These free fundraising ideas are creative and unique ways you can use to rraise funds for your organization without spending a penny. Some of these ideas are open to any group, while others are programs for registered nonprofits. Each one notates what type of group can use it.
If you have a donation page on your website, this may seem obvious to you. But some nonprofits either don’t have a donate now button, or it is difficult for visitors to find it on their site.
Put the button in your site’s header so it shows on every page. To keep the whole thing free, choose a platform that charges your group nothing. Zeffy, for one, covers the card processing fees itself and is funded by optional tips from donors. PayPal and similar services are free to set up, then take a processing fee from each gift.
Many supermarket chains donate to local groups based on what their customers buy. With Kroger Community Rewards, a supporter links their shopper’s card to your organization once. Kroger then donates based on their everyday shopping, at no added cost to them.
Other chains, including Stop & Shop and Winn-Dixie, have run reusable bag programs that send a dollar from each bag sold to a local nonprofit. Look at the community page of each grocery chain in your area to see what it offers and how to apply.
Some employers pay a cash grant to the nonprofits where their staff volunteer. These programs often go by the name Dollars for Doers. A volunteer submits their hours through the employer’s giving portal. Once you confirm them, the company sends the grant.
Add an employer question to your volunteer sign-up form so you know who to remind. Many of the same companies also match their employees’ donations, which is covered in our easy fundraising ideas.
Google gives eligible nonprofits up to $10,000 a month in free search advertising. The ads appear on Google results pages when people search for causes like yours, which sends new visitors to your donation page.
You first join Google for Nonprofits, then apply for the grant. The ads need regular upkeep to perform well, so hand this one to a volunteer who is comfortable with online marketing.
GivingTuesday falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving each year and costs nothing to take part in. Supporters expect to hear from their favorite causes that day, which makes it a natural moment for a small group to post a goal and share a donation link.
Pick one specific target, such as funding a field trip. Send out a morning announcement, then follow it with a progress update in the afternoon.
This one is a win-win for your organization and the environment. Collect left-over Christmas wrapping, bows, cards and decorations in January when no one needs them any longer. Ask members of your community for their leftovers. You can also ask local gift stores to donate everything they have remaining after their clearance sales.
Carefully store everything away in boxes until the following Christmas season.
In November of the following year you’ll be ready to set up Christmas wrapping booths without having to spend any money at all. Ask independent shops and holiday markets for a table, since many welcome a wrapping service for their customers. Wrap for a donation, with a QR code on the table for shoppers who don’t carry cash.
This free fundraising idea is a wonderful way to raise funds for your organization and a way for you to showcase the talented artists and photographers in your community. Ask volunteers to donate copies of their original art and photographs to your nonprofit, with written permission to use them.
A print-on-demand site such as Zazzle then lets you put that artwork on products like mugs and greeting cards. You earn a royalty on every sale. What’s really great is that you don’t have to buy any products in advance. Each item is made when someone orders it, with the site handling the processing and shipping.
What’s also wonderful is that you can create seasonal products for year-round fundraising.
Yes, it’s possible to design and sell your own t-shirts with no upfront expense. Sites such as Bonfire and Custom Ink print each shirt after it is ordered, then send your group the profit.
Learn how to set up fundraising t-shirts.
Ask a local instructor or hobbyist to donate one hour of teaching, where attendees give what they choose through your donation page. Aside from the typical ideas like yoga, painting, or knitting, consider ideas based on current interests like:
Hold the class in a public park, library, community center, or school gym — ideally someplace that costs nothing to use. An added bonus is that instructors can meet new students during the event, making this a mutually beneficial idea.
Volunteers collect pledges for every bag of litter they pick up at a local park or beach. Many towns lend gloves and bags for clean-up days, so ask your public works department.
See how to plan a community clean-up fundraiser.
Collect gift wrap in January and plan your GivingTuesday campaign in the fall. Everything else on this list can begin any week of the year.
Happy fundraising!