a donation for an entry fee. You’ll be at your fundraising target before you can say ‘hasta la vista, baby’.

13. Organise a bake sale

Bake sales are a classic for a reason. Whether you put one on at work, school, or as an event in the local community, they’re a fantastic way to fundraise for the best causes. You can even add a bake-off element to get a bit of competition going. Have cash handling and card readers for sales. Just remember to ask people to label ingredients for allergies.

14. Sleep out for the night

Spending the night on the streets can be a great way to fundraise for your favourite cause, and it’s a great way to get young people involved with charities like NOVAS running school sleep outs. While it’s a tried and tested method, it is important to keep safe. The British homelessness charity  Centrepoint has great resources to help. Their top tips: think about the weather, do it with a group, and find the right site to sleep out. Use social media to post about your experience and raise money online.

15. Hold a summer barbecue

The only thing better than a delicious summer barbecue is a delicious summer barbecue that’s raising money for charity. Whack on the barbecue and invite people round to yours, with a quick donation. With an Irish summer, it’s best to plan for all eventualities with the weather. Make sure there’s a backup area for people to go to if it rains, and some meat-free products for vegetarians.

Setting up your community fundraising ideas for success

• Time to set up: At least a few weeks to plan and start raising money. You want to leave enough time to ensure supporters can fit it into their schedule.
• What you might need: Food and/or drinks. A backup plan in case of weather disruptions for outdoor events.
• Steps:
  1. Choose your event and your charity.
  2. Pick a date and a location.
  3. Set a fundraising goal. Consider your timeline, community, and charity and pick something within reach.
  4. Contact your chosen charity or register with a Centrepoint Sleep Out to receive extra resources.
  5. Set up a donation page, and/or prepare other ways to collect money on the day (QR codes, buckets etc.).
  6. Spread the word in your local community and online.
  7. Prepare your baked goods/BBQ ingredients/quiz questions/sleep-out gear.
  8. Host your community fundraiser.
• Promote it in Ireland: Post online and let people know in person. You might put up flyers at local community centres or share the details in local Facebook groups.
• Success measure: While reaching your fundraising goal is always exciting, community fundraisers are also a great way to raise awareness for your cause. Seeing people gain a greater understanding of the issues you’re raising money for is a win in and of itself.

Best fundraising ideas for challenges

Looking to test your limits and raise money along the way? Look no further. We’ve collected a list of ideas where you can challenge yourself and raise money along the way. Not sure where to start? These ideas for fundraising have it all, from shaving your head to jumping out of a plane. With only one person involved, these are also fast fundraising ideas – perfect for those in a hurry.

16. Grow for Movember

Moustaches go hand-in-hand with a focus on men’s health thanks to Movember, where thousands of people get sponsored to proudly grow facial hair all in aid of charity. You can set up a fundraiser in under five minutes on GoFundMe, giving you more time to focus on the important stuff – like styling your moustache.

17. Jump out of a plane

Feeling adventurous? One way you can raise cash is by skydiving – for charity! It’s a fun, attention-grabbing activity that’s great for raising money and awareness. Simply book a place, set up a fundraising page, and get ready for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. Some places, like the Irish Parachute Club, offer discounted rates for charity dives.

18. Run a gaming marathon

Ready, set, game! Twitch has led to a flood of gamers putting their time and skills to the test with marathons all in the name of a good cause. Gaming marathons can be a great way to raise money for charity, and you can use livestreaming to get the word out. Some streaming platforms have built-in donation tools, or you can direct viewers to your GoFundMe page. That’s what Cameron did with a 12-hour gaming marathon in memory of his friend Anthony who died when he was only 19.

19. Give something up

Looking to test your willpower? Get your friends (or enemies) to sponsor you to give something up. You’ve probably already seen people fundraising for this through Dry January or Sober October, where you can be sponsored not to drink. But it doesn’t have to be about alcohol. Many chocoholics have vowed to go a month without a fix for a good cause, and others have given up eating meat or swearing.

20. Shave your head

Often known as ‘Brave the Shave’, this is one of the simplest but most effective fundraisers for individuals. The concept was popularised by Macmillan Cancer Support, but it works so well that people use it to raise money for all sorts of things. People have raised hundreds of millions for charities simply by grabbing their clippers and shaving off all their hair. The best part is you can also donate the hair you shave off to charity like the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for kids with cancer.

Best fundraising ideas for the workplace

There are lots of fundraising ideas to help raise money within your workplace or with local businesses.

21. Local business partnerships

Local business partnerships can be a great way to join forces and raise money for charity. For example, you could speak with local cafes about setting up donation jars at the counter – having a few options can turn it into a fun competition. It’s a great way to boost community engagement, both for charities and local businesses.

22. Workplace giving

Encourage charity in your workplace by setting up payroll giving. This allows employees to donate a fixed amount from their paycheck, directly to a chosen charity. Workplaces can incentivise this even further by offering matched donations. Workplace giving can also be a way to team up, strengthen coworkers’ bonds, and promote a healthier culture at work.

How to promote your fundraiser and track what’s working

Tracking donation and outreach metrics can help you get the most out of this fundraiser and make changes to ensure future fundraising success.

What to track

• How many donations you’ve received
• Average donation amount
• Donation amount trends. (Are you meeting your goals based on a high number of small donations, or a few larger ones?)
• Online engagement and whether it’s leading to increased donation numbers

Promotion channels that work locally

People are more likely to give to a cause that is close to them, whether that’s a cause they’re passionate about or a fundraiser in their local community. Engaging locally can help increase awareness and create long-term supporters and connections.

• Use local Facebook groups
• Put up flyers at community centres
• Reach out to leaders in your community for help

How to thank supporters (and make next time easier)

Thanking people is a crucial way to keep donors/supporters engaged with your cause.

• Your social media accounts are an easy way to thank your supporters broadly
• Engaging with comments/messages on social media adds a personal touch
• If you have donors’ personal information, sending personalised messages will have an even greater impact
• Be sure to thank supporters who were only able to share/engage with the event, as well as those who donated money

Pick your idea and start fundraising with GoFundMe

So there you have it, 22 fundraising ideas to help you raise money for charity just how you want to. From events within the community to going it alone, there’s an idea to suit you – just be sure to let us know what you decide to do!

Don’t forget that GoFundMe sends all funds raised directly to verified charities. So, what’s stopping you?