Fundraising Ideas That Will Keep Your Enthusiasm High

The main purpose of fundraising is to come up with a certain amount of money for charity, for community benefits, or unselfish personal needs. It is ethical for it not to generate profit, but mere acquisition of funds to help certain institution or endeavour that will benefit many.

This is my second article on fundraising ideas and has been written to try and help provide some more ideas on what you can do to raise more money for your chosen charity or event!

If I'm being honest, some of the ideas in this fundraising article are a little more out there, but I had fun writing it! My last fundraising article generated a lot of traffic from Google in the USA so a lot of the ideas are inspired from there!

If you've got any suggestions at all or like the ideas in this hub, please leave a comment at the bottom of this page!

• Putting a Jar On The Site - Yes, this sounds strange! But you can actually set a large jar in your home with a big enough opening for coins to fit. Spare change of anyone in your family can go in that bottle, and soon it will be ready to use for a family vacation to deepen your bond. You can also decide to share some of your funds to charity. You'll be impressed with how quickly you can save the pennies!
• Sell some old toys! - Selling old items that you don't need anymore can generate funds for your family use. It can help a lot in buying your child's school supplies or help with other school fees.
• Share Lifts - If you are using a car going to work, then you can ask neighbours that go to the same direction as you to ride with you for a minimal fee. Not only does it help to reduce your petrol / diesel costs, but you're also helping the environment at the same time!
• Go Searching For Gold! - Ok, that was a little dramatic, but during the weekend, you can go to the beach with your reliable metal detector and take a stroll for a good cardiovascular exercise plus some spare change to collect. You might be surprised just how much you will be able to gather in one passing of your metal detector.
• Have a Tidy - House cleaning with the purpose of looking for spare change is entirely advantageous - you get to clean the entire house, and with lots of luck, you can get some spare change and things to sell.

• Collect Some Tins - Gather tin cans and exchange them for some cash. You can actually suggest it to your community to do the same and add the gathered fund for your community improvement. It can be used to improve the playground, add some security, or for beautification.
• Setup An Event - Organize a small beauty pageant for kids where tickets must be bought to determine the winner. Everyone in the community will surely do everything they can to make sure that their candidate will win.
• Sell To Tourists - Ok, we don't want to exploit tourists, but it is a great way to raise money if you're in a populated area. Create a community project like handicrafts and sell it to tourists. Make sure that it is something that will make them remember their visit in your place.
• Singing Contents - Organize local singing contest, wherein you can solicit some funds from big companies in your area or nearby to sponsor your fund drive in improving your community. You can advertise their products or company by having their banner while the contest is on going.
• Yard Sales - Have a yard sale where the whole community can contribute old stuff that they no longer use, but are still in good condition to sell. The proceeds will go to community use. Clean your surroundings and encourage others to do the same. Gather old newspaper and other stuffs that can be sold.
• Organise A Party - It is nice to have a get together with the whole community, and there is no better way than to have a dance party where there is a ticket that must be purchased. Collected payments will benefit the whole community.
• Slave Auctions - Organize a slave auction, where you can auction some of the famous personalities in your area to do his or her master's bidding for a day or few hours. It is good clean fun and will certainly generate a lot to start the community project. It's also a good laugh!
• Eating Competitions - A healthy community has a bunch of good eaters. Why not set up an eating competition with sponsors or with a fee?
• Sell Food - Organize a food committee, that will be responsible for food preparation and door to door selling of finished products.
• Sell Some Plants - Have a plant sale. It will not only bring beauty to your community it will also entice others to visit your place and see the plants that you offer.
• Organise a Dress Down Day (Or Dress Up?!) - Organize a wacky dress day in a community wherein someone who doesn't dress wacky will need to give a minimal fine.
• Rent Out Books - Gather great pocket books from everyone in the community and organize a rent a book campaign. Some hard to find books might be in your area, you can also sell it if the owner allows.
• Blind Date - Set up a date match in the community. Ask for a fee if someone is interested to participate. Let them fill up their personal data and find their match. Set up a good, clean, fun date that everyone will enjoy.

• Do You Need Money? - Instead of raising actual money, gathering usable used clothing for charity can be a form of fundraising.
• Donate Toys - Set up a toy drive where usable toys no longer being used by a child can be donated to orphanage. Children will surely appreciate the toys very much.
• Midnight Walk - Organize a fun run or walk for a cause where anyone will get health benefits while giving some for the less fortunate. It is healthy for the heart and conscience.
• Second Hand Books - Sell some second hand books then give the proceeds or donate them directly to charity. Either way is fine.
• Donate Stationary - Pencils and papers are greatly appreciated by children who are willing to learn but, unfortunately, lack some means to support their needs. Giving some are but a few ways to show that you care.
• Organise a Party - Host a party for the benefit of a certain charity. Guests of more formal parties usually hand in their donations in envelopes. Casual parties held in communities will do too.
• Donation Boxes - Put a donation box for a specific charity in establishments that will only require their spare change. Know the law first governing the donation boxes before putting one. Some scrupulous individuals use charity as an excuse to gather funds for their illegal activities.
• Golf Tournament - Organize a golf tournament for charity. It is fun and very healthy. Obviously, you don't have to go with Golf, but the idea is there for a sports event!
• Bike Ride - Ride a bike for a cause is another way to help your chosen charity.
• Food Fest - Food fest always attracts many visitors especially if you will feature international yet affordable cuisine.
• Karaoke Evening - Everyone is into singing nowadays, and no one will be able to resist a Karaoke night especially if it's for charitable purposes.
• Put on a Play - A play is always a delight to witness especially comedies. Create a play for charity and make sure that the storyline is something that everyone will enjoy.
• Organize a race for fun - Make wacky obstacles that will bring delight to the players and the onlookers.
• Direct A Movie - Direct an independent movie that is meaningful as well as beautiful. Remember that many people will benefit a lot from the sales of tickets.
• Charity Auctions - Hold a charity auction where all proceeds will go to charity. You can ask local businesses to sponsor your event, and in return, you will advertise their business in your auction.
• Beauty Salons - Most women (and some Men!) love going to beauty salons, why not organize a charity salon. If you can convince top beauticians in your place to do something for charity by charging less than the usual cost, then well and good. Explain that the collected payments will go to charity.
• Fashion Show - Talk to some top designers if they can let you feature their designs in a mini fashion show in which you will charge a minimal amount for the tickets. Explain that all earnings will go to charity.
• Sell Sweets - Make some sweets for sale and dubbed it "Sweets for your Sweetheart". It will sell really fast especially if it's for charity.
• Organise a Charity Ball - Charity ball is always fun to attend, and no one can resist such an event especially if you have surprise celebrity guest.
• Charity Bingo! - It is always good to spend some lazy afternoons in a charity bingo. You had fun, and you were able to help.
• Organise A Football Match - Football tournament with guest celebrity is always a sure success most especially if people know that the event is for charitable purposes.
• Try To Get Office Staff On Board - Convince your office mates to have a pack lunch day at least once every two weeks, wherein they donate their money to charity that should be spent on lunch at the cafeteria.

• Do Some Gardening - Teenagers must learn to save or raise a fund at an early age. Mowing a lawn during weekend can be a great way to raise some money.
• Baby Sitting - Teenagers can look after their little brothers or sisters where mom or dad must be glad to give some extra allowance.
• Become A Tutor - Offer tutorials for a minimal fee. It may not be a lot, but it can help start your drive to raise some funds.
• Open A Lemonade Stand - Sell lemonade and make sure that buyers will come back for some lemonade.
• Create Some Movies - Offer services for preserving photographs and memories through moviemaker.
• Fix Computers - If you are well adept in computers, then you can offer to tune up PCs, remove viruses, or upgrade their tools.

Ok, so I hope some of the ideas above have helped to give you some enthusiasm to donate some more money for charity. Not all of the ideas will suit everyone, but hopefully, there are some good ideas that will help you to raise a lot of money.

I myself will be taking part in a Sky Dive for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the UK on June 17th 2012. My aim is to raise £2000 for Charity . You can view our JustGiving page here.

Good luck with your fundraising!