Fundraising ideas

Fundraising ideas are endless. Many past Oxfam Trailwalker teams have come up with new, exciting, and successful fundraising activities all on their own! With a bit of brainstorming who knows what you'll come up with. Here are 10 tried and tested fundraising ideas to help you get started.

Email everyone
The most effective fundraising method (by far) is emailing as many people as you can with a link to your team page. Tell them what you are doing and why and ask them to donate to your team. Experience shows the best emails ask for a specific amount and show what it could do. Then when people give more (as they often do) they feel even better! Don’t forget to follow up with those who haven’t donated.
Workplace antics
Your work is a great place to start fundraising. Where else is there a whole pile of people who you can chase up every day to support your team? Some great ideas for fundraising at work are mufti days, morning teas and matched giving.
Poo mapping
We’re not kidding, poo mapping is an important first step in helping communities improve sanitation and combat disease AND it’s a great fundraiser. This fundraising tool is essentially a treasure map and one was included in your preparation pack. It’s simple, easy and effective so get poo mapping! Download the Poo Map
Ask for sponsorship
Ask local businesses to sponsor your team. Ask for financial or "in kind" products (not both) which you can use for fundraising raffles and auctions. Offer to change your team name to their business name and get their logo on your team page.
Pub quiz
Everyone loves a good excuse to get down to the pub… Past participants found that Pub Quiz nights are very successful and draw large crowds. Charge tickets per head and get a few of your local businesses to donate some prizes. For questions have a google and you’ll find plenty otherwise you can download ours. Download our Pub Quiz questions (PDF)
Trash to treasure
Rummage around for your unwanted items for a good old fashioned garage sale. You may be surprised how much you have to sell between your team! You can also get people to donate goods and you keep the proceeds for your team.
Fundraising chocolate with Trade Aid
Sell yummy Trade Aid fair trade chocolate for a deliciously easy fundraiser with a sweet fundraising profit! To order your chocolate bars to sell download the fundraising chocolate form below, fill it in and send it to Trade Aid. They’ll send you your chocolate to sell and the profit goes to your team fundraising. Download the fundraising chocolate form here
Movie night with Event cinemas
Movie nights are fantastic fundraisers. They are the only fundraiser where your friends get to go to the movies and support you at the same time! Event Cinemas have got special fundraising rates for you to sell tickets at a premium and the profits go to your team. Plus get a free adult double pass when your team book your fundraising movie night. To arrange your movie night fundraiser contact fundraising@eventcinemas.co.nz
Sausage sizzle
The humble sausage sizzle has been a fundraising staple for generations of kiwis. All it takes is a BBQ, a good location, sausages, bread, and T sauce. Add mustard and onions for the fancy approach and with a bit of signage you're cooking with gas!
Social networking
Facebook, twitter, you name it, social networks are a great place to promote your team (and your fundraising events) and ask for support. Plus through the magic of the internet you can direct people straight to your team page!

Other ideas

Trivia night, karaoke competition, pub crawl, golf day, band night, mini golf, go-cart racing, lawn bowls, treasure hunt, custom-labelled wine, greeting cards, raffle ... and everything else under the sun is listed in our famous A-Z of fundraising ideas (PDF).