Posted by Ally Patterson
Fundraising is essential for nonprofits, but it often involves too many moving parts. Donations, ticket sales, volunteers, and follow-up can quickly turn into a patchwork of tools and spreadsheets. With the right setup, fundraising can be simpler, more organized, and easier for supporters to participate in.
This guide covers practical nonprofit fundraising ideas and the tools that help bring them together in one place.
This page is for nonprofit organizers who are responsible for fundraising, including:
If fundraising is part of your role, this page is designed to help you plan and run campaigns with less friction.
Many nonprofits struggle with:
The result is more admin work and fewer resources focused on your mission.
| Fundraising Idea | Best For | How Tools Help |
|---|---|---|
| Donation drives | Ongoing or seasonal giving | Collect and track donations in one place |
| Ticketed events | Galas, dinners, performances | Sell tickets and manage attendance |
| Auctions | In-person or online events | Organize items, bids, and volunteers |
| A-thons | Walk-a-thons, read-a-thons | Combine sign ups, pledges, and payments |
| Community events | Festivals, fairs, open houses | Coordinate volunteers and collect money |
| Peer fundraising | Supporter-led campaigns | Make sharing and participation easy |
This list isn’t about trends. It’s about formats nonprofits return to year after year because they work.
Successful fundraising often depends on reducing friction for supporters.
Helpful tools allow nonprofits to:
When everything lives in one place, supporters are more likely to participate and follow through.
SignUpGenius brings together the pieces nonprofits need to run fundraisers smoothly:
The focus is on clarity and ease, not complexity.
Fundraising efforts are easier to manage when:
Organization doesn’t just save time. It helps fundraisers perform better.
When fundraising is simple to participate in, more people get involved and more support follows. Clear tools and thoughtful planning help nonprofits spend less time managing logistics and more time advancing their mission.
What are the most common nonprofit fundraising ideas?
Common nonprofit fundraising ideas include donation drives, ticketed events, auctions, a-thons, community events, and peer fundraising campaigns.
What tools do nonprofits need for fundraising?
Most nonprofits need tools to collect donations or payments, manage event registrations or tickets, coordinate volunteers, and track participation in one place.
How can nonprofits simplify fundraising?
Fundraising is simpler when nonprofits use fewer tools, clearly define roles, and reuse setups for recurring events or campaigns.
Can fundraising include volunteers as well as donations?
Yes. Many fundraisers rely on volunteers for setup, staffing, and follow-up, making coordination just as important as collecting money.
Using SignUpGenius we can also keep a tab of how many volunteers we had participate in TEACH modules every year, and we can even organize the data by medical center (location) or date. Also, since we have many events at each location every year, we can duplicate an old sign up and simply adjust the date instead of creating another sign up from scratch!
Michael Shavolian, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
