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The Top 100+ Fundraiser Ideas For Youth Groups (That Have Actually Worked)


Fundraising season can really be a frustrating time for any group that relies on others’ generosity for its budget. It often means sending teens around essentially begging for money and offering good or services that no one would buy otherwise. Whether cookie dough, doughnuts, or charity miles, many fundraisers fall flat.

For the last 20+ years, we at Scoutorama have been receiving and gathering successful fundraiser ideas from youth groups, scout troops, church organizations, schools, sports teams, and even companies. This list of 100+ ideas includes submissions from tons of different groups that can be used to help you and your group meet your goals.

The best way to use this list of fundraiser ideas is to pair a few of them together to create a big activity for the community. This list will help you compile an excellent toolkit with ideas for different situations and different time frames. Feel free to tailor these to your organization’s needs.

Top 25 Best Overall Fundraisers

FundraiserDifficulty (out of 10)Fundraising Potential ($$$)
Garbage Can Cleanout ServiceOpens in a new tab.5$$$
Indoor Mini GolfOpens in a new tab.5$$
Teacher TortureOpens in a new tab.3$$
Sports ClinicOpens in a new tab.6$$
Flag SubscriptionOpens in a new tab.5$$$
LuauOpens in a new tab.7$$
Breakfast with SantaOpens in a new tab.6$$
Silly String ShootoutOpens in a new tab.3$
Spaghetti DinnerOpens in a new tab.3$$
Dodgeball TournamentOpens in a new tab.4$$
Curb House Number PaintingOpens in a new tab.3$$
Magic ShowOpens in a new tab.7$$
Students vs. TeachersOpens in a new tab.5$$
Junk CarOpens in a new tab.7$$
Pie ThrowingOpens in a new tab.4$
Community ServiceOpens in a new tab.6$$
Chili Cook-OffOpens in a new tab.4$$
Swap MeetOpens in a new tab.5$$
Food FightOpens in a new tab.6$
Adult Spelling BeeOpens in a new tab.4$$
Movie NightOpens in a new tab.5$
Pink Flamingo FlockingOpens in a new tab.5$
Car WashOpens in a new tab.6$$
Lawn AeratingOpens in a new tab.6$$
All You Can Eat PizzaOpens in a new tab.3$

32 Fundraiser Ideas that Don’t Require a Budget

A big hangup to fundraising is the seed money required to get started. Some organizations may not have a budget to start with. It can also be risky because you could even end up losing money if you don’t get the turnout you expect. These fundraisers don’t require a budget at all, and can be done with hard work and some creativity.

FundraiserDifficulty (Out of 10)Fundraising Potential ($$$)
Penny WarOpens in a new tab.2$$
Swim-a-thonOpens in a new tab.4$
Head ShavingOpens in a new tab.3$$$
Pajama DayOpens in a new tab.1$
Babysitting EveningOpens in a new tab.6$$$
Ballroom InstructionsOpens in a new tab.5$$
Vote for MayorOpens in a new tab.2$
Eat for a CauseOpens in a new tab.3$$
Community ServiceOpens in a new tab.7$$
Students vs TeachersOpens in a new tab.5$$
Bring Your Pet to Work DayOpens in a new tab.4$
Mall Coat CheckOpens in a new tab.5$
Sports ClinicOpens in a new tab.5$$
Report Card SponsorOpens in a new tab.7$$
Rent-a-YouthOpens in a new tab.5$
Hearts MarathonOpens in a new tab.3$
Goal CanOpens in a new tab.3$
Fund-RazerOpens in a new tab.5$
Volunteer JobsOpens in a new tab.5$$
Cheater’s Spelling Bee6$
Large Vehicle ShowOpens in a new tab.8$$
Children’s Cookbook8$$
Egg and BegOpens in a new tab.3$
Math-a-thonOpens in a new tab.5$
Egg CycleOpens in a new tab.4$
Donation CansOpens in a new tab.2$
Cute Baby ContestOpens in a new tab.4$
Goat InsuranceOpens in a new tab.8$
Crazy Hat DayOpens in a new tab.2$
Don’t Come Event1$
Adult Spelling BeeOpens in a new tab.7$$
One Dollar AuctionOpens in a new tab.7$$
Candle SaleOpens in a new tab.5$

20 Ideas for Ongoing “Evergreen” Fundraisers

Some fundraisers can be done repeatedly every month or year. It’s always good to do more advertising to get the word out for more sign ups, but this way you start with a strong donor base each time. Several of these are just ongoing and can be done or advertised at any time.

FundraiserDifficulty (Out of 10)Fundraising Potential ($$$)
Report CardOpens in a new tab.6$
Curb House Number PaintingOpens in a new tab.5$$
Read a BookOpens in a new tab.2$
Community ServiceOpens in a new tab.7$$
Mail Coat CheckOpens in a new tab.3$
Pass the CanOpens in a new tab.2$
Mischief InsuranceOpens in a new tab.5$$
Dog TreatsOpens in a new tab.4$$
Fund-RazerOpens in a new tab.5$
Lazy Boy DayOpens in a new tab.5$
Donation CansOpens in a new tab.3$
Goat InsuranceOpens in a new tab.6$
Duct-Tape TrapOpens in a new tab.4$
Potty Protection InsuranceOpens in a new tab.5$
Best Seat in the HouseOpens in a new tab.5$
Commemorative Brick Pavers Memorial GardenOpens in a new tab.7$$$
Garbage Can Cleanout ServiceOpens in a new tab.5$$$
Lawn AeratingOpens in a new tab.6$$$
Flag ServiceOpens in a new tab.6$$$
Goal CanOpens in a new tab.4$

17 Ideas for Month-long Fundraisers

Rather than holding a fundraiser for a single event, why not spread the giving throughout a month? Many of these work as a buildup to a larger event, so it makes sense to group them together.

FundraiserDifficulty (Out of 10)Fundraising Potential ($$$)
Candle SaleOpens in a new tab.3$$
Flamingo FlockingOpens in a new tab.5$$
Math-a-thonOpens in a new tab.5$
Cute Baby ContestOpens in a new tab.3$
Spirit ChainOpens in a new tab.3$
Children’s Cookbook6$
Volunteer JobsOpens in a new tab.5$$
Guessing JarOpens in a new tab.2$
Rent-a-YouthOpens in a new tab.6$$
Picture VotingOpens in a new tab.2$
TalentsOpens in a new tab.8$$
Prom BoutiqueOpens in a new tab.7$$
Students Vs. TeachersOpens in a new tab.6$$
Head ShavingOpens in a new tab.3$$
Penny WarOpens in a new tab.3$
Teacher TortureOpens in a new tab.6$$
Swim-a-thonOpens in a new tab.5$

16 Ideas for Seasonal and Holiday Fundraisers

A season change or holiday can make for a good theme for a fundraiser. Many of these can be done as something that people are going to do anyway (breakfast with santa, pumpkin painting, gift wrapping). Rather than paying a business, they donate to your fundraiser for something that they actually value.

Others on this list involve cleanup for a holiday event, which is often the worst part and people are glad to pay someone else to do it for them. You can be creative with these and do them out of season as well- who doesn’t love celebrating Christmas again in May?

FundraiserDifficulty (Out of 10)Fundraising Potential ($$$)
Pumpkin Painting PartyOpens in a new tab.6$$
Polar Bear PlungeOpens in a new tab.6$$
Prom BoutiqueOpens in a new tab.7$$
Mom-o-GramOpens in a new tab.3$
Gift WrappingOpens in a new tab.4$
ValegramsOpens in a new tab.3$
Halloween Mischief InsuranceOpens in a new tab.4$
Pie ThrowingOpens in a new tab.4$
Breakfast with SantaOpens in a new tab.6$$
Christmas In…April?6$$
Pumpkin LaunchOpens in a new tab.7$$
Face PaintingOpens in a new tab.3$
Black Friday Hot ChocolateOpens in a new tab.4$$
Cake BakeOpens in a new tab.6$$
Black Friday Breakfast TacosOpens in a new tab.6$$
Selling Easter CandyOpens in a new tab.3$

45 Standalone Event Fundraisers

These are marquee-events that can draw a crowd by themselves. Most require a team of people to execute, though some could be headed up by a single person. Ideally, you hold a carnival or group several of these together. For example, a Luau with a silly string shootout and an ugly tie contest.

FundraiserDifficulty (Out of 10)Fundraising Potential ($$$)
Magic ShowOpens in a new tab.7$$$
LuauOpens in a new tab.8$$$
Silly String ShootoutOpens in a new tab.4$
Frisbee Golf TournamentOpens in a new tab.4$$
Dodgeball TournamentOpens in a new tab.5$$
Dance Dance MarathonOpens in a new tab.4$
Ballroom LessonsOpens in a new tab.7$$
Scrabble TournamentOpens in a new tab.4$
Bike Scavenger HuntOpens in a new tab.5$$
Ugly Tie Contest Opens in a new tab.3$
Blind AuctionOpens in a new tab.5$$
Babysitting EveningOpens in a new tab.6$$$
S’mores4$
Redneck GamesOpens in a new tab.9$$
Swap MeetOpens in a new tab.5$$
Sports ClinicOpens in a new tab.7$$
Hydro JoustOpens in a new tab.6$
Photo with AnimalsOpens in a new tab.6$
Yard SaleOpens in a new tab.5$$
Pet ParadeOpens in a new tab.4$
Rent a PuppyOpens in a new tab.5$
Dinner AuctionOpens in a new tab.6$$
Cheater’s Spelling Bee3$
Lobster RacingOpens in a new tab.6$
Large Vehicle ShowOpens in a new tab.3$
Caged CrittersOpens in a new tab.7$
Super SundaeOpens in a new tab.5$
Mini Golf-a-thonOpens in a new tab.5$
Make Believe Tea PartyOpens in a new tab.3$
Potato BarOpens in a new tab.5$
No Talent ShowOpens in a new tab.5$
Karaoke NightOpens in a new tab.3$
Chili Cook-OffOpens in a new tab.4$$
All You Can Eat PizzaOpens in a new tab.3$$
Cardboard Boat RaceOpens in a new tab.5$
Bowl-A-ThonOpens in a new tab.3$
Indoor Mini GolfOpens in a new tab.6$$
Car SmashOpens in a new tab.7$$
Car WashOpens in a new tab.6$$
DemolitionOpens in a new tab.6$$
Toilet Seat HorseshoesOpens in a new tab.5$
Spaghetti DinnerOpens in a new tab.6$$
Food FightOpens in a new tab.6$
Movie NightOpens in a new tab.5$$
One Dollar AuctionOpens in a new tab.6$
Slam Out HungerOpens in a new tab.4$

Whether you are holding a fundraiser for a non-profit, a church group, a scout group, a business, or a sports team, or a youth group, these ideas will help you create and execute a successful event that will make people happy and bring in the funds you need to be successful. The best events combine a handful of different activities so that people can contribute to what they most closely identify with. It’s always best when the value of the event or activity is aligned with the contribution value.

Mike Harmer

I created this website back in 1996, and have slowly added content to it over the years. Some resources have been contributed by viewers and other people who love the outdoors.

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