Fundraising Ideas for All Ages

Find creative ideas designed to inspire people of all ages and youth groups. 

Ideas for Youth Groups

• Provide incentive by promising that the teacher or advisor for the group raising the most money will dress up in a cow costume, escort a chicken around for a day or perform "Old McDonald Had a Farm."
  

• Prepare a pancake breakfast or soup-and-sandwiches lunch. Sell tickets in advance.
  

• Offer to do chores, such as raking leaves or walking someone's dog, with the fees going to Heifer.
  

• Collect copper pennies in large, clear containers. Offer a small prize to the person guessing the number in the jar, then contribute the pennies to Heifer -- counted and wrapped, please!
  

• Collect favorite family recipes into a cookbook that can be produced and sold.
  

• Hold a car wash.
  

• Using Read to Feed materials from Heifer, children can collect pledges from friends and relatives, who agree to pay a quarter or a dollar (or more) for each book the child reads during the four weeks of the program.
  

• Do at least one activity that involves children explaining hunger issues to friends and family and asking them to support Heifer. This is an excellent way to teach children facts and values -- and raise money from adults at the same time.
  

• Paint a Heifer mural in a hallway or on a classroom wall. A talented person (or team) draws the outlines, then children or adults can fill in the colors. You'll have a constant reminder while your campaign is going on and a keepsake after it's over.
  

• Decorate a holiday tree with animal ornaments made by youth group members, and sell them as a fundraiser.

Ideas for All Ages

• Ask friends and family to remember your birthday, anniversary or other special event by contributing an animal to Heifer in your name. Our Gift Catalog makes it easy for them and for you to help families around the world.
  

• Hold a walk-a-thon, bike race or dance marathon. Collect pledges for each mile or hour. See how one man vowed to bike-ride cross country for Heifer.
  

• Organize a team of volunteers to do house and yard projects, such as painting a room or cleaning gutters. The person receiving the service contributes the amount it would have cost to Heifer.
  

• Make small, handmade gifts or holiday cards and sell them. Or hold a raffle for larger, more expensive hand-made items, such as a quilt or dollhouse.
  

• Have an International Potluck Dinner and charge admission. Make each group responsible for food and decorations appropriate to the Heifer country or region assigned to them.
  

• Put on an international, intergenerational talent show.
  

• Arrange a hunger-facts quiz in a popular game-show format. Raise money by having people pay to enter the contest or pledge in support of their favorite contestant.

Do you have a successful fundraising idea to share? Let us know!