Fundraising Ideas
To help you get your fundraising underway we have compiled this A-Z list of tried and tested fundraising ideas.
A
Abseil: Scale the dizzy heights of a local landmark or office block.
Aerobics: Organise a sponsored aerobathon with the help of gyms, leisure centres and sports shops.
Afternoon Tea: Put the kettle on and get baking. Entertain guests with raffles, auctions, tombolas & live music
Air Miles: Collect your own, then raffle them off.
Arts/Crafts Stall: Make necklaces, dried flower arrangements, stained glass mirrors, etc, to sell on a stall.
Art exhibition: Stage an exhibition for local artists. Charge entrance fee and commission.
As New Sale: AKA posh jumble sale. Ask everyone you know for unwanted belongings & hold a sale evening.
Auction: Auction off original items, taking a percentage of sales.
Auction of Services: Auction services of people and businesses - anything from singing lessons to dinner for two.
B
Badge Making: Make badges to sell at work, to friends or at craft fairs.
Bad tie day: Charge your colleagues a pound to come in wearing their loudest tie. Award the winner.
Baked Bean Bath: Get sponsored to spend the day in a bath/Jacuzzi of baked beans. Charge friends to join you.
Balloon Race: Sell balloons that are filled with helium; the purchasers' name and address are written on a tag fixed to the balloon. The balloon that travels the furthest wins a prize
Barbecue: Add stereo, football and rounders bats and make it a whole day's event.
Barn Dance: Swing into action by hiring a caller and traditional country band. Serve food & plenty of cider.
Beat the Goalie: Score a goal and win a prize. Footballers pay to enter.
Bed Push: The 'bed' can be anything from a hospital bed to a four-poster or even a 3-piece suite!
Bingo: Hold a one-off evening or regular morning sessions.
Board Games Evening: Invite friends over to play Scrabble, Monopoly, Cluedo and more. Charge entrance or game fee.
Boat Race: Teams build model boats and race them. Alternatively, use real yachts, dinghies or canoes.
Book Sale: Sell old books, collected from everyone you know. Book dealers may buy leftover stock.
Bouncy Castle: A great way to keep kids entertained at bigger family events. Bouncing fee.
Bungee Jump: Raise sponsorship by flying in the face of fear.
Burns Night: Theme evening with Scottish dancing, Haggis, Nepes and Tatties. Admission fee.
Bus Pull: Gather a team & get sponsored to heave a bus through town. More teams? Make it a race.
C
Cake Stall: Hold a traditional cake stand at fetes or fairs. Check health and safety regulations.
Candle Making: Make and sell candles at craft fairs or coffee mornings.
Car boot sale: Cash in your old belongings, or sell pitches. Raise more with bouncy castles, raffles, etc.
Car Treasure Hunt: Drive from clue to clue in search of the 'treasure'. Teams pay to enter.
Car wash: Wash cars at shopping centre or office car parks.
Carol concert: Host a festive concert for your community. Earn extra by selling minced pies & mulled wine.
Carol singing: Get a group to go door-to-door singing.
Casino evening: Hire gaming tables and a hall for the evening.
Chariot race: Teams race decorated 'chariots' - anything from a horse and cart to a sedan chair.
Charity ball: Raise sponsorship the sophisticated way. Organise a themed ball with DJ or live music at a hotel or nightclub. Charge for tickets, but boost your earnings with games and raffles.
Charity push: Get sponsored to cover a set distance in a bed, shopping trolley, bathtub, wheelie bin...
Classic car show: Well-organised classic car and bike shows are great crowd pullers and fantastic fundraisers.
Coconut shy: Easily arranged game for traditional fairs. All you need are a few coconuts and wooden balls.
Coffee morning: It's open house for the morning. Make extra with raffles, bring and buy sales and cake stalls.
Concerts: Entertain the crowds with your own recital, or hire bands of musicians. Cookery demo: Invite well-known chefs to share the recipe of their success with a ticket-paying audience.
Copper collection: Ask people to donate their collections of one and two pence pieces.
Country & Western: Organise a dance with a C & W band or singer. Cowboy hats and boots a must.
Craft fair: Make necklaces, dried flower arrangements, stained glass mirrors, etc, to sell on a stall.
Cricket match: Assemble a team and challenge your county team to a match. Charge spectators.
D
Dance: Barn dances, tea dances, disco dances, salsa dances - whatever rocks your boat.
Darts tournament: Challenge all the pub teams in the area to compete for cash prizes, or a barrel of beer.
Dinner and cabaret: Hire a popular and spacious restaurant. Entertain ticket holders with music, comedy & magic.
Disco: Spin the decks or hire a DJ to stage a themed disco night.
Dog show: Charge proud pet-owners to show off their pooches. Ask pet shops to sponsor the event.
Duck race: Sell numbered plastic ducks and launch them from a bridge. The duck to finish first wins.
E
Easter egg hunt: Edible hide and seek. Charge entry fee and ask confectioners to provide the eggs.
Eating marathon: Get sponsored to stuff your face with as many baked beans/grapes/pies etc. as possible.
Eyebrows: Get sponsored to shave them off - they grow back eventually!
F
Face painting: Get creative with face paints at fetes, fairs and children's parties. Fancy dress: Jazz up your event with a fancy dress contest. Charge entrance fee.
Fashion show: Ask businesses to sponsor venue, outfits or catwalk. Charge admission and sales commission.
Fastathon: Get sponsored to fast for an hour, a morning or a day. Consult your doctor first.
Film evening: Recreate an evening of vintage cinema by showing classic films and musicals.
Fireworks: Weather permitting, firework displays are massive fundraisers. Check out safety precautions.
Flower arranging: Make your own fresh, dried or silk arrangements to sell at craft fairs or fetes.
Flower show: Always popular. Boost funds with competitions, advice corners & side stalls.
Foreign coins: Ask people to donate their leftover holiday coins. Change into sterling once you have enough.
Football Tournament: Take part in the annual Sue Parry six-a-side Football Tournament for the Hospice.
Fun day: Arrange games, music, competitions and stalls at a nearby hall or sports club.
Furniture sale: Hire a large hall to sell donated furniture and old office equipment. Take sales commission.
G
Game show: Host mock version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or The Weakest Link. Otherwise adapt board games for big audiences, and get prizes donated.
Garage sale: Sell off all your unwanted belongings.
Garden party: Sell tickets or invite guests to make a donation.
Gardening: Offer your gardening services to friends and family.
Glamorous Gran: Go in search of your area's most glamorous gran. Charge contestants to enter, and ask local hair and beauty salons to donate prizes.
Go Kart Grand Prix: Hold a Go Kart Grand Prix at the nearest track. Drivers pay entrance fee.
Greeting cards: Make and sell cards for every occasion. Find out about selling Christmas cards for the Hospice.
Guess the??? Competitors guess how many sweets in the jar, a cake's weight, etc. The closest answer wins.
Guest speaker: Invite a guest speaker and sell admission tickets. Boost funds with raffle & refreshments.
Guided tours: Take tourists and visitors on locally guided walks or trips.
Gunge Tank: Charge fairgoers to drop their relatives, friends or enemies in tank of last week's leftovers.
H
Halloween party: Another excuse to dress up and party. Charge entrance fees and raise money trick or treating.
Head shave: Sick of bad hair days? Go bald for the Hospice.
Hook-a-duck: Fete and fair game. Ask local companies to donate prizes.
Hoopla: Fete and fair game. Ask local companies to donate prizes.
Household sale: Sell off all your unwanted belongings.
I
Indoor market: Rent out stalls to local traders, or take cut of profits.
Inflatable: Put a bounce into your summer fete with an inflatable fly wall, boxing ring or gladiator court.
Ironing: Offer your ironing services - at a cost.
It's a knockout: Revive the 80s game show by inviting teams to compete in silly games in silly costumes.
J
Jailbreak: Leave teams in the middle of nowhere. With no money or transport, see who gets back to base first. Charge entrance fees and offer prizes.
Jazz festival: Play your own brand of jazz, or stage a show for local musicians. Sell tickets and refreshments.
Jewellery making: Buy your own beads and get threading. Sell your products at markets and craft fairs.
K
Karaoke: Arrange your own Pop Idol contest. All you need is a machine, a room and a well-stocked bar!
L
Left-handed day: Try doing everything with your left hand for the day and get people to sponsor you.
Line dancing: Organise a line dancing evening. Just make sure you have a caller, good venue and charge people to come in. Don't forget your cowboy boots and hat!
Limbo Dancing Championship: Charge and entrance fee with a prize for who limbos lowest.
LUAL: Light up a Life - sponsor a light for our annual Light up a Life campaign at Christmas each year in memory of a loved one.
Lunch: Organise a lunch party and charge people per course. Entertainment, raffles, auctions can all be added in.
M
Marathons: Get sponsored to run a traditional 26-mile race.
Medieval evening: Themed evening of medieval food, jousting and entertainment.
Mile of pennies: Make a mile of pennies in your town centre. Ask shoppers to help by donating their coins.
Mini-Olympics: Invite everyone you know to compete in traditional & silly sports. Charge entry.
Mufti day: Introduce dress down day at work. Colleagues pay a fee to leave their suits at home.
Music concert: Entertain the crowds with your own recital, or hire bands of musicians.
N
Nature trail: Offer guided walks to natural beauty spots.
New year resolutions: Get sponsored to stick to your new year's resolutions.
Night Walk: Take part in our Venus Challenge on 28th September.
O
Open garden: Open your garden to visitors. Sell tickets, refreshments, plants and vegetables.
Opera night: Stage an opera evening in your area, or arrange a trip to see a big London production.
Ornament sale: Set up a market/fair stall. Alternatively, plan your own event and charge for pitches.
Outward bound: Go climbing, hiking, camping, etc, in preparation for your trip. Seek sponsorship.
P
Paintballing: Organise paintballing challenges at locally run centres. Players pay to enter.
Pancake race: Get flipping on Shrove Tuesday. Charge teams to enter, and spectators to eat.
Pantomime: Your chance to play the ugly sister. Stage a production with friends, family and colleagues.
Parachute jump: Daredevils only. Get sponsored to take the plunge.
Parties: Pick a venue, a date, a theme... and party on. Sell tickets and charge for extras like food.
Personalised gifts: Sell uniquely personalised gifts for special occasions.
Pet show: Charge proud pet-owners to show off their cats, hamsters, bunnies, mice, etc.
Pick a cork: Fair game. Pick a numbered cork out of a board. If the number's a winner, claim a prize.
Pick a ticket: Fair game. Pick a numbered ticket from a bucket. If the number's a winner, claim a prize.
Plant sale: Sell donated plants or rent out pitches to traders.
Playstation play-off: Organise a league of players and compete on a certain game. Charge entrants.
Play your cards right: Fair game made famous by Bruce Forsyth. Guess higher or lower 6 times running & win a prize.
Pop concert: Hire a venue and invite local bands to play. Sell tickets and set up stalls.
Postage stamps: Collect and sell foreign and unusual stamps to dealers.
Private tuition: Whether it's French or Flamenco, sell your skills with private lessons.
Pub games night: Stage a championship of traditional pub games - darts, skittles, dominoes, cards, etc.
Puppet show: Pull in the crowds with a traditional Punch & Judy show, or something more innovative.
Q
Quizzes: If your local doesn't run a pub quiz, set one up. Test the regulars on pop, trivia or sport.
R
Race night: The race is run on a large screen after all bets have been taken. A typical evening consists of eight races. Props (and film) are supplied by race operators. Some gaming regulations apply.
Raffle: Ask local firms to donate prizes and sell tickets. Check raffle laws with the Hospice.
Raft race: Teams compete by building their rafts and racing over a set distance. Teams pay to compete.
Ramble: Take to the countryside for a mass walkabout. Throw in a theme (fancy dress, singles, three legged, Easter), and charge for entry and refreshments.
Recipe book: Publish favourite recipes from local restaurants and chefs.
Recycling collections: Collect paper, aluminium, glass, etc, and sell on to recycling companies.
Refreshments: Sell teas, coffees, sandwiches, biscuits, cakes, etc, at any fundraising event.
Roll-a-ball: Fair game where player rolls a ball through a hole at the end of a bowling-type alley.
Roll-a-coin: Fair game where player rolls a coin down a shute, aiming to land on a playing card.
S
Safari supper: Travel from restaurant to restaurant, having a different course at each stop. Ask restaurants to support your efforts, but set cover charge to include all food and your cut.
Sale of Christmas gifts: Sell Christmas cards, wrapping, gifts, food and drink.
Santa's Grotto: Pull on your white beard and brush up your ho, ho, ho.
Scavenger hunt: Variation on the treasure hunt where participants have a list of items to collect.
Scrap metal: Collect scrap metal and sell it to a scrap metal dealer or re-cycling plant.
Shoe shine: Get down on your knees at your nearest train station or shopping centre.
Silver collections: Ask supporters to donate their loose change collections.
Sit in a bath: Get sponsored to spend the day in a bath of beans/maggots/tea, etc.
Skittles: Make an evening event out of this traditional pub game.
Skydiving: Free fall your way back to earth - for sponsorship.
Slimming contest: Arrange with local slimming clubs. Participants get sponsored £1 for every pound lost.
Slippery pole: Fair game where competitors pillow fight while sliding along a slippery pole.
Sponsored silence: Mum's the word. Stay silent for as long as you can.
Sports competition: Whatever your game, organise a tournament. Sell tickets, and organise stalls, raffles, etc.
Stage play: Raise the curtain on a local Am Dram production.
Stationary cycle: Don't fancy the map reading? Forget cycling to Paris, but cover the same distance at the gym.
Strawberries & cream: Bring the taste of Wimbledon to your event, with this summery refreshment.
Swap shop: Put unwanted items in touch with loving homes. Charge swappers to participate.
Swear box: Spend a £1 for every $@*£$! uttered. Put a box at home, at work and at the pub.
Swimathon: Get sponsored per length, mile, minute, hour...
T
Tabletop sale: Indoor variation on the car boot sale. Charge for table hire.
Talent competition: Discover Britain's next big thing with your own talent show. Charge entry and offer prizes.
Ten-pin bowling: Bowling alleys often have special rates for big groups & charity evenings.
Tin can alley: Traditional fair game. Knock down the stack of tin cans and win a prize.
Tombola: Pick a raffle ticket out of a barrel and match it with a ticketed prize. Fair & fete favourite.
Toy sale: In the run up to Christmas, toy sales can be big fundraisers.
Treasure hunt: Sniffing out the clues, teams compete against each other to discover the 'hidden treasure'.
Tuck shop: Sell sweets, crisps, cake, drinks, etc, at a children's event.
U
Underwear party: One for the adults! Charge guests to come wearing it, or take commission for selling it.
Unwanted presents: Arrange a post-Christmas sale of unwanted gifts. Ask traders to donate a cut of their takings.
V
Venus Challenge: Women over the age of 16 can take part in the Hospice Venus Challenge on 28th September.
Variety show: Comedians, magicians, singers, dancers & musicians all under one roof.
Vehicle rally: Well-organised car and bike shows are great crowd pullers and fantastic fundraisers.
Visits: Organising visits to local places or tourist destinations.
W
Walks: Lead organised walks to historical spots and places of interest. Ghost walks are also popular.
Water sports: Let others splash out as you splash in. Teach water sports or get sponsored to take part.
Waxing: A hair-raising experience for the boys. Get sponsored to wax your legs or chest.
Weight of the cake: Fair game. Pay to guess the weight - and win the cake if you're right.
Welly wanging: Fun for every fete and fair. Throwers compete to see whose welly goes furthest.
Whiskey raffle: Charge a pound a ticket, and pick a winner for every 25 sold. Check licensing and raffle laws.
Windscreen wash: Charge to wash windscreens at service and petrol stations. Ask permission first.
Wine & cheese: Ask supermarkets to donate the wine and cheese. Sell tickets, and produce to take away.
Wine tasting: Hold tasting sessions for wine companies. Charge commission on wine sold. Arrange a raffle.
Woodcutting: Offer to prune trees or chop firewood for friends and family.
Wood working: Make and sell your own woodcrafts, or give woodturning/woodcarving demonstrations.
X
Xmas evening: Stock up on crackers, pudding and mince pies. Break with tradition by holding it in July!
Xmas hampers: Make up and sell your own Xmas hampers. Include food, drink, toys and gifts.
Y
Yacht racing: Participate in regional or national events. Seek sponsorship from local clubs and businesses.
Youth event: Activity day or evening for young people and children.
Z
Zodiac evening: Invite a guest astrologer for a star-studded fundraiser. Charge for entry and horoscopes.
