Inspiration: A-Z fundraising ideas

Organising a fundraiser can be both rewarding and enjoyable. If you are planning to raise money for a charity but are stuck for inspiration, then look no further. Whether you charge an entry fee, ask for donations or set prices, here is an exciting list of A-Z ideas to create your own fundraiser and have lots of fun along the way!

A

Afternoon tea - Host a classic tea party where people can indulge in cakes, scones, sandwiches and a lovely cup of tea. 

Art sale - If you’ve got local artists or craftspeople in your area, see if they’d be happy to auction off any of their works in support of your cause. 

Arcade night - Host a retro game night and charge for entry.

B

Battle of the bands - Put on a music competition and invite local bands to perform. 

Bingo night - Everyone loves a good bingo game with prizes at stake.

Board game tournament - Organise a marathon board game event and charge a small entry fee.

C

Car wash - Probably one for spring or summer! 

Cookery competition - Find out who is the king or queen of the kitchen with a cookery showdown. 

Craft fair – Set up a craft marketplace where local artists sell handmade goods, with a portion of proceeds going to your charity.

D

Dress down day - Perfect for workplaces or schools. Everyone donates to wear their own clothes for the day.

Darts tournament - Host a tournament at the local pub or social club with an entry fee to take part. 

Dog show - Get your four-legged friends involved with a day of fun and competition related to all things canine. 

E

Easter egg hunt - Kids love it, and so do the adults who get to hide them.

Escape room challenge - Why not partner with a local escape room to see if they’d be willing to give discounted entry fees to participants involved in the fundraiser, with the rest of the money going to charity?

Eating contest - Put your money where your mouth is and discover which of your friends, family or colleagues has the biggest appetite. 

F

Football tournament - Everyone loves a friendly match for a good cause.

Fancy dress day - Encourage everyone to come in costume, with prizes for the best (or worst) outfits.

G

Golf tournament - Invite golfers of all levels for a friendly competition, with entry fees supporting the cause.

Gala dinner - Arrange a fancy black tie dinner with ticket sales supporting your chosen charity.

Garage sale - Great for clearing out your unwanted items and raising money at the same time.

H

Hiking challenge - Get sponsored for taking on a challenge. It might be to summit one of the highest peaks in the UK, or possibly even in the world. 

Hat day - Everyone pays to wear their wackiest hat for the day – the more outlandish, the better!

I

Ice skating party – Rent out a rink for a night of skating fun.

Indoor climbing challenge – Visit your local climbing gym and see who can reach the top first.

J

Jigsaw puzzle contest - See who can finish a puzzle the quickest, with participants entering to play.

Jumble sale - Clear out your closets and sell those pre-loved treasures, with proceeds going to the charity.

K

Karaoke night - Find those hidden vocal talents! Charge per song or take donations for each performance.

Knitting - Knit for charity, then sell your creations.

L

Lip sync battle - Let everyone unleash their rockstar side!

Lemonade stand - A timeless classic, perfect for young fundraisers.

Litter picking - Raise funds while helping the environment.

M

Marathon challenge - You could break out the lycra and commit to a 26.2 mile running challenge, but if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, a board game, reading or even a sleep marathon could be equally fun. 

Mini-golf - Who can shoot the lowest score?

Murder mystery - Put people’s detective skills to the test with a whodunnit murder mystery night. 

N

Non-uniform day - A school favourite. Students pay to ditch the uniform.

Night in - A twist on a night out where people donate what they’d spend on an outing.

O

Office Olympics - Desk chair races and rubber band archery – all in the name of charity!

Obstacle course - Get sponsored for taking on an obstacle course challenge.

P

Plant sale - Gardeners unite! Sell plants or seeds for charity.

Picnic - Prepare sandwiches, snacks and drinks and charge an entry fee to come along. 

Q

Quiz night - Gather some quizmasters and see who knows their trivia.

R

Raffle - Collect donations from family, friends or local businesses and raffle off some fabulous prizes.

Read-a-thon – Great for book lovers. Sponsor each book read.

S

Silent disco - Party for a cause but keep the noise down.

Sponsored silence - One for the parents...

Swimming challenge - Get people swimming lengths for sponsorships.

T

Treasure hunt - Everyone loves searching for hidden gems.

Toy sale - Collect old toys and sell them off to a new home.

Tug of war - Heave! Hold a friendly competition with an entry fee.

U

Unplugged day - Get sponsored to go screen-free for a day.

Upcycling - Host a workshop where people upcycle old items into something new and charge for participation.

V

Video Game Tournament - Gamers unite! Charge an entry fee and let the battle for high scores begin.

Volunteer for a day - Gather people willing to volunteer their time for odd jobs in the community. People donate for each completed job.

Vintage market - Organise a vintage market sale with retro clothing, records and classic finds on offer. 

W

Wine and cheese night - Host a tasting event where people can indulge for a good cause.

Waffle morning - Host a delicious waffle breakfast at work or school. 

X

(e)Xtreme sports - Ok, we're cheating a bit. Encourage adrenaline lovers to try sponsored activities like zip lining or bungee jumping.

Y

Yoga marathon - Get bendy! Host a long yoga session, and participants gather donations based on how long they can keep up.

Z

Zero waste challenge - Challenge supporters to a day (or week) of zero waste. Ask for donations as they track their progress.

Raising money at school? Check out our A-Z list of fundraising ideas you can do as a school. For tips and advice on fundraising, including our essential checklist, you can also download our guide.