Fundraising ideas for you to use and adapt to suit your requirements.
Provided and contributed by numerous sources and fundraisers.

A

Abseil (sponsored) : Scale the dizzy heights of a local landmark or office block.

Advertising Booklet: Compile a local information booklet and include info on local attractions, sell adverts to local businesses.

Aerobics: Organise a sponsored aerobathon with the help of gyms, leisure centres and sports shops.

Afternoon Tea: Put the kettle on and get baking. Entertain guests with raffles, auctions, tombolas and live music.

Air Miles: Collect your own, then raffle them off.

Aluminium Collection: Collect empty cans and tins and sell them to a recycling company.

Arts and Crafts Stall: Make necklaces, dried flower arrangements, stained glass mirrors, etc, to sell on a stall.

Art exhibition: Stage an exhibition for local artists. Charge entrance fee or commission.

As New Sale: Ask everyone you know for unwanted belongings and hold an as new sale evening.

Auction: Auction off unwanted items, taking a percentage of sales.

Auction of Services: Auction services of people and local businesses.

B

Badge Making: Make badges to sell at work, to friends or at craft fairs.

Bad tie or trouser day: Charge your colleagues a pound to come in wearing their loudest tie or trousers.

Baked Bean or Custard Bath: Get sponsored to spend the day in a bath of baked beans or cold custard.

Balloon Race: Sell helium filled balloons with name and address written on a tag fixed to the balloon. The balloon that travels the furthest wins a prize.

Balloon Rides: Offer as a prize for raffle/auction, or sell trips in a chartered balloon.

Barbecue: Add stereo, football and rounders bats and make it a whole day's event.

Barn Dance: Swing into action with a traditional country band with hog roast and plenty of cider.

Battle of the Bands: Contest for unsigned bands, where audience votes on the winner. Charge bands to enter, offer cash prizes and invite record producers. Sell tickets and set up a paying bar.

Beat the Goalie: Score a goal and win a prize. Footballers pay to enter.

Bed Push: The 'bed' can be anything from a hospital bed to a four-poster or even a 3-piece suite!

Beer Festival: Stock up on international beers, food and music. Remember to check licensing laws.

Bingo: Hold a one-off evening or regular morning sessions.

Board Games Evening: Invite friends over to play Scrabble, Monopoly, Cluedo and more. Charge entrance or game fee.

Boat Race: Teams build model boats and race them. Alternatively, use real yachts, dinghies or canoes.

Boat Trips: Organise a cruise down a nearby river or canal. Include refreshments and entertainment.

Bonny Baby Contest: Charge proud parents to show off their offspring in the town centre. Invite the local press.

Book Sale: Sell old books, collected from everyone you know. Book dealers may buy leftover stock.

Bouncy Castle: A great way to keep kids entertained at bigger family events. Bouncing fee.

Bungee Jump: Raise sponsorship by flying in the face of fear.

Burns Night: Theme evening with Scottish dancing, Haggis, Nepes and Tatties. Admission fee.

Bus Pull: Gather a team and get sponsored to heave a bus through town.

C

Cake Stall: Hold a traditional cake stand at fetes or fairs. Check health and safety regulations.

Calendars: Design and sell a pictorial calendar for your company. Departments/suppliers may sponsor pages.

Candle making: Make and sell candles at craft fairs or coffee mornings.

Car boot sale: Cash in your old belongings, or sell pitches. Raise more with bouncy castles, raffles, etc.

Car treasure hunt: Drive from clue to clue in search of the 'treasure'. Teams pay to enter.

Car wash: Wash cars at shopping centre or office car parks.

Carnival: Arrange a colourful carnival for your town, charging for each float entered.

Carol concert: Host a festive concert for your community. Earn extra by selling minced pies and mulled wine.

Carol singing: Get a group to go door-to-door singing. Bigger public displays may require a licence.

Casino evening: Hire gaming tables and a hall for the evening.

Chariot race: Teams race decorated 'chariots' - anything from a horse and cart to a sedan chair.

Charity ball: Raise sponsorship the sophisticated way. Organise a themed ball with DJ or live music at a hotel or nightclub. Charge for tickets, but boost your earnings with games and raffles.

Charity push: Get sponsored to cover a set distance in a bed, shopping trolley, bathtub, wheelie bin...

Children's party: Organise children's parties or activities, but be sure to check relevant childcare practices.

Christmas draw: Sell tickets and ask local firms to supply prizes. Check regulations about public draws and raffles.

Classic car show: Well-organised classic car and bike shows are great crowd pullers and fantastic fundraisers.

Clocks: Build clocks to sell at craft fairs.

Coach trips: Coach trips to London, Blackpool, flower shows, etc, are popular. Sell tickets and hold a raffle.

Coconut shy: Easily arranged game for traditional fairs. All you need are a few coconuts and wooden balls.

Coffee morning: It's open house for the morning. Make extra with raffles, bring and buy sales and cake stalls.

Collecting tins: Trusted fundraiser for busy pedestrian areas. Charity should supply tins, stickers and leaflets.

Concerts: Entertain the crowds with your own recital, or hire bands of musicians.

Cookery demo: Invite well-known chefs to share the recipe of their success with a ticket-paying audience.

Copper collection: Ask people to donate their collections of one and two pence pieces.

Craft fair: Make necklaces, dried flower arrangements, stained glass mirrors, etc, to sell on a stall.

Cricket match: Assemble a team and challenge your county team to a match. Charge spectators.

Crossword contest: Compile huge crossword, so punters pay per clue. Each number hides a ticket for prize draw.

D

Dance: Barn dances, tea dances, disco dances, salsa dances - whatever rocks your boat.

Darts tournament: Challenge all the pub teams in the area to compete for cash prizes, or a barrel of beer.

Dinner and cabaret: Hire a popular and spacious restaurant. Entertain ticket holders with music, comedy and magic.

Directories: Compile a community businesses and services directory. Raise funds through advertising.

Disco: Spin the decks or hire a DJ to stage a themed disco night.

Dog show: Charge proud pet-owners to show off their pooches. Ask pet shops to sponsor the event.

Duck race: Sell numbered plastic ducks and launch them from a bridge. The duck to finish first wins.

E

Easter egg hunt: Edible hide and seek. Charge entry fee and ask confectioners to provide the eggs.

Eating marathon: Get sponsored to stuff your face with as many baked beans/grapes/pies etc. as possible.

Eyebrows: Get sponsored to shave them off - they grow back eventually!

F

Face painting: Get creative with face paints at fetes, fairs and children's parties.

Fancy dress: Jazz up your event with a fancy dress contest. Charge entrance fee.

Fashion show: Ask businesses to sponsor venue, outfits or catwalk. Charge admission and sales commission.

Fastathon: Get sponsored to fast for an hour, a morning or a day. Consult your doctor first.

Fete: Reach the whole community by holding a fete, or team up with organisers of an annual event.

Film evening: Recreate an evening of vintage cinema by showing classic films and musicals.

Fireworks: Weather permitting, firework displays are massive fundraisers. Check out safety precautions.

Flower arranging: Make your own fresh, dried or silk arrangements to sell at craft fairs or fetes.

Flower show: Always popular. Boost funds with competitions, advice corners and side stalls.

Football tournament: Schedule fixtures and charge teams to enter. Ask local businesses for prizes.

Foreign coins: Ask people to donate their leftover holiday coins. Change into sterling once you have enough.

Fun day: Arrange games, music, competitions and stalls at a nearby hall or sports club.

Furniture sale: Hire a large hall to sell donated furniture and old office equipment. Take sales commission.

G

Game show: Host mock version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or The Weakest Link. Otherwise adapt board games for big audiences, and get prizes donated.

Garage sale: Sell off all your unwanted belongings.

Garden party: Sell tickets or invite guests to make a donation.

Gardening: Offer your gardening services to friends and family.

Glamorous Gran: Go in search of your area's most glamorous gran. Charge contestants to enter, and ask local hair and beauty salons to donate prizes. Invite the local press.

Go Kart Grand Prix: Hold a Go Kart Grand Prix at the nearest track. Drivers pay entrance fee.

Greeting cards: Make and sell cards for every occasion. Find out about selling Christmas cards for your charity.

Guess the???: Competitors guess how many sweets in the jar, a cake's weight, etc. The closest answer wins.

Guest speaker: Invite a guest speaker and sell admission tickets. Boost funds with raffle and refreshments.

Guided tours: Take tourists and visitors on locally guided walks or trips.

Gunge Tank: Charge fairgoers to drop their relatives, friends or enemies in tank of last week's leftovers.

H

Halloween party: Another excuse to dress up and party. Charge entrance fees and raise money trick or treating.

Head shave: Sick of bad hair days? Go bald for charity.

Hook-a-duck: Fete and fair game. Ask local companies to donate prizes.

Hoopla: Fete and fair game. Ask local companies to donate prizes.

Household sale: Sell off all your unwanted belongings.

I

Indoor market: Rent out stalls to local traders, or take cut of profits.

Inflatable: Put a bounce into your summer fete with an inflatable fly wall, boxing ring or gladiator court.

Ironing: Offer your ironing services - at a cost.

It's a knockout: Revive the 80s game show by inviting teams to compete in silly games in silly costumes.

J

Jailbreak: Dump teams in the middle of nowhere. With no money or transport, see who gets back to base first. Charge entrance fees and offer prizes.

Jazz festival: Play your own brand of jazz, or stage a show for local musicians. Sell tickets and refreshments.

Jewellery making: Buy your own beads and get threading. Sell your products at markets and craft fairs.

Junk mail: Collect all your junk mail and sell it to a recycling company.

K

Karaoke: Arrange your own Pop Idol contest. All you need is a machine, a room and a well-stocked bar.

L

Left-handed day: Try doing everything with your left hand for the day.

Line dancing: It's all the rage. Just make sure you have a caller and plenty of drink!

M

Marathons: Get sponsored to run a traditional 26-mile race.

Medieval evening: Themed evening of medieval food, jousting and entertainment.

Mile of pennies: Make a mile of pennies in your town centre. Ask shoppers to help by donating their coins

Mini-Olympics: Invite everyone you know to compete in traditional and silly sports. Charge entry.

Mufti day: Introduce dress down day at work. Colleagues pay a fee to leave their suits at home.

Music concert: Entertain the crowds with your own recital, or hire bands of musicians.

N

Nature trail: Offer guided walks to natural beauty spots.

New year resolutions: Get sponsored to stick to your new year's resolutions.

O

Open garden: Open your garden to visitors. Sell tickets, refreshments, plants and vegetables.

Opera night: Stage an opera evening in your area, or arrange a trip to see a big London production.

Ornament sale: Set up a market/fair stall. Alternatively, plan your own event and charge for pitches.

Outward bound: Go climbing, hiking, camping, etc, in preparation for your trip. Seek sponsorship.

P

Paintballing: Organise paintballing challenges at locally run centres. Players pay to enter.

Pancake race: Get flipping on Shrove Tuesday. Charge teams to enter, and spectators to eat.

Pantomime: Your chance to play the ugly sister. Stage a production with friends, family and colleagues.

Parachute jump: Daredevils only. Get sponsored to take the plunge.

Parties: Pick a venue, a date, a theme... and party on. Sell tickets and charge for extras like food.

Personalised gifts: Sell uniquely personalised gifts for special occasions.

Pet show: Charge proud pet-owners to show off their cats, hamsters, bunnies, mice, etc.

Petrol tokens: Trade in petrol tokens for gifts, which can be used as raffle or competition prizes.

Pick a cork: Fair game. Pick a numbered cork out of a board. If the number's a winner, claim a prize.

Pick a ticket: Fair game. Pick a numbered ticket from a bucket. If the number's a winner, claim a prize.

Picture framing: Frame and sell prints of local scenes, or pictures relevant to your charity.

Plant a tree: Seek sponsors for a "plant a tree" scheme.

Plant sale: Sell donated plants or rent out pitches to traders.

Playstation play-off: Organise a league of players and compete on a certain game. Charge entrants.

Play your cards right: Fair game made famous by Bruce Forsyth. Guess higher or lower 6 times running and win a prize.

Pledges: Gather pledges of support, donations and services. These could be auctioned or raffled off.

Pop concert: Hire a venue and invite local bands to play. Sell tickets and set up stalls.
Postage stamps: Collect and sell foreign and unusual stamps to dealers.
Private tuition: Whether it's French or Flamenco, sell your skills with private lessons.
Programmes: Get businesses to advertise in event programmes. Number programmes and use as raffle tickets.
Promotional gifts: Sell promotional gifts with your Charity/organisation logo on.
Pub games night: Stage a championship of traditional pub games - darts, skittles, dominoes, cards, etc.
Puppet show: Pull in the crowds with a traditional Punch and Judy show, or something more innovative.

Q
Quizzes: If your local doesn't run a pub quiz, set one up. Test the regulars on pop, trivia or sport.

R
Race night: The race is run on a large screen after all bets have been taken. A typical evening consists of eight races. Props (and film) are supplied by race operators. Some gaming regulations apply.
Raffle: Ask local firms to donate prizes and sell tickets. Check raffle laws with charity.
Raft race: Teams compete by building their rafts and racing over a set distance. Teams pay to compete.
Ramble: Take to the countryside for a mass walkabout. Throw in a theme (fancy dress, singles, three legged, Easter), and charge for entry and refreshments.
Recipe book: Publish favourite recipes from local restaurants and chefs.
Recycling collections: Collect paper, aluminium, glass, etc, and sell on to recycling companies.
Refreshments: Sell teas, coffees, sandwiches, biscuits, cakes, etc, at any fundraising event.
Roll-a-ball: Fair game where player rolls a ball through a hole at the end of a bowling-type alley.
Roll-a-coin: Fair game where player rolls a coin down a shute, aiming to land on a playing card.
Roll the dice: Roll six sixes and win a car! You need a big event... and car sponsor to make this worthwhile.

S
Safari supper: Travel from restaurant to restaurant, having a different course at each stop. Ask restaurants to support your efforts, but set cover charge to include all food and your cut.
Sale of Xmas gifts: Sell Christmas cards, wrapping, gifts, food and drink.
Santa's Grotto: Pull on your white beard and brush up your ho, ho, ho.
Scavenger hunt: Variation on the treasure hunt where participants have a list of items to collect.
Scrap metal: Collect scrap metal and sell it to a scrap metal dealer or re-cycling plant.
Shoe shine: Get down on your knees at your nearest train station or shopping centre.
Shopping coupons: Trade in loyalty points for money or goods (to be used as prizes).
Silver collections: Ask supporters to donate their loose change collections.
Sit in a bath: Get sponsored to spend the day in a bath of beans/maggots/tea, etc.
Skittles: Make an evening event out of this traditional pub game.
Skydiving: Free fall your way back to earth - for sponsorship.
Slimming contest: Arrange with local slimming clubs. Participants get sponsored 1 for every pound lost.
Slippery pole: Fair game where competitors pillow fight while sliding along a slippery pole.
Sponge throwing: Players pay to chuck sopping wet sponges at whoever's in the stocks.
Sponsored silence: Mum's the word. Stay silent for as long as you can.
Sports competition: Whatever your game, organise a tournament. Sell tickets, and organise stalls, raffles, etc.
Stage play: Raise the curtain on a local Am Dram production.
Stationary cycle: Don't fancy the map reading? Forget cycling to Paris, but cover the same distance at the gym.
Strawberries and cream: Bring the taste of Wimbledon to your event, with this summery refreshment.
Street entertaining: Get juggling, tight rope walking, fire eating, knife throwing, unicycling...
Swap shop: Put unwanted items in touch with loving homes. Charge swappers to participate.
Swear box: Spend a 1 for every $@*$! uttered. Put a box at home, at work and at the pub.
Swimathon: Get sponsored per length, mile, minute, hour...

T
Tabletop sale: Indoor variation on the car boot sale. Charge for table hire.
Talent competition: Discover Britain's next big thing with your own talent show. Charge entry and offer prizes.

Ten-pin bowling: Bowling alleys often have special rates for big groups and charity evenings.
Tin can alley: Traditional fair game. Knock down the stack of tin cans and win a prize.
Tombola: Pick a raffle ticket out of a barrel and match it with a ticketed prize. Fair and fete favourite.
Toy sale: In the run up to Christmas, toy sales can be big fundraisers.
Treasure hunt: Sniffing out the clues, teams compete against each other to discover the 'hidden treasure'.
T-shirts and clothing: Market your charity, club, company by producing a range of promotional clothing.
Tuck shop: Sell sweets, crisps, cake, drinks, etc, at a children's event.

U
Underwear party: One for the adults! Charge guests to come wearing it, or take commission for selling it.
Unwanted presents: Arrange a post-Christmas sale of unwanted gifts. Ask traders to donate a cut of their takings.

V
Variety show: Comedians, magicians, singers, dancers and musicians all under one roof.
Vehicle rally: Well-organised car and bike shows are great crowd pullers and fantastic fundraisers.
Visits: Organising visits to local places or tourist destinations.

W
Walks: Lead organised walks to historical spots and places of interest. Ghost walks are also popular.
Waste paper: Collect waste paper and sell to recycling companies.
Water sports: Let others splash out as you splash in. Teach water sports or get sponsored to take part.

Waxing: A hair-raising experience for the boys. Get sponsored to wax your legs or chest.
Weight of the cake: Fair game. Pay to guess the weight - and win the cake if you're right.
Welly throwing: Fun for every fete and fair. Throwers compete to see whose welly goes furthest.
Whisky raffle: Charge a pound a ticket, and pick a winner for every 25 sold. Check licensing and raffle laws.
Windscreen wash: Charge to wash windscreens at service and petrol stations. Ask permission first.
Wine and cheese: Ask supermarkets to donate the wine and cheese. Sell tickets, and produce to take away.
Wine tasting: Hold tasting sessions for wine companies. Charge commission on wine sold. Arrange a raffle.
Woodcutting: Offer to prune trees or chop firewood for friends and family.
Wood working: Make and sell your own woodcrafts, or give woodturning/woodcarving demonstrations.

X
Xmas evening: Stock up on crackers, pudding and mince pies. Break with tradition by holding it in July!
Xmas hampers: Make up and sell your own Xmas hampers. Include food, drink, toys and gifts.

Y
Yacht racing: Participate in regional or national events. Seek sponsorship from local clubs and businesses.
Yard of ale: Challenge yourself and others to a lengthy drinking contest. Charge entry fee.

Z
Zodiac evening: Invite a guest astrologer for a star-studded fundraiser. Charge for entry and horoscopes.