Create a more engaging experience and generate more ROI from your fundraising events with these creative ideas.  

According to Rod Arnold, Founder of Leading Good, nonprofits need to focus on perfecting business fundamentals (like increasing your average event ROI) to keep succeeding. While business fundamentals are absolutely for the success of venture, so is creativity.

We have put together a list of 20 creative fundraising events for nonprofits to inspire your event strategy. From events that tickle the imagination of grownups and children alike to challenges that speak to the Olympian in us all, you’ll find something exciting in this list of event fundraising ideas.

For even more creative event ideas, read The Rise of Moment Marketing ebook. 

1. Vegas Games Night

Source: Kenny Family Foundation

The Kenny Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to social welfare in New Castle County, hosts a Casino Night at a local grade school. Their guests enjoy the opportunity to learn popular Vegas games for an evening of gambling and entertainment. Fundraising events like these help bring new technologies, such as tablets, laptops, and smartboards, to the Delaware school system.

2. Gift Basket Auction

Source: Virginia Hemophilia Foundation

The Virginia Hemophilia Foundation for inherited bleeding disorders held a “red tie party” and gift basket silent auction to support the work of VHF. They rounded out the affair with plenty of delicious food, great music, and a worthwhile cause. This event helps nonprofits like the Hemophilia Foundation raise awareness and engage with their community on a personal level.

3. Donkey Basketball

Source: The Globe

Believe it or not, nonprofits like King Turkey Day host annual fundraising events where guests can challenge each other to a little game of basketball…while riding an actual donkey. This unique brand of hoops helps Worthington, Minnesota residents come together for community celebrations while promoting a good cause. No advanced training needed - donkey basketball companies review safety information for both the humans and trained animals before the first jump ball.

4. Sponsored Run or Walk

Source: Teach for America

Bizzabo client Teach for America proves that traditional 5k races are still a great way to get people of all ages involved in a great cause. At their Mississippi 25th Anniversary Kick-Off Celebration, Teach for America hosted 2,500 alumni for this multi-day event. The chairman of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area expressed gratitude for the nonprofit bringing in valuable community and economic benefits to the area.

5. Trivia Tournament 

Source: ABC News

While Lucasfilm itself isn’t actually a nonprofit, they host this annual trivia night to support several charities, including the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, the AIDS Emergency Fund, and the Mental Health Associates of San Francisco. The trivia night has been running for over 12 years and recently brought in a whopping $143,000! If you’re interested in fundraising events like this one, be sure to take a page from their book and partner with a well known brand. Alternatively you can even get a local celebrity to host the event.  

6. Golf Tournament

Source: Arpin Strong

Arpin Strong focuses on helping those in need during natural disasters. In addition to fundraising events like this one they also organize community-based volunteer projects. While the organization itself is sponsored by the Arpin Group, dedicated members and friends help keep their traditions in place both on and off the green.

7. Themed Hike 

Source: Superheroes for Seniors

In terms of cuteness, it’s hard to top the Mutt Mosey hosted by Superheroes for Seniors where participants get to walk with homeless senior pets while wearing themed costumes. This past year’s theme was Pajama Party so people and pooches got to wear their most comfortable jammies for the one mile walk that raised over $37,152. For participants who couldn’t attend the event in person they even offered the option to become a Virtual Walker. By registering online long distance volunteers could receive their sponsored pj bottoms to wear on the day.

8. BBQ Contest

Source: Sip & Swine

All the proceeds from this mouth-watering fundraiser event, Sip & Swine, goes to support nonprofit Home of Hope which provides services to homeless children and their mothers. In addition to sponsored judges, at least one of the best BBQ awards ribbons was awarded based on majority vote. Both professional and amatuer teams entered the competition. Attendees also enjoyed fresh lemonade, sugary funnel cakes, and live music on this sunny Kansas day.

9. Mini Spa Day

Source: Jeremiah’s Ranch

Surely you’d want your event attendees to feel relaxed and rejuvenated after a wonderful day of giving? That’s just how the participants in last year’s Spa Day for Jeremiah’s Ranch felt after receiving chair massages and sipping on custom cocktails from the mimosa bar. The nonprofit hosted mothers and their special needs children to raise funds for community homes. These residencies service families with kids who are diagnosed with various levels of developmental disabilities so they can gain access to the care they need.

10. Chef’s Table Dinner Party

Source: Patch

If farm to table food is your thing, you might want to consider copying the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership’s dinner event that featured a five-course meal with locally grown sourced ingredients. Multiple restaurants and eateries contributed to the food prep. They credit the success from their second attempt at this event to a more conscious effort to organize and streamline their event strategy. Event management software can help you do the same.

11. Museum Crawl

Source: American Museum of Natural History

While the American Museum of Natural History’s Dance was hosted by and for its own organization, you can recreate a magical evening like this one with the help of some local museums and galleries. You can provide guests with a new activity at every location. Whether it’s a dance, a gift basket auction, or a locally sourced dinner, providing guests with a backstage look at these locations can make for an incredibly memorable experience.

12. Mentorship Auction

Source: MENTOR Rhode Island

MENTOR Rhode Island raised more than $25,000 at a tribute to local hero John Howell. In keeping with their own commitment to providing role models and mentors to children, they auctioned off opportunities to receive guidance from political leaders, entrepreneurs, and esteemed member of the community. MENTOR’s approach illustrates how your fundraising event can create lasting relationships long after the actual event is over.

13. Pink Flamingo Prank

Source: The Haynes House of Hope

Who doesn’t love a good, clean prank? The Haynes House of Hope sure does. They’re annual fundraiser takes over Granville, filling lawns with these pink plastic birds, complete with their own ransom instructions. Participants can pay to have the birds removed from their yard or, for a little extra, they can move the flock to their neighbors for some extra mischievous fun.

14. Escape Room Party

Source: The Workshop School

The Workshop School focuses on creating experiences that double as learning opportunities for youths of West Philly. This nonprofit doubles as a school so the escape rooms featured at their party were created by their very own students.  With so many fun themes to choose from, both students and participants had a blast.

15. Coupon Books

Source: NJROTC

Coupon books provide a great fundraising event the whole community can get involved in. The NJROTC gathered exclusive offers from a variety of local and national brands. For just $20, buyers could expect to get back hundreds in savings throughout the year. As an added bonus, the coupon books also boosted sales at small businesses.

16. Tree-Planting Party

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Interested in trying out this type of fundraiser event? The Arbor Day Foundation has a really simple and easy to navigate process for sponsoring your very own tree planting party. They’ll help you facilitate group sign ups, permit applications, and digital fundraising for participants who aren’t able to get down in the dirt.

17. Book Exchange

Source: The Book Thing

The Book Thing is an entirely free (yes, free) bookstore in Minneapolis dedicated to putting unwanted books into the hands of those that need them. While theirs isn’t exactly a fundraiser event, nonprofits can use this idea a number of different ways. Organize a free book exchange and offer one of two ways to enter. Either bring a book to donate or pay a small fee to enter.

18. Baby Photo Contest

Source: Pinterest

Looking for a way get people’s attention through digital fundraising? Look no further than an online baby photo contest. Participants can pay to be in the running for best smile, cutest outfit, and face only a mother could love. Have people vote by donating money next to the photo they think should win. The highest earner takes home the prize! This sort of content can just as easily be incorporated to live experiences.

19. Board Game Tournament

Source: Mox Boarding House

The Mox Boarding House recently hosted a comic-themed charity board game night to raise funds for a variety of beneficiaries, including Seattle’s Treehouse, a program that supports foster kids and their adoptive families. Teams competed in a diverse array of challenging board, card, and trivia games. Hosting one of your own board game tournaments is simple. Just have sponsors donate their favorite games!  

20. Fashion Show

Source: Take the Lead Women

The YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago made a splash with this fundraiser event staple. As promised, local leaders and influencers delivered high fashion and high power at the same time. Based on their experience, they suggest revamping this traditional event with the help of digital fundraising. Text-to-give systems, event apps, social media sharing, and email fundraising are all ways to reinforce your in-person fundraising experience with technology to make a real impact.

Wrapping Up: Ideas for Your Next Fundraising Event

When it comes to keeping your donors engaged and community members satisfied, the possibilities are endless. Consider the examples from above that best reflect your event brand, speak to the interests of your target market, and fall within your event planning wheelhouse.

Also remember to brainstorm ideas you didn’t see here. More than anything, this list is meant to serve as a jumping off point for your research. How you can take something like donkey basketball and truly make it your own?

4xIf you're interested in learning more about how technology can help your event strategy, take the event technology assessment.