Church Fundraiser Ideas to Bring Your Community Together
Often, churches are a cornerstone in a community – a place where people not only come together to worship, but to socialise, get support and see those who they know and love. There are various reasons as to why you might want to fundraise for your local church, too – from building maintenance to community outreach. Fundraising can also help to bring together a community with a shared sense of purpose. If you’re inspired to get fundraising for your local church, GoFundMe is the place to do that. Start a GoFundMe for your local church today.
Why fundraising matters for churches
There are a number of reasons why fundraising is so vitally important for churches. The population of people who visit and donate to churches regularly is dwindling; the demographic is older on the whole and the cost of living crisis has hit hard. Things like electricity cost more, so it’s more expensive to just keep the lights on. Fundraising for the church can help to support projects which also benefit the wider community, often supporting those who are vulnerable or need a helping hand. There’s also an added benefit to online fundraising compared with in real life collections – it’s easier and quicker, no money needs to be handled and people don’t need to have cash on them to donate. It also has the potential to reach far more people and the link can be easily shared.
Church fundraiser ideas
There are plenty of fun options when it comes to church fundraising – take a look at our ideas below.
Community-centric events
Events that bring the community together are always sure-fire wins for fundraising. You could:
- Host a bake sale: This is the bedrock of fundraising activity. Get congregation members to bake goods (or even buy them) and host a sale after Sunday service – who doesn’t love a sweet treat!
- Car boot sale: Hosting a car boot sale is a really good way to raise funds and also gives members of the community an opportunity to get rid of things they no longer need, and others to bag a bargain.
- Charity walk or run: If you want to get out there and get active, there’s nothing more motivating than others agreeing to join in with you. Organise a charity walk or run in the community catering to all different abilities and get people to sign up for training, if needed.
Family-friendly activities
Why not think of a fundraising idea that appeals to all the family?
- Film night: The church is a big open space – utilise it and host a film night, charging a small donation fee for entry and sell snacks.
- Family fun day: Family fun days attract big crowds and could be relatively easy to organise if you have all hands on deck. Think about scheduling in a day with entertainers, stalls and face painting.
Seasonal events: Remember to check the calendar when you’re thinking about fundraising – doing something around Christmas or Easter gives you a ready made theme to consider. Think easter egg hunts, summer fetes or Christmas markets.
Creative fundraising ideas
Are you a creative person? Yes or no, these are fun ideas that can involve all ages and abilities.
- Host an auction: Do an inventory of the skills the community has – decorating, gardening, cooking – and auction off vouchers of their time.
- Talent show: You could do a talent show for children (or adults!) to create a fun, lighthearted atmosphere around your fundraising. Charge a fee for entry and also for tickets to watch the show itself – and host it in the church.
- Art exhibition: Ask local artists and creatives if they’d like to show their work in an exhibition and ask for donations for an entry fee.
Online and virtual fundraisers
You can also utilise the endless powers of the internet for your fundraising. With online fundraising, it’s easy to spread the word and message far and wide.
- Crowdfunding: GoFundMe is a brilliant tool for church fundraising. If the building needs a new roof, for example, start a GoFundMe for that purpose and circulate the link.
- Online raffle: You could sell tickets and do an online raffle to raise money. This is a really effective way to raise money and host a raffle – it means people don’t have to be there in person.
- Virtual concert: Maybe you’ve got a lot of talent in the congregation? Offer up virtual concerts via online streaming platforms where people can showcase their singing, dancing, musical talents.
How GoFundMe can help
So, if you’ve decided to fundraise for your local church, you’re in the right place. GoFundMe is free to start and really easy to set up, taking you through the process in a digestible, step by step way. It’s safe, fast and easy – we have a team of experts working around the clock to ensure everything runs smoothly, too.
Running a fundraiser for your church really helps to give back to the community and keeps an essential lifeline for many people going. And you will make friends along the way, too!