FUNdraising Ideas for Groups
Want to support your favorite cause but feel like you don’t have enough money to donate? You can still make a meaningful impact!
Any activity can be turned into a fundraiser. Here are some of our favorite fundraising ideas for groups.
When you start a fundraiser for Traveling Stories, you won’t be alone! We’ll match you with one of our team members for ongoing encouragement and support. Create a personal fundraising page here.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
General Fundraising Ideas
Bring a fancy coffee maker (french press, pour over, espresso machine, etc) to your office & charge co workers a suggested donation for your fancy coffee & donate all profits to Traveling Stories. (Recommended for Companies/Professionals/Students).
Draw/paint portraits (pet or human) for a fee (advertise for this on social media, school campus, parks, Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving, etc).
Video game wars (or beer pong tournament) - Challenge your friends to a video game competition & loser has to donate $25.
Bad habit jar- Trying to quit a bad habit or be less negative? Put a dollar in a jar every time you do that habit & donate the money (examples: cursing, sleeping in too long, saying bro, drinking).
Host a Movie or TV show night - have guest pick a word or action and if that word or action happens, they have to donate an amount each time. (Idea: Bachelorette watch party where every time someone on the show says the word “rose” you have to donate $1).
Fundraising Ideas for Kids/Families
Encourage kids to host story time. Child reads while grown ups donate. Could be 25 cents for every page or $1 per story. Encourage “LIVE STORY TIME” as a main attraction for all your holiday family gatherings.
Book-a-thon - empower your kids to give back while motivating them to read more! Let kids earn money for each book they read from family, friends, teachers, etc.
Lemonade stand (Old fashioned but fun and teaches business skills!)
Bake sale, again, old fashioned but fun!
Kids - charge your parents, siblings, etc for back massages, back scratches, painting nails, hair styling etc.
Puppet show or skit: charge your friends & family to your very own show!
Fundraising Ideas for Students
Babysit & donate profits to Traveling Stories.
Host a car wash with your school club, team, church, or friends.
Host a game night with friends and challenge the losing group(s) to donate X amount to Traveling Stories’ Dimes for StoryTimes fundraiser.
Help a fellow classmate by tutoring a subject you know well for a small fee & donate profits to Traveling Stories.
Pie in the face: Charge your friends to pie you in the face!
Gift wrapping services -offer to wrap peoples’ presents for a suggested donation and donate your profits to Traveling Stories.
Fundraising Ideas for Professionals
Laundry fundraising - whatever money you find in your laundry machine donate it to Traveling Stories.
Sell stuff you don’t use (clothes, knick knacks, furniture, books, etc) & donate profits to Traveling Stories.
Bad wine tasting - Buy all the bottom-shelf wines and have someone who knows absolutely nothing about vino host a tasting. Charge guests a fee to attend and taste. Donate the proceeds.
Pet Costume Party - Host a Pet costume party and contest! Charge a fee to enter the contest and/or make a donation for each vote. Ask the winning pet-parent to post an acceptance speech once the contest is over. Charge extra for pictures with the winners.
Fundraising Ideas for Companies
Pajama or Jean Day - invite employees to make a donation to wear PJs or Jeans or even slippers to work.
Play “ The Penny Wars'' - You’ll need 2+ teams. Each team has a jar to collect money. Teams earn 1 point for each penny in their jar, but lose points equal to the value of any other coins or dollars in their jar. You can help your team by adding pennies and sabotage other teams by adding silver coins or dollars. Add points up at the end and award the team with the most points a prize. Donate all the money to Traveling Stories.
Holiday Candy Grams - Sending a candygram is a great way to let your coworkers know you care about them. Spread a little joy and raise money by selling and sending personalized messages with candy and other delicious treats attached.
Host a company bowling event!
Fundraising Ideas for Retirees
Host a read-a-thon! Set a goal to read for # hours straight. Ask friends to sponsor your reading by donating x amount for every hour you last.
Host Bunco, Poker, or other game night! Charge a small fee to play and donate the proceeds to Traveling Stories.
Community Class - (virtual or in person) What’s your talent? Maybe it’s dog training, knitting, spreadsheets or baking the perfect pie! Share your expertise by teaching a fun community class! Charge attendees a suggested donation.
