10 most profitable fundraising ideas

We all know that helping others helps us feel good - it’s good for our mental and physical health. And fundraising is a great way to help others, support a social movement and raise awareness for a worthy cause or charity that is doing impactful work. Here are 10 of the most profitable fundraising ideas to inspire you.

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Click on the link below to go directly to the fundraising idea you’re most interested in:

A fitness challenge - marathon or walkathon
Selling Cadbury chocolate
Sausage sizzle or BBQ fundraiser
A movie night or an outdoor movie event
A trivia night
Food fundraiser
Bake sale
Selling raffle tickets
School fundraiser
Silent auction

1. A fitness challenge - marathon or walkathon

Fitness challenges and fundraising go hand in hand. Throughout the year, charities, schools, sports clubs, and workplaces all hold fitness challenges to raise awareness for a variety of social issues and health conditions. These include raising money for poverty, education, homelessness and restoring sight to millions of people who are at risk of losing their sick to preventable blindness.

Marathons, walkathons, and fun runs are very popular and profitable fundraising events. Not only are they events with a large number of participants interested in amping up their fitness, but it is also an event causing supporters to comfortably open their wallets. Normally, friends, family and co-workers of the participants make donations to encourage them to complete the challenge, but local businesses also throw their support behind it as a gesture of goodwill.

An example of a charity challenge is Fred's Big Run that takes place during the month of August. It’s a virtual challenge that is perfect for all fitness levels. Simply choose your challenge distance of 50km, 100km or 150km, and then run or walk throughout August to cover that distance. You can do it as an individual or team, getting your friends, family and co-workers involved. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, then join our second ever Fred’s Big Run by registering for free when entries open in June.

Don’t forget to set up your fundraising page here, and promote it on your social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Linked In) as well as via messenger apps (Facebook messenger, WhatsApp, Viber). The people in your network will be inspired to not only donate but they might decide to step up and tackle the challenge themselves.

A group of fundraisers walking past the Sydney Opera House for the Sydney Habour Hike

Photo credit: Michael Amendolia

2. Selling cadbury chocolate

The Cadbury fundraiser is something everyone in a workplace has encountered at some point. Usually, parents take a box of Cadbury chocolates to their workplace to sell on behalf of their child’s school or extra-curricular activity or club.

This fundraiser has stood the test of time and has helped charities, schools, social clubs, and many other community organisations successfully raise money for 25 years.

Cadbury fundraisers are a great option because of the minimal level of prep and work they require. And the fact that most people look for a treat or sugar hit around 3.30pm or as a cheeky mid-morning snack with their cuppa, also adds to the profitability of this tried-and-tested fundraising idea.

You can find out more about Cadbury chocolate fundraisers here based on what Australian state or territory you live in.

3. Sausage sizzle or BBQ fundraiser

The humble sausage sizzle is as Australian as it gets. Whether it’s at Bunnings, your home, office, local school, park or club, this fundraiser has a tendency to draw a massive crowd.

Read our handy guide on how to host the perfect BBQ fundraiser here, including how much food to buy, types of foods to buy, the number of volunteers to ‘employ’, and the cashflow to have on hand. Also find out how you can get local businesses involved and get special community grants from your local supermarket.

4. A movie night or an outdoor movie event

Everyone loves a good movie, and whether you’re watching a blockbuster with a room full of strangers or your family and friends, it’s always an entertaining activity.

You can host a movie night at home or an outdoor movie night in your local park.

If you want to support your favourite charity but aren’t ready for big face-to-face gatherings just yet, you can also do this virtually through a Netflix party and inviting your family and friends to join.

Don’t forget to install your computer with the Google Chrome browser and the Netflix Party extension for Chrome. You and everyone attending will also need a Netflix subscription. If Netflix isn’t your streaming service of choice, Disney and other platforms also offer a ‘party mode’ these days. Just follow their prompts and reach out to their customer care team if you need help planning your movie party.

Remember to charge everyone attending an entry fee that they can pay on your fundraising page. You can also ask everyone to transfer the money into your bank account in advance to donate as a lump sum. You can share the success of your fundraiser before the movie begins as part of the pre-show trailer reel. Don’t forget to remind everyone to BYO popcorn and drinks.

ABC iView or SBS on Demand also have a great selection of shows, movies and documentaries, if you want to avoid subscription services altogether and go for something a little more accessible and cost-effective.

5. A trivia night

A trivia night can be one of the most profitable charity fundraising activities you can host. They don’t require a lot of planning but have the potential to help you raise a lot of much needed funds for charity.

People in Nepal sitting down and eating food out of a bowl

Photo credit: Penny Bradfield

6. Food fundraiser

Food fundraisers are a great way to connect with your family and friends, enjoy tasty treats and raise money for worthy causes.

There are loads of food fundraising ideas to suit every budget and taste, whether it’s a picnic in the park, a pancake breakfast or a black-tie dinner.

7. Bake sale

Are you a bit of a whizz in the kitchen and enjoy baking up a storm? Are you always trying out new recipes and sharing them with those around you? People might be used to enjoying free baked treats from you, but they’ll be as equally enthusiastic with paying to enjoy your culinary creations once they find out that money will go towards a worthy cause.

A stock image of a bake sale with pastries

Photo credit: Igor Ovsyannykov from Pexels

8. Selling raffle tickets

When it comes to profitable fundraising, raffles are a must. Not only are they easy to run on their own, they can also be seamlessly incorporated into other fundraising activities as a cash-generating add-on.

Raffles are inexpensive, which is why people are always willing to buy a couple of tickets, especially if it supports a good cause. The main way to ensure a successful raffle is to sell your tickets to as many people as possible.

The second thing to focus on is the quality of the prize to encourage even more people to buy as many tickets as possible. Reach out to businesses in your community to see if they’d be willing to sponsor your raffle in exchange for publicity for their brand. Also look up the corporate social responsibility of big household names as they may have special grants or promotions they run to support charities.

Remember that raffles are classified in Australian States and Territories as ‘gaming’ and are regulated to protect the consumer. So before running your raffle, please check your state’s raffle rules to ensure you don't break any gaming laws by accident.

9. School fundraiser

Fundraising at school is another tried-and-tested way to raise money for an important cause! Students and teachers love getting involved in fun activities and doing something worthwhile at the same time. Fundraising in schools is an excellent way to teach children the importance of taking part in charity and helping others.

10. Auction

An auction can be a very profitable way to fundraise. You can use an online auction platform like Gala Bid or Oktion and let your inner auctioneer shine.

Wondering what to auction off? You can contact local businesses, including wine cellars, cafes, fashion boutiques, art galleries, and local artisan food suppliers and jewellery makers, asking them to donate towards a worthy cause.

If you are fundraising for The Fred Hollows Foundation, we can also provide you with a Certificate of Appreciation that you can give to business owners to thank them for their generosity. Contact us and we’ll send one out to you.

But if engaging with businesses proves challenging, you can always rummage through your closet, storage cupboard, and garage for Knick knacks that you don’t use any more. It would help you get rid of clutter and send a neglected item to a good home in exchange for a donation! You can even ask your friends and family to go through their own items and see if they’d like to donate a gently used item for your auction.

Start your successful fundraising event now

Have you decided which profitable fundraising event you’d like to host or take part in? Set up your fundraising page now, and don’t forget to share the link with everyone in your circle of family, friends, co-workers, parents’ groups, gym buddies, and hobby groups.

Remember that social media is a powerful tool that can help your fundraiser gain momentum, while connecting you with likeminded people who care about the same things you do.

If you choose to fundraise for The Fred Hollows Foundation, you’ll be fighting the injustice of avoidable blindness, and restoring sight to the needlessly blind by helping us train local eye health workers in over 25 countries, as well as equip and build hospitals and operating theatres.

Please contact us if you have any questions about our work or need fundraising support.

Email: fundraise@hollows.org
Phone: 1800 672 892

COVER PHOTO: The Fred Hollows Foundation