10 Fun Sorority and Fraternity Fundraising Ideas
Greek life fundraising is a long-standing tradition in the United States. Each year, fraternities and sororities from across the country band together to raise money for their chapter organizations and local communities, engaging in grassroots fundraising and orchestrating impactful philanthropy events. From volunteering at local soup kitchens to partnering with some of the country’s largest nonprofits, fraternity and sorority fundraising plays an important role in supporting both local communities and charitable causes at the national level.
According to the National Panhellenic 2022-2023 annual survey of sororities, collegiate and alumnae members donated over $28 million through philanthropic activity and spent half a million hours volunteering with local and national organizations. Crowdfunding can be extremely effective in raising money for sororities and fraternities, but you’ll need some exciting fundraising event ideas to garner the maximum amount of support for your house or chapter.
When you’ve got to worry about balancing your college studies with your philanthropic efforts, organizing charity events can be difficult. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 fundraiser ideas for fraternities and sororities to help take your organization’s charity work to the next level.
Why do fraternities and sororities organize fundraisers?
Sorority and fraternity philanthropy events serve a dual purpose of addressing social issues in local communities while supporting overlooked projects and initiatives that may not receive much attention otherwise. With such a grassroots focus on local communities, the simplest Greek life fundraising ideas can often have the most powerful impact.
On top of providing valuable support for the most vulnerable and underprivileged members of their communities, sorority and fraternity members who engage in fundraising gain valuable life skills along the way. Engaging in fundraising helps to foster important values and skills that can be applied in a variety of professional and real-life contexts. Whether it’s developing their organizational, leadership or interpersonal communication skills—fraternity and sorority fundraising can have an incredibly positive impact on the lives and future careers of participants.
As for fraternity and sorority groups at large, joining together in the spirit of generosity is one of the best ways to foster unity and camaraderie among the brothers and sisters taking part.
Fundraising Ideas for Fraternity and Sorority Organizations
When arranging a fundraising event in any context, it’s important to stick with ideas that align with the values and goals of your organization. Create a strict budget for your fundraising team, and set realistic goals around how much money you’re hoping to raise. Once you’ve selected a winning event idea from the selection below, marketing your fundraiser online and throughout your local community will ensure that all of your hard work pays off.
With that in mind, here are some of our favorite fraternity and sorority philanthropy ideas to maximize donations and guarantee a fun day out for all involved.
1. Sell custom t-shirts
College students can never have too many clothes, which is just one of the many reasons why selling custom t-shirts is such an effective fundraising idea. Recruit some of your fraternity’s more artistic members to come up with some original t-shirt designs, and sell them through a free or low-cost online distributor. Focus on creating designs that tie in with the cause you’re supporting, and make sure to include some of your fraternity’s branding.
If you’re looking to take this fundraising idea a step further, split your organization into teams and see who can come up with the best-selling design. You’ll be channeling the healthy sense of competition that fraternities are famous for, while potentially giving your number of donations a valuable boost.
2. Stage a concert or talent show
While not strictly a guarantee, there’s a very good chance that at least one of your brothers or sisters is a member of a band. One of the best sorority or fraternity fundraising ideas is to ask your musical members to recruit other talented students from the wider college for a charity concert or talent show. All you’ll need is a makeshift stage or performing pedestal, et voila—your house’s front lawn is suddenly the perfect venue for a successful show.
Charge a reasonable admission fee to boost donations to your cause, sharing links to your GoFundMe page for attendants to make their payments. Make sure to create some social media buzz for your event by sharing creative promotional content, and make sure to bring collection baskets for those who want to donate cash on the day.
3. Organize a date auction
Date auctions—while certainly an unconventional fundraising idea—can be incredibly fun and successful when conducted in a respectful manner. They involve selecting a handful of your braver house members to be ‘auctioned off’ so that audience members can make bids to enjoy a date with them. Set an entry fee for those who are interested in participating, and try to encourage some light-hearted competition among those bidding in your audience.
While date auctions can be a fun and enjoyable experience for all involved, it’s important to ensure that this type of event is carried out in an ethical way. Make sure that everyone taking part is fully aware and consenting to the idea, and be mindful of the audience that you’ll be inviting to your event.
4. Host a hot dog eating contest
If you’re searching for a fundraising event that most of your brothers and sisters would take part in for free, look no further than the crowd-pleasing hot dog eating contest. This philanthropy event involves bringing your wider college community together, all while having plenty of fun and making a positive contribution to your chosen cause. Create an online registration form for those seeking to take part, and request a sign-up fee that will be sent directly to your GoFundMe. You can also sell tickets online for those interested in spectating.
When it comes to preparing a venue, use your house’s front lawn or ask if your college can host the event in a central location on campus. Reach out to local restaurants and see if any are willing to donate hot dogs and buns, or factor the cost of these into your fundraising event budget.
5. Set up a sports tournament
College fundraising often revolves around putting the competitive Greek life spirit to good use, and few events bring friendly rivalries to life like a sports tournament. Try to choose a sport that’s popular among your college community and doesn’t involve too much organization, equipment or complicated rules. Soccer leagues, pickleball tournaments and team-focused relay races can always be trusted to go down successfully.
If you’re not too familiar with organizing sporting events, try to recruit a college team coach to assist with setting out the rules and format of your tournament. Reach out to other fraternities on campus, and invite them to join your fundraising efforts or compete for a cause of their own. Decide on how many winners or podium places there will be, then contact some local businesses to see if they can donate prizes.
6. Run a cookie delivery service
One of the most traditional sorority and frat philanthropy ideas: get your brothers or sisters together and bake cookies to sell on campus and throughout your local community. College students are always in need of a snack, so setting up a cookie stand in a central area on campus pretty much guarantees a successful fundraiser. Spread the word with posters around campus, posts on Instagram, and encourage your customers to post reviews on social media.
Keep deliveries local to ensure that all of your potential customers can be reached on foot, or ask for volunteers who are willing to run deliveries by car. Set up a simple Google Form for preorders so that you can gauge the amount of cookies needed, and make sure to include information about your chosen charity and links to your GoFundMe page at every opportunity.
7. Send out care packages
Nothing says brotherhood or sisterhood like a thoughtful gift that encourages self-care, which is why selling care packages filled with campus essentials is such a powerful fundraising idea for sororities and fraternities. School can be challenging at the best of times, and anything that eases this stress is bound to be a big hit among your chapter and the wider college community.
Fill your care packages with blankets, candles, toiletries and snacks, then team up to market them online and distribute posters across campus. The beauty of this fundraising idea is that care packages can be bought for spouses, friends and just about anyone—opening your fundraiser up to a wide range of potential donors. Buy your items in bulk from a wholesaler to save money, and recruit your brothers or sisters to help with the presentation of your care packages.
8. Screen an outdoor movie night
A time-tested favorite among sorority and fraternity fundraiser ideas, outdoor movie nights are great for gathering large crowds of people that will donate money to your chosen cause. This type of event can involve the whole campus, so make sure to go all-out with your marketing efforts. Set up a simple online payment form which links directly to your GoFundMe page, and allow ticket holders to cast their vote from a selection of popular movies.
When planning an outdoor movie night—or any outdoor philanthropy event—it’s essential to consider the weather forecast, sunset times and other events that might be happening in the local area. You want to find a quiet venue with enough space for your crowd and a projection screen, while doing your best to schedule the event for a dry day. Don’t forget to bring blankets, cushions, the movie itself and some popular snacks or homemade treats that can be sold on the day.
9. Rent-A-Pup with a local shelter
Rent-A-Pup fundraisers involve owners renting out their pets to animal lovers who don’t have a pet of their own. As many students who move away for college are forced to leave their four-legged friends behind, organizing a Rent-A-Pup fundraiser is a great way to lift the spirits of your fellow students through the power of Greek life fundraising.
Contact your local animal shelter to gauge their interest in partnering with your sorority for a Rent-A-Pup event. You can spread the word about your fundraiser online and around campus, charging a donation fee for an agreed time of petting and playtime. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase adoptable pets to the community and help dogs find their forever homes. For every donation, you support your chosen philanthropic cause and give these dogs a taste of the good life.
10. Host a charity walk or run
Charity walks and runs have been popular fundraising ideas for sororities and other philanthropic organizations for decades. The beauty of these events is that anyone can take part and enjoy the experience at their own pace, while gaining a sense of achievement and camaraderie once they cross the finish line. Charge a reasonable entry fee for admission to the event, and try to choose a clear course that won’t be too challenging for your supporters.
Once you’ve managed to gather a sufficient number of participants, invite volunteers from your sorority to act as marshals, first-aiders and refreshment stand assistants on the day. If you’re looking to take your sorority’s charity walk or run the extra mile, try sourcing some custom t-shirts to commemorate the event that can be purchased at the finish line or gifted as prizes.
Kickstart your fraternity and sorority fundraising ideas today
Using a modern crowdfunding platform like GoFundMe is a guaranteed way to give your Greek life fundraising event a valuable boost. From increasing awareness around your cause to opening your crowdfunding efforts to a global audience of potential donors, online crowdfunding is a proven way to take any fundraiser to powerful new heights.
Creating a GoFundMe page is free, safe and simple. You’ll have immediate access to all donations as soon as they’re sent to your fundraising page, while gaining access to a global community of like-minded fundraisers who are supporting meaningful causes of their own.
Not sure where to start? Check out our helpful guides for a full breakdown of how GoFundMe works and to find expert answers to all your fundraising questions.