Giving Tuesday is the perfect opportunity to kick-start your year-end fundraising campaign. After all, nonprofits raised $4 billion in the U.S. on Giving Tuesday 2025—up 13 % from 2024.

Seasoned nonprofits also know that engaging supporters after this high-traffic donation day is just as critical to achieving their year-end goals and sustaining their missions for the long term. Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2026, which leaves you with a full month to build on that momentum.

Read on to discover how your nonprofit can save time and resources by uniting your Giving Tuesday and year-end appeals. Not sure where you stand? Start with your essential Giving Tuesday checklist for year-end success.

This guide will help you unite your Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign, keep donors engaged after Giving Tuesday, and finish December strong with five proven tactics.

Uniting your Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign to sustain momentum

Yes, you can unite your Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign, and doing so can save you a lot of time. While many nonprofits see Giving Tuesday and year-end fundraising as separate initiatives, uniting these impactful campaigns can help open your organization up to new possibilities.

Flip your Giving Tuesday campaign into a year-end giving campaign

If you find yourself building out a year-end strategy that feels like a natural extension of your Giving Tuesday goals, combine the two to create a cohesive holiday appeal.

Instead of starting over, simply flip your Giving Tuesday campaign to reflect your year-end goal and continue driving donors to your existing landing page. However, this will require your nonprofit team to think ahead if you plan to flip your campaign.

Here’s how to successfully flip your Giving Tuesday campaign into a year-end giving campaign:

• Use a branded campaign name and URL that applies to both Giving Tuesday and year-end, like Pencils of Promise does for its annual Season of Promise year-end campaign.
• Refresh the main hero image on your campaign landing page to reflect your year-end goal.
• Update any Giving Tuesday-specific text in your impact blocks, custom text blocks, or About section.
• Tweak your donation form to communicate how each gift will make an impact in the year-end season.
• Add relevant details throughout your landing page to reassure donors that their gifts will support your timely fundraising goal.

Launch a separate year-end campaign when your goals differ

If you plan to tailor your Giving Tuesday goals to a November time frame or a particular initiative that differs from your year-end goals, launch a fresh campaign with a unique name, messaging, and landing page URL for December.

Each campaign should incorporate these three elements:

• Story: Create a shared experience through an emotional connection. Use sensory and descriptive language, but keep it brief to avoid overwhelming your donors.
• Visuals: Use your campaign’s hero block, background image, and impact blocks to bring your narrative to life.
• Call to action (CTA): Craft a clear CTA so supporters know exactly what you want them to do, and make sure your donate button stands out. Consider incorporating a few donation buttons throughout the page, next to your progress bar or within impact blocks, to draw more attention to your ask.

These crowdfunding examples should help generate a few ideas.

Motivate supporters with social proof

Capitalize on the surge of momentum generated on one of the social sector’s biggest giving days to help donors feel empowered.

Think of uniting your campaigns, like getting started on year-end early. The earlier you engage your avid supporters to contribute to your Giving Tuesday campaign, the higher your chances that other newcomers will get involved.

This is the goal-proximity effect, which states that the rate of contributions substantially increases as a campaign gets closer to its fundraising goal.

The same applies to your end-of-year giving campaign. When you unite these initiatives, the progress you made toward your fundraising goal on Giving Tuesday shows year-end donors how much people believe in your work and your ability to make a difference.

That builds social proof and drives donor engagement, which can influence other communities to participate.

Save time with campaign templates

Building a strong Giving Tuesday campaign requires a lot of time and creativity. Rather than letting those resources go untapped, duplicate your page in GoFundMe Pro to keep building and improving upon it for year-end.

How to save time with campaign templates

Start by creating a template based on your existing Giving Tuesday campaign. Once you publish your template, you can start customizing it right away to reflect your year-end appeal.

Not only does campaign templating open the door to major time savings, but it also offers a quick and easy way for organizations to maintain brand consistency across events and campaigns, streamline campaign edits, and collaborate across accounts.

These capabilities are useful for everyone, but they’re particularly handy for organizations that host endurance events that span multiple locations, partner-focused organizations, and organizations with multiple chapters or foundations, like Kesem.

Now that you know how to align your Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign, it’s time to put that synergy into action.

Keeping donors engaged after Giving Tuesday

Engaging supporters after this high-traffic donation day is just as critical as the day itself. To keep donors on track to give, use these four post-Giving Tuesday strategies.

Our list starts with the lightest lifts and builds to more ambitious tactics, allowing your nonprofit to determine which strategies make the most sense for your bandwidth, resources, and goals.

Analyze your Giving Tuesday data to inform your year-end strategy

Understanding the “why” behind each Giving Tuesday outcome will allow you to turn campaign data from mere numbers into valuable insights and action.

And when combined with the right fundraising platform, you can leverage each finding to amplify your future year-end efforts. For a benchmark, see how other nonprofits did in the Giving Tuesday 2025 results.

Decode donation fluctuations

When analyzing your online Giving Tuesday donations, there are a few numbers to focus on:

• Page and sitewide traffic
• Conversion rate
• Average donation amount
• Difference in recurring donations versus one-time donations

Together, these metrics influence donation volume and help tell a story.

Our blog, Decoding donation fluctuations, dives into the value of each metric and provides step-by-step instructions on evaluating your performance in each area.

Identify your highest-performing channels

Identify how many pageviews and unique users your Giving Tuesday campaign attracted and how many of those pageviews came from each channel. These channels may include email, social media, paid advertising, blog posts, and others. It’s critical to know which promotional strategies are worth investing more time and resources into and which ones you can steer away from in the future.

Additionally, it’s helpful to know how many transactions originated from each channel and how much revenue these sources generated. For example, it might be worth investing a larger portion of your budget into email appeals if that channel was the most effective in converting Giving Tuesday donations.

Dive into the details

Use the plethora of metrics you can access via Google Analytics 4 (GA4)—like bounce rate, average time on page, and users by location—to support your year-end goals.

Discover which Giving Tuesday strategies worked and which ones didn’t, and what opportunities you can capitalize on to apply learnings immediately and raise more for your mission.

Stay at the top of donors’ inboxes

A solid email strategy is crucial in retaining donors’ awareness and engagement between their Giving Tuesday donation receipt and your year-end appeal.

Need a head start? Grab our free year-end email templates.

Speak to each donor directly

Segment your email list to deliver a message that speaks directly to each group of target donors, as personalization ensures each of your donors feel like they’re being addressed directly with an authentic message. These fundraising email templates are a great place to start.

Also, consider segmenting your donors based on their involvement with your Giving Tuesday campaign or their general involvement with your nonprofit. These segments could be organized in groupings like:

• Major donors
• First-time donors
• Recurring donors
• Repeat Giving Tuesday donors
• Donors who gave during a donation matching period

Speak to the particular impact each donor segment has on your organization and suggest the most relevant action they can take to continue that impact into the new year.

If you’re crafting an email for recurring donors, highlight the ongoing support their contributions make possible and how valuable their recurring donations are to the longevity of your mission. From there, clearly outline what increasing their regular gift by a few dollars would do for your cause this year-end season and beyond.

When emailing first-time donors, however, it’s helpful to include proof points that support your CTA or testimonials from beneficiaries positively impacted by your work. For this group, you can tap into success stories from the past year to show how their donations translate to change. Tailor each message based on the targeted donor segment and the goal you want to reach.

Pro tip: Get specific. Clearly explaining the impact a donation will have is one of the simplest ways to make your email feel worth a donor’s time.

Get creative with subject lines

Capture donors’ interest with unique fundraising email subject lines. Be sure to emphasize your cause, intrigue your reader, and add a personal touch.

Keeping it short, creating a sense of urgency, and including a number in the subject line can all help your email get opened. You’ll also want to include your value up front.

Consider these Giving Tuesday subject line examples as inspiration for your year-end outreach.

Craft a compelling story that motivates action

Create one targeted ask

Get your most important point across immediately to ensure donors don’t abandon your message. Limit your CTA to one request and support that appeal with a compelling narrative to avoid risking losing donors’ attention entirely by offering too many options.

A series of impact emails is a great way to build a larger story arc. This can help support your campaign in a way that leaves no confusion about what action is the most impactful in that given moment.

Include photos or videos

Connect to potential donors and invoke action by complementing your text with photos or videos that allow your reader to experience your narrative. If people can put a face to your cause, they will likely remember that when it’s time to donate again.

Optimize for mobile

There’s a high chance your email will be viewed on a mobile screen. Be sure to optimize your email for mobile devices to ensure supporters don’t miss out on your appeal.

Upgrade supporters to become recurring donors

Take advantage of the organic support that comes with Giving Tuesday to establish predictable funding for your mission and allow supporters to give effortlessly over time.

Acquire new recurring donors

Identify repeat supporters

Use donor insight reports, like a returning one-time donors report, to identify donors who return year after year to support your good work. Offer them a way to make their impact go further.

Provide flexibility

Create an optimal donation experience for these donors by offering multiple giving frequencies, flexible payment options, and the option to modify their recurring donation.

Also, consider offering digital wallet options like PayPal and Venmo, and adapt your donation website to feel like a seamless extension of today’s most successful brands.

Say thank-you

Thank your supporters for participating in previous Giving Tuesday or year-end campaigns by including a recurring donation CTA to encourage ongoing support.

Further personalize your outreach by picking up the phone to call these loyal supporters or brainstorm a way to connect with them in person at your next event.

Upgrade existing recurring donors

Acknowledge previous gifts

Recurring donors are the lifeblood of any nonprofit. Clearly communicate that sentiment to each person who contributes to your cause on a recurring basis, and remind them of the tangible impact their previous gifts have had on your beneficiaries.

Motivate increased commitments

Reach out to recurring donors committed to your program for 12 months or more and ask them to increase their commitment if possible.Explain how their current giving level has impacted your mission and remind them that even a small addition could dramatically help your organization achieve its goal.

You may even be able to share the opportunity to become a major donor for those particularly committed.

Highlight donor incentives

Include a detailed list of all the donor perks and incentives that come with being a recurring donor. Operation Broken Silence uses a tier-based incentives program to offer unique perks to donors who contribute larger gifts. Not only is this a great way to incentivize upgrades, but it also allows you to thank donors accordingly.

Launch a formal Giving Tuesday follow-up campaign

Following up after a campaign is key to donor retention. This additional touchpoint allows you to interact with supporters on a more meaningful level and provide a preview of what’s ahead.

There are three main elements to a formal follow-up campaign:

• Thank your donors
• Share campaign results
• Promote upcoming engagement opportunities

Re-engaging lapsed donors through email is a good next step for even more ideas.

Show immense gratitude

Remember to show gratitude with a secondary thank-you email

In addition to the automated email each supporter should receive immediately following their donation, a secondary thank-you email assures donors that their contribution was impactful and appreciated.

Differentiate this secondary message by incorporating personal details (like the tangible impact their particular gift made possible) or providing an update on your fundraising progress (like a milestone you achieved because of their support).

Send handwritten notes and make phone calls

If you have the time and resources, a phone call or handwritten note reminds donors that real people are behind your cause. Split up your list of donors between all team members and dedicate an hour or two to this meaningful outreach, or prioritize gifts of a certain size if time is a concern.

It’s still a good idea, however, to make time for phone calls to major donors or first-time donors to show your appreciation.

Share your campaign success

Donors want to know the tangible impact their collective donations have made. Provide your community with a detailed list of the ways their gifts have already made a difference and will continue to support your beneficiaries in the coming months.

Here are a few content ideas to include in your follow-up email campaign:

• An annual impact report to demonstrate what your organization has accomplished
• A visualization of how you plan to distribute the money raised during your campaign
• The total number of new and existing supporters that came together for your cause
• Examples of the direct impact your campaign will have on your organization
• The total amount raised through your campaign

Offer ways to stay involved

Identify why and how your supporters should continue participating in your mission. Provide virtual opportunities for donors outside of your immediate city, as well as local opportunities for donors nearby.

Consider these engagement opportunities:

• Invite donors to participate in upcoming fundraising events and campaigns.
• Ask supporters to subscribe to your blog, newsletter, and social media updates.
• Offer a compelling CTA to turn their one-time gift into a recurring donation.
• Present virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities.

Finishing your year-end campaign strong with 5 last-days tactics

While it’s critical to stay focused near the end of any campaign, it’s even more critical with your year-end fundraising efforts. Not only does your campaign take place during one of the most powerful fundraising months, but a good chunk of all donations comes in during the last days of the year.

So while you’ve been promoting your campaign nonstop up to this point, it’s time to take it up a notch. Here are five steps you can take to power through the final days of your end-of-year giving campaign.

1. Say thanks (with a soft ask)

You’ve been sending out email appeals all month, but at this point, you worry you might fatigue your donors. Then again, you still have to lock in those end-of-year gifts.

Enter the soft ask. This can be accomplished by sending out a year-end donor thank-you letter or email.

To give donors some breathing room between all your hard asks, send an email at the start of the week that includes a subtle or soft ask. The focus of your email should be on thanking donors or sharing year-end impact success stories. Then, you can hyperlink to your donate page or include a donate button in the footer.

2. Create a quick e-card

An e-card allows a donor to share the goodwill they experience when making a donation. Rather than receiving a note about a donation made in their honor, the honoree gets a personalized, stylized e-card for a much more meaningful and delightful experience.

If you haven’t already done so, invest an hour or two to create an e-card to add to your donation page. You only need to create one if you’re short on time.

You can also promote your e-card option as a holiday gift for friends and family.

3. Emphasize any matching campaigns

If there’s one thing donors like more than making an impact, it’s the ability to double it. Now’s the time to promote your donation matching campaigns at full scale. Announce them in your email campaign and on social media.

And if you don’t have any matching campaigns in the works, consider bringing your team together to brainstorm any last-minute sponsorship options. This is the best time to lock down a match campaign, even if it only lasts for a few hours.

Think about whether you have any corporate sponsorships or large donors who might be willing to sponsor a donation match during the final days of December.

4. Maximize last-minute email appeals

Your final email appeals are some of the most critical messages in your entire campaign. For your end-of-year giving campaign, you want to heighten the sense of urgency as December draws to a close, so plan a few emails to go out at the end of this week.

As a starting point, aim for three emails around the last two days of December. On December 30, send an email counting down the days left to make a tax-deductible gift. For example, “2 days left to make your 2026 tax-deductible donation!”

On December 31, send two or three emails, one in the morning and another later in the day. These are your urgent last-minute reminders for your donor base to make their donations.

To ramp up the sense of urgency, you can even include a graphic or GIF that counts down the remaining time to make a contribution. When the seconds tick down in real time, it adds to the feeling that time is running out.

Just remember to remove people from your email appeals once they make a donation.

5. Reach out to your fundraisers

If you’re leveraging peer-to-peer fundraising this season, reach out one last time to your fundraisers. Send an email thanking and celebrating supporters for their efforts up to this point, and then let them know this is the final stretch.

The heightened sense of urgency will motivate people to boost their efforts. And if you have the resources, take the time to call your power fundraisers to share your goal progress. This individualized outreach can refresh their enthusiasm to help close out a solid year through charitable giving.

Invite your top contributors to help give your campaign one final push. To make it easier for them, send them templates for last-minute email appeals they can send to their friends and family. Include any stories, photos, or videos that will help them motivate their networks of potential new donors to give.

Also, remind fundraisers that if they haven’t done so already, they can kick-start some campaign momentum by donating to their own page first.

Then, plan your day-to-day strategy. What emails will you send out, and when? Are you focusing on building donor engagement on social media? Are you making phone calls, and if so, when? These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself as you lock down your game plan for the next week to successfully round out annual giving.

Make the most of the year-end fundraising season

Regardless of when you started drawing up the blueprint for your Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign, it’s not too late to reap the benefits of the most impactful giving season of the year.

Consider how combining your campaigns can build social proof by assuring your year-end donors that they’re contributing to a winning effort. It’s also worth considering how the hours you would save with campaign templating could be put to better use elsewhere.

Then, update your supporters with additional events and campaigns after Giving Tuesday, encourage them to stay involved, and keep the fundraising excitement alive with targeted outreach to boost donor retention in the new year.

The days following Giving Tuesday are your opportunity to cement the importance of your mission into the minds of new and longtime supporters. Put your mission front and center when generosity is high to keep donors engaged and strengthen their bonds to your cause.

Ready to plan the rest of your season? Explore our year-end giving resources, and see how GoFundMe Pro can help you take your campaign across the finish line.

Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign FAQs

When is Giving Tuesday 2026?

Giving Tuesday 2026 is Tuesday, December 1, 2026. It always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S.

Can you combine your Giving Tuesday and year-end campaigns?

Yes. Tweak your Giving Tuesday campaign to reflect your year-end goal and keep sending donors to the same landing page. If your goals differ, launch a separate year-end campaign instead.

What should nonprofits do after Giving Tuesday?

Thank your donors, share your results, segment your email list, and move one-time donors toward recurring giving. Then, carry that momentum into an end-of-year fundraising campaign that keeps supporters involved through December 31.

When should you send your final year-end fundraising emails?

Plan a countdown email on December 30 and two or three reminder emails on December 31, one in the morning and one later in the day. Then, remove donors from your appeals once they give.

How much annual giving happens in December?

About 18% of annual giving happens in December, according to the Blackbaud Institute’s 2025 Trends in Giving report.

Giving Tuesday is the most generous day of the year for nonprofits. This global day of giving inspires millions of people to support causes they care about, and the momentum keeps building. Nonprofits and individuals raised $76.9 million through GoFundMe on Giving Tuesday 2025—16% more than the year before.

We’ve created 12 Giving Tuesday social media templates to help you build or refine your plan. These templates cover everything from the buildup to the big day, and the important follow-up afterward. You’ll find ideas for Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn to boost donor engagement and make your Giving Tuesday campaign a success.

Pre-Giving Tuesday social media posts

Your communication in the weeks before Giving Tuesday is key to building excitement. This is your chance to educate your followers about the global movement and let them know how they can participate. Use this timeline to plan your posts and get your supporters ready for an act of generosity. For a complete plan, check out our essential Giving Tuesday checklist.

1 month before

When: 1 month before Giving Tuesday

What: Introduce your audience to #GivingTuesday. Explain what it is and share how your organization will be part of it. This is a great time to look back at what you achieved last year and tease what’s ahead.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about shopping, whereas #GivingTuesday is about giving back. This year, we’re thrilled to join forces with you on this global day of giving to [state your mission, like “support local communities with meals”]. Thanks to your generosity, we made a big impact last year. And [year] is going to be even bigger. Stay tuned for what’s next! [Link to your blog or donation page.]

X:

Last year’s #GivingTuesday was a huge success. Get ready for what we’re planning in just a few weeks. This is a day of the year you won’t want to miss. #Nonprofits #Fundraising [Link to your blog or donation page.]

2 weeks before

When: 2 weeks before Giving Tuesday

What: Remind your followers the big day is almost here. Build excitement for your fundraising campaign and share a sneak peek of what you’ve planned.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

We’re only 2 weeks away from #GivingTuesday. Here’s a sneak peek into what we’ve been working on to make this the most generous day of the year. #OnlineFundraising

X:

Only 2 weeks till #GivingTuesday. Get ready for what’s next. #GlobalDayofGiving

2 to 5 days before: “Campaign is live” announcement

When: 2 to 5 days before Giving Tuesday

What: Announce that your Giving Tuesday campaign is officially live and encourage early donations to build momentum. This is also a good time to mention any matching gifts or planned incentives.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

Our #GivingTuesday campaign has officially launched! This year, we’re raising $[amount] to [specific impact, like “fund our new initiatives”]. Donate now to get us started and share this post with your friends. Stay tuned for some fun surprises on the big day. [Link to your campaign donation page.]

X:

Our #GivingTuesday campaign is LIVE! Donate now and help spread the word. Every online donation helps us make an impact. #FundraisingCampaign [Link to your campaign donation page.]

1 day before

When: The afternoon or evening before Giving Tuesday

What: Create a sense of urgency by reminding everyone that tomorrow is the day to give back. Inspire generosity and make a final push before the big event.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

#GivingTuesday is tomorrow! After all the shopping, take a moment to give back. Your support helps us [restate your mission]. Donate now and help us start #GivingTuesday strong. #GenerosityMovement [Link to donation page.]

X:

After #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday, it’s time to give back. #GivingTuesday is TOMORROW. Will you join our global movement? [Link to your campaign donation page.]

Day-of Giving Tuesday social media posts

When Giving Tuesday arrives, your social media needs to be active. The goal is to drive as many people as possible to your campaign page. Social media moves fast, so don’t be afraid to post frequently, even hourly. You need to stand out from the crowd, so get creative and use urgency to bring your community together.

Early morning kickoff

What: State your fundraising goal and include a strong call to action (CTA) that directs people to your donation page.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

#GivingTuesday is HERE! We’re off to a great start. With supporters like you, we know we can reach our $[amount] goal in no time. Together, we can make this a successful Giving Tuesday. [Link to your campaign donation page.]

X:

#GivingTuesday is finally here! Donate now and help us reach our $[amount] goal to [specific impact]. #SocialMediaFundraising [Link to your campaign donation page.]

1 hour after your first post

When: 1 hour after your first post on Giving Tuesday

What: Share a message that focuses on the charitable feeling of the day. Create an emotional connection with a potential donor.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

#GivingTuesday is the charitable answer to Black Friday. Once you’ve treated yourself, consider sharing the gift of [your cause] with others today! Every act of generosity counts. [Link to your campaign donation page.]

X:

A small change can make a big impact. Today, consider donating the cost of your daily coffee to fund [your cause]. #GivingTuesday [Link to your campaign donation page.]

Late morning: Progress update and storytelling

When: Late morning on Giving Tuesday

What: Share an update on how much you’ve raised. Use this opportunity to share your story: Why should people give? What is the specific impact of their online donation?

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

Thanks to your support last year, we raised $[amount] on #GivingTuesday to [specific achievement]. Let’s make an even greater impact this year. Your help makes all the difference. [Link to campaign donation page.]

X:

Last year, we [specific achievement] through our #GivingTuesday campaign. Join us to create an even bigger impact this year. #Nonprofits [Link to campaign donation page.]

Matching gift announcement

When: Any time after the morning post on Giving Tuesday

What: Announce a matching gift, if you have one, to create urgency and double your donations for a set period.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

Great news! A generous donor is matching $[amount] in gifts. For the next 2 hours, your donation DOUBLES. Make twice the impact today. #MatchingGift #GivingTuesday [Link to your campaign donation page.]

X:

A generous donor is MATCHING all gifts for the next 2 HOURS. Your donation doubles instantly. Give now. #GivingTuesday [Link to your campaign donation page.]

Halfway-point celebration

When: Halfway to your goal on Giving Tuesday

What: Let your audience know when you’re halfway to your goal. This builds momentum and encourages new donors to help you cross the finish line.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

You’re amazing! We’re already halfway to our #GivingTuesday fundraising goal! We’ve made serious progress, but we’re not stopping now. There’s still time to jump in and help us reach the finish line. [Link to your campaign donation page.]

X:

We’re halfway to our #GivingTuesday fundraising goal! There’s still time to donate and be part of this special day. [Link to your campaign donation page.]

Last call for donations

When: Just before the end of Giving Tuesday

What: Send out a final message as the day winds down. This is your final CTA for people to contribute to your Giving Tuesday campaign.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

What an incredible day. We’re so close, only $[amount] away from our $[goal]. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our mission before the day is over. #GivingTuesday [Link to your campaign donation page.]

X:

The sun sets on #GivingTuesday, but our campaign is still going strong. If you haven’t already, you can still donate now and make a difference. [Link to your campaign donation page.]

Post-Giving Tuesday social media posts

The work isn’t over when the day ends. Now’s the time to thank supporters and keep the momentum going for your end-of-year fundraising. You’ve just activated a community of new donors, so keep the conversation going.

1 day after: Say thank-you

When: 1 day after Giving Tuesday

What: Thank everyone and share the final results. Use “you” language to make your supporters feel like heroes. This is your chance to show sincere gratitude.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

You did it! Our #GivingTuesday goal was $[amount]. With your help, we raised over $[final amount]. More than [number] individuals like you supported [your cause]. THANK YOU for making such a difference.

X:

You helped us change lives! Over [number] of you rose to the challenge, and we’re so grateful. Thank you for an incredible #GivingTuesday. #ThankYou #Nonprofits

1 week after: Look ahead

When: 1 week after Giving Tuesday

What: Reconnect with supporters a week after Giving Tuesday. These donors are likely to give again, especially as the holidays approach. Encourage them to continue supporting your mission.

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn:

A week ago, you helped us set a new fundraising record on #GivingTuesday. With the holidays around the corner, we’re now working toward our $[end-of-year goal]. Join us in making an even greater impact. Your support means everything. [Link to your end-of-year campaign.]

X:

Thanks to you, we set a #GivingTuesday fundraising record! Now, help us reach our $[end-of-year goal]. Will you give again to make an even bigger impact? #EndofYear #Fundraising [Link to your end-of-year campaign.]

Pro tips for your Giving Tuesday social media posts

To make your Giving Tuesday social media posts even more effective, keep these tips in mind:

• Use high-quality images and videos. Visual posts get significantly more engagement.
• Link to your donation page. Make giving easy. Use a link shortener to track clicks and other metrics.
• Go live. Use Facebook or Instagram Live to create real-time excitement. You can thank donors as donations come in or host a live Q&A session with your team.
• Encourage sharing. GoFundMe Pro’s Meta integration tools let donors share their generosity directly to Facebook or Instagram from the confirmation page. This helps you reach more people through their networks.
• Use the right hashtag. #GivingTuesday is the official hashtag. Include it in all your posts to join the larger conversation. You can also create a unique hashtag for your campaign.

Giving Tuesday social media templates FAQs

How do you promote Giving Tuesday on social media?

Post consistently in the weeks leading up to Giving Tuesday, then increase your frequency on the day itself. Mix storytelling, progress updates, and clear calls to action that link straight to your donation page.

What’s a good caption for a donation post?

Keep it short, specific, and action-oriented. Name your goal, explain the impact of a gift, and end with a direct ask, like “Donate now to help us reach our goal.”

Is Giving Tuesday only for nonprofits?

No. Giving Tuesday is open to individuals, businesses, and community groups, alongside registered nonprofits. Anyone can take part by giving, volunteering, or spreading the word.

What does “Giving Tuesday” mean?

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a day set aside to give back through donations, volunteering, and kindness.

What are good Giving Tuesday hashtags to use?

#GivingTuesday is the official hashtag and belongs in every post. Pair it with a unique hashtag for your own campaign so supporters can find and share your posts.

With these Giving Tuesday social media templates and tips, your nonprofit will be set for its most successful Giving Tuesday yet. For more fundraising tips and tools, GoFundMe Pro has you covered. Connect with us today to get started.

For individual fundraisers running personal Giving Tuesday fundraisers, authentic storytelling can be just as powerful as polished templates. GoFundMe’s Giving Tuesday storytelling examples showcase how personal fundraisers craft emotionally resonant posts that complement a template-driven approach.

Nonprofits spend a great deal of time building valuable relationships with donors, learning a lot about them along the way. You know who has given to your nonprofit, how much they’ve contributed, how often they’ve supported your mission, and what causes they care about most. However, knowing where your next recurring giving opportunity lies can be harder to pinpoint.

Which one-time donors might be ready to commit to ongoing support? Which recurring donors could be open to increasing their gifts? And with limited time and resources, where should your team focus its outreach first?

Our targeted donor lists can help answer those questions, turning donor insights into action. Below, we’ll cover what targeted donor lists are and how your nonprofit organization can use them to find more recurring donors while doing less recurring work.

What are targeted donor lists?

Targeted donor lists help nonprofits identify recurring giving opportunities within their existing supporter base.

Powered by GoFundMe Intelligence, targeted donor lists use your nonprofit’s own donor data alongside insights from matched donor activity on the GoFundMe consumer platform. This is particularly impactful, as 2021–2026 GoFundMe data shows that 45% of GoFundMe Pro donors have also given on GoFundMe.

These lists surface two key audiences: donors who may be more likely to start a recurring gift and existing recurring donors who may be ready to increase their support.

Rather than sorting through donor data manually or relying on broad segments, your team gets a more focused place to start. From there, you can determine the right message, channel, and ask for each audience.

3 ways to activate your targeted donor lists

Identifying potential recurring giving opportunities is only the beginning. The next step is getting the right message in front of those donors. Here are three ways to put your targeted donor lists to work.

1. Create a targeted email campaign

Email marketing is an effective way to reach different donor cohorts. With the right segmentations, you can tailor your message and ask to each audience.

For supporters you hope to convert into recurring donors, show what sustained support could make possible. Connect a recurring gift to tangible, ongoing impact toward your mission. For example, a food bank might explain that a $25 monthly gift can help provide reliable access to meals for a family throughout the year. Potential donors can then visualize their support and make it a reality.

However, for existing recurring donors, start with gratitude. Recognize the impact they already make before inviting them to consider increasing their recurring contribution. Giving donors a reason for the upgrade can make the ask more meaningful. Share concrete examples of what an additional $5 or $10 each month could help your nonprofit accomplish.

Whichever audience you intend to reach with your targeted donor list, keep the next step simple. Build your message around one clear call to action (CTA) and direct donors to an optimized giving experience that reflects the ask they just received.

2. Reach donors through paid social

Targeted donor lists can also help bring greater focus to your paid social strategy. Where supported by the advertising platform and consistent with applicable privacy requirements, you can upload donor email addresses to create an audience and run a campaign designed specifically for those supporters.

Just be sure to tailor your ads to each audience: Show potential recurring donors what ongoing support could make possible, and show existing recurring donors what increasing their gift could accomplish. Then, send each audience to a landing page that reinforces the same ask.

You can also use these audiences as a starting point for broader testing. For example, create a look-alike audience based on donors from your targeted list and test different messaging, visuals, or CTAs to learn what resonates with similar prospective supporters.

This approach can serve two purposes: reaching the donors you’ve already identified and gathering insights that can help you expand your recurring giving strategy to a wider group.

3. Prioritize one-to-one outreach

Not every donor relationship is best nurtured through a larger marketing campaign. Your targeted donor lists can also help your team identify a smaller group of supporters who may benefit from more personal outreach.

Select a manageable number of donors and reach out individually. Rather than leading with an ask, use the conversation as an opportunity to thank them for their support and learn more about their connection to your mission. From there, you can explore whether starting a recurring gift or increasing an existing contribution feels like the right next step.

These conversations can also provide value beyond an individual’s gift. Pay attention to the questions donors ask, the impact stories that capture their attention, and the reasons they give for whether or not they choose to start a recurring donation. Those insights can help you refine messaging for future emails, social media, and other fundraising campaigns.

More ways to put your targeted donor lists to work

Emails, paid social, and personal outreach are strong places to start, but there are other ways to activate your targeted donor lists. Consider the donor information your organization already has and the channels that work best for your audience.

Depending on the data you have, you could also use the lists to:

• Send direct mail to donors whose mailing addresses you’ve collected.
• Call donors who’ve provided phone numbers.
• Send personal or handwritten letters to a smaller group of supporters.
• Tailor year-end or other campaign messaging to potential recurring donors and upgrade audiences.
• Inform event strategy, from deciding who to invite to following up with attendees or incorporating a targeted recurring giving ask.

The main goal is to use your lists to focus your efforts and test which combinations of audience, message, and channel generate meaningful responses.

Measure and refine

As you activate your targeted donor lists, track what happens next.

Monitor metrics such as new recurring gifts, recurring gift upgrades, conversion rates, and responses by channel. Look beyond the total number of gifts to understand which messages and tactics drive action among each audience.

Then, put those findings to work. A message that performs well in emails could inform your next paid campaign. Insights from one-to-one donor conversations could inspire new campaign language. And results from one audience can help you develop new tests for the next.

Over time, this test-and-learn approach can help your team build a clearer picture of what motivates donors to deepen their commitment.

Bring targeted donor lists into your recurring giving plans

The opportunity to grow recurring giving already exists within your donor community. However, the challenge is knowing where to look and what to do once you find it.

Targeted donor lists help highlight those opportunities. By activating those insights across multiple channels, your nonprofit can create more relevant donor experiences, strengthen supporter relationships, and build a recurring giving program designed for long-term growth.

Request a demo of GoFundMe Pro today to see the many ways we support 10x donor value through recurring giving.*

*Internal GoFundMe Pro analysis (as of 2025), comparing lifetime value of recurring vs. one-time donors. Results vary.

Adapting fundraising events to the tastes of today’s attendees and reevaluating day-of-event giving strategies is a must for modern nonprofits.

Whether hosting a live auction, silent auction, or online auction, selling fixed-priced items, running a direct appeal, or offering paddle raises, your organization needs robust nonprofit auction software. The right technology makes it easy and enjoyable for attendees to participate from any device while supporting causes that matter to them.

Mobile bidding during silent auctions is an especially effective way to engage event attendees. It allows guests to place bids from their smartphones, ensuring a seamless bidding experience for attendees and operations for your team on the back end.

Learn how to use mobile bidding technology to host a stellar live or silent auction—whether virtual, in person, or hybrid—and streamline bids, payment collection, receipts, and reports.

Selecting an online auction type based on your goal

When planning an online auction, it’s crucial to select the right type for your goals. Each type offers unique benefits and requires specific auction platform features to create an exceptional experience.

Live hybrid, in-person, or virtual auction

In a live auction, an auctioneer leads the bidding, announcing each item and its current bid. Attendees then raise their paddles or call their amounts to place a bid. Swift and lively, this type of auction requires your team to have a quick and easy way to record winners and help them check out.

With GoFundMe Pro’s Live Events, admins can quickly find winners, match them to the items they win, and log the winning amounts. Then, each winner automatically receives an email receipt to pay for their item through self-checkout.

Silent hybrid, in-person, or virtual auction

In a silent auction, guests place item bids using paper bid sheets or mobile bidding apps. Items have limited bidding windows, and when the clock runs out, the highest bid wins.

With the right attendee engagement and event management features, you can run a successful silent auction event for live, virtual, or hybrid audiences. Live Events allows guests to watch and bid on items easily, and admins can send automated activity push notifications and detailed email receipts for self-checkout.

Admins can also automate closing times for auction items, starting bids, and increments on Live Events. Plus, reporting is a breeze, as your staff can quickly pull performance insights to assess the success of your auction.

Get more details below on the specific mobile bidding features that Live Events offers.

Mobile bidding made easy for a live or virtual auction

Paddle raise

During a paddle raise, the auctioneer asks for different donation amounts from the crowd. Attendees raise their paddles or bid numbers to commit to a gift of that size. This is a great way to encourage attendees to fund a specific initiative.

Again, your auction fundraising software should be able to support this fast-paced activity. Live Events allows you to set up preset donation amounts or offer guests the option to enter a custom amount. Additionally, the “quick add mode” enables your team to record in-person bidder numbers, and then trigger an automated email to the winners to prompt a seamless checkout.

Fixed-price item sales

Fixed prices are another option when selling an auction catalog of merchandise or other items. With Live Events, you can easily sell these items to your event attendees and even interweave them into your larger live or silent auction as a separate category.

Direct giving

A simple text message is an easy and effective way to rally your live or virtual audience to donate directly through your virtual event’s auction website. With text-to-donate, you can encourage attendees to text a keyword to a provided number, which generates a URL to your donation form. Live Events supports this feature, too.

Max bid

With Live Events, each guest can set a maximum bid on items they’re interested in and let the system automatically bid for them until it reaches that limit. For example, someone can start bidding at $150, but set a maximum bid of $1,000 for the best chance of winning without having to do anything during the auction itself.

Card readers

Attendees can store their credit card information on file to ensure the simplest checkout experience during your event. This keeps guests focused on event content or engaged in networking with other passionate supporters and beneficiaries.

An easy checkout also means less friction when purchasing merchandise, making additional donations, or bidding on items at your auction. Live Events’ mobile app and card reader solution support Stripe’s BBPOS WisePOS E smart reader, so attendees can swipe or tap their credit card upon arrival.

Mobile bidding: 11 pro tips to upgrade your silent auction

As more and more attendees participate in mobile bidding, nonprofits must engage attendees in a way that exceeds their expectations and secures their trust in your digital experience.

1. Promote your online auction ahead of the event

Consider opening and promoting your auction a week before the event to give attendees the chance to check out the items you’ll include in your auction. You can also open your silent auction items early to get bids rolling in before the live event.

Direct registered attendees to your public auction landing page from social media, emails, or your nonprofit newsletter. It’s also smart to embed individual item links in your marketing promotions. Attendees can then sort, filter, watch, and engage with items before the event.

Opening your auction early creates more excitement and engagement. It also encourages attendees to add their payment method on file before the event for a more user-friendly checkout experience.

2. Print bid item sheets for in-person events

Print out custom bid sheets for individual items, each with a unique QR code, if you host an in-person silent auction. When participants find an item they want to bid on, they can scan the QR code to go directly to a unique URL to place their bid.

3. Automate notifications

Send automated notifications on Live Events to keep attendees coming back and motivated to bid more. Attendees will receive notifications when someone outbids them or they win an item, and a receipt after their payment processes.

4. Bulk-edit items

Save time editing items individually on your online auction platform with bulk edits in Live Events, such as setting a closing time for auction items. This is especially helpful if you want to make a change across many items. For example, you can set all items to close at 10 p.m. on the same date, and all the silent auction items will update automatically.

5. Add multiple images

Help people make an informed purchasing decision by providing specific details of the item. The more views or pictures they have of an item, the more information they have, which can increase their likelihood of placing a bid.

You can use related stock photos or logos if you don’t have adequate photos in your library. And if you offer autographed items or higher-priced products and brands, provide clear photos of the autograph or label.

6. Feature items

Use the “featured” tag on auction items in Live Events to highlight any big-ticket or popular items that will grab people’s attention. You can also prioritize a fund or program that you want more people to see.

7. Set a minimum raise

Guide the bidding process with Live Events’ “minimum raise” feature. Your staff can set a minimum raise or minimum increment by which a participant can bid on an item.

For example, if you set a $50 minimum raise and the starting bid is $75, the next bid will be $125 ($75 plus $50). Admins can also add a reserve price, which establishes the minimum starting amount for an auction item. This ensures higher valued items bring in strong fundraising results.

8. Enable a “buy now” option

Offer your silent auction participants a “buy now” option where they can directly purchase your item at a fixed price. When someone selects “buy now,” it immediately removes the bidding ability on that item. However, if someone outbids that “buy now” price, the platform removes the original price and lets others continue bidding higher until someone wins.

9. Incorporate a direct appeal

Consider incorporating a direct appeal into your event apart from your procured auction items. This could be in the form of a paddle raise, where guests commit to specific gift amounts. Then, your team can quickly record these donation amounts in Live Events, easily connect people to their gift amounts, and instantly send them to their carts for self-checkout.

You may also include a fund-a-need item among your auction items in Live Events, where users can enter a donation amount they’d like to give to a specific program.

10. Display fundraising campaign progress

Use Live Events’ real-time visual display of live and virtual fundraising progress to motivate donations. Display it behind you on a screen as you talk about how much you’ve raised and what your fundraising goals are for the night.

For example, a high-quality fundraising thermometer can help people visualize how close you are to your goal, or a total display can show the total amount raised. Your digital display may include all your fundraising efforts or can hone in on one channel, like your text-to-donate progress or a specific item up for auction.

11. Streamline payment processing

Follow this tip most of all when executing an online auction: Your nonprofit needs to offer a seamless checkout process.

Live Events provides an intuitive payment process that makes it easy for participants to initiate and finalize their transactions. For example, each attendee has their individual cart they can check out in a few clicks. Plus, attendees can close out their bids with cash, a check, or digital wallet payment options.

Donor-covered fees also let attendees cover the cost of processing payments for auction items or text-to-donate contributions. This subtle detail maximizes your fundraising potential while offering supporters the chance to amplify their impact and strengthen their connection to your cause.

Offer an exceptional mobile bidding and auction experience

Remember that fundraising events must match, and hopefully exceed, donors’ expectations to be successful. The same goes for online auctions and mobile bidding experiences.

These fundraising platform features can take your auction success to the next level and directly influence your total funds raised. To learn more about how Live Events can upgrade your next auction, chat with an expert today.

Online auction FAQs

How do I run an online auction?

Start by choosing the right format for your goals: live, silent, or a hybrid of both. Then, use mobile bidding tools, like paddle raise, max bid, and card readers, to make it easy for attendees to participate and check out from any device.

What is mobile bidding at a nonprofit auction?

Mobile bidding lets nonprofit auction attendees browse, bid on, and pay for auction items from their smartphones instead of paper bid sheets, which speeds up bidding and simplifies checkout for both attendees and staff.

What is the best online auction platform for nonprofits?

The best nonprofit auction platform depends on your event size and goals, but look for one that supports mobile bidding, paddle raises, and a seamless checkout experience. GoFundMe Pro Live Events brings auctions, mobile bidding, and payment processing together in one platform built for nonprofits.

Your nonprofit website is the gateway to fundraising success. Every visitor counts, as does a seamless, embedded donation form that keeps them engaged and inspired to give.

Yet, many nonprofits don’t realize that friction and impersonal experiences on their current donation forms may limit their ability to convert more visitors into donors.

The good news is that the right donation form builder and functionality can get through this barrier, boost donor engagement, and help you raise more. In this guide, you’ll learn what makes a donation form effective at converting and how to access a well-designed form to help your nonprofit achieve your fundraising goals.

What makes a donation form effective?

Before we get into powerful tools to help build your donation forms, here are eight key functions of an effective nonprofit donation to keep in mind, regardless of your mission or cause.

User-friendly design

Studies show that simplifying forms can boost conversion rates, as the average online checkout asks for about 15 form fields.

However, research from the Baymard Institute shows a fully optimized flow can reduce that to as few as seven, a simplification that can lift conversions by more than 35% and support the case for an embedded donation flow as short as four steps.

Speed

Fast-loading pages ensure that donors don’t abandon their gifts out of frustration. Since a one-second delay in page load time can cut conversions by as much as 7%, every second between a click on “donate” and a completed gift matters.

Minimized distractions

A donation page should keep visitors focused on completing their gift. Remove global site navigation, sidebar links, and unrelated calls to action from the donation flow so nothing competes with the Donate button for attention.

The same goes for exit points: avoid autoplaying videos, pop-ups, or chat widgets that interrupt the process once a donor starts filling out the form. Every element on the page should either move the donor closer to completing their gift or get removed.

Mobile optimization

With mobile devices now driving over half of all website visits, a mobile-first design is crucial to converting that traffic into completed gifts.

Versatile payment options

Offering versatile payment options like credit cards, direct bank transfers (ACH), and digital wallets such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo eliminates unnecessary friction. Meeting donors where they already shop and manage their finances ensures a smooth, familiar checkout process that makes completing a gift as effortless as possible.

Brand trust

According to research, 81% of donors say they need to trust a brand before giving money to it.

Aligning your donation form with your nonprofit’s branding creates a seamless, trustworthy experience. The personalized imagery and messaging that brought a donor to your page should carry through the entire process, helping inspire them to complete their gift.

Impactful prompts and giving nudges

According to GoFundMe Pro’s donation conversion research, recurring-gift nudges yield strong long-term retention: 81% of monthly donors continue giving after 7 months, and 71% remain active after a full year—far outperforming typical one-time donor retention rates.

Integrated across all pages

Embedding a donation form on your main Donate button is key, as it’s the most prominent spot. However, adding donation entry points in-line across various pages allows supporters to contribute when they’re most inspired, no matter where they are on the site.

Why nonprofits trust our donation forms

Here are some of the top reasons why nonprofits lean on and trust GoFundMe Pro donation forms to help them achieve their fundraising goals.

Robust set of features

Our donation forms provide a robust set of tools and features to enhance your donation experience. Here are a few:

• Flexible giving options allow donors to choose between one-time and recurring gifts
• Reordered checkout with express pay lets donors commit to their gift first, then pay in one tap via Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, or Venmo, with dedications, employer matching, and custom questions handled right after checkout
• Customizable input fields enable you to collect key donor details (like payment preferences and optional addresses) after the donation is complete, helping streamline checkout while keeping the process distraction-free
• Program designation and tribute donation options allow supporters to direct their gifts in meaningful ways, enhancing donor engagement
• Employer-matching capabilities amplify the impact of each dollar
• Personalized nudges, including prompts for donor-covered fees, help increase giving
• Social sharing capabilities empower donors to amplify their impact
• Expandable FAQ links keep supporters informed without leaving the checkout flow
• Behind-the-scenes analytics tools, like Google Analytics 4, provide valuable insights into donor behavior, enabling organizations to refine their fundraising strategies

Data-backed design

GoFundMe Pro donation forms use proven layouts and research-backed design elements to help maximize conversion rates. Our high-performing pop-up design keeps donors focused on giving, no matter the device. It maintains your branding, provides access to FAQs, and allows easy navigation, all without distracting from the primary goal: completing the donation.

Additionally, our testing reveals that a black Continue button enhances focus, seamlessly guiding supporters through the donation process. This design choice drives more gifts and ensures your forms meet the highest accessibility standards, although you may edit this color if you wish.

The donation form for the Foundation for Women’s Cancer incorporates these trusted design elements, providing donors with the most efficient and impactful donation experience.

Seamless integrations

Connected fundraising experiences are critical for nonprofits seeking to optimize their efforts. With our donation forms, nonprofits can effortlessly connect with essential tools that streamline operations and strengthen donation outcomes.

Whether your organization needs to track campaign performance, personalize the donor journey, or simplify the giving process, our donation forms deliver a robust, user-friendly solution:

• Compatibility with all website builders, and WordPress users can simplify setup even further with our dedicated plugin
• Customer relationship management integrations, like Salesforce, Omatic, and Virtuous
• Seamless connections to top payment processors for smooth transactions
• Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4 for tracking campaign performance
• Social share buttons to encourage donor engagement

No-code design

While a one-time code setup is necessary for the launch, once it’s in place, nonprofits can easily brand, design, and edit their donation forms without any technical expertise. This solution removes the barrier of relying on highly trained staff, enabling quick updates and adjustments without slowing down fundraising efforts. This flexibility also empowers your nonprofit to stay agile, ensuring your forms remain up to date and aligned with fundraising goals.

The Storehouse Community Center successfully branded its donation form using our no-code design tools by incorporating its colors, logos, and personalized text and images. This customization not only enhanced the donor experience but also ensured consistency with their overall brand. Additionally, the organization saved time and reduced costs associated with site updates, all while maintaining a seamless, user-friendly donation process.

Easy steps to get started

Now that you’ve seen what’s possible with our donation forms, we want to make the next steps as seamless as possible. To get started, customers can easily request a predesigned donation form template from our campaign catalog, which incorporates all our research and optimizations.

Transform your fundraising

A well-designed donation form is one of the most powerful tools nonprofits can use to drive gifts and increase donor engagement. With GoFundMe Pro donation forms, you get everything you need to create stunning, high-converting forms that make giving effortless.

Already a GoFundMe Pro customer? Attend one of our biweekly donation form training sessions for step-by-step guidance on designing your next standout form.

If you’re not yet a customer, request a demo or explore pricing packages as a first step to optimizing your nonprofit donation form with our donation forms.

Donation form FAQs

What is a donation button?

A donation button is the clickable element on your nonprofit’s website that takes a visitor directly to your donation form, letting them give in just a click or two. It’s typically the most prominent call to action on a page since it’s the doorway between visitor and donor.

Where should you place a donation button for the best conversion rate?

Place your donation button above the fold, where visitors see it without scrolling, and keep it visible as they move through your site. High-contrast colors and consistent placement across pages both help donors find it the moment they’re ready to give.

How can nonprofits get donations online?

Nonprofits typically get donations online through a branded donation form embedded on their own website, direct email asks, and social sharing that points supporters back to that page. A well-designed, on-brand donation form is usually the most reliable of the three since it’s the one channel entirely under your organization’s control.

Thousands of leading nonprofit organizations trust GoFundMe Pro to power their online fundraising. Once onboarded, the next step is choosing the right campaign type for your first, and future, fundraising efforts.

Below, we provide a breakdown of GoFundMe Pro’s trusted fundraising campaign types, their specific use cases, calls to action, and added value to your fundraising strategy. You’ll also see how GoFundMe’s unparalleled scale and intelligence can help take your campaigns even further.

What does “campaign” mean in fundraising?

In fundraising, a campaign is a structured effort built around a specific goal, timeline, and call to action. It’s how your organization turns a broader mission into something people can act on right now, whether that means giving once, joining a team, or attending an event.

That’s what a ‘“campaign” is in a fundraising context, and it’s also why picking the right fundraising campaign type matters so much. The campaign types below cover the most common paths nonprofits use to reach their goals, from one-time gifts to peer–to-peer fundraising to live events.

GoFundMe Pro campaign types to consider

Every organization has unique fundraising ideas, goals, and ways of engaging supporters, which is why the right nonprofit fundraising campaign can make all the difference.

Using a mix of campaign types throughout the year helps diversify your revenue streams and connect with different target audiences. While each campaign may serve a distinct purpose, they all work toward the same powerful outcome: fueling your mission.

Direct giving

Direct giving campaigns enable supporters to give to your organization through an online donation page or form. This can include one-time gifts, crowdfunding-style campaigns with storytelling elements, and recurring donations. These campaigns are ideal for year-round fundraising and appeals that don’t require peer involvement.

Peer-to-peer

Peer-to-peer campaigns empower supporters to fundraise on your behalf by creating fundraising pages to share with friends and family. This campaign type expands your reach through personal networks, builds community engagement, and is customizable for specific events, challenges, or giving days.

Events

Event campaigns help you raise funds connected to in-person, virtual, or hybrid events, such as galas, 5K charity runs, auctions, or livestreams. They combine ticketing, fundraising, and engagement tools to create a branded experience for attendees while supporting your fundraising goals.

When is the right time to leverage each campaign type?

Choosing the right campaign starts with clearly defined goals. Once you know what you want to achieve, you can select the format that offers the most effective path.

Aligning your strategy with the right campaign type keeps your fundraising focused and impactful.

Ideal scenarios for direct giving

Direct giving is a strong choice when your goal is to drive immediate donations from your existing audience. It helps you to deliver a clear, focused message directly from your organization, making it ideal for evergreen fundraising, urgent appeals, or time-bound campaigns where you want to control the narrative.

Giving directly from your website

A donation form is the most straightforward direct giving type, offering a way for supporters to give everything from major gifts to small donations directly to your organization without distraction. It’s often the evergreen destination linked from your website’s main donate button or featured in calls to action across your emails, social media posts, and other marketing communications. For inspiration, see these donation page examples.
Whether you want to drive one-time gifts or build a base of recurring donors, an optimized donation form is essential to sustaining successful fundraising efforts.

How to maximize your donation form with GoFundMe Pro

With embedded donation forms on Campaign Studio, you can offer existing and new donors a seamless giving experience without them ever leaving your website. The tested, high-converting checkout flow requires no-code updates and loads in 0.3 seconds. You can also customize the form’s design to match your brand for a more personalized feel.

To further boost conversions, GoFundMe Pro donation forms include:

• Intelligent Ask Amounts that provides personalized donation amounts to each donor based on a combination of session data, nonprofit data, GoFundMe platform data, and third-party census and population data.
• Built-in nudges, prompts, and reminders that guide supporters toward completing their donations.
• Preferred payment methods that ensure a smooth experience for every donor.

Our internal fundraising platform testing has shown a 28% lift in revenue per site visitor with embedded giving enabled. Not only does it drive the highest conversion, but it also offers a better donor experience on mobile, automatically adjusting to different screen sizes and devices.

Ideal scenarios for crowdfunding

Crowdfunding campaigns go beyond a simple ask. They give you the space to tell your story, educate potential donors about your mission, and inspire them to give.

Unlike stand-alone donation forms, these online fundraising campaign pages often include more context, imagery, and storytelling elements to create a deeper connection with your audience. They’re ideal for time-bound goals, specific initiatives, or moments when you want to highlight impact while still driving one-time or recurring donations. See this overview for a fuller look at what crowdfunding is and how it works.

How to maximize your crowdfunding campaign with GoFundMe Pro

With Studio on GoFundMe Pro, you can:

• Build beautiful, high-performing crowdfunding pages using a drag-and-drop editor, no technical experience required.
• Enjoy lightning-fast page load times and built-in SEO tools to increase discoverability.
• Include real-time progress tracking to keep supporters motivated and engaged.
• Highlight matching gift programs and opportunities to help you increase momentum.
• Leverage Intelligent Ask Amounts to tailor suggested donation amounts for each visitor.
• Take advantage of our prebuilt layouts and customizable branding to make it easy to create a cohesive, engaging experience.
• Enable interactive features like donor comments, reactions, and activity feeds to help build social proof and urgency.
• Enhance your visual storytelling and likelihood of conversion with impact tiles, preferred payment methods, and our native Giving Cart solution.

Additionally, claiming your Nonprofit Page on GoFundMe connects your organization to a community of over 200M. With your page verified, it becomes easier for people to discover your cause and contribute to it directly, expanding your reach and increasing your visibility within the platform. For a step-by-step approach to your next page, see this crowdfunding campaign checklist.

Ideal scenarios for recurring giving

While you can include a recurring option on your main donation form or page, creating a dedicated recurring giving campaign can be especially effective during membership drives or seasons focused on monthly giving.

How to maximize your GoFundMe Pro recurring giving campaign

Recurring campaign pages built with Studio offer all the same customization and performance features listed above, like personalized branding, Intelligent Ask Amounts, and prebuilt layouts, plus a few tools tailored specifically for sustaining donor relationships.

You can customize donation receipts, invite supporters to manage their recurring gifts, and receive notifications of failed payments so you can quickly follow up.

Whether building a formal membership program or encouraging consistent support, a recurring donation page makes it easy to grow your monthly donor community and keep your mission moving forward year-round. You’ll also want a plan to thank, retain, and upgrade your recurring donors.

Ideal scenarios for peer-to-peer

Launching a peer-to-peer campaign is a strategic choice when you want to expand your reach, raise awareness of your cause, and activate your community to fundraise on your behalf. Unlike direct giving, which relies on your organization making the ask, peer-to-peer campaigns empower supporters to tell their stories and rally donations from their personal networks.

As giving behaviors shift, we see more individuals place their trust in peers to help guide their donation decisions. That means it’s more important than ever to equip your supporters with tools to champion your cause and invite their communities to get involved. These peer-to-peer fundraising tips can help your supporters get started.

How to maximize peer-to-peer fundraising with GoFundMe Pro

GoFundMe Pro is purpose-built to help your organization mobilize supporters and maximize the impact of your peer-to-peer campaigns. Here’s how it empowers your community to fundraise more effectively:

• Multichannel reach: Extend your campaign’s visibility across GoFundMe, your organization’s website, streaming platforms, emails, and social media so supporters can champion your cause wherever they engage with their networks.
• Consistent, professional branding: Ensure every supporter’s fundraising page reflects your organization’s identity with cohesive branding, messaging, and imagery.
• Mobile-first payments: Provide a fast, intuitive checkout optimized for mobile so supporters can give in seconds, boosting conversion rates by removing barriers.
• Data-driven stewardship: Access supporter insights and performance data to inform how you recognize, coach, and re-engage supporters throughout your campaign, fueling healthy retention rates.
• Seamless supporter activation: Help supporters launch fundraisers for birthdays, other personal milestones, or whenever they feel inspired with one-click creation on GoFundMe.
• Built-in fundraising coaching: Give supporters the tools to succeed with built-in tips and prompts that help them tell their stories, engage their networks, and raise more.
• Motivational fundraising tools: Activate friendly competition and momentum with real-time leaderboards and fundraising thermometers that track progress and fuel excitement.
• Easy sharing tools: Expand your reach with integrated social and text-sharing features that help supporters spread the word quickly and widely.

Ideal scenarios for fundraising events

Launch a fundraising event when you want to bring your community members together—whether in person, online, or both—for a shared experience that drives deeper engagement and giving. Events are ideal for rallying supporters around a period of time, celebrating milestones, or creating a sense of urgency and excitement. See these hybrid event examples for inspiration.

Ticketed events

A ticketed event is the right choice when hosting a gathering where admission adds value, such as a gala, benefit concert, art gallery, or fundraising dinner. These events offer a unique opportunity to raise funds while delivering a memorable experience to your supporters.

By selling tickets, you not only generate revenue up front but also signal the value of the event, helping drive attendance and engagement.

How to maximize your ticketed event using GoFundMe Pro

Live Events, our suite of in-person, online, and hybrid fundraising event tools, simplifies the admin and attendee experience with:

• Flexible ticketing options: Customize ticket types to fit your audience and event goals, create VIP packages, sponsor tickets, virtual attendee options, and more. You can use discount codes to incentivize early registration or reward key supporters.
• Secure, reliable transactions: Host your event with confidence, knowing that all transactions are protected by Level 1 PCI DSS-compliant security and SSL encryption, built on Amazon Web Services for maximum reliability and data protection.
• Tailored registration experience: Personalize the ticketing and registration flow to meet the needs of your audience. You can collect relevant information, offer donor-friendly checkout options, and ensure a smooth, branded experience from start to finish.

Ideal scenarios for registration with fundraising events

A registration with fundraising campaign combines event participation with peer-to-peer fundraising, allowing attendees to either purchase a registration, commit to raising funds on behalf of your organization, or both.

This campaign type is ideal for races, athletic challenges, and endurance events, like a walkathon, where participants often engage their personal networks to support their efforts. It’s a powerful way to deepen involvement, expand reach, and boost fundraising success by turning each registrant into an advocate for your nonprofit’s mission. For runs and walks specifically, this guide to planning a charity run or walk event can help.

Use this format when you want to maximize participation while empowering supporters to raise additional funds beyond their individual contributions.

How to maximize your registration with fundraising event using GoFundMe Pro

GoFundMe Pro simplifies every step of your fundraising event, from setup to success. Here’s how:

• Launch personal and team fundraising pages in minutes: Attendees can easily create and customize fundraising pages, whether signing up individually or as part of a team. These mobile-optimized pages are accessible on any device, making it simple for supporters to get started and stay involved.
• Boost fundraising through built-in sharing tools: Supporters can quickly share their pages via text or social media with prefilled messages and links, no copying and pasting required. These streamlined sharing options help spread the word and bring in more donations effortlessly.
• Keep supporters motivated with automated milestone emails: Participants automatically receive celebration emails from GoFundMe to keep the momentum going after they reach key fundraising goals. These personalized touches encourage continued engagement and help sustain fundraising energy through event day.

Your next great campaign starts here

No matter which campaign type you choose—whether a traditional donation page, ticketed event, or peer-to-peer fundraising—GoFundMe Pro accommodates your goals and makes every fundraising experience easier and more effective.

We’re constantly improving the platform based on real user behavior and data. Visit our research hub to see how we use insights to evolve our tools and enhance the donor and supporter experience. Plus, check out our inspiration hub for examples of how other organizations bring their campaigns to life with Campaign Studio.

Individuals exploring fundraiser options can find helpful context in GoFundMe’s articles on how to write a fundraiser story and create a fundraising plan. These resources guide personal fundraisers through the planning process from a grassroots perspective.

Fundraising ideas for schools have nearly unlimited potential and can make a real difference for your student community. Whether planning a student charity event, a crowdfunding campaign, or another fundraiser, this guide has an idea for you.

Below you’ll find 37 fundraising ideas for schools and colleges, organized from elementary classrooms through college campuses and Greek life, including a student-run school carnival built for high schools.

Looking for ideas beyond schools? Browse these nonprofit fundraising ideas, too.

Fundraising ideas for elementary schools

Start with these classic school fundraising ideas for younger kids—activities every family can enjoy—or browse even more fundraising ideas for kids.

1. Bake sale

Gather students and their families to bake something delicious. Send out a sign-up list ahead of time so you have enough baked goods to sell in exchange for donations.

2. Talent show

Showcase each student’s unique talent to attract a crowd and boost donations. Set up a space to host guests in person, or stream the show virtually with a set price per ticket.

3. Letter writing

Brighten someone’s day with letter writing, a simple fundraising idea for schools to lead with younger students. Have kids write cards to donors or community members alongside their fundraising ask.

4. School supply drives

Get students involved in collecting everything from pencils to notebooks, and turn the drive into a friendly, campuswide effort. A school supply drive is a great back-to-school fundraising idea.

5. Magic show

Organize a few student or parent volunteers to host a magic show, or hire a professional for the day. Offer a few creative raffle prizes, like online magic lessons, to keep the youngest fundraisers engaged.

6. Ice cream night

Enjoy a classic treat with an ice cream fundraiser. Partner with a truck, like Mister Softee or Kona Ice, or a shop, like Cold Stone Creamery or Rita’s Ice. You can also host a make-your-own sundae bar with all the fixings, from cookie dough to chocolate fudge, and charge a set price per bowl.

7. Car wash

Set students and volunteers up in the school parking lot with buckets, hoses, and a few homemade signs. A car wash is one of the simplest ideas on this list since it needs almost no budget and rewards a sunny Saturday with steady donations.

8. Field day

Turn a favorite school tradition into a fundraiser by asking each student to collect pledges for the games they complete, from the three-legged race to the water balloon toss. Field day already brings the whole school together, so it’s an easy one to build on, like a walkathon.

Fundraising ideas for middle schools

9. Color run

Set up a running course dusted with color for students to race through. Runners can fundraise individually for the chance to win prizes and climb the fundraiser leaderboard, and you can make your own colored powder by mixing cornstarch with FDA-approved dye.

10. Danceathon

Have students dance for a set period of time while friends and family sponsor them through peer-to-peer fundraising. Announce incoming donations throughout the event to inspire dancers to keep going and create natural moments for social sharing. This idea also works well folded into an existing field day.

11. Partnership with a local theme park or arcade

Partner with a local theme park, bowling alley, or arcade to host a student outing. Promote how the proceeds will benefit a specific program at your school to build excitement before the big day.

12. Trivia competition

Host a themed trivia competition where students form teams and fundraise together ahead of the event. Ask teachers to volunteer as question writers and hosts, and you’ll have a fundraiser that’s easy for the whole school to get behind.

13. Shoe drive

Collect gently used shoes from students, staff, and neighbors, then partner with a shoe recycling or resale program that pays your school for every pair. A shoe drive is an easy, inclusive fundraising idea for schools that also gives students a hands-on lesson in sustainability, the same spirit behind many an environmental nonprofit.

High school fundraising ideas

These fundraising ideas for high schools lean into competition, school spirit, and the independence older students bring to a project. For more on engaging this age group, see how to engage high school student fundraisers.

14. Obstacle-course event

Tap into the spirit of competition with a fun obstacle course. Have students recruit family members and friends to donate on their behalf through a peer-to-peer fundraising model, then cheer them on as they make their way through the twists and turns you’ve built.

15. Community service hours for college

Host a volunteer fair to connect students with school programs and upcoming initiatives that need support. It’s a natural fit for high schools, which are always looking for consistent volunteers to help at sporting events, teacher appreciation dinners, student dances, and more.

16. Pancake breakfasts

Partner with a local restaurant, join a program like Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraisers or IHOP National Pancake Day, or take over your school’s kitchen with student volunteers to serve pancakes at a set price per plate.

17. School clothing sales

Lean into the sentimental value of school spirit and clothing, especially for high schoolers approaching their last stretch before college.

18. Beach day

Kick-start summer with a beach day as the school year winds down. Invite students to miss a few classes in exchange for a donation.

19. School carnival

Turn your school into a carnival for a day, and let juniors and seniors run the show. Have student clubs and classes staff a game booth, a concession stand, or a photo corner, then tie the whole event to homecoming or a fall festival to boost the turnout. A student-run school carnival is one of the most flexible fundraising ideas for high schools on this list since it scales from a single grade to the entire student body.

Virtual fundraising ideas for schools

20. Virtual races

Host a race entirely online to reach new networks of donors who can’t make it to campus.

21. Viral video challenges

Boost your reach by joining trends already popular on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

22. Twitch livestream event

Head over to Twitch to livestream a gaming tournament, cooking class, battle of the bands, or another live event, and raise money for your cause in real time, the same way many Twitch charity streams do.

Fundraising ideas for college students

23. Short poetry contest

Invite students to sign up and read an original poem to an audience that votes for their favorites. It’s a no-cost, high-reward fundraising idea.

24. Device drive

Think of a device drive as the modern book sale. Schools that bought extra tech to support remote learning can use this opportunity to collect unused devices and get them into the hands of students who need access.

25. Tie-dye event

Bring college students together around tie-dye, a trend that never goes out of style. Sell tickets to students and their friends to reserve a spot and cover the cost of supplies.

26. Outdoor movie premiere

Find a large lawn or park on campus, set up an outdoor projector, and lay out blankets or chairs for a movie night everyone will remember.

27. Pet therapy room

Ease stress on campus with the calming effect of pet therapy. Host a room of friendly animals available for an hour at a set price, and watch the supporters line up.

Fundraising ideas for college sports teams

28. 5K race

Get competitive with a 5K race near campus. Instead of charging for participation, ask each runner to commit to a fundraising goal.

29. Tournaments

Have fun with a Frisbee-throwing tournament, a bowling challenge, or a Jeopardy-style trivia tournament. It works like a 5K, without ruling out anyone based on athletic ability.

30. Partner with local businesses

Capitalize on the campus hot spot where students grab a bite, hang out, or meet up, and partner with that local business through corporate sponsorships.

Download your guide to pitching corporate sponsors to get started.

31. Giveaway

Get your fans involved directly by offering a season pass or team merchandise to the donor who raises the most for your program.

Fraternity or sorority philanthropy ideas

32. Ticketed fashion show

Team up with student designers or a local boutique to host a fashion show that students of all ages can attend for a small fee, like a fundraising gala.

33. “Win-a-date” auction

Get ready for laughs, and maybe even a love connection, with a win-a-date event. Partner with another fraternity or sorority to assemble a ticketed auction for potential dates from a roster of eligible participants.

34. Late-night food delivery

Raise real money with high traffic to your donation form through a late-night food delivery fundraiser for students studying late or wrapping up a night out when most restaurants are closed.

35. Coffee shop pop-up

Gather all the fun add-ins to build your own signature coffee bar on campus or at a local college event, and raise money for your program one cup at a time.

36. Greek life carnival

Bring in other Greek life organizations at your college to host a carnival together. Have each organization build a booth, game, or activity to share the workload and build a bigger event than any one group could pull off alone.

37. Alumni night

Invite proud alumni back to campus to see what’s new. Make them feel special with an alumni night for graduates of your fraternity or sorority and their families.

Bring fundraising ideas for schools to life with tech

Before you get started with any of these ideas, think about how the right tech can make your next fundraising event for schools even easier to run:

• Campaign templates: Find a fundraising idea that works and repeat it across your school or year after year with a template. That gives you consistent branding to match your school’s website, saves time whenever a new campaign needs to go live, and lets you update details across multiple campaigns at once.
• Hybrid, virtual, or in-person events: Turn any ticket-based fundraising idea into a seamless event for any audience with a simple registration process, silent auctions and mobile bidding, text-to-donate, and a live fundraising thermometer to keep students engaged.
• Modern checkout experience: Add an embedded donation form and the payment options your donors already use, so you never lose a gift at checkout. Think Venmo, PayPal transactions, and digital wallets, like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Microsoft Pay.

Learn more about GoFundMe Pro’s platform to bring these fundraising ideas for schools to life.

Looking for more? Check out how to raise money for school trips, browse help for teachers, or explore crowdfunding for teachers.

Fundraising ideas for schools FAQs

What is the most profitable fundraiser for schools?

The most profitable fundraisers usually have the lowest overhead, like a bake sale, a car wash, or a peer-to-peer campaign, paired with an easy online donation form so no one misses out on giving. Events with ticket sales or auctions, like a fashion show or a big raffle, can raise even more once you factor in sponsorships.

What are some easy, low-effort fundraising ideas for schools?

Letter writing, a shoe drive, and a simple crowdfunding campaign are some of the easiest school fundraising ideas to run since they need little setup, budget, or staff time.

What is a school carnival, and how do you plan one?

A school carnival is a single-day event where students, staff, and families run game booths, food stalls, and activities to raise money together. To plan one, pick a date tied to an existing tradition like homecoming, recruit student clubs to staff each booth, and set up an online donation form so guests can give even if they’re out of cash.

What are some good high school fundraising ideas?

Beyond the ideas above, high schools tend to see strong results from peer-to-peer campaigns, like the obstacle-course event, ticketed events like pancake breakfasts, and school spirit sales like clothing drives, since older students can run most of the planning themselves.

Acquiring new donors is an investment. It can cost nonprofits $1.50 to raise $1.00 from a new supporter. Additionally, economic uncertainty, changes in donor behaviors, and a shift in trust from institutions to individuals emphasize how critical it is for nonprofits to adapt their strategies to align with today’s best practices.

For modern nonprofits, getting supporters to donate must involve a multichannel approach and efforts to meet them where they are. To help identify prospective donors and cultivate your next wave of lifelong supporters, we’ve rounded up eight techniques to expand your donor base and foster loyal relationships.

Explore effective ways to source donations across various giving levels and learn how GoFundMe and GoFundMe Pro’s innovative tools can help make outreach easier.

Build your donor acquisition channel mix

The strongest donor acquisition strategies use multiple channels working together. Use the framework below to prioritize your efforts, coordinate your outreach, and build a strong foundation for growth.

Start with your warmest acquisition channels

Not all donor acquisition channels offer the same value. Start by building momentum with people who already know your organization or have a connection to your cause. That includes your email subscribers, social media followers, supporters who can activate their communities through peer-to-peer fundraising, and people who discover your GoFundMe Nonprofit Page.

These warmer audiences are more likely to engage at a lower cost than people hearing about your mission for the first time. Strengthen these channels first, then expand your reach through paid advertising, direct mail, corporate prospecting, and other acquisition strategies.

Layer outreach across multiple touchpoints

Prospective donors rarely give after hearing about your organization once.

Instead, build familiarity and trust by reaching them across multiple channels. Someone might discover your mission on social media, receive a fundraising letter, or see a friend supporting your cause through a peer-to-peer fundraiser. Each interaction creates another opportunity to connect and move them closer to giving.

Plan your outreach so these channels work together to reinforce your message and help potential donors get to know your organization over time.

Track cost per acquired donor by channel

Once you’ve run a multichannel donor acquisition campaign, look at which channels delivered the strongest results. Calculate your cost per acquired donor by adding up each channel’s expenses, including staff time, platform costs, and materials, and dividing that total by the number of new donors it generated.

Then, compare that cost with donors’ projected lifetime value and retention rates. Channels that bring in donors at a lower cost and keep them engaged over time may be worth more investment in your next campaign, helping you focus resources where they can have the greatest impact.

Now that you’ve built your donor acquisition channel mix, let’s explore eight top strategies to attract new donors to advance your mission.

1. Conduct prospect research

Prospect research involves gathering and analyzing detailed information about potential donors to understand who they are, what drives them, and how they might connect to your cause. Information you may collect in your donor database includes:

• Philanthropic history: Investigate past giving behaviors for insights into future generosity, such as monetary and in-kind donations to other nonprofits, participation in volunteer opportunities, political giving, and support of similar causes.
• Wealth screening: Identify financial capacity with wealth markers, such as net worth, real estate holdings, stock holdings, and business affiliations.
• Charitable motivations: Delve into the “why” behind a prospective donor’s giving. Which causes do they care about? What inspires their generosity?
• Personal backgrounds: Get to know individual donors to tailor your approach by gathering information on demographics, hobbies, marital status, communication preferences, and professional and educational backgrounds.

Nonprofits can tap different databases, historical records, and other research methods to collect specific information, storing it in their customer relationship management (CRM) platform to create complete donor profiles. This approach to donor management can help:

• Drive hyperpersonalized content.
• Inform major donor outreach.
• Identify planned or deferred donors.
• Discover new donor cohorts.

Prospect research is the first step toward expanding your nonprofit’s reach and impact. GoFundMe Pro’s fundraising platform can then help turn your research into action with options like flexible donation pages and donation forms tailored to your unique brand, goals, and donor preferences. Plus, gain access to in-depth fundraising intelligence and analytics to keep your finger on the pulse of your fundraising efforts and make refinements as needed.

2. Leverage peer-to-peer fundraising

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer found that, among people whose trust has been shaped by recent events, trust in neighbors, family, and friends saw a net gain of 11 points. By comparison, major news organizations saw a net decline of 11 points, whereas national government leaders declined 16 points. These findings point to the growing importance of personal connections in building trust.

GoFundMe’s Gen Z Generosity report supports this. Nearly 60% of Gen Z say their giving decisions are influenced by family or peers, and most Gen Zers and Millennials follow impact creators online, with 1 in 4 Gen Zers saying they donated as a result of a social media creator.

Given that people trust other people more than organizations, leveraging current donors’ interpersonal relationships to cultivate interest and support for your nonprofit is an excellent avenue for donor acquisition. One of the most effective ways to do this is through peer-to-peer fundraising, which allows supporters to advocate for your cause and expand your reach in a cost-effective way.

Encourage long-time supporters to assist you with this type of gift fundraising, letting them know how much of an impact it can have on your organization.

Once individuals give a one-time donation through a friend’s peer-to-peer fundraising efforts, use their contact information to send a welcome series. Offer quick ways they can continue to engage with your cause and tell compelling stories that drive them to take further action.

3. Connect through social media

Social media continues to be a powerful tool for finding nonprofit donations. GoFundMe’s Gen Z Generosity report found that more than 70% of Gen Z report some form of giving compared to 65% of adults aged 30–85.

Nonprofits can leverage this enthusiasm to expand their message’s reach and acquire new donors.

First, gauge your staff’s capacity to expand your social media presence and identify which social media platforms best align with your goals and supporters’ preferences. For example, you can:

• Capitalize on the traffic potential of Facebook to boost cause awareness.
• Share efforts on LinkedIn for higher conversion opportunities.
• Unlock traffic with a multiplatform approach spanning popular channels like TikTok and Instagram.

To encourage online donations, follow social media best practices, such as:

• Create social media business profiles.
• Schedule posts around the times and days your audience is most active.
• Stay ahead of new trends and algorithm shifts.
• Prioritize brand and posting consistency across platforms.
• Emphasize short video content and powerful imagery.
• Incorporate digital advertising into your strategy when budget allows.

Additionally, leverage GoFundMe Pro’s social sharing integration with Meta, which makes it easier for donors to find, share, and support causes on their preferred social channels. You can use the integration to:

• Inspire donor action through Instagram Stories and in-feed Facebook posts that have a donation button and dynamic progress metrics.
• Stand out in the feed with a fresh, polished look.
• Gain access to rich donor data and insights with funds processed exclusively through GoFundMe Pro.
• Increase credibility among donors with posts that render as official fundraisers.

4. Engage corporate partners

In addition to providing major gifts, sponsorships, and grantmaking opportunities, corporate partners can allow access to their networks, offering introductions to a receptive audience. For example, corporate partnerships can include:

• Connections to board members with philanthropic interests
• Highlights about your nonprofit’s work at corporate events
• Opportunities to share your work during networking opportunities or lunch hours
• Introductions to other companies, philanthropists, or prospective donors within the corporation’s network
• Matching gift programs for employees to encourage new donors to have an even greater impact

GoFundMe Pro’s corporate giving tools bolster the donor acquisition potential of corporate partnerships with co-branded giving pages, partner-driven events, peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities that inspire friendly competition between departments, and more.

5. Optimize donation experiences

Smooth donation experiences encourage new supporters to complete their transitions. They can also build trust and confidence in your brand.

In an increasingly mobile world, one critical element is streamlining your fundraising efforts for use on phones, tablets, e-readers, and other mobile devices. Invite people who aren’t familiar with your fundraising to test the mobile journey to your donation forms from various social media platforms and email requests.

Note points of friction, lengthy load times, clunky formatting, or broken links that may impact your donor acquisition efforts. You may also want to:

• Reduce the number of required form fields.
• Increase font and donation button sizes.
• Eliminate unnecessary text and competing calls to action.
• Compress image sizes to reduce loading times.

Campaign Studio, GoFundMe Pro’s easy and flexible campaign builder, takes donation experiences to the next level. With the ability to customize your story, brand, and fundraising efforts, you can create hyperpersonalized, connected experiences across various interactions that activate your community at scale.

To ensure our customers’ success, we released a campaign catalog of Studio templates that we’ve tested for effectiveness and engagement. Simply request the template of your choice, and we’ll upload it directly into your account.

Additionally, Embedded Studio enables nonprofits to incorporate pop-up and in-line donation forms directly on their websites, allowing supporters to donate without leaving their current page. According to our internal platform testing, the approach has shown a 28% lift in revenue per site visitor.

6. Time your fundraising efforts effectively

Once you develop your fundraising efforts and identify which distribution platforms will best support your donor acquisition goals, schedule your content for when donors are the most likely to engage with it.

Use data from your past efforts, as well as the latest best practices for email and different social media channels, to determine the optimal send times for the highest engagement and donation volume. You can also use weekends to share touchpoints that keep donors connected to your cause when they’re more likely to have some downtime.

To ensure your acquisition initiatives get in front of the right audiences at the right times:

• Review fundraising efforts traffic daily, weekly, and monthly to tailor promotions.
• Compare email open rates to send time to target engagement.
• Plan a midyear analysis to optimize your fundraising strategy ahead of the peak year-end giving season.

Between the giving season’s spirit of generosity and potential tax advantages, year-end is a particularly potent time to acquire new donors. Ramp up your end-of-year donor cultivation efforts with more frequent social media updates, personalized thank-you notes to lapsed donors, and small gifts or swag to motivate new donors to engage with your nonprofit.

You’ll also want to participate in Giving Tuesday to get your giving programs in front of prospective audiences.

7. Expand your reach through diverse channels

While acquisition channels like social media, direct mail, and email are tried-and-true options, it’s crucial to expand your reach wherever you can when looking for new supporters.

Update your information on nonprofit rating sites, like Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Candid’s GuideStar. This way, when prospective donors search for details about your nonprofit, they’ll get a complete look and a vote of confidence for your brand.

Another effective strategy is claiming your Nonprofit Page on GoFundMe. These pages enable supporters to easily find, donate, and fundraise for nonprofits on the GoFundMe platform. Your team can easily onboard and manage your organization on the site and access relevant donor data to improve your discoverability, find new potential supporters, and benefit from more supporter-led fundraising efforts.

It’s also worth checking out GoFundMe’s new streaming widgets, which integrate seamlessly with platforms like Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram, allowing you to collect donations in real time from your viewers. Fans can actively support your causes while enjoying your live content, or that of impact creators or other supporters.

8. Use events to build donor relationships

Fundraising events are an excellent way to build relationships with first-time donors. They provide a memorable introduction to your cause.

A great way to acquire new donors through events is to let current supporters bring a plus-one. You can even offer discounted ticket bundles to encourage members of your community to bring their friends.

Other ways to get the most out of donor acquisition efforts at events are to:

• Foster in-person networking between attendees and staff members.
• Host fun activities in trendy or attractive venues to draw in new supporters.
• Gift free branded swag or perks to attendees.
• Send thank-you notes, make phone calls, and offer other stewardship after the event, like a post-event survey, to show how much you value new attendees’ input.
• Make sure new supporters know their next opportunity to give or get involved.

For hybrid events, ensure your virtual component thoughtfully complements your in-person efforts. GoFundMe Pro’s Live Events can enhance attendee involvement, boost fundraising efforts, streamline event communications, and increase revenue for your cause—whether in person, virtual, or a hybrid of both.

Rocky Mountain Public Media used Live Events to improve event processes for its annual Live at the Vineyards event, raising 30% more than the previous year from over 1,400 attendees. Peloton4Parkinson’s also used the platform to host its yearly day-long spin ride, which engages virtual and in-person attendees, surpassing its fundraising goal by 14.4%.

Find the donor outreach template and script you need

Donor outreach templates and scripts make it easier to get your fundraising campaign rolling. Use these donor outreach templates and scripts to connect with supporters throughout your fundraising campaign, from the first ask to follow-up and thank-you letters. Customize each one with your nonprofit’s voice, mission, and impact to make it your own.

Initial donation letter template

When to use: When reaching out to a prospective donor for the first time
Tone: Warm, specific, and nonpressuring

Subject: An invitation to learn more about [Nonprofit]

Hi [Prospective Donor Name],

I’m [Your Name], [Title] at [Nonprofit]. We’re a [description: e.g., community food bank/environmental nonprofit/youth mentoring organization], and we’re working every day toward [brief mission statement].

I’m reaching out because [connection to donor: e.g., you recently attended one of our events/a mutual contact mentioned your passion for this cause/your foundation has supported similar work].

Last year, our work helped [specific impact: e.g., 2,400 families access fresh food/180 acres of wetland restored/300 young people complete our mentorship program]. This year, we’re working to [specific goal or next step].

I’d love to learn more about your interests and share what we’re working toward. Would you have 20 minutes for a brief call in the coming weeks?

With gratitude,

[Your Name]

Follow-up outreach letter template

When to use: 7–10 days after an initial outreach with no response
Tone: Brief, respectful, and adds new information

Subject: A quick update from [Nonprofit]

Hi [Prospective Donor Name],

I wanted to follow up on my note from last week and share a quick update from [Nonprofit].

We recently [recent accomplishment or update: e.g., completed our summer program, serving 50 more youth than last year/received a matching gift offer that doubles every donation made before [date]]. It’s an exciting step toward [brief connection to mission or impact].

If you’re interested in learning more about this work, I’d be happy to find a time to connect. And if now isn’t the right time, I completely understand.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Year-end donor acquisition letter template

When to use: In November–December to reach prospective donors during peak giving season
Tone: Urgent and impact-focused

Subject: [Stat or impact hook: e.g., 300 families are counting on us this winter]

Hi [Prospective Donor Name],

The end of the year is our most critical time. Between now and December 31, we’re working to [goal: e.g., raise $50,000 to fund our winter meal program/secure 100 new monthly supporters].

Your tax-deductible gift can help [specific impact: e.g., put fresh, nutritious food on a family’s table/connect more young people with a dedicated mentor]. [If a match exists: And right now, a generous donor will match every gift up to $[amount]—so your gift goes twice as far.]

Will you help us reach our year-end goal? Make your gift by December 31 at [donation link].

Thank you for considering being part of what we can accomplish together.

With deep gratitude,

[Your Name]

Phone follow-up script

When to use: When following up by phone after a first in-person meeting or event
Tone: Keep the call brief and let the donor guide how long it continues

“Hi [Prospective Donor Name], this is [Your Name] from [Nonprofit]. Do you have a quick minute?”

“I wanted to personally thank you for [attending our event/connecting with us] last week. It was wonderful to meet you.”

“I also wanted to share a quick update about [specific program or impact moment]. We recently [latest update], which means [brief impact]. I remembered your interest in [relevant connection, if possible] and thought you’d appreciate hearing about it.”

“I’d love to find a time to tell you more about our work and how people like you are making it possible. Would you be open to finding a time to connect in the next few weeks?”

If yes: Schedule a time and confirm the best way to follow up.

If no: “Of course, I understand completely. Would it be alright if I stay in touch by email?”

Event introduction script

When to use: When introducing your nonprofit to a prospective donor at a fundraising event or networking gathering
Tone: Keep it brief and conversational, leading with your impact rather than your organization’s history

“Hi, I’m [Your Name] from [Nonprofit]. We [one-sentence mission with impact: e.g., connect first-generation college students in our community with mentors who help them prepare for what comes next].”

“Right now, we’re working to [current goal: e.g., expand our program to a second school/close a $20,000 funding gap before year-end].”

“Are you familiar with the issue we work on?” [Pause and continue the conversation based on their response.]

If they express interest in your work: “I’d love to stay in touch and share more. Would it be alright if I sent you a quick note this week?”

Try new strategies to find donors for nonprofit organizations

Knowing how to find donors for your nonprofit is a critical first step to building an effective fundraising strategy. With these multichannel approaches that meet donors where they are, you can be confident that your nonprofit maximizes key and untapped acquisition opportunities.

Once you feel confident about securing donations for your nonprofit, explore donor retention strategies to maximize your acquisition investments and build an ever-stronger community of support for your cause.

Nonprofit donor acquisition FAQs

What is donor acquisition for nonprofits?

Donor acquisition is the process of identifying, reaching, and converting new individuals into donors for a nonprofit organization. It encompasses a wide range of strategies—from prospect research and peer-to-peer fundraising to social media outreach, events, and corporate partnerships—all aimed at expanding the organization’s base of financial supporters. Effective donor acquisition balances reaching the largest possible audience with targeting the prospects most likely to give and stay engaged over time.

How much does it cost to acquire a new donor?

Acquiring a new donor can cost nonprofits up to $1.50 for every $1.00 raised from that supporter, according to research from Arizona State University’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. In contrast, retaining an existing donor costs as little as $0.20 per dollar raised. This cost disparity is why strong donor retention programs are essential complements to acquisition efforts.

The real return on acquisition investment comes from converting first-time donors into long-term recurring supporters rather than treating acquisition as a one-time transaction.

What is the most effective donor acquisition channel?

No single channel is universally most effective. The best channel depends on the organization’s existing audience, capacity, and fundraising goals:

• Peer-to-peer fundraising consistently delivers high-quality new donors because it leverages personal trust rather than organizational marketing
• Social media is most effective for awareness and younger donors
• Direct mail and emails work well for warmer prospects and year-end acquisition

The strongest donor acquisition programs combine multiple channels strategically, using warm channels first and layering additional touchpoints to increase the probability of conversion.

How do you write a donation letter to find new donors?

An effective donor acquisition letter leads with a specific impact story rather than organizational background. State who you are and what you do in one sentence, then immediately show the reader what their potential gift would accomplish with a concrete example.

• Keep the letter brief (250–400 words for emails and up to 600 words for direct mail).
• Use short paragraphs and clear language, and end with a single, specific ask.
• Earn the reader’s attention in the subject line and first sentence.
• Avoid generic openers like “I am writing to ask for your support,” which are immediately recognizable as solicitations and reduce open rates.

Organizing successful fundraising events is crucial for nonprofits and charities. Equally essential is staying current with your fundraising strategies to attract and retain donors.

That’s where we come in.

In this blog post, we’ll share 100 innovative charity fundraising ideas to inspire and energize your efforts. We’ll also recommend the top tools to help you execute these events seamlessly, ensuring your fundraising campaigns are both effective and stress-free.

Tried-and-true fundraising ideas

These proven strategies have helped nonprofits raise money for years. The reason they work so well is that they’re simple to set up and easy for supporters to understand.

1. Establish a recurring donation incentives program

Create fundraising pages dedicated specifically to recurring donations. Encourage supporters to join your special community of monthly donors for access to exclusive merchandise and other perks.

2. Launch Google Ad Grants

Take advantage of Google Ad Grants, which offer eligible nonprofits up to $10,000 per month in free search advertising. If your organization meets the registration requirements, you can run targeted ads for keywords and regions of your choice, all without touching your marketing budget.

3. Employ donation matching

Drive online fundraising by highlighting a matching gift on your donation page. According to research from Double the Donation, 84% of donors are more likely to give if offered a match, and 1 in 3 say they’d make a larger donation if a match were available.

4. Start a workplace giving program

Partner with local employers to set up payroll deduction giving, where employees can donate a small amount from each paycheck to your cause. Many companies also match employee gifts dollar for dollar, so a workplace giving program can quietly double your impact without any extra outreach.

5. Launch a year-end giving appeal

Send a heartfelt email or direct mail appeal in the final weeks of the calendar year, when donors think about their tax-deductible giving and end-of-year budgets. Pairing your appeal with Giving Tuesday or a matching gift deadline can add urgency and boost response rates.

6. Offer branded swag

Invite supporters to donate to your cause in exchange for branded swag, like T-shirts, water bottles, and other items with your logo on them. It’s a simple way to spread your message wherever they go.

7. Provide naming opportunities

Offer donors opportunities to associate their names with your success while you fundraise for a big project. You can name buildings, benches, playgrounds, or programs after donors, or offer engraved bricks or plaques on-site at your organization’s main office for donors who give above a certain amount.

8. Host a silent auction

Plan a silent online charity auction using intuitive nonprofit auction software, or add one to an existing fundraising initiative as a supplementary revenue driver. GoFundMe Pro’s Live Events platform makes it easy to set up auctions, promote them to your audience, and run paddle raises, all in one place. Reach out to your network to start assembling items and appoint a committee of volunteers who can solicit their contacts for additional gifts.

9. Organize a gala

Invite supporters to an elegant evening of dinner, drinks, and live entertainment to celebrate your organization’s impact. Guests can reserve a spot at your gala event, and corporate partnerships can help offset costs.

10. Host an art auction

Encourage donors, supporters, and artists alike to create art they feel proud of and want to share with your community. Invite attendees to support each artist while advancing your cause by bidding on their favorite items, either in a live or virtual fundraising environment.

11. Highlight a date-night auction

Create a deal with a local restaurant, spa, or hotel to offer an exclusive date-night prize to the winner of your next fundraising auction. Identify your donors’ favorite local businesses and highlight the marketing opportunity those establishments will receive from this event.

12. Gather supporters for speed dating

Host a speed-dating fundraiser to get like-minded singles mingling over a shared interest in philanthropy while creating a welcoming atmosphere for connection. Charge a small fee for anyone interested in participating and auction off fun dates throughout the night.

13. Showcase a battle of the bands

Recruit bands to put on a concert for your community. Performers can fundraise ahead of the event to earn their spot on stage, and attendees can pay an admission fee to join the fun.

14. Promote a casino night

Bring Vegas to your hometown by hosting a casino night with roulette, blackjack, and poker games. Invite guests to dress up and encourage fundraising throughout the event.

15. Invite donors to a murder-mystery party

See who can piece together all the clues to solve the mystery at this classic fundraising event. Charge admission for attendees to reserve their spot in the game and remind them to invite friends and family members to join the fun.

16. Offer a wine tasting

Ask local wineries or restaurants to donate a bottle or two of wine for your event in exchange for free marketing. You can hire a sommelier to teach attendees how to taste each wine properly and educate the group on the history of each drink. Collect a basket of fine wines, cheeses, wine glasses, and bottle openers to auction off for additional donations.

17. Run a fashion show

Partner with a local venue to host a fashion show where participants create stylish masterpieces, or reach out to local clothing shops and boutiques for donated outfits. Charge an entry fee for your exclusive event and consider offering attendees an additional way to donate directly to your cause.

18. Skip your daily coffee run for a cause

Ask fundraisers to give up their daily coffee, latte, or afternoon tea, and donate the money they would’ve spent to your cause instead. Provide supporters with data showcasing the impact of $5, $10, and $20 donations, and encourage them to share their activity on social media to ask their networks to do the same.

Partnership-leveraged fundraising

Partnering with local businesses and corporations can open doors to new donors, in-kind support, and funding your nonprofit might not reach alone.

19. Lean into corporate partnerships

Establish a robust corporate partnership strategy to unlock financial support, resources, and expanded outreach while helping corporations enhance their brand reputation by aligning with socially responsible causes. Corporate social responsibility programs are on the rise, as are tools like corporate giving software that make it easier for nonprofits to tap into corporate giving.

20. Encourage a local business competition

Get creative by hosting a friendly competition with a local business, such as collaborating with a brewery to name their next beer. Encourage community involvement by having individuals cast votes, with each vote translating into a donation to your nonprofit.

21. Accept event sponsorships

Leverage corporate sponsors for events that can contribute funds or resources to help your nonprofit reach its goals. In exchange, sponsors gain brand visibility and access to your target audience, typically through prominent logos and special recognition at events. You can offer tiered-sponsorship levels that provide greater benefits to corporations that contribute larger amounts.

22. Run a used book sale

Partner with a local bookstore looking to clean up its overstock inventory. They can host a weekend sale of used books they want to clear out at great prices, with a portion of the profits benefiting your nonprofit.

23. Entice supporters with a vacation auction

Explore connections with potential airlines, hotels, car services, and restaurants willing to support a weekend getaway for an online auction. Get creative with your nonprofit marketing materials to showcase the experience with enticing photos and videos of the vacation package, plus a comprehensive list of the vacation details and perks the winner will receive.

24. Partner with restaurants

Create a restaurant fundraiser where supporters eat at a local restaurant or bakery on a particular day, and the restaurant donates a percentage of its sales back to your cause. Set up a committee to identify potential partners, then arrange a meeting with restaurant managers to explore options.

25. Round up for a checkout fundraiser

Team up with a business willing to ask customers if they’d like to round up their purchase amount to the nearest whole dollar, with the change going to your cause. This offers individuals an easy and low-cost way to support your nonprofit, with the small donations adding up over time.

26. Offer waived entry fees

Bring attention to your cause by partnering with a local arcade, bowling alley, bounce house, or other amusement venue. The business can waive entrance fees for a day for customers who make a financial or in-kind donation to your cause.

27. Promote dog-walking services

Partner with dedicated volunteers or local boarding facilities to offer dog-walking or other pet-pampering services in exchange for donations to your organization. People love an opportunity to give back that can also benefit their fur babies.

28. Create coupon books

Offer an opportunity for supporters to save on various goods and services while also providing marketing and brand support to the included businesses with coupon books. Partner with local shops to offer exclusive deals or gift cards to supporters who make a donation for a coupon book.

Social media and digital fundraising opportunities

Meet supporters where they already spend their time. These ideas turn likes, shares, and streams into real fundraising momentum.

29. Create a peer-to-peer social media challenge

Encourage supporters to take part in an online peer-to-peer fundraising challenge, competing with friends across social media to raise funds for your mission. This dynamic community-driven initiative amplifies individual efforts into a collective force for good, making every contribution count.

30. Promote a “donate your Venmo balance” campaign

Ask your network to donate the remaining balances in their Venmo accounts to your cause. With this type of fundraiser, every modest contribution accumulates to make a significant impact, allowing a collective effort to transform idle dollars into meaningful action.

31. Leverage a photo contest

Identify a theme or subject for your contest, then invite supporters to share their photos on Instagram with the appropriate hashtags and photo tags. Upload entries to a central landing page and ask your community to vote for the prize winner by making a small monetary donation.

32. Recreate the ice bucket challenge

Invite donors to recreate the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise more money for your mission using social media. If the ice bucket challenge doesn’t align with or reflect your organization’s work, feel free to get creative with another social media challenge.

33. Run a giveaway

Share a photo and description of a unique prize on your organization’s Instagram, then give your followers step-by-step instructions on how to enter to win the item or experience. To generate revenue, invite supporters to gain additional entries by donating to your nonprofit.

34. Partner for a Twitch video game fundraiser

Invite gamers to create a fundraising page they can share with viewers during their Twitch event. Provide them with the tools they need to promote their livestream and encourage them to recruit friends, family, and fellow gamers to tune in to support their efforts.

35. Host a virtual tailgate

Consider creating a virtual tailgate for an event between local sports teams. Invite supporters to donate for a virtual tailgate package, which they can pick up before the big game.

36. Grab attention with a head-shaving fundraiser

Bring attention to your cause and attract new audiences with a head-shaving fundraiser for brave supporters willing to go the extra mile for your nonprofit. Participants pledge to shave their heads (or beards) to raise money. In return, your nonprofit can offer an exclusive perk, prize, or public recognition on your website or social media platforms.

37. Start a TikTok challenge

Take advantage of the growing TikTok philanthropy movement on the powerhouse social media platform. Partner with an influencer or create a viral challenge to help fuel your fundraising goals.

38. Offer e-cards

Offer supporters various e-cards that they can send to friends and family members for special occasions. They can also choose to make a donation to your cause in the recipient’s name and have that shared in the e-card.

Seasonal fundraising ideas

Seasonal giving moments create timely opportunities to engage current donors and reach new supporters. From summer community events to winter holiday drives, the ideas below can be adapted to fit your mission, audience, and fundraising goals.

39. Gather an ice cream social

Set up an ice cream shop in the parking lot of your nonprofit or a high-traffic summer spot. Ask local businesses to donate supplies, then ask for a per-scoop donation or an all-you-can-eat flat donation option.

40. Invite participants to a dunk tank

Identify volunteers, donors, partners, or board members willing to take a shift in the dunk tank, and invite guests to make a donation for the chance to send them for a swim. While getting an adult to sit in the tank might take a little convincing, this fundraising idea is an engaging weekend activity sure to leave everyone laughing.

41. Enjoy concerts in the park

Partner with a local park and recruit artists and food trucks to participate in a memorable outdoor show. Invite guests to make a donation for entry, collect additional contributions throughout the evening, and livestream the performances for all donors to enjoy.

42. Organize a surf tournament

Draw beach-loving crowds and get people outside for the perfect fundraising idea if you’re near the ocean: a surf competition. Ask participants to create peer-to-peer campaigns with a fundraising minimum. Not near the coast? Lakes are perfect for athletic events, too. Plan a kayak race or a swim relay to take advantage of the great outdoors.

43. Host a BBQ cook-off

Invite local chefs to cook their best barbecue plate and ask guests to donate, taste, and cast their votes for their top choice. Segment the competition even further to crown the winner of the best barbecue sauce, rolls, or side dishes.

44. Host a craft fair

Gather talented friends, family members, volunteers, and staff to create custom crafts—like bracelets, paintings, key chains, or hand-stitched blankets—that supporters can take home in exchange for a donation. As the holiday season approaches, supporters may want gifts like these for their loved ones.

45. Have fun with a costume race

Encourage donors to dig out their Halloween boxes and have fun in a costumed race, whether it’s zombies, “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter,” or another theme. With all the different options to choose from, this funny fundraising twist on the classic 5K never gets old.

46. Energize donors with a polar plunge

Reenergize your nonprofit community by inviting them to jump into an ice-cold lake. A polar plunge is a perfect opportunity for peer-to-peer fundraising, where supporters can tap into their networks to raise money on behalf of your organization.

47. Hold a holiday cooking competition

Round up supporters and foodies around a friendly culinary competition, such as a Christmas cookie dough bakeoff. Contestants create their best holiday dishes with a specific ingredient or other criteria, and people pay to taste each dish and cast their votes.

48. Promote a winter clothing drive

Host a clothing drive ahead of cold winter temperatures to support and protect community members in need. Encourage donors to contribute a one-time or recurring donation on top of their in-kind contribution to help your organization sustain its critical work.

49. Offer a Super Bowl squares competition

Invite your community to play your version of football squares. Instead of awarding cash prizes for those who buy in to play, ask for donations per square and award donated prizes gathered from local sponsors.

50. Guide supporters on garden tours

Ask board members, staff, or volunteers who tend beautiful spring gardens to volunteer to host exclusive tours of the property. Supporters can make a donation to have access to the gardens for a fun outing and photo opportunities.

College and school fundraising ideas

Students, parents, and alumni are natural fundraising partners. These ideas are built for school communities looking to rally around a shared cause.

51. Elevate an art show

Tap on students’ and local artists’ creative talents to advance your cause and strengthen your nonprofit’s sense of community. Ask each artist to pay a nominal entrance fee to showcase their work, then ask attendees for a flat donation to browse the collection.

52. Run a car wash

Help take a task off someone’s to-do list while simultaneously converting them into a supporter of your cause by hosting a car wash at a local high school. Ensure you have plenty of space to wash and dry cars and collect money from customers.

53. Fundraise for a spelling bee

Engage younger supporters with a school spelling bee that’s fun to watch and gives participants a chance to show off their skills. Ask for a flat donation for entry and consider adding a peer-to-peer fundraising element to bring in charitable donations from a wider audience.

54. Host a bake sale

Invite participants to compete for the title of most talented baker to make this fan-favorite event a little more interesting. People can donate for the chance to taste test and vote for their favorites, or you can skip the competition and ask for a flat donation for each baked good someone takes home.

55. Hold a school concert

Use a branded campaign page to invite donations for entry to a school concert, and encourage attendees to make additional donations throughout the evening to support their loved ones. Provide a virtual option by livestreaming it with reliable fundraising event software, such as Live Events.

56. Provide opportunities to send coffee-grams

Invite supporters to give the gift of a morning coffee to a student, parent, or teacher in their life who could use the extra boost. Ask for a flat donation amount from each customer or invite supporters to upgrade their orders with specialty beverages, like a hot chocolate or an oat milk latte.

57. Run a candy sale

Ask students to hand out candy bars in exchange for donations to your cause. Encourage participation by offering small prizes for reaching different fundraising goals.

58. Leverage readathons

Partner with an elementary school to encourage students to read for a good cause. Students can pledge to read a certain number of books during the readathon event and collect fixed or per-page donations from loved ones to support their goal.

59. Incorporate a concession stand fundraiser

Host a concession stand with refreshments and snacks at school events, like plays, soccer games, or rallies, with proceeds donated to your cause.

Family-friendly fundraising events

These ideas bring supporters of all ages together, making it easy for families to get involved and have fun while raising money for your cause.

60. Create recipe books

Crowdsource recipes from supporters, volunteers, and employees to compile a cookbook for sale. Ask contributors to submit recipes online and include a dedication, doodle, or note with each to make the book feel unique and personal to your organization.

61. Host a cooking class

Interact with your community in a relaxed, creative environment with a cooking class, whether gathering in person or online. Charge a flat registration fee or offer a fundraising minimum for supporters to earn their spot in class. Include an incentive for larger donations by offering time with the chef after class.

62. Host an eating contest

Expand your fundraising opportunities with a food-forward event sure to draw in supporters of all ages. Whether you serve pies, doughnuts, or hot dogs, contestants will get excited to compete in a timed eating contest and fund your good work.

63. Cook up a pancake breakfast

Heat the skillets and recruit a team of passionate volunteers to serve endless stacks of hotcakes. Ask donors to reserve a spot at your all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with a donation in advance, or donate in exchange for a hot meal once they arrive.

64. Organize a game night

Put together a board games night that’s friendly for all ages, with options from Monopoly to Candy Land. Charge an entry fee and host mini tournaments, offering prizes to encourage friendly competition and boost participation.

65. Treat supporters to a movie night

Host a film screening or a movie marathon at a local park or auditorium. Ask for suggested donations for entry and snacks, then invite attendees to help determine which movie you’ll stream by donating a few dollars toward their favorite film on the list.

66. Get crafty with a tie-dye party

Ask a local business to donate plain T-shirts, then invite supporters to create their own colorful designs. Charge a participation fee to fundraise for your cause and encourage attendees to bring friends to join the fun.

67. Plan a roller skate night

Switch up the usual charity 5K run/walk with a roller-skating race. In addition to fundraising for entry, invite participants to dress up and participate in a costume contest.

68. Develop a scavenger hunt

Send participants on a classic scavenger hunt where they have to find and collect designated items. You could also go digital and have individuals or teams take a picture of the items or locations on the list and submit them for approval. Charge a registration fee and offer a head start or hints in exchange for donations on the day of the hunt.

69. Host a talent show

Secure a venue, recruit your talent for the evening, and prepare attendees for a fundraising event to remember. Encourage supporters of all ages to take the stage to pursue the grand prize, whether that’s a coveted trophy or a custom T-shirt.

Fitness and sports fundraisers

Turn everyday movement into meaningful fundraising. These ideas inspire active challenges and tap into people’s competitive spirit.

70. Raise money with a dance marathon

Challenge participants to join a 24-hour dance marathon to raise money for your mission. Have dancers launch peer-to-peer campaigns with a minimum goal for participation and encourage attendees to create teams to see which group can raise the most. You could also invite supporters to request songs for the playlist for $5 to raise additional revenue.

71. Challenge supporters with a treadmill relay race

Partner with a local gym for this fundraiser. Ask supporters to sign up for a time slot (a minimum of 15 minutes) and collect pledges of specific gift amounts per mile their team completes. You can also encourage anyone with access to a treadmill at home to complete the challenge virtually.

72. Organize a dodgeball tournament

Ask teams to fundraise a certain amount to participate or give donors the option to join for a set registration fee. Whichever they choose, encourage attendees to spread the word and recruit their friends to come by and watch for some serious laughs.

73. Craft an Apple Watch or Strava challenge

Get donors involved from all over the world with a virtual fitness challenge using an Apple Watch or the Strava app. Invite people to reach a daily step goal, complete a running challenge, go through an indoor cycling course, or try a hike.

74. Offer exercise lessons

Host an afternoon where participants can donate to receive a lesson from a local expert, such as yoga, tennis, or self-defense. To find a qualified instructor, reach out to local gyms or workout studios to see who might want to donate their skills for a good cause.

75. Provide indoor cycling classes

Partner with a local gym or spin studio and ask your community to participate in exchange for a suggested donation amount. Recruit a local instructor to donate their time and lead the class through an energetic and fulfilling workout.

76. Host a 5K run

Raise big bucks for your cause with a 5K charity race, a year-round favorite. In addition to entry fees, launch a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign so participants can start raising money upon registration. In addition to entry fees, launch a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign so participants can start raising money upon registration.

77. Develop a bike race

Connect fitness-minded supporters through a bike race. You can host a 10-mile ride, a century ride, or a multiday tour and require riders to fundraise a minimum amount to participate.

78. Add some flair with a color run

Host a community-wide color run to put a creative spin on the traditional 5K. As participants make their way through the course, they’ll be covered with water and color powder to help create memories that will last a lifetime.

79. Hold a walkathon

Encourage supporters to fundraise on behalf of your cause through a walkathon peer-to-peer fundraising event. Provide attendees with all the necessary fundraising and marketing materials they might need to ask for donations, like a fundraiser toolkit, and incentivize their participation with exclusive perks or prizes.

80. Reward marathon sponsorships

Reward top peer-to-peer fundraisers in your community with entry to exclusive marathons or running events, like the Boston Marathon. Become an official charity partner of the race of your choice and determine how many awarded spots you’ll have for athletes. Reserve them for supporters who fundraise the most for your cause leading up to race day, saving them the race registration fee.

81. Play in a basketball tournament

Put a spin on the standard basketball tournament with other fun games like dunk contests, free-throw contests, or dribble challenges. Keep it simple with a flat registration fee or tap into the potential of your supporters’ networks through peer-to-peer fundraising.

82. Promote teams with a relay race

Turn the traditional 5K or 10K into a team relay race or obstacle course. Runners can ask friends and family to donate to support their race or contribute to watch.

83. Host a local Olympics

Put together an Olympics-style sporting event for locals and ask each participant to fundraise a minimum amount to help you reach a specific goal. Either stick with classic Olympic events, like track and field, or create more unique games, like bag toss or bocce ball.

84. Gather for a flag football tournament

Charge an entry fee per team or ask participants to fundraise for entry to your charitable flag football tournament. Consider how you could raise additional funds during the tournament, whether that’s an on-site concession stand or branded merchandise.

85. Gain support through a bowling tournament

Ask each team to fundraise a minimum amount to enter your bowling tournament as you would with all other tournaments. You could also recruit partners to sponsor lanes or uniforms where they can feature their logos.

86. Invite donors to a golf tournament

Offer another opportunity for supporters to fundraise by joining your tournament. Partner with a course that may typically only be open to club members to add some exclusivity to the event.

Creative fundraising ideas

These inventive ideas offer fresh ways to engage supporters and stand out.

87. Organize a film festival

Host an amateur film festival where participants can enter their productions. You can even turn it into a contest where attendees donate $5 to cast votes for their favorite films. Leading up to the contest, create an email series with tips to show supporters how to create an impactful video.

88. Host a dinner party

Invite guests to a rented venue, a volunteer’s home, or your office for a delicious potluck harvest dinner or cocktail hour, with a suggested donation for entry. Prepare your elevator pitch so guests will understand how meaningful this dinner and their contributions truly are.

89. Sing for a good cause with a karaoke night

Invite donors to loosen up and have some fun with a night of karaoke. Charge for entry, then encourage spectators to vote for their favorite performers through small monetary donations. The performer with the most donations at the end of the evening will be the winner.

90. Develop an afternoon tea time

Invite your community to relax, sip their favorite tea, and support your nonprofit’s mission. Attendees can secure their entry with a standard registration fee, then dress up for your classy high-tea fundraiser to make the most of the event.

91. Share laughs with a comedy night

Recruit community members, local performers, and up-and-coming comics to show off their talents at your comedy night event. Ask for a donation for entry, then encourage donors to show additional support with food and beverages available for suggested donation amounts.

92. Hold a trivia night

Ask a local restaurant or bar to host your trivia night fundraising event and encourage participants to form teams in advance. Set a minimum fundraising amount that participants must meet to play. If registrants don’t meet the minimum, they can donate the remaining amount.

93. Gather items for a yard sale

Collect gently worn clothes and home goods for a yard sale your community won’t want to miss. If you have valuable items, like first-edition books or signed collectibles, hold an exclusive auction for these top-tier pieces at the end of the day.

94. Come together for a community potluck

Create a cheap and accessible fundraiser for donors who may be unable to afford entry to your annual gala or other large fundraisers but still want to get involved with your cause. Encourage donors to make a donation through your event page, then show up with an appetite and their favorite meal, dessert, or drink.

95. Partner with local teachers for a meditation night

Recruit a local yoga teacher or qualified volunteer to lead a meditation class for your supporters. Charge a registration fee to attend, then bolster your opportunities for donations by auctioning off a series of guided meditation sessions or a free one-year membership to popular meditation apps like Calm or Headspace.

96. Light up a community bonfire

Get donors together for a night of s’mores, hot chocolate, and campfire songs. Invite donations for entry through a branded campaign page. Recruit donors, beneficiaries, or partners to speak at your bonfire to help bring your mission’s impact to life.

97. Partner for a pub crawl

Host a pub (or restaurant) crawl as a great way to put a philanthropic twist on a fun Saturday night. Plan your route with local breweries that may offer discounts, or ask participating bars and eateries to donate a portion of their profits to your cause. Charge for entry or invite registrants to make contributions at various stops along the crawl.

98. Incorporate tree planting

Support the environment while raising funds for your mission. Partner with a local native plant nursery to auction off trees or invite supporters to donate toward memorial trees planted to honor loved ones.

99. Be artsy with a painting night

Partner with a local artist or painting studio to host an evening for friends to gather for a guided painting class, along with light snacks and drinks. Ask for a donation to reserve a spot in advance.

100. Promote a bingo night

Host a bingo night where participants pay an entrance fee and make donations to get additional bingo cards. Offer a range of donated prizes to encourage participation.

Bring your fundraising ideas to life with GoFundMe Pro

Turn your next fundraising idea into an experience that inspires people to take action. With Live Events, you can bring supporters together through in-person, virtual, or hybrid events. From auctions and mobile bidding to livestreaming, leaderboards, and polls, built-in tools make it easier to engage your community and raise more for your mission.

Beyond events, Campaign Studio makes it easy to create branded fundraising campaigns for every moment. Use flexible, no-code tools to bring your story and brand to life, personalize the giving experience, and launch campaigns quickly. Together, GoFundMe Pro’s fundraising tools help you create experiences that meet supporters where they are and make it easy to get involved.

Nonprofit fundraising ideas: FAQs

What are the most effective nonprofit fundraising ideas?

The best fundraising ideas mix peer-to-peer or community giving with an easy way to join in. Peer-to-peer fundraising works especially well because your supporters ask their own network of friends and family to give. That means more donors, and often bigger gifts, too.

Recurring donations, matching gifts, and Giving Tuesday drives also bring in steady income. Even events offer an opportunity to add social sharing or peer fundraising. That way, you reach more than just ticket buyers.

How do nonprofits raise money through events?

Nonprofits raise money at events in three main ways:

1. Ticket sales
2. Extra giving during the event, like auctions or donation stations
3. Peer fundraising before the event, where supporters set up their own pages and collect pledges

The strongest events use all three. After the event, follow up. A thank-you note, an impact update, or a clear next step can turn a first-time guest into a repeat donor.

What is peer-to-peer fundraising and how does it work for nonprofits?

Peer-to-peer fundraising lets your supporters raise money for you. They create their own fundraising pages and ask their friends and family to give, so your nonprofit doesn’t have to perform cold outreach. Your supporters do the asking instead, and people tend to give more when a friend asks.

To get started, set a goal and a timeline. Then, give supporters a page-building tool and some promotional materials. From there, each person shares their page with their own network. GoFundMe Pro’s peer-to-peer fundraising platform helps nonprofits launch and manage these campaigns for any cause.

How can small nonprofits raise money with limited budgets?

Small nonprofits have plenty of low-cost ways to raise money. Google Ad Grants gives eligible nonprofits up to $10,000 a month in search ads. That’s one of the best returns you’ll find.

There’s also peer-to-peer fundraising, which has a low-cost setup, and it taps into supporters you already have. Community events, like bake sales, car washes, and readathons, also cost little to run. Plus, volunteers can handle almost all the work.

Another option is to claim your Nonprofit Page on GoFundMe. It puts your cause in front of a community of over 200 million. Plus, there’s no platform fee to start a fundraiser.

Celebrity activists can be a powerful game changer for social impact organizations. A celebrity’s fan base, social media following, and public relations opportunities empower them to highlight a problem and promote nonprofits making a difference. Whether they’ve started organizations or partnered with existing ones, these 19 celebrity activists are using their platforms to fight for causes close to their hearts. This expanded lineup reflects an even wider range of causes and communities, from mental health and family farms to social justice and civil rights.

1. Glenn Close

Glenn Close has been acting for over 40 years in films including “The Big Chill” and “Fatal Attraction,” earning six Oscar nominations along the way. After her sister developed bipolar disorder and her nephew developed schizoaffective disorder, Close co-founded Bring Change to Mind to combat the stigma around mental illness. The organization produces public service announcements and social media campaigns that encourage open, honest conversations about mental health.

2. Stephen and Ayesha Curry

NBA star Stephen Curry and his wife, Ayesha, founded the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation in 2019, with a focus on Oakland and the greater San Francisco Bay Area, alongside national initiatives. The organization works to ensure children have access to quality education, nutritious food, and safe places to play. As the Currys put it, “children are our future.”

3. Michael J. Fox

Known for “Back to the Future” and “Family Ties,” Michael J. Fox founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000, following his 1991 diagnosis. Since then, the foundation has funded more than $3 billion in research worldwide, supporting work on everything from enzyme-activity treatments to vaccines and new ways of measuring dyskinesia (Michael J. Fox Foundation, 2026).

4. Angelina Jolie

After filming on location in war-torn Cambodia, Angelina Jolie joined the United Nations Refugee Agency, visiting camps in Sierra Leone and Tanzania and donating $1 million to support Afghan refugees. She has served as the agency’s Special Envoy for refugee issues, conducting dozens of field missions over the years.

5. Willie Nelson

The country music legend organized Farm Aid’s first benefit concert in 1985 alongside Neil Young and John Mellencamp. The annual event continues today, drawing artists like Bob Dylan and Billy Joel to the stage. Farm Aid has raised more than $90 million to support a strong, resilient system of family farms (Farm Aid, 2026).

6. Tim Tebow

The former NFL and MLB player founded the Tim Tebow Foundation to bring faith, hope, and love to people facing their darkest moments. The foundation supports children with life-threatening conditions, helps families navigate international adoptions for children with special needs, and hosts prom-night celebrations for people with special needs. Tebow is also a three-time bestselling author and an ESPN broadcaster.

7. Lauren Miller and Seth Rogen

Lauren Miller Rogen co-founded Hilarity for Charity in 2012, after her mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 55. The nonprofit supports families affected by the disease, activates a new generation of young advocates, and funds brain health research.

8. Gary Sinise

Known for his role in “Forrest Gump,” Gary Sinise founded the Gary Sinise Foundation after September 11, 2001, to support the military community. Amazon has been a longtime partner, renewing its multiyear commitment in December 2025 with an additional $3 million in funding over three years, along with volunteer hours, product donations, and support for the foundation’s mortgage-free smart homes for severely wounded veterans (Gary Sinise Foundation, 2025).

9. America Ferrera

America Ferrera co-founded Harness in 2016, alongside Wilmer Valderrama and Ryan Piers Williams, in the wake of that year’s election. The organization advances racial, gender, and civic justice by bringing artists, storytellers, and grassroots organizers together to drive culture change. Ferrera has also taken part in women’s marches and partnered with organizations like Poderistas.

10. George and Amal Clooney

Academy Award winner George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice to combat the detention and prosecution of journalists. The foundation also supports women, girls, LGBTQ+ people, and others who are targeted by unfair laws around the world.

11. Emma Watson

The “Harry Potter” actress became a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014, using the role to promote girls’ education and support humanitarian work in countries including Zambia and Bangladesh.

12. Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to support environmental restoration and protect endangered species. He also co-wrote and produced “The 11th Hour,” a 2007 documentary about global warming.

Black celebrity activists and philanthropists

Black celebrities have long used their platforms to support causes in their own communities, from education and health to civil rights and social justice. These famous black activists and black philanthropists are just a few of the many using their influence to drive lasting change. For more on this history, and more Black-led nonprofits to support, see GoFundMe Pro’s guide to Black Philanthropy Month.

13. LeBron James

LeBron James founded the LeBron James Family Foundation, which partners with Akron Public Schools to run the I PROMISE School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The school serves at-risk students and their families with wraparound support, including services for the whole family, not just the enrolled student (LeBron James Family Foundation).

14. Michael Jordan

In 2020, Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand pledged $100 million over 10 years to organizations advancing racial equity, social justice, and educational access for Black communities (Forbes, 2020). The commitment continues to fund grants to organizations working on criminal justice reform, education, and economic empowerment.

15. Magic Johnson

After his own HIV diagnosis in 1991, Magic Johnson became one of the most visible advocates for HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention. Through the Magic Johnson Foundation, he has spent more than 30 years supporting community health, education, and economic empowerment programs (Magic Johnson Foundation).

16. Chris Paul

As president of the National Basketball Players Association, Chris Paul helped establish the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition alongside the NBA in 2020 (NBA, 2020). Paul is also a longtime supporter of historically Black colleges and universities, partnering with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame through the Chris Paul Family Foundation to host the annual Chris Paul HBCU Classic (Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, 2025).

17. Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington has served as a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for decades, crediting the organization with helping shape who he became. In 2022, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognized in part for that longtime work (Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 2022).

18. Serena Williams

Through the Serena Williams Fund, the tennis champion has helped build schools for children in Jamaica and several African countries (Borgen Magazine). In 2011, she was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, supporting the organization’s Schools for Africa and Schools for Asia programs (UN News, 2011).

19. Bernice King

Bernice King is CEO of The King Center, carrying forward the nonviolence and social justice work of her father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Under her leadership, the center continues to train new generations of leaders in the philosophy and practice of nonviolent social change (The King Center).

Building pathways to raise more with celebrity activism

Actors, musicians, athletes, and other celebrities are uniquely positioned to drive social change, because fame amplifies their voices. None of this work happens without the tireless commitment of nonprofit professionals and volunteers, but many causes have still benefitted from a celebrity ambassador or supporter. At GoFundMe Pro, we’re committed to helping more organizations connect with the supporters, partners, and public figures who can grow their awareness and drive further impact for good. With one of the largest giving communities in the world, GoFundMe Pro can help your organization build the same kind of momentum.

Build Your Support With GoFundMe Pro

At GoFundMe, we’re working to better understand what motivates people to support nonprofit fundraising. Our research began with one central question: What motivates someone to fundraise for a nonprofit?

From there, we looked more closely at what makes a fundraising opportunity worth saying yes to, and what nonprofits need to successfully activate supporters around that opportunity.

We found that people fundraise when it feels personal, possible, and timely. The strongest motivation begins with a genuine connection to the cause. Then, it grows when the activity fits a supporter’s life and there’s a clear reason to act now.

Note: These directional findings draw on 20 one-on-one, 60-minute interviews with people who’ve fundraised for nonprofits, followed by 8 additional 60-minute interviews focused on activity-based fundraising campaigns (also known as fundraising challenges). The qualitative findings explain patterns and motivations, but don’t represent every nonprofit supporter or predict participation rates.

5 key drivers that turn passive supporters into active fundraisers

Across our interviews, people described that shift less as a single decision and more as a moment when personal connection, confidence, and timing come together.

5 forces drive that shift:

• Personal connection and shared values: The cause matters to the supporter or to someone close to them. Fundraising becomes a way to honor that relationship or express what they care about.
• Fit with existing habits and interests: Participation feels easier when the activity is already part of a person’s routine, such as walking, running, cycling, or another familiar pursuit.
• Impact that feels worth the effort: Supporters weigh the work required against the difference they believe they can make. Lowering friction raises the likelihood that intention becomes action.
• Emotionally meaningful moments: Birthdays, weddings, memorials, holidays, awareness periods, and milestones can create a natural opportunity for fundraising.
• Belonging and shared experience: Teams and group challenges add fun, accountability, and connection. Supporters aren’t just raising money. They’re participating in something together.

A direct invitation or sense of obligation can also prompt someone to act. However, the most durable motivation tends to come from a genuine connection to the cause and a personally meaningful reason to participate.

When someone has been personally touched by a cause—as a patient, caregiver, survivor, neighbor, or community member—they bring something invaluable to fundraising: authentic motivation.

They want to do something meaningful. They want to rally the people they know. And they want to turn that motivation into impact for your nonprofit.

3 core conditions of a high-converting fundraising challenge

Cause connection drives the motivation, habits make the action feel possible, and timing gives people a reason to begin.

Activity-based fundraising gives nonprofits a structured way to activate that supporter energy. Your organization can rally its community around a compelling moment, put your mission and brand front and center, and empower supporters to expand your reach through their own networks.

However, a successful campaign takes more than a good idea. It requires the right audience, resources, timing, and reason to participate.

3 conditions make that possible:

• Cause affinity: A personal or deep family connection makes the cause urgent and gives the organizer a specific person or story to honor
• Achievable activity: An activity already within someone’s ability or routine lowers the perceived commitment and makes participation feel credible
• Right timing: Available capacity or a timely social or seasonal context creates a realistic opportunity to participate and sometimes provides a ready audience

For nonprofit teams, organizer enthusiasm can also raise some practical questions:

• How much support will this person need?
• Will they know what to say?
• How will they promote their fundraiser?
• How do we support them alongside everything else we already do?

Organizers have questions of their own:

• Where do I start?
• What should I say?
• How do I share something this personal, or ask people for money?

Our guide, How to host a high-performing fundraising challenge, explores best practices for building and running your campaign using GoFundMe tools.

6 nonprofit readiness factors for activity-based fundraising

Drawing on our experience providing hundreds of nonprofits with the technology to run their activity-based campaigns—and seeing what worked well and what didn’t—we’ve distilled a list of six criteria to help you determine if and when your organization might benefit from this type of campaign.

Use them as a readiness check, not a rigid scorecard. These are patterns we’ve seen across campaigns, not requirements or a guarantee of results. Needs vary widely by cause, audience, and format.

You have an engaged supporter base

The size of your audience matters, but engagement matters just as much. Activity-based campaigns work best when supporters see your mission as something they can actively be part of. Look for signs that your community already wants to engage: active volunteers, high event participation, enthusiastic ambassadors, active local chapters, passionate beneficiaries and families, or strong social engagement.

You’re well positioned if:

• You have an established, engaged list of contacts with particularly strong engagement.
• You can identify likely organizers, not just donors.
• You have active supporter groups, such as donors, volunteers, event participants, advocates, alumni, beneficiaries, or families.

You can invest in marketing and campaign support

Activity-based campaigns need fuel to build momentum. Your organization should be prepared to recruit participants, amplify their stories, and keep your campaign visible throughout its run.

You’re well positioned if:

• You can dedicate a reasonable amount to paid marketing.
• You can invest in channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, and retargeting.
• You have resources for creative development and potentially influencer or community partnerships.
• You have a dedicated staff member or agency partner who can own the campaign.

You have the right technology

GoFundMe removes barriers between the moment someone feels inspired to help and the moment they can start making an impact. With simple setup, story assistance, intuitive sharing tools, and fundraiser coaching, GoFundMe helps supporters navigate many of the questions that might otherwise fall to your nonprofit team.

And with campaign creation, prebuilt templates, and reporting in GoFundMe Pro, your team will have the control and visibility they need throughout the entire campaign lifecycle.

You have enough time to plan

Strong activity- or goal-based campaigns build momentum well before launch. Give your team at least 8 weeks to plan and execute, with 12–16 weeks being ideal.

That runway gives you time to develop the campaign concept, create compelling assets, recruit your first fundraisers, build communications, test marketing, and align internal teams. Your campaign should also have a clear owner who can keep all those pieces moving.

You can activate your audience across channels

Your existing supporter communications can be one of your strongest recruitment tools. When you reach the right people with the right message and learn from their response, you can turn an audience into active participants.

You’re well positioned if:

• You use a customer relationship management software for data consolidation and an email marketing platform for external communication.
• You can segment supporters based on engagement, participation, or donor history.
• You can run recruitment, motivation, urgency, and follow-up communications.
• You track engagement and can optimize your approach based on performance.

GoFundMe also provides coaching and onboarding emails to help organizers along the way.

You have a compelling “why now?”

The strongest activity- or goal-based campaigns give supporters a reason to act now, rather than simply asking them to fundraise at some point. That moment could be an awareness month, organizational milestone, seasonal campaign, community event, urgent funding need, or another natural opportunity to rally people around your mission.

Ask yourself one question: Why should a supporter participate in this campaign today instead of another time?

If the answer is clear and compelling, you have a strong foundation for your campaign.

Is your organization ready to launch an activity-based P2P campaign?

The right conditions for an activity-based campaign come down to four things:

• An engaged audience
• A compelling reason to act now
• The resources to support the campaign
• A community excited to rally others around the mission

If that sounds like your organization, you may already have the ingredients for a powerful P2P campaign. The next step is turning those ingredients into a challenge supporters are excited to join, share, and make their own.

The network effect of P2P fundraising

When a supporter champions your mission, they bring the cause into a trusted network and tell the story through a personal lens. That can create generosity, awareness, and engagement far beyond a single donation. The opportunity isn’t merely to convince everyone to fundraise. It’s to help the right supporters act on the motivation they already have.

Instead of requiring every supporter to become a fundraising expert—or your staff to coach every organizer through every step—GoFundMe Pro helps people move from I want to help to I’ve started something with confidence.

While silent auctions might not be top of mind to nonprofits when it comes to fundraising, they’re an effective way to engage your donor base and involve local businesses in your cause.

A silent auction can stand alone as an online campaign with mobile bidding, or it can be part of your next event to take its impact even further. Plus, bidders get to have fun competing for their favorite prizes, all while supporting a good cause.

Below, we’ll explore nonprofit silent auction ideas, including baskets, bid sheets, and fundraising tips, to help you get started. And when you’re ready, you can streamline the process of creating and activating your own silent auction using intuitive auction software.

What are some tips for running a silent auction?

Event software built for nonprofits can make running your silent auction far easier. GoFundMe Pro’s Live Events platform helps you manage reserve prices to keep opening bids low and encourage participation while still protecting an item’s value.

Bidders can also set a maximum bid and let the platform rebid automatically up to that limit, freeing your team from watching the bid floor.

Payment is simple, too. Saved card details mean bidders can check out with a swipe or a tap, no cash or checks required.

How to create silent auction bid sheets

A good bid sheet gives bidders everything they need to make a confident offer. At minimum, it should include:

• The item name and description
• The item’s fair market value
• The starting bid
• The minimum bid increment
• The bidder’s name and number

You have two paths for putting silent auction bid sheets together. You can print or download a template and fill it in by hand, or use GoFundMe Pro’s built-in digital bid sheet templates, which stay linked to your live bidding data—so you’re not reconciling paper sheets after the event.

Most people who search for bid sheet help want a template to start from, so having one ready to go, in either format, saves your team time on event day.

How do you solicit items for a silent auction?

Start by making a list of the items you want, then identify individuals, groups, or organizations that are most likely to donate them before you reach out. Friends, family, nonprofit board members, volunteers, and others already involved with your organization are a natural first stop, along with new local businesses that fit your cause.

Reach out by email, phone, or in person, whatever fits the relationship best. And when you approach a potential donor, lead with your organization’s mission, explain how their business or product aligns with your audience, and be specific about how you’ll feature their donation and the community impact of the event.

30 good ideas for a silent auction

Good silent auction items match your event’s theme and your attendees’ interests. Below, you’ll find 30 ideas grouped by theme, from travel and experiences to sports, wellness, music, food, and services.

Travel and accommodations

• 1. Photo shoot: Local artists and photographers may want to donate a family portrait day or professional headshot session.
• 2. Weekend getaway: Everyone loves a good staycation. Check with nearby resorts or campgrounds to offer a weekend getaway as an auction item.
• 3. All-inclusive trip: An all-inclusive trip to the Caribbean is sure to be a popular auction item. Reach out to cruise lines and resorts for potential donations.
• 4. Hotel stay: Nights at boutique hotels or bed and breakfasts make great silent auction items. You can also offer credits to a larger national hotel chain so winners can book a stay at a location of their choice.
• 5. Airline tickets: Flight credits give silent auction bidders a chance to win discounted travel to a destination of their choice.

Experiences and activities

• 6. Date night: A great date night bundle might include gift cards curated together, such as a restaurant reservation, a limo ride, and movie tickets.
• 7. Spa day: Wellness providers in your area may want to donate spa services, like manicures, pedicures, facials, or massages.
• 8. Brewery tour: Local breweries may be willing to offer VIP tours of their facilities along with tastings.
• 9. Sunset or harbor cruise: If your nonprofit is near a river or bay, see if a local company offers evening boat rides.
• 10. Museum tickets: Tickets to art museums, science centers, and other cultural institutions make for fun excursions.
• 11. Theme park tickets: Amusement park lovers in your community might be enticed with tickets to Disney World, Dollywood, or Six Flags.
• 12. Comedy night: Tickets to a stand-up comedian touring the area, or another local comedy night, can be an appealing auction item.
• 13. Hot air balloon ride: A hot air balloon ride is on many people’s bucket lists, so having one donated for your silent auction is bound to encourage bidding.
• 14. Outdoor adventure activity: Local outfitters and guides may want to donate an excursion, like hiking, kayaking, bungee jumping, horseback riding, or rafting.

Sports

• 15. Sporting event tickets: Tickets to local minor league games or a favorite regional team are popular items.
• 16. Sports memorabilia: Signed baseballs, footballs, and other memorabilia from favorite athletes make for a memorable auction item.
• 17. Meet and greet with an athlete: A local athlete might be willing to donate a meet and greet or similar outing.
• 18. Golf outing: A round of golf at your local golf course is a great silent auction idea.
• 19. Ski pass: A ski pass lets the winning bidder plan a future trip to the slopes.

Fitness and wellness

• 20. Yoga classes: Local yoga studios might be willing to donate class packs or a monthly membership.
• 21. Spin classes: Spin studios are another favorite workout spot for many people, and a class pack makes an easy auction item.

Music and entertainment

• 22. Concert tickets: Local theaters or musicians may want to donate tickets to an upcoming performance.
• 23. Backstage passes: Music lovers will enjoy the chance to meet their favorite musicians and get special access to a concert with backstage passes.
• 24. Signed instruments or albums: Your network may be able to help you secure a signed instrument, album, or photo from a famous musician or local band.
• 25. Music lessons: A local music teacher might be willing to donate a few hours for bidders interested in learning guitar, piano, or another instrument.

Food and dining

• 26. Local restaurant gift certificates: Gift certificates to favorite nearby restaurants are good auction items for bidders across budget levels.
• 27. Wine tasting: A wine-tasting experience makes a great gift basket, paired with a bottle of wine, a wine opener, and other related items.
• 28. Cooking lessons: A cooking class is a great way to offer an experience that foodies will love.
• 29. Food gift basket: A themed basket, such as one for dessert lovers or one with everything needed to make the perfect charcuterie board, is sure to attract foodies.

Services

• 30. Landscaping services: A local provider might be willing to donate pruning, lawn mowing, or gardening services for the winning bidder.

Creative silent auction basket ideas

Bundling a few related items into a themed basket is one of the easiest ways to turn everyday donations into a bigger draw. For example, a “date night” basket might pair a restaurant gift card with movie tickets, whereas a “spa day” basket could combine a massage voucher with candles and bath products. Similarly, a “family game night” basket works well built around board games and snacks, and a “local business” basket lets you group gift cards from a few nearby shops into one package.

To build your own nonprofit silent auction basket ideas, start with a theme, source 3–5 related items that fit it, and price the basket above what the individual items would sell for on their own. A well-themed basket often draws more bids than its contents would separately.

Engage event attendees and boost fundraising revenue with creative silent auction ideas

Once you identify creative silent auction items for your nonprofit fundraising, you’ll be off to a great start. From there, the best strategy is to tap your existing network first, then reach out to local businesses for items you can’t source internally.

GoFundMe Pro’s Live Events platform makes the logistics easier on your team, whether your event is in person, virtual, or a mix of both, while giving attendees a bidding experience that’s simple to use from their phone.

Silent auction FAQs

What is a good starting bid for a silent auction?

A good starting bid is usually well below an item’s fair market value, often somewhere around 40%–50% of it, so bidders feel like they get a deal from the first offer. Setting a reserve price protects the item’s value while still keeping the door open for a low opening bid.

How do you create a silent auction bid sheet?

List the item name and description, its fair market value, a starting bid, a minimum bid increment, and the bidder’s name and number. See the bid sheets section above for the full breakdown, including a digital option that skips the paper altogether.

What are the basic rules for a silent auction?

Most silent auctions run on a few shared rules:

• Bidders write their name and offer on the sheet next to an item.
• Each new bid has to meet the minimum increment.
• Whoever has the highest bid when time is called wins the item.

Additionally, clear signage and a firm end time help keep things fair and easy to follow.

Fundraising events are one of the best ways for nonprofits to engage donors, attract new supporters, and raise funds. From dinners to marathons, live events create meaningful moments that can turn one-time donors into lifelong supporters of your cause.

However, success depends on careful planning and execution. With the right preparation, you can create an engaging experience that drives donations and builds lasting connections with your supporters. Whether hosting a gala, 5k, or virtual event, we can help you launch a successful fundraising experience.

This checklist will guide you through the key elements, from setting up mobile-friendly donation pages to using text-to-give tools, ensuring your campaign is easy to engage with and delivers strong results.

Types of nonprofit fundraising events

Nonprofits can select from a wide range of fundraising event formats. Some go big with black-tie galas. Others keep it casual with backyard walkathons or live streams. And some skip a central event altogether. Whatever type you go for, this nonprofit event checklist covers what every event needs.

Galas and dinners

Think seated dinners with a program, plus live or silent auctions and paddle raises woven in. Galas work best when you want face time with your mid-to-major donors. For planning guidance, see the GoFundMe Pro gala guide.

Runs, walks, and athons

Participant-led events built around peer-to-peer fundraising allow each registrant to fundraise on your behalf. They collect pledges from their own network, and the giving doesn’t stop at the finish line. It starts well before the event and often continues after. For step-by-step guidance, explore our run and walk planning guide.

Virtual and hybrid events

These events expand your reach beyond your local area and reduce venue costs. Live streams, virtual auctions, and online giving days are all common ways to run them.

Community and peer-to-peer events

In these events, supporters take the lead. Think birthday fundraisers, personal challenges, or DIY events. Or your nonprofit doesn’t have to run a central event at all. For a full breakdown of how to reach and rally more of these supporters, explore our peer-to-peer guide.

Pre-event planning essentials

Before diving into campaign details, start by building a strong foundation. Define your fundraising goals and align them with your nonprofit’s mission. Are you focused on attracting new donors, increasing donations from current supporters, or raising more with peer-to-peer fundraising? Knowing your goals will shape your event strategy.

Next, decide on your event format. In-person events create face-to-face moments with your community, whereas virtual events extend that same connection to supporters who can’t attend in person, widening your reach without losing the personal touch. Hybrid events combine both, giving you flexibility to involve more people and accommodate different needs.

Also, offer a flexible giving experience. Today’s donors expect options like credit cards, Apple Pay, and Venmo. Adding text-to-donate tools can also boost participation, making it easy for supporters to give during your event.

Event page optimization

Your registration page is the center of your fundraising event. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly, as many supporters will access it from their phones or tablets. A seamless mobile experience is essential to keep donors engaged.

Build simple, compelling registration pages that allow people to register to attend, fundraise on your behalf, and donate. Also, use visuals like impact statements, photos, and testimonials to tell your story and motivate donors.

If you’re hosting an in-person event, add QR codes to your materials for attendees to quickly access your donation page. This eliminates the need for typing long URLs and makes it easier for supporters to give.

Technology and platform integrations

Choose a fundraising platform that supports every aspect of your event. The right platform should handle event registration, enable mobile giving, and integrate with your donor management systems. GoFundMe Pro’s Live Events offers features like donation tracking, real-time reporting, and flexible setup for in-person, online, or hybrid events. It also enhances day-of-event engagement with support for live and silent auctions.

Integration is key. Your platform should sync with your customer relationship management software to keep donor information organized and simplify personalized follow-ups. Look for tools that offer text messaging capabilities to remind supporters about deadlines, share updates, and promote giving opportunities.

If your event includes auctions, consider adding mobile bidding software. This allows bidders to browse items, place bids, and get outbid alerts right from their phones.

Registration and ticketing setup

Streamline your event registration to make it easy for attendees to sign up. You can also offer multiple ticket types, such as VIP packages, general admission, and virtual attendance. Each ticket should clearly outline what it includes and specify any tax-deductible items.

For runs, walks, and athons, though, registration means more than ticketing. These events give each participant their own fundraising page so they can collect pledges from friends and family before, during, and after the event. Setting this up at registration rather than as an afterthought is what separates a real fundraiser from a simple ticket sale.

Your event registration software should accommodate group purchases and collect additional information, like dietary needs or seating preferences, during the registration process. Early-bird pricing is a great way to encourage sign-ups and help you plan the details. You can also offer discount codes for volunteers, board members, or major donors to recognize their contributions.

Also, add opportunities for attendees to donate during registration. Many supporters are willing to give beyond the ticket price, and making this easy can boost your overall fundraising.

Mobile giving and payment processing

A seamless payment experience is essential for modern nonprofit fundraising. Your payment processor should handle various payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and recurring donations. Ensure the system is fast, reliable, and works seamlessly across mobile devices.

Text-to-donate tools also provide an easy way for people to give during your event, especially during emotional moments or urgent appeals. Set up keywords that supporters can text along with their donation amounts and provide automated responses to complete the process.

A flexible giving platform like GoFundMe Pay can offer multiple giving options to meet different preferences, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo, to make giving more convenient.

Content and communication strategy

A strong content and communication plan is essential to driving excitement and engagement. Build a content calendar that focuses on pre-event promotion, event-day updates, and post-event follow-ups. Then, share behind-the-scenes moments, feature testimonials, and highlight your mission to create personal connections.

For peer-to-peer fundraising, provide participants with resources like email templates, social media graphics, and talking points to help them raise money on your behalf.

Also, use multiple channels to reach your audience. Text messages work well for urgent updates, emails can provide detailed information, and social media can broaden your reach. Tailor your messaging for each platform while keeping it consistent.

Promotion timeline and tactics

Timing your promotion right can elevate or alter your fundraising event planning. Here’s how to sequence it by format and channel.

• Galas and other large in-person events: Begin promoting 6–8 weeks out, giving you room for venue RSVPs and sponsor outreach.
• Runs, walks, and athons: Start 8–12 weeks out, since participants need time to collect pledges from their networks. Give each participant their own fundraising page link and a ready-to-share kit, including photos, a caption, and a prewritten ask, the moment they register, not the week before. That way, each participant becomes their own outreach channel, reaching people your nonprofit couldn’t reach alone.
• Virtual events: Start 2–4 weeks out, since there’s less logistics to coordinate.

Once your promotion is live, keep the momentum steady rather than front-loading all your outreach. Share regular updates, spotlight early supporters, and remind registrants to activate their personal fundraising pages. This middle stretch is where consistent, low-key touchpoints, like a check-in email here or a social media post there, keep your event visible without wearing out your audience before the final push.

In the last 7–10 days before your event, shift into countdown mode. Use urgency-driven posts to reach supporters who’ve registered but haven’t shared or given yet. On the event day itself, post real-time updates. These are great for pulling in last-minute gifts from people who can’t attend in person.

Day-of-event implementation

On the day of your event, ensure your team has the necessary mobile fundraising tools for seamless real-time management. Our Live Events mobile app lets staff check in guests, access registration lists and donor data, and use communication features to keep things running smoothly.

Set up donation stations at your venue with tablets or QR codes for on-site giving. Volunteers can then assist attendees who need help accessing donation pages. You can also use digital displays to show real-time fundraising totals and highlight top donors or fundraising teams to encourage participation.

Also, text messaging is a powerful tool during live events. Use it to share updates, fundraising milestones, or time-sensitive opportunities, like auction closings. Keep the energy high by celebrating progress toward your goals.

Auction and special activities

If your event includes auctions, use mobile bidding tools for a user-friendly and engaging process. Clear item descriptions, high-quality photos, and reasonable starting bids are key. You can even include “buy now” options for popular items to increase donations.

For paddle raises or live pledges, integrate mobile giving tools for participants to make their contributions instantly. This also helps virtual attendees join in the giving, creating a more inclusive experience.

To add friendly competition, gamify your event. Display leaderboards for fundraisers or table groups to inspire donors to give more.

Live Events tools make it easy to bring any of these fundraising efforts to life, enhancing attendee involvement, streamlining communications, and increasing revenue for your cause.

Post-event follow-up and stewardship

Follow up with donors immediately after your event to thank them for their support. Be sure to personalize your messages based on their contributions and explain how their money will make an impact. Using photos or videos from the event reinforces your gratitude.

Next, segment your audience for future outreach. First-time donors may need different follow-up strategies than VIP attendees or major donors. Use the data collected during your event to craft meaningful, targeted communication plans for each segment. Sending a short post-event survey can also help you gather direct feedback. See our guide to donor survey questions for examples you can adapt.

You can also share highlights from your event through social media, email newsletters, or blog posts. Showcasing the success of your event keeps donors engaged and demonstrates the impact of their contributions.

Also, encourage attendees to join your recurring giving program if they haven’t already. Monthly donations provide consistent revenue and help sustain your nonprofit’s work throughout the year.

How far in advance should you plan a fundraising event?

Most fundraising events need 3–6 months of overall planning lead time. This covers everything beyond promotion, like venue booking, staffing, budgeting, and vendor contracts.

Galas and other large in-person events typically need the most runway, 6–12 months, to secure a venue and sponsors. Runs, walks, and athons usually need 8–12 weeks to handle permits, route logistics, and participant registration. Virtual events move the fastest, usually needing 4–8 weeks to finalize your platform and production plan.

Once your overall planning timeline is set, layer in the promotion schedule outlined above to keep both tracks moving together.

Measuring fundraising event success and planning ahead

After your fundraising event, review your results to see what worked and where you can improve. Look at metrics like total dollars raised, attendee acquisition costs, and average donation amounts. You should also review platform-level data, like registration completion rates, average gift size by payment method, and peer-to-peer fundraising page performance, to see which giving tools and features drove the most donations.

Next, document lessons learned and create a playbook for future events. Capture details about what succeeded, what didn’t, and how you can make your next event even better.

Lastly, start planning your next event while this one is fresh in your mind. Annual events build momentum year after year, and incorporating new ideas or technologies can keep them exciting for supporters.

With the right planning, tools, and strategy, your fundraising event can inspire generosity and create lasting connections. That’s what we call a success. To explore how GoFundMe Pro Live Events can simplify your fundraising event planning and boost your results, request a demo today.

When a disaster happens, nonprofits are often the first to mobilize and the last to leave. They step in to provide urgent relief, such as food, clean water, shelter, and medical care. Equally critical, they remain on the ground long after the headlines fade, helping communities rebuild, restoring infrastructure, and supporting long-term recovery.

Nonprofits play a vital role in getting resources where needed most, but they can’t do it alone. Fundraising is one of the most powerful ways to make this possible.

Below, we’ll walk you through practical steps, tools, and strategies to launch an effective disaster relief campaign. From preparing your nonprofit to creating a donation page that seamlessly converts, you’ll learn how to raise money and maximize impact when it’s needed most.

Why start an emergency campaign?

Disasters capture public attention and inspire immediate generosity, creating a pivotal moment for nonprofits. In fact, a 2025 survey found that donors directed 59% of their total annual charitable giving toward disaster relief.

By launching an emergency campaign, your nonprofit can turn this surge of goodwill into urgent aid and lasting support. Acting quickly not only delivers help when needed most but also builds relationships with new donors who can sustain long-term natural disaster recovery.

However, the need doesn’t disappear when public attention moves on. Mental health nonprofits, like crisis hotlines and counseling centers, often see their greatest demand 3–12 months after a disaster.

Environmental recovery can take even longer. Floods, wildfires, and industrial accidents can contaminate water, degrade habitats, and disrupt access to safe drinking water.

Addressing that damage takes years, not weeks. A well-planned emergency campaign helps your nonprofit respond now while sustaining donor engagement for the long road ahead.

Disaster fundraising across cause types

Not all disaster fundraising looks the same. Here are three common cause types and how each one shifts your approach.

Physical disaster relief

This category covers urgent needs, such as food, shelter, clean water, medical care, and rebuilding. Donors often act quickly after a disaster, making it critical to launch your campaign while the awareness and the desire to help are at their peak.

Contributions can fund first responders, emergency shelters, meal programs, temporary housing, and rebuilding crews. Because these needs are immediate and highly visible, disaster relief campaigns often gain momentum faster than other cause types. In the first few days, clear and specific asks, such as providing a week of meals or temporary housing for a family, tend to be especially effective.

Mental health and trauma response

This includes crisis counseling, trauma therapy, mental health centers, and crisis hotlines. In disaster fundraising, often the hardest stretch comes later, once the rebuilding is over. That’s when the mental health toll really starts to show. Focus your messaging on that ongoing need, not just the first moments of crisis. Recurring gifts work well here, as donor attention can fade before the need does.

Environmental and water causes

This category covers clean water initiatives, wildfire habitat restoration, flood control, and pollution cleanup. Because environmental recovery can take years, focus on measurable milestones rather than a single distant goal.

Show donors steady evidence of progress, such as acres restored, waterways cleaned, or families regaining access to safe running water. Photos and regular updates make these results tangible and help sustain trust over time. Recurring gifts are especially valuable because they provide reliable funding for the long-term work these projects require.

Preparing your nonprofit to mobilize quickly

Nonprofit organizations that prepare for emergency response are better positioned to launch disaster relief fundraising and support first responders on the ground. Grant preparedness is a big part of a nonprofit’s overall emergency readiness strategy.

Start by assessing your nonprofit’s readiness for an emergency response. Building a crisis team with clear roles ensures nothing gets overlooked when a disaster happens. For example:

• A decision-maker can set goals and delegate tasks
• A spokesperson can communicate with volunteers and the media
• A social media coordinator can share updates with your community in real time

Having these roles assigned early means your team can act quickly when every hour counts.

Equally important is developing a communication strategy before a crisis occurs. Drafting email and social media templates now allows you to send timely appeals later. These messages should include placeholders:

• Explaining the situation
• Outlining immediate needs
• Showing how donations will make a direct impact

Creating a compelling disaster relief fundraising campaign

A strong fundraising campaign starts with a clear, emotional story. When a disaster happens, donors want to know exactly what happened, why support is urgent, and how their contributions will make a difference. Use your donation page to explain the immediate need and reassure supporters that their donations will go directly to helping affected communities.

Trust and transparency are essential. That’s why it’s critical to be clear about how you’ll allocate funds. As the campaign progresses, update your page with new information, photos, and milestones to show the impact of donations. Sharing supporter testimonials or stories from the ground can also help build credibility and inspire others to give.

Prepare your campaign essentials in advance so you can respond quickly. Keep your logo, nonprofit boilerplate, approved messaging, and a library of high-quality photos organized and ready to use. When an emergency arises, you’ll be able to launch an effective crowdfunding campaign without delay.

GoFundMe Pro makes this process even smoother. With proven, ready-to-use templates optimized for performance, you can create an emergency relief donation page in a few clicks with the following features:

• Urgency-focused messaging
• A prominent call to action
• Intelligent Ask Amounts
• Social sharing incentives

You’ll also have access to key blocks, including:

• Activity feeds
• Share buttons
• Impact blocks
• FAQs
• Donation forms
• Transaction details

Plus, by tapping into your brand kit, including logos, colors, and fonts, you’ll ensure every campaign looks consistent without extra setup.

Finally, set a realistic fundraising goal. The number should reflect the urgency of the disaster and the scale of the relief you aim to provide. A clear, attainable goal helps motivate donors and builds momentum as you approach each milestone. And remember, donations made through your nonprofit’s campaign may be tax-deductible gifts, giving supporters another reason to give generously.

Extend your reach with a fundraiser on GoFundMe

In addition to creating a dedicated emergency donation page, consider launching a disaster relief fundraiser on GoFundMe. You can reach a community of more than 200 million who can donate directly or fundraise on your behalf, carrying your campaign beyond your existing donor base. Track funds raised across GoFundMe and GoFundMe Pro in your Pro dashboard for a complete view of campaign performance.

7 effective fundraising and supporter stewardship strategies

Raising funds for disaster relief efforts requires more than a donation button. By combining multiple approaches and keeping supporters engaged, nonprofits can maximize their impact and build a strong, lasting community of donors. Here are seven disaster relief fundraising ideas to guide your efforts.

1. Use multichannel promotion

Promote your campaign across emails, social media, your website, and paid ads to reach the widest audience possible. Each channel offers unique opportunities to connect with supporters, share updates, and highlight urgent needs.

2. Partner with local businesses and community leaders

Amplify your reach and credibility with local partnerships. Businesses can sponsor virtual events, match donations, or share your campaign with their networks, and community leaders can help spread the word and encourage participation. Collaborating with trusted voices strengthens your nonprofit’s presence in the community.

3. Incorporate peer-to-peer into your approach

Encourage supporters to create mini-campaigns on your behalf through peer-to-peer fundraising. By empowering individuals to share your mission with their friends and family, they expand your online fundraising reach. This method turns your supporters into ambassadors for your cause.

4. Thank donors and share impact updates regularly

Show appreciation by sending timely thank-you messages and progress updates. Highlight how donations address immediate needs and include photos or stories from the scene of action. Regular communication builds trust and encourages continued support.

5. Engage recurring donors and encourage increased gifts

Invite established recurring donors to increase their monthly gifts or give a one-time donation in addition to their ongoing amount. Small increases from multiple donors can add up to a significant boost for your fundraising campaign.

6. Use social proof and donor stories to build a community

Share stories from donors and the people your nonprofit serves to help create a sense of community. Social proof—such as testimonials, milestone celebrations, social media shoutouts, donation activity feeds, and other recognitions of supporters—reinforces the impact of giving and encourages others to participate.

7. Leverage earned media and outreach

Expand your nonprofit’s visibility with earned media, such as news coverage, social media mentions, and influencer endorsements. Reach out to journalists and media outlets with compelling stories and integrate your campaign into your owned channels to amplify coverage. This strategy increases credibility, drives more donations, and supports your crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising efforts.

Mobilize support for effective disaster relief fundraising

By preparing your nonprofit, creating compelling campaigns, and engaging supporters strategically, you can provide emergency relief quickly and effectively while building a community of support that lasts.

GoFundMe Pro provides templates and tools to help nonprofits launch campaigns quickly, like Grand Canyon Conservancy did in response to the Dragon Bravo Fire, while also connecting them to GoFundMe’s wider network of supporters looking to make a difference.

Explore other stories about nonprofit’s disaster relief efforts on GoFundMe Pro, or request a demo to learn how you can launch your next disaster relief campaign with us.