So you need to raise money for your organization fast, and you don’t have a lot of time to execute a huge fundraising event idea. Thankfully, you’ll find no shortage of quick and easy fundraising ideas that don’t take a lot of time, effort, or person-power to execute.
Try these 8 fundraising ideas that you can do on the fly, without very much (or any) planning required.
1. Used book sale
Do a little bookshelf clearing and support your organization in the process. Tap into your members, along with your friends, family, and community members to donate books for a used book sale. All you need is a place to set up, whether it’s your organization’s office or a member’s garage or backyard. Any books that don’t sell can be donated to your local library or school.
2. Bake sale
Another easy fundraiser is a bake sale. All you need are some delicious baked goods, either homemade or store-bought, and you’ve got everything you need for a bake sale. You can set up at a local school sporting event or at the farmer’s market or even outside a local business on a busy weekend day. Whether you decide to go with a theme, like cookies or pies, or if it’s just a hodge-podge of delicious desserts, a bake sale is such a simple fundraiser idea that you can execute without a lot of planning.
3. Yard sale
It’s time to clean out! Encourage your organization members to donate the items in their homes that they no longer want or need. Then, just pick a spot for your sale and encourage local community members to join in. With a little promotion on social media, as well as flyers around your town, you’ll be able to drum up lots of business and raise money for your organization. And, you can donate the unsold items to a local charity or organization. When it comes to quick fundraising ideas, this is a classic!
4. Car wash
A car wash is one of those quick fundraising ideas that can be super successful, and even better, a whole lot of fun. All you need is a well-trafficked area, with plenty of room for lots of cars, and you can host your car wash fundraising project with little to no planning or preparation. Just make sure you’ve got lots of signs (and in some cases, loud kids) to help ensure passers-by can see your car wash.
5. Restaurant night
Team up with a local restaurant to host a fundraiser where a portion of the proceeds from that evening’s (or day’s) profits are donated to your organization. Families will appreciate a reason to skip cooking for a good cause, and restaurants will appreciate having the foot traffic in their establishment. And keep in mind, it doesn’t necessarily need to be dinner. Any meal of the day can work, so long as families have a little bit of notice.
6. Fill-in-the-blank a-Thon
Running, walking, dancing, baseball hitting… the list of “thons” that you can host as a fundraising effort is endless. While this popular school fundraiser might take a little more planning, all you really need to do is just have your participants get supporters. While certain “thons” will require a space, others, like a walk- or run-a-thon won’t require anything more than your participants’ willingness to raise money.
7. 50-50 cash raffle
Who doesn’t love winning cash? Just purchase a roll of tickets at your local office supply store and talk to a local event host to see if you can sell raffle tickets. Think local school sporting event or really, any local event that will be highly attended. Then, enlist your organization members to help you sell tickets! After a few hours, you’ll have one very happy winner, and quick cash to support your organization’s needs.
8. Concession stand
Bottles of water, sports drinks, and individually-wrapped snacks are always welcome at local sporting events or concerts. All you’ll need to do is connect with a local event host, then purchase waters, drinks, and other small snacks. With a table and people to help you sell the items, you’ll be ready to host your fundraiser. It’s just that easy!
If you’re in a pinch for funds for your organization, you might be surprised at how quick and easy it can be with simple fundraising ideas that you can pull off, no heavy planning required.
For more fundraising ideas check out:
6 Easy Spring Fundraising Ideas for Schools
15 Auction Basket Theme Ideas for Every Season
Baseball Fundraising Ideas How to Organize a Hit-A-Thon
