It’s easy to select the perfect corporate fundraising idea, if you can narrow it down to just one!
Corporate fundraising ideas: getting started
Corporate fundraising is more rewarding for the company and the community now than ever. Enjoy these top fundraising ideas for corporate fundraising, culled from possibilities and experience.
There is a stark difference between charities and corporations regarding fundraising. Although the goal is the same: to raise money, however, the techniques, presentation, and requirements may be quite different.
Charities typically want as much positive publicity as possible; corporations may, at times, aggressively market their campaigns or withdraw from the public’s eye altogether, depending on what they are attempting to accomplish.
Corporations often hire a nonprofit charity or a fundraising professional to help them with corporate fundraising.
If you’re hired as a professional to help a corporate fundraising, keep a few things in mind. For example, assess the company’s specific needs, and meet with everyone involved. Approach the corporation professionally and courteously, presenting yourself as an expert in your field. The more trust and credibility you gain, the more you can motivate them while developing a long and stable fundraising relationship.
Research Corporate Fundraising
If you or your organization is partnering with a corporation to sponsor a fundraising event, it is prudent to pay attention these considerations:
- Make sure you know the names and positions of those involved. Knowing who will attend the initial fundraising meetings will give you an idea of the corporate level of people you will be working with and how to go forward together.
- Spend a little time researching the corporation. What does it do? What types of fundraising activities have they done in the past?
- During meetings with them, listen carefully, and ask questions. Get a solid understanding of their expectations and the type of fundraising they wish to do. Also, make sure they’re setting realistic goals. Finally, share your knowledge and expertise about what they can expect.
- If necessary, bring a portfolio listing your experience with other companies. This way, you’ll be prepared.
- Remember that every individual within that corporation is a potential donor, making it extremely important to generate a positive impression.
Whatever your situation, set up a corporate fundraiser to attract employees and inspire them to donate. Make it fun, entertaining, and simple, appealing to your organization’s different types of people.
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Corporate Fundraising Ideas
Whether you represent a charitable organization or an employee of a corporation, here are 14 magnificent corporate fundraising ideas to consider. It may be difficult to narrow it down to just one!
1. Balloon Pop Off
You can use the company cafeteria or other similar locations for this event. Fill up the room with balloons. Put a slip in each balloon stating a prize the person wins for popping that balloon.
Employees can donate small prizes ahead of time, or you can purchase fun items at wholesale or party goods stores.
Charge a $10 participation fee and treat it as a race where you blow a horn and let them go at it, popping as many balloons as they can. Make it more challenging by not allowing participants to use their hands. Alternatively, charge a small fee per balloon they want to pop.
This is a great one to invite the family, too, as well and a real winner with the kids.
2. Bingo Night
Everyone loves bingo! Set up a bingo night for employees and their plus one!
Everyone pays a small donation at the door for each bingo card received. In addition, offer small, fun prizes for bingo winners to make the fundraising event even more fun!
3. Bowling Tournament
This o super popular fundraising idea because it’s fun and can be a great opportunity to socialize and meet new people.Employees set up bowling teams and compete with one another at a bowling tournament.
Set pledges for every strike made, winning teams, pins knocked down, and so forth.
They can also volunteer to make a one-time donation. In addition, employees from the company can pledge to donate whatever amount they wish based on how you’ve set up the event.
Offer a fun prize to the winning team and collect donations and pledges afterward or on a specific day at work.
Contact your local bowling alley to set up a time and date for the tournament. Don’t hesitate to ask for a charitable rate! (They might even donate a few games for you!)
4. Company Concert or Talent Show
Calling on the talent at hand is an inexpensive corporate fundraising idea. From playing the acoustic guitar to impersonating celebrities, you’ll be amazed at the variety of talent hiding among your staff.
Depending on the size of your organization, you can query employees to see if they have hidden talents they would share as a fundraiser. For example, if musicians in your company play in a band, perhaps they would be willing to play for a dance or small concert for employees and their families to attend.
Charge a small fee for admission, letting everyone know that proceeds go to support the company or a designated charity. Consider a food and beverage stand complementing admissions fees already collected for your corporate fundraiser. This is a terrific way to bolster camaraderie among your staff!
5. Company Picnic and Raffle
Hold a company picnic. Everyone can bring in one dish for the picnic to create a great, varied meal in which everyone can partake, except the ants.
During the picnic, employees and their families can purchase raffle tickets to try to win fun prizes.
You can also set up fun events, like relay races, an egg toss, pie-eating contests, or other activities to increase participation and make it an excellent time for all.
6. Competitive Events
Create an event in which different departments of the company form teams to compete against one another.
Others can pledge donations towards their favorite team for each win.
There are several possibilities and variations you can use. First, see what types of events or sports interest most personnel enjoy and decide from there what direction appears to work best so you can then plan and implement this exciting competition.
You can also add separate donation pages for each competitive group before the event so that each “donation” is counted as a pledge should that team win.
7. Employee Dance
You can hold a company dance one weekend evening in the cafeteria or other appropriate space.
Charge a small ticket fee at the door. You can also offer drinks and snacks they can purchase while they are there.
Employees can invite their families to attend. On the other hand, you can make it an adult-only event and have an area set up where they can leave their children with an onsite volunteer group of babysitters who’ll watch their kids while they enjoy a fun night out.
What about a dance contest?
8. Funniest Photo Contest
Employees can bring their most hilarious photos of themselves to participate in a humorous photo contest.
You can place each photo on a bulletin board in the lunchroom with a collection can under each one.
Others can vote on their favorite photo by placing a donation in the can. At the end of each day, collect and tally donations. Announce who is in the lead and get people motivated.
At the end of the event, add up the totals and announce the winner, who will receive a special plaque, trophy, or other amusing prizes.
This is a popular fundraising idea that employees enjoy. Don’t forget to ask the boss’ spouse for a few childhood photos!
9. Karaoke Night
You can use this event repeatedly for corporate fundraising purposes.
Employees and their family members pay a small admission fee and compete in fun karaoke competitions. You can also serve snacks and drinks to raise even more money.
Also, you can invite local sports figures and stars to compete on a specific night, which will bring even more publicity to your event.
Did you know Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline is one of the top 25 karaoke songs?
10. Scratch Cards
Nothing says corporate fundraising idea like a scratcher!
Who hasn’t received a scratch-off lottery ticket in a birthday or holiday card? They are fun and inexpensive to put a smile on the recipient’s face.
Customized promotional scratch-off cards are a fun and affordable way for employees to donate to your fundraiser.
Like your state’s scratch-off lottery cards, each card has a grid of small gray dots to scratch off. Scratch off two gray dots on the card and donate that amount to your fundraiser.
By the way, one thing we have noticed about scratch-off cards over the years is that they’re often the one souvenir your auction committee takes home as a memento.
11. Silent Auctions
To make your auction an exciting topic in your community, offer items targeted to your audience. Consider what each age group you’re targeting is interested in today and add things that appeal to them. Auction items should be well-targeted to the people attending.
How can you afford such exciting items for your corporate auction?
For more information, refer to our blog post “How to Run a Silent Auction.”
12. Treasure Hunt
Set up an intriguing treasure hunt within the company. Employees participate by paying an entry fee to join in on the excitement.
Find a location where you can do the event, and bury coins, small items, and other “treasures” that employees and their families can find after some searching!
Several variations to this type of theme do not require burying items or finding an appropriate location, such as scavenger hunts, creating puzzles to solve, and so forth. Be creative!
Employees dig it!
13. Vegas Night
Set up a casino night where participants can play poker, roulette, blackjack, craps, and other casino-style games.
All participants donate to gain poker chips they can use for games and redeem for prizes.
14. Wine Tasting
Hold a wine tasting. Bring in sponsors for the event, sell their bottles of wine and other items, and take a percentage of all products sold.
If you prefer not to bring in large quantities of wine (or cannot get all that you need before the event due to cash restraints), you can easily set up a wine tasting coupled with our charity auctions software. This way, you would allow your group to taste the wine, bid on types and quantities they would like, and have the winning bids delivered later.
Make sure to have enough individual products to generate a high gross donation but not so much that each item has a low bid.
One of the best corporate fundraising ideas is having enough prep time to order wine with custom labels. For example, if you’re raising funds to build a new computer lab in the grade school, the label could have a clever saying, “A lovely cab for a new computer lab.” If the wine is a Cabernet, and you can personalize it by naming it “LabCab” and having your designer create custom label for it. Fun!
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Whatever your situation, set up a corporate fundraiser to attract employees and inspire them to donate.
If you’d like to learn more about nonprofits and who donates to them, you might appreciate Guidestar.org. On Guidestar can also review the budgets of your favorite charities and how they raise their funds.
Using one of our corporate fundraising ideas will help make your activities entertaining and straightforward, with an appeal to your target audience. Who knew corporate fundraising ideas could be so interesting that it’s hard to elect only one?
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