A-Z Fundraising Ideas

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Abseil - Set the bar high with an abseil. Whether it's off the side of your local town hall or the side of Battersea power station you’re sure to get noticed.

Auction / Auction of promises - Do you have too many records in your collection, or maybe you're able to source some sought after sports memorabilia? Then an auction could be the charity fundraising activity for you. You could even auction off your skill-set - could an evening of waiting on your friends help you raise funds?

Afternoon tea - Ready to debate how to pronounce 'scone'? Then why not host an afternoon tea? Whether you do it at work, home or a local venue, we're a nation of tea drinkers, so your event is sure to prove popular.

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B

Bake sale - Make like Mary Berry and bake your way to fundraising success. Whether you run the event at work, school or your home be sure to find out about any specialist diets (or perhaps just favourites) first to maximise sales!

Bingo - If the phrase "2 little ducks" brings a smile to your face then bingo could be the activity for you! Keep it fun and adapt the game for your audience. If they're celebrity obsessed why not use photographs of famous people instead of numbers?

Beard shaving - You may love your furry face, but would the idea of you shaving it off have family and friends reaching into their pockets? Why not let them dye it too before the big shave, to raise extra funds for life-saving research?

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C

Coffee mornings - Most people rely on a coffee to start the day so hosting a coffee morning is a great way to fundraise. If you're looking to host outside of the workplace, why not tie in with your local book club? Or if you know a friend who is already running a bake sale, you could partner up!

Cinema screening - A film screening could be the perfect fundraising idea for you whatever the season. Whether it's hosted in the school hall, work canteen, or on a projector outside, only one thing will stand between you and success – popcorn. So buy your own kernels and raise extra cash for charity on the night!

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D

Dinner Party - Our top tip: pick a theme. You could focus on the origins of the food you serve or go theme first, food second and serve dishes from your favourite film.

Dances / Disco - Will you host your dance at home or will your hire a local venue? We've helped lots of supporters raise funds this way so if a disco is how you want to raise money get in touch and let us help you fundraise too.

Darts match - Set your sights on bulls-eye and keep the game serious by charging an entry fee to raise funds. Or keep it fun and set challenges like throwing whilst on one leg and charge per throw. If you are or know a local darts champion why not charge a fee to play against them?

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E

Egg Hunt - An easy way for both kids and adults to get involved! Whether it's in your garden or at a local park, an egg hunt is the perfect way to get people up on their feet and having fun!

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F

Face painting competition - If you don't have the time or resource to organise your own fête or street party, then why not get involved in one already taking place and offer your services? No fêtes near you, no fear. Face-painting isn't just for kids, so why not ask your local nightspot if they’re hosting any themed nights that face painting would be appropriate for.

Football match / 5-a-side football - Even if you don't score, this is one match that guarantees you'll make a difference in 90 minutes. If you've got smaller numbers, why not opt for a game of 5-a-side? Raise funds by charging a player fee and why not let spectators donate to take part in a penalty shootout too?

Fancy-dress days - Fancy dress isn't just for Halloween. It's a great way to raise money any time of year. Why not organise a fancy-dress day at work and ask for donations? Or if you’re a dab hand on a sewing machine, why not make your own costumes to raise money?

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G

Games Night - You don't have to be a Monopoly master or Scrabble pro to a host a games night. You just need games, a place to play and people to play with. It can be as simple as charades or if you have a screen and console to hand, why not go down the gaming route, charging friends to play?

Give it up! - We all have bad habits, but if you have one you want to kick, why not do it whilst fundraising for vital research? If your habit is costly, why not donate the money you save by giving it up? Or if your habit causes more frustration to others than yourself, why not have people sponsor you? Over the years our supporters have raised money by giving up things like crisps, television, alcohol, chocolate, meat and smoking.

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H

Head shave - One of our most popular fundraising activities is the head shave. We commend you! It's a brave way to not only raise money for research but also to raise awareness of cancer. Stretch out the activity by giving people the chance to dye your hair an eye-catching colour for a week before the shave.

Hogmanay - If you can't make it to Scotland this year, why not bring Scotland to you and throw your very own Hogmanay party? Can't tempt your friends from the streets of Edinburgh? Why not focus your charity fundraising efforts on the pre-event of Hogmanay and prepare a traditional meal for friends before the celebrations.

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I

International evening / International Day - Whether you've travelled the world or just love a particular culture, an international theme is a great way to get people excited about raising money. Choose your country, or go 'around the world', and charge people an entry fee. Have a think about dress codes,entertainment, food and music.

It’s a Knockout - The ultimate school sports day for adults. Fun is a big incentive for people to get involved but you could also reach out to local businesses and ask them to donate a prize. You may need materials so if you, or somebody you know works in a school or local sports centre, reach out to them.

Irish Night / Day - It doesn't have to be St Patrick's Day to celebrate the Irish culture. You can hire a space and throw a party, or if you have the skills, why not charge people for Irish dance lessons and donate the fee?

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J

Jewellery collection, jewellery making and selling - If you have high value pieces you're looking to donate, an auction could be the best route for you. Or if your skill set lies in making, why not put on a 'make-your-own' craft session?

Jazz - Use jazz music as the centre of your fundraising. You could put on an evening of entertainment and charge for entry. Or if you’re a jazz musician yourself, you could share your talent and provide music lessons for donations.

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K

Karaoke night - Time to stretch the vocal cords and get ready for a night of karaoke. Love or hate it, our fundraisers have proven it’s a great way to raise money. If you're on the lookout for a karaoke machine, reach out to friends on social media to save money on renting one.

Knitting - British weather means that knitwear is often in demand. So why not use your needle skills to raise money for charity? First, decide how you want to sell your unique items. You could use online auction sites, set-up a stall or speak to your local Cancer Research UK store.

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L

Luncheon / Lunch - If your office has a habit of ordering food on a Friday, why not cook up your own treats? You'll save your colleagues time buying lunch, giving them longer to enjoy your yummy food and donate!

Livestream - Livestream yourself playing a video game and ask your viewers for donations. Set how long you want to live stream for, choose your game and send around the links to your stream and Online Giving Page. Visit our guide to charity streaming for more information.

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M

Marathon events - Before you skip and read onto the next idea, remember a marathon doesn't have to mean running! In the past, our supporters have raised money with marathon DJ sets, roller skating, and nail art sessions. Just decide if you want an activity that will take you 26.2 miles or hours.

Matched Giving - Whether you’re raising money in the office or outside of work, ask your employer about matched giving. Lots of our fundraisers have doubled the amount raised by their employer so don't be afraid to ask.

Music and mulled wine evening - Pop, rock, or jazz? Regardless of genre, if fundraising through music appeals to you it's time to start thinking about your event. Will you be performing? Or just looking for local acts to support you? You could keep it simple with a Saturday busking session. Check to see if support is available in your local community, on our local fundraising groups page.

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N

Name the … - Name the teddy, bunny or bear. Whatever it is you choose, charge per entry to this simple guessing game where they can win the soft toy as the prize!

New Year's Eve dance/party - Avoid a night of queuing and host your own New Year's Eve party. The best thing about it? You get to control both the music and the guestlist. Charge your guests cheaper than the local pub for entry and then donate the fee.

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O

Office Collection Day / Office Fundraising - Short of time but eager to make a difference? Then fundraising in the office could be the right activity for you. Charity fundraising activities for the office could include bake sales, an office Olympics, a dress-down day or perhaps take breakfast orders and set-up your own tea trolley.

Open Garden / Day - If your garden is in full bloom or you have a house with a colourful history, why not open your doors for an entry fee and host an open house. With the kitchen close by, it will be easy to raise extra funds by offering refreshments and a great way to meet the neighbours!

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P

Pamper Day - It's likely your friends love a bit of pampering, so why not plan a day that offers the break people need.. Are you a trained beautician, masseuse or hairdresser? We need your skills. If pampering is more of a hobby, whilst we'd suggest staying away from offering haircuts, why not have your friends over for a night in?

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Q

Quiz night - The pub, village hall, local sports centre or your best mate’s garden are all venues suitable for hosting a quiz. Decide what’s the best option (and available) to you and get working on those questions. Will the theme change per round or will your quiz be more niche, with all questions specific to a particular band, film or book? You host the night and guests pay to play.

Quintessentially British Day - Bunting, tea and corgis are just a few things that spring to mind. Perhaps for you it’s afternoon tea, Marmite or maybe a Sunday roast and Stephen Fry? Whatever springs to mind, why not put on a celebration of all things quintessentially British. You can charge entry and raise funds for charity with tombolas and bake sales. Make sure you bring your brolley - British weather is guaranteed!

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R

Raffle - A raffle is great to have at a charity fundraising event. Just charge a fee for tickets and the winner gets a prize. This could also work as a standalone fundraising activity. Just be aware of offering that unwanted Secret Santa gift you got last year as a prize: your friends may recognise it!

Running - Join our team of training heroes and fundraise by running! No organised event, just you and your challenge. Combined, our supporters have run thousands of miles to beat cancer sooner, where will your run take you?

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S

Sweepstakes - Want a way to fundraise for charity fast? A sweepstake could be the perfect way for you to raise money. You have 1 question, for example, 'How many sweets in the jar?' and people pay to be given an answer. Whoever has the winning answer gets a prize, while you donate the money raised.

Skydiving - Our supporters are brave. Despite the obvious fear factor, skydives are one of our most popular fundraising activities so join our dedicated fundraisers, get in touch and start organising your skydive today.

Sponsored Silence - If you’re a chatterbox who finds being quiet a challenge, then perhaps you could raise funds with a sponsored silence. Just remember, don't be quiet about the cause and your fundraising before or after the event!!

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T

Tea party - A good cup of tea can change your mood. We drink it when we’re sad, we drink it when we’re happy, so why not drink it today to beat cancer.

Tuck shop - If you’re the type of person who causes your colleagues to get lunchbox envy, then it's time to set up shop. Grab yourself some simple budget recipes and cook up something cheap. Your colleagues can grab some grub for a budget price while getting the chance to support a good cause.

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U

University Challenge - Challenge your rival university to a competition, to see which University will come out on top. It could be a ‘University Challenge’ style quiz or maybe even a race through your university city. Whatever the challenge, open it up to your fellow students to come and donate to watch. Speak to your student union who will likely be happy to help you organise (particularly in RAG week).

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V

Valentine's Day - Lots of single friends and a skill for matchmaking? Then why not organise a single's event? You could organise a speed-dating evening or even a full-blown Valentine’s ball. The best part is that even if nobody gets a love match, everyone can go home happy knowing they have supported such an important cause.

Vintage - Got enough vintage shirts to set up your own stall? Got an eye for finding furniture gems online and at car boots? Why not organise your own vintage sale and donate the proceeds to Cancer Research UK?

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W

Walk - Where and how far will you walk to help fund life-saving research? Some of you have walked over 600 miles to cover the South West Coastal Path. Others have walked 5k, while some did it blindfolded. Whether you head to your local shopping centre in your PJs, or make your way from John O'Groats to Lands' End, walk with purpose and for Cancer Research UK.

Wax It - It's a classic charity fundraising technique that provides an interesting insight into how much your friends are willing to pay to hear you shout 'ouch!'. A packet of wax strips (and maybe some aloe vera) is all you need to raise money with a wax off.

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X

Xbox / Playstation / Console Night - We hope you’re sitting comfortably because a charity gaming fundraiser could leave you up all night. Make this gaming session one that matters by inviting people to play for a donation to Cancer Research UK.

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Y

Year to Remember - What could you do for a year to make a difference? Doing something for 365 days shows ultimate dedication and is a sure way to encourage people to sponsor you. But what to do? How about walking dogs every day for a year and donating the money you make? Or how about giving something up for a whole year?

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Z

Zip Wire - Adrenaline junkie or willing to face a fear? There's zip wires up and down the country and all offer a different experience. So do your research and find the challenge that is right for you (and most likely to encourage friends to sponsor you!).