11 Fundraising Tips for Nonprofits and Charities

The most recent figures show that there are 170,171 registered charities in the UK. Fundraising donations enable these charities to carry out their essential work, whether that’s striving to find a cure for cancer or providing a helpline for children in crisis.

Last year, a huge 97% of charities admitted that they had been directly affected by the cost-of-living crisis, with a further 59% voicing concerns that the public would be unable to donate money due to their own personal financial situations. Sadly, 35% of charities believed they would struggle to survive at all.

It’s not just dwindling donations that many charities fear; 71% of charity bosses have expressed worries about managing the increased demand for their services.
For example, money charity MoneyHelper reported a 34% rise in demand in the first week of 2024 and Samaritans state that they receive over 400 calls a day from people dealing with money worries.

Fortunately, there are many ways to help charities and nonprofit organisations, including an array of unique fundraising ideas.
Looking for fun and inventive ways to raise money for charity? Welcome to thimbl.’s top picks of fundraising ideas for nonprofits and charities.

From wicked impressionists to stand-up superstars, comedy nights are always guaranteed to raise spirits.
Donate the entry fee for each ticket sold and in addition to this, you could also suggest that the audience pledge to donate a set amount of money each time they laugh. It doesn’t need to be big bucks - 10p will do just fine. Every little helps.
Putting on a cost-effective comedy night is very doable. You don’t need to hire a fancy venue – the school hall or even your office meeting room will do just fine.

As a nation of animal lovers, this is bound to be one of the most popular fundraising ideas for charity!
Firstly, you’ll need to decide on a pet-friendly location, such as the school field, or local park. It might be a good idea to supply dog waste bags to minimise mess.
The next step is the fun part: planning the classes! We’ve included a few ideas to get you started.

• The dog and owner most alike
• Cutest puppy
• Golden oldie
• Best trick
• ‘Musical sit’ (the dogs are walked around the ring while the music plays. When the music stops, the dogs must sit – not always easy when you have a hyper Labradoodle in attendance!)
• Open pet class (for animals other than dogs)
• Most unusual pet (calling all owners of weird and wonderful creatures such as stick insects, snakes, and ferrets)

It’s worth getting in touch with local dog groomers, pet shops and veterinary practises – they may be happy to donate some prizes.
Your local social media pages are a good place to start when advertising your event to draw a crowd.

In 2021, Murder on the Dancefloor singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor completed a 24-hour danceathon to raise a staggering £1m for Children In Need.
Follow in Sophie’s footsteps and dance your way to donations. If you can’t manage 24 hours (and let’s face it, who can?!), choose a more manageable goal.

If the gym is more up your street, you could arrange a sponsored gymathon instead.
The possibilities here are endless. Rope in your gym buddies and do relays or smash the challenge on your own. Dedicate the entire mission to the treadmill or move around the different apparatus. You could even incorporate some exercise classes into the challenge, such as yoga, Pilates, or boxing.
Whatever you decide to do, we absolutely applaud you!

Whether you’re a seasoned sprinter or a newbie to the notion, running a marathon – 26.2 miles - is no easy feat.
You have two options here: you can either plan your own route and head out solo or take part in a planned event. If you’re running solo, be sure to let your friends and family know the exact route you plan to take and consider enabling a live tracker to pinpoint your exact location. It’s also a good idea to arrange for loved ones to meet you at certain points to keep you well stocked up on food and drink. Staying hydrated during a marathon is of paramount importance!

Many large-scale events offer charity places to runners, making it a popular choice when considering good fundraising ideas. You should be aware that runners must usually raise a certain amount of money for some events, such as the London Marathon. For example, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust ask for a minimum sponsorship target of £2,500 per runner. Use the Run For Charity website to select the organisation you wish to support and an upcoming event to represent them in.

When training for a marathon, remember to always listen to your body. If you feel an injury coming on, you should stop and consult a doctor or physiotherapist. Ignoring the pain and trying to push through it could set you back and result in a long-term injury. When it comes to injury recovery, don’t run before you can walk – literally! The sooner you rest up and fully recover, the sooner you’ll be able to get back out there.

If you’re not quite up to the full marathon distance just yet (as we say, it’s certainly not an easy task!), you could start with a 5k or 10k run instead, both of which are equally as impressive and take just as much dedication and training.
Get your practise in at parkrun, a free, timed, sociable, and friendly event taking place up and down the country every Saturday morning. Find your nearest event here.

Who needs an excuse to indulge in some tea and cake? Not us!
Go one up on a bake sale by hosting a mass afternoon tea event and charge for tickets.
Keep costs down by encouraging each organiser to make cakes and goodies instead of buying them. From chocolate chip cookies to a Hawaiian pineapple pudding, check out these easy bake ideas, all for under 50p per serving.
You could even see if a local catering company or café would be willing to supply the sandwiches for free, or at a discounted price.

Now, let’s settle the debate once and for all… Do you put the jam on first, or the cream?

Searching for easy fundraising ideas? Holding a sponsored silence is a fantastic option, as you won’t need to spend any money planning it.
We all have that one work colleague or classmate who’s a total chatterbox! Get them on board with the challenge and watch donations wrack up.
Can they go a whole hour without saying a word? A whole day?

Ask everyone at your workplace/university/school to bring in one of their baby photos. Anyone wanting to play ‘guess who’ will pay a small donation. You could even suggest that a further sum of money – perhaps 50p or so – is donated for every correct (or incorrect) answer.

Simple yet effective, this fundraising challenge is one both little and big kids will be unable to resist.
All you need to do is buy a teddy bear and secretly pick a name for it. Next, write up a list of 100 names (or more, depending on how many you expect to play), including the one you’ve chosen, and encourage people to guess, charging £1 a go. Be sure to cross each name off as it’s taken.
The winner gets to keep the teddy!

Shaving your head for charity is one of the most courageous and commendable things you can do, especially if you plan to donate your lovely locks as well.
You can begin your fundraising journey today by signing up for Macmillan’s official Brave the Shave movement on their website.
You’re amazing!

One for the gents, although kudos to any ladies wanting to get involved!
In 2023, Bowel Cancer UK launched their ‘Decembeard’ campaign, with a minimum fundraising target of £100 per person, or a set team sponsorship target.
Decembeard encouraged people to ditch the razor and allow their beards to run wild and free for the entire month.
The event is set to make a return in 2024, so keep an eye out on Bowel Cancer UK’s website for further updates.
Alternatively, you could go rogue and plan your own version of the event whenever you choose.

How to spread the word

Spreading the word about your fundraising event is really important and can help to generate further donations.
Here are a few things to think about.

• Utilise social media. Remember to tag in and hashtag your chosen charity and set your post to public if you have permission to do so from those involved, especially if using photos.
• Get in touch with local and regional press. They may be interested in covering your story.
• Print flyers and ask whether neighbouring businesses will display them in their windows.
• Reach out to a local influencer or a celebrity associated with your charity and see if they’d be willing to raise the profile of your event.

In conclusion: fundraising ideas for charity

From larger scale events such as comedy nights and pet shows, to easy fundraising ideas like baby photo and name the teddy challenges, there are many options to consider when looking to raise money for charity – good luck!

The information contained in this article does not constitute advice and should not be viewed as such.
October 2024.