Simple Fundraising Ideas

Looking for Some Great, Free Fundraising Ideas for 2013?

For some tried and tested simple fundraising ideas, as well as some ideas on creating your own unique fundraising events, check out our money making suggestions.

To make it easy, we've compiled tons of fundraising information and over 101 simple fundraising ideas to create a quick resource for you to help your group or organization raise money quickly and easily.

School Fundraising Ideas

Whether you're on the staff or PTA, there's simply never enough money to go around when it comes to education.

Find fundraising ideas for schools - starting with simple fundraisers such as catalogs, candles and cookie dough fundraisers, and on to bigger projects, events and sponsored activities.

PTA fundraisers can include tried and tested favorites from fashions shows (popular with high schools) to car parking, from tea, coffee 'n' cake to discos, raffles, auctions, jazz evenings and dinner-dances.

Planning is essential to ensure that your profit isn't frittered away on non-essentials or surprise last minute items.

With your built-in target audience of students and parents - together with a willing bunch of helpers who are happy to donate their time - schools can be one of the easier places to raise sums of money.

In particular, Christmas presents an opportunity to raise money from your captive audience who are already planning to spend their money on gifts, chocolate, calendars, Christmas wreaths & cards - simply asking them for orders from a catalogue can raise surprising sums - and all you need are a few willing helpers to co-ordinate things.

Popular with high schools are the "school spirit" type of item - such as silicone wristbands, pins and key chains together with customised clothing with your college name on.

We'll also direct you to approaching potential funders - whether it's wealthy individuals in your locality or national trusts and grant making organisations. Writing that application and letter are key to improving your chances of success.

Church Fundraising Ideas

Whether it's for your church building program or for new youth group resources, you'll find suggestions for locating funding for your project all over this website.

For one-off events, discover creative and traditional fund-raising ideas, from car washing to murder mystery nights.

Read our church fundraising suggestions for encouraging giving from your existing church members.

I find this is one of the easiest avenues to raise money. Your church group is held together with a special and similar bond - their faith. I am always amazed how unselfish and giving my church friends are. You'll find the same. 

How to raise money for non-profit groups & charities

Looking for ideas on how to find enough money to fund that big project? Here's some hints and tips on how to proceed, where to look for advice and the common mistakes made by fundraisers.

Wondering whether you should invest in a consultant - what to look out for and the mistakes you should avoid.

And the ONE thing you MUST know before raising any substantial sum of money.

Fundraising Software - is it worth the investment of time and money ?

While there are some very expensive online fundraising software programs used by professional fundraisers - there are other, cheaper, ways to successfully track donors, record pledges, write thank you letters and maintain your supporter database.

More than 101 Ways to Raise Money

Create your own unique events - using our directory of over 101 great ideas for fundraising activities and events.

Check out our free sample fundraising letters - using our templates, you may find it easier to write your own letter.

Fundraising doesn't need to be complicated - creating a simple strategy, forming a team or committee who are willing to work together, gaining successful publicity are all things that anyone can achieve with a little inside knowledge and know how.

Raising Money in Uncertain Times - Some New Ideas for 2013

Even in difficult financial times such as we are currently facing, it's still possible to raise large sums of money by creating win-win situations where you offer people the opportunity to buy something that they'll be needing anyway or to have a brief escape from the monotony and stress of day to day life with an exciting evening or experience.

Commemorative Websites - for loved ones who have recently died, you can create your own website with photos and words to commemorate them. Add donations towards their favorite cause or charity.

Law enforcement wrist bands - also known as "bands of honor", to commemorate fallen colleagues in the police or military forces, companies are now offering personalized wristbands for each individual who has been killed in action. For further info, check out Tye Band Co.

Donate Airmiles - giving airmiles to a chosen charity can help them reduce travel costs and put much needed funding towards essential projects.

Ethical or Green Fundraising

As people are much more conscious about the environment and the effect that they have on it , it's helpful to consider ethical or green issues when raising or investing money for your charity.

You might think that fundraising isn’t a polluting activity, and while you are right there are some things that you can do to make fundraising greener to compensate for your other activities.

Green fundraising isn’t as difficult as you might imagine, there are a number of things that you can do to make your fundraising environmentally friendly.

One of the biggest problems the environment is facing is because we throw so much away, one way to improve the state of the environment would be to recycle products as part of your fundraising program.

What better way could there be to raise money than by doing it environmentally friendly?!

Recycling materials doesn’t have to be that complicated; a simple garage sale is a good way of recycling items. Instead of them ending up in the bin they will be sold to other people that actually want to keep them.

Alternatively, collecting items which are later sold on eBay simply needs a volunteer with time and the ability to navigate their way around the internet .

Fundraising should be done in a way to raise money for your church, or other nonprofit organization and so you don’t really want to cause any damage to the environment.

A sponsored walk to the Great Wall of China may sound like a fantastic idea to raise money however just think about the amount of pollution that you will be creating flying to China, increasingly charities will need to be conscious of the pollution created by their events .

Recycled products are a great way to make your fundraising efforts green; nobody wants to pollute the earth if they have another option - even moving towards having paper bags if you are selling items, to having recycling bins for glass , aluminium, paper and cardboard at your offices will show your commitment to the environment .

It is also possible to purchase recycled products to help with your fundraising, you might like to consider recycled combs or even pens. You can even print your fundraising information on recycled paper for the ultimate environmental saving solution!

There are ways to make whatever you do green and kind to the environment, you just need to think carefully!

With some careful thought you will be able to make all of your fundraising activities green, good luck!

Take Action !

There are probably as many individual fundraising ideas as there are people to have them - why not check out our list of over 101 Fundraising Ideas and find inspiration for raising money that works for you!