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For nonprofits, successful fundraising isn't just about reaching financial goals—it's about creating lasting connections that transform one-time donors into long-term supporters. Community fundraising stands out as one of the most powerful ways to achieve both.
When neighbors, local businesses, and community groups come together to support a cause, they don't just contribute funds—they become invested partners in your nonprofit's success. These local connections create a foundation for sustainable growth and continued support around your area.
In this guide, we'll share 14 community fundraising ideas that go beyond traditional events and will help you tap into your community's unique strengths and resources.
Community fundraising happens when local residents, businesses, and organizations come together to support a cause that directly impacts their neighborhood.
These events do more than raise funds – they strengthen local bonds, create shared experiences, and build lasting partnerships that benefit everyone involved.
Through community fundraising, nonprofits tap into their neighborhood's unique strengths while creating opportunities for meaningful local engagement and sustained support.
Why does community fundraising matter for nonprofits?
Community fundraising goes far beyond collecting donations—it creates lasting relationships that transform into long-term support.
With 64% of young and middle-aged adults actively volunteering in their communities, these local connections represent a powerful opportunity for nonprofits to build a sustainable donor base.
When you engage in community fundraising, you gain:
Local networks that naturally amplify your message through personal connections and business partnerships
Stronger donor bonds through shared experiences, turning one-time givers into recurring supporters
Resource efficiency through community partnerships that reduce costs and provide in-kind support
These benefits create a multiplier effect: each community fundraising initiative helps you reach your immediate financial goals and builds a foundation for future fundraising efforts.
14 community-based fundraising ideas
1. Host annual community galas and balls
By planning galas and balls annually or around seasonal themes, your nonprofit can create a tradition that supporters look forward to year after year. These events offer an opportunity to strengthen community bonds, build relationships with local businesses, and reinforce your mission - all while raising funds for your nonprofit.
You can collaborate with businesses in the neighborhood to sponsor event elements like catering or decorations, which helps reduce costs and builds community connections.
Case study: Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills Community is using Zeffy for their gala
The Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills demonstrate how community galas can maximize their impact through smart planning. The nonprofit celebrates and supports the innovation and resilience of Black-owned businesses in the region.
For their annual Circle of Community Gala celebrating local Black-owned businesses, they use Zeffy’s 100% event ticketing system, ensuring every dollar raised goes directly to their entrepreneurship programs instead of being lost to the platform or transaction fees.
2. Organize local carnivals
A community carnival is always an exciting way to raise funds while bringing everyone together. You can plan it in many unique ways, such as a vintage fair with classic games and snack stalls, a cultural festival showcasing local traditions and foods, or a seasonal celebration with holiday-specific activities.
To make the carnival more fun and encourage donations, include activities like:
Food competitions where local restaurants compete for "Best Dish" titles
Art corners where children create and sell their masterpieces
Game zones with ring toss, balloon darts, and duck ponds
Face painting and temporary tattoo stations
Mini sports tournaments with entry fees and prizes
You can set up donation stations throughout the carnival grounds to collect money beyond ticket sales. Ask local businesses for sponsorships in exchange for renting food and craft stalls, displaying brand banners, or setting up product demonstration areas.
3. Launch a neighborhood cleanup challenge
Transform your community cleanup into an engaging competition where teams compete to collect the most recyclables or beautify different neighborhood zones. Local businesses can sponsor supplies while residents form teams to tackle specific areas.
The challenge creates an immediate visual impact while building neighborhood pride. It also offers natural opportunities for environmental education and community bonding.
You can end the day with snacks and drinks while asking people to donate a small amount to help future community projects. When residents see a clean neighborhood, they are often happy to support more community improvements.
4. Create obstacle courses
Create an obstacle course challenge for your community fundraiser, such as tire runs, rope climbs, crawl tunnels, and balance beams. Ask members to form teams of 4-5 people and charge an entry fee per team.
Include prizes for different categories, like fastest team, runner-up, and best team spirit, to add excitement to the event.
Set up drink stalls around the course to keep participants and spectators energized. To raise extra funds, sell branded items like water bottles, caps, and t-shirts. The merchandise serves as lasting memories of a fun community day.
Case study: Kick2Build's Community hosted a summer camp using Zeffy
Kick2Build's innovative approach combines sports with cultural enrichment through their Sankofa soccer program. Using a tiered pricing structure ($300-$495), they make youth sports accessible while incorporating art and cultural elements.
Using Zeffy’s 100% free event ticketing system, they organized a camp to leverage sports-based fundraising while addressing community needs and promoting inclusivity.
Launch a monthly repair workshop where skilled community members help neighbors fix broken items – from electronics to furniture. Partner with local hardware stores to provide tools and materials at cost.
Participants pay what they can, starting at $10 per item. Beyond raising funds, these workshops reduce waste, share valuable skills, and create monthly touchpoints for community engagement.
6. Showcase local talent
Host a community talent show where residents participate in teams and can showcase their unique skills - from singing and dancing to magic tricks and comedy acts.
Create different performance categories like family acts and friend groups or turn it into a competition like teen vs adults.
Partner with a local school or community center to host the event. Ask them to share props and equipment so people don't need to bring their own - this makes it easier for everyone to participate.
When promoting the talent show, share stories about how the funds will help local causes - like supporting the community library or helping families in need. This might encourage more people to participate and attend when they learn it's about a good cause.
7. Organize a community storytelling night
Create a special afternoon where older community members share their precious stories and memories. Invite them to your local park or community center to tell tales about the neighborhood's history, their life experiences, and cherished moments.
Ask for a small entry fee per family and sell refreshments to raise funds. The stories connect different generations, while games and food make it a complete family event.
8. Host a community potluck
Organize a community food festival where neighbors bring special dishes from their family traditions or culture. Ask people to cook their best homemade dishes with recipe cards, sharing the story behind each meal.
People enjoy meals together and learn about their neighbors' backgrounds and traditions. This helps to foster cultural inclusivity and meaningful connections in your community while raising funds through ticket sales, beverage stands, and recipe book sales featuring shared dishes.
Bring your community's rich history to life through interactive reenactments that celebrate significant local moments. From the founding of your town to cultural milestones, these events combine education with entertainment.
Partner with historical societies to ensure accuracy while local theater groups provide acting talent. Create immersive experiences with period-accurate costumes, sets, and music.
Pro tip: Film the performances to create lasting educational content that schools and libraries can use, extending your event's impact beyond the live show.
10. Host a community choice raffle
Build anticipation as participants wait to be the last ticket standing in this unique twist on traditional raffles. Unlike regular raffles where the first number wins, community choice raffles create ongoing engagement as numbers are eliminated.
A reverse raffle builds excitement as participants hope to be the last number called. Create additional engagement by offering "second chance" buy-ins or splitting prizes among finalists.
Create excitement throughout the night by:
Selling a fixed number of tickets (100-500) to keep the odds appealing
Drawing numbers every few minutes to maintain energy
Offering "buy back" options when participants are eliminated ($20 to re-enter)
Creating mini-prizes for every 25th person eliminated
Giving the final five contestants the choice to split the prize or continue
Case study: Cardington-Lincoln Alumni Association is using Zeffy to host their raffle event
Using Zeffy's 100% free event ticketing platform, the Cardington-Lincoln Alumni Association hosted its first-ever reverse raffle, bringing together local community members and alumni by selling tickets digitally in different formats.
11. Organize community auctions
Every community or neighborhood is unique with its rich history, cultural significance, and local traditions. Pair up with local artisans, businesses, and community members to turn those into an exciting collection of auction items - from unique experiences and services to handcrafted goods and sought-after memorabilia.
For instance, a historic neighborhood might auction off a private tour of century-old homes led by a local historian or community-inspired artwork. Combine in-person and online formats to maximize participation, with silent auctions running alongside live events.
Build excitement by highlighting items early and sharing their story and importance. significance.
Case study: How Trinity Community Commons hosted an auction using Zeffy
Trinity Community Commons is a neighborhood nonprofit that is turning an old church into a welcoming space for all, fostering connections and belonging. The nonprofit shows how local partnerships can elevate auction events.
Their holiday silent auction partners with neighborhood shops to offer gift cards and specialty items, directly supporting both their community-building mission and local businesses.
Transform local spaces into vibrant art galleries where community artists showcase and sell their art inspired by your neighborhood's unique cultural heritage, sharing profits with your cause. You can also partner with art studios to organize interactive classes where participants learn new skills while contributing to fundraising efforts.
Organize cultural fairs that celebrate the diversity of your community through craft demonstrations and local artist's performances, with proceeds from ticket sales and merchandise supporting your cause.
13. Lead educational workshops
Turn expertise into engaging fundraising opportunities by hosting skill-sharing events. Partner with local professionals or skilled volunteers to offer workshops in their specialties, from cooking classes to professional development sessions.
Create tiered pricing options to maximize participation while meeting fundraising goals. The key is matching workshop topics to community interests like cooking, gardening, or photography while providing clear value to attendees.
14. Connect through virtual events
Design digital experiences that maintain community connections while expanding reach with virtual events.
Host hybrid events combining in-person and online elements - from virtual auctions running alongside physical galas to live-streamed cooking classes with ingredient pickup options. Focus on interactive elements like live chat, polls, and virtual breakout rooms to maintain engagement.
Start with passionate community members who believe in your cause, outline clear volunteer roles, and provide proper training. Publicly recognize your volunteers’ contributions and make them feel valued.
Show your community work through photos and videos of real people you've helped. Let local families and individuals share how your support changed their lives.
Record short videos of willing participants describing their journey or create anonymous success stories for those who want privacy to publish on your website and social media.
Read our guide on leveraging storytelling for your nonprofit[coming soon]
3. Promotions and outreach
Use community bulletin boards and local media channels like radio stations and newspapers. You can also create shareable social media content featuring community members and event preparations. Partner with local businesses to display promotional materials like posters, banners, flyers, etc.
Encourage volunteers and supporters to become event ambassadors who share personal stories about your cause and spread the word through their network. Use community apps like Nextdoor and local Facebook groups to spread the word about your fundraiser.
Send personalized thank-you messages to sponsors, participants, and supporters. You can also share event highlights and fundraising achievements through community newsletters.
Celebrate community participation through photo galleries and share fundraising impact via local media channels. Keep supporters engaged with monthly email updates and quarterly impact reports that showcase how their contributions make a difference.
Case study: How Prairie Classical raised $16,627 with Zeffy
Prairie Classical, a Kansas-based nonprofit, is dedicated to enriching the community by promoting and celebrating classical music and arts. The nonprofit faced significant overhead costs in managing its classical music programs. After trying multiple platforms with hidden fees, they needed a more transparent solution.
By switching to Zeffy's 100% free fundraising platform, Prairie Classical raised over $16,000 while saving $827 in fees. Nonprofits looking to maximize their fundraising impact can leverage Zeffy's no-fee platform for their community initiatives.
Final thoughts on community fundraising ideas
Your community fundraising success depends on finding the right mix of events that resonate with your local supporters while maximizing your resources. The key is starting with clear goals, understanding your community's unique strengths, and choosing fundraising events that foster meaningful connections while raising funds.
Remember that successful community fundraising isn't just about the money raised—it's about building a network of engaged supporters who become long-term advocates for your cause.
Opt for Zeffy’s 100% free fundraising platform for your next community fundraiser. Save on platform and transaction fees while building better bonds in your local area.
The 3 to 1 rule in fundraising suggests spending no more than $1 to raise $3. For community fundraising events, this means carefully managing costs through local partnerships, volunteer support, and in-kind donations.
Focus on events that use community resources - like potluck dinners, neighborhood talent shows, or local business partnerships - to keep expenses low while maximizing returns.
Start by identifying a clear cause that resonates with your community. Choose a simple event format like a community bake sale or neighborhood walk-a-thon. Create a planning timeline, recruit reliable volunteers, and reach out to local businesses for support.
Keep your first event manageable - success with a small fundraising event builds confidence and community trust for larger future initiatives.
Most successful community fundraising events run between 3-4 hours. This timeframe maintains energy and engagement while accommodating different schedules.
For larger events like community festivals or sports tournaments, consider a 5-6 hour duration with varied activities. Always factor in set-up and clean-up time when planning with volunteers and venue partners.
Quick community fundraising success relies on strong local networks and clear communication. Focus on high-impact events like matching gift challenges with local businesses, 24-hour online giving campaigns with community ambassadors, or emergency response fundraisers.
Use social media and community groups to spread urgency and ensure your cause resonates with immediate neighborhood needs.
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