Crowdsourcing can be an amazing way to start raising funds and open doors for once in a lifetime opportunities, but it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily we’re here to help with this handy guide full of crowdfunding ideas to level up your event. Whoever you’re working with, we’ve got you covered. So whether you’re fundraising alone for college or supporting your favorite charity through crowd-investing we’ve got the perfect idea for you.
Crowdfunding Ideas You Can Do
If you’re passionate about a project crowdsourcing can be an effective way to fundraise. Asking for donations can get overwhelming so we’ve gathered simple crowdfunding ideas you can do alone.
Small Groups
You could gather a few outdoorsy friends and do a sponsored walk/run/cycle/swim together. Pushing yourself to your physical limits can be super fun and a great bonding experience. It can also often gather a lot of local attention for your cause which generally means more donations.
Holding a car wash is another great fundraiser for you and a few pals. All you need is some soap, water, a few sponges, and a sunny day. Set prices for different sized vehicles and print off or handwrite a few posters to put around town.
If you’re willing to do a little planning a quiz night can be a really fun evening. The more fun people have the more they are likely to donate. This also presents the opportunity for more mini fundraisers such as a raffle or cake sale and use multiple crowdfunding ideas in one.
Sports Teams
If you’re part of a popular local sports team ask your coaches about maybe doing a nonprofit tournament for charity. Parents and fans can pay to watch and any money made can be donated. You could also have other crowdfunding ideas running while other teams are playing to maximize profits.
Alternatively you could convince some teammates to join you in a series of sponsored challenges. Things such as dancing in public of physical challenges always go down well and often family members will be more than happy to donate. This is one of our favourite crowdfunding ideas.
You could also ask your coaches about doing a dress up day for one of your training sessions. Maybe everyone has to pay a pound to wear onesies or come in with crazy hair. For something more subtle you could suggest odd socks and combine with other crowdfunding ideas.
For Kids
Have kids that want to help out but not sure what to do with them? Why not start with a childhood classic: a lemonade sale. Or alternatively, you could spend a morning baking cakes and other sweet treats to sell.
Kids have a flair for arts and crafts! Suggest they make some jewelry or keyrings to sell at a yard sale or school event. They could even find some old toys or books to sell along with them. There are so many variations on these crowdfunding ideas!
If you want to get a few more people involved you could ask your school about using the hall and putting on a talent show. Each kid that performs can invite family members to watch them and ticket sales can go to charity. You could also have donation buckets on exit. Once again this can combine multiple crowdfunding ideas to boost your profits!
Crowdfunding Ideas At Work
Your coworkers can be an amazing source for fundraising but we know that sometimes it’s difficult to ask for donations directly so we’ve gathered some great office crowdfunding ideas.
At The Office
One of our favorite office fundraisers is ‘lunch and learn’. Sell tickets for a small donation and invite coworkers to listen to different speakers while they munch. This can be a great way to raise awareness and funds simultaneously. You could combine this with other crowdfunding ideas too!
You could also combine crowdfunding ideas and have a week of games each for a small donation. Things like raffles often work well. You could also ask for donations of any amount in a pot and at the end of the week pick a name at random to win half the money while the other half gets donated.
Finally, ask your manager about matching donations. Many businesses have schemes that allow them to match any donation a worker makes. This can be a great way to make your efforts go even further. Combine this with multiple crowdfunding ideas for maximum effect.
Foods To Sell To Your Coworkers
If you have a flair for cooking or baking a twist on the classic school cake sale could go down well. If you have a fancy coffee machine at home bring it in and offer to make your colleagues elaborate drinks at a small cost.
You could also come up with a simple menu and make your colleagues a delicious lunch for a small fee. Remember to factor in the cost of ingredients when planning this one. This could also be adapted for desserts depending on your skillset.
Not much of a cook yourself? Hold an office bring-a-dish. Invite everyone to bring a cultural or family recipe in. Everyone who donates can sample each dish for a truly diverse and delicious lunchtime.
Church And Youth Groups
Churches are often great at supporting fundraisers for charitable organizations. If you also work with a youth group a karaoke night can be a really fun way to keep everyone entertained while also raising money.
One of our classic crowdfunding ideas: you could also ask everyone to have a look around at home and bring in old gadgets or books that they no longer use hold a jumble sale after the service.
If you have enough willing youths you could really tug on the heartstrings of church goers and get sponsored to spend a night sleeping under the stars. This is one of the crowdfunding ideas that is probably best reserved for helping specifically homeless charities or similar.
Mix It Up
If you’re really passionate about your cause, the best way to make money is to combine crowdfunding ideas. See how many different groups of people you can get involved and set a target for each event. Setting up a social media campaign can also really help you gain attention to get donations from the wider public as well as just your immediate family and friends. See how many crowdfunding ideas you can use in one go!