Fundraising Playbook
50+ Ideas for Fundraising that Actually Work
Mix fast wins, recurring revenue, and community-driven campaigns to build a resilient fundraising calendar.
Fast wins (launch this week)
- 24-hour match challenge with a single, concrete goal and a live progress bar
- Peer-to-peer “why I care” social push with supporter stories and easy share links
- Impact-first thank-you + 3/7/30-day drip for every donor
- Birthday/tribute prompts on the donation page with suggested presets
Events that scale (hybrid friendly)
- Hybrid trivia or bingo night with team tables and sponsor underwrites
- Walk/Run with pledge-per-mile options and live leaderboards
- Community clean-up or garden day with local business sponsorships
- Salon-style micro-events hosted by ambassadors in living rooms or cafes
Recurring & evergreen
- Monthly giving club with named tiers, welcome kit, and insider updates
- Always-on employer match CTA on receipts + donor portal
- Anniversary and lapsed-donor win-back sequences with fresh impact proof
- Seasonal micro-campaigns (spring, back-to-school, year-end) on autopilot
Digital-first storytelling
- Short-form video stories linked to a mobile-first page with presets + fee coverage
- 3-email mini-campaigns (launch, impact proof, last call) over 5–7 days
- Remarketing audiences built from video viewers and site visitors
- Impact cards and testimonials embedded on the donation page
Community & partners
- Local business give-back days; pre-write their social posts
- Corporate volunteer + sponsorship bundles with clear tiers
- Alumni/ambassador referral drives with small rewards
- Faith/civic group presentations with a ready-to-use pitch deck
90-day rollout plan
Days 1–30: Launch & quick revenue
- Run a 24–72 hour match with one goal and a visible progress bar.
- Ship a 3-email micro-campaign. Keep each email to a single CTA.
- Turn on fee coverage + presets based on your median gift.
- Enable an employer-match line on every receipt and portal page.
Days 31–60: Recurring + P2P
- Stand up a monthly club with a name, perks, and welcome email.
- Activate peer-to-peer pages for 5–10 ambassadors; supply copy/assets.
- Add lapsed and new-donor drip journeys (3/7/30-day touches).
- Capture SMS consent on forms if you will use text reminders.
Days 61–90: Events + partnerships
- Host one hybrid event (trivia/bingo) with sponsor underwrite.
- Schedule two give-back nights with local businesses.
- Publish a short-form video series (3–5 clips) with donation links.
- Review data: best preset, fee coverage uptake, conversion by device.
Messaging templates you can copy/paste
Launch CTA
“In 72 hours we’re funding [impact]. Every $50 unlocks another [outcome]. A local donor is matching gifts 1:1. Join us now.”
Impact proof
“Because of you, 27 families received [service] this week. Here’s a 30-second video from the team on the ground.”
Last call
“We’re $4,200 away with 12 hours left. Your gift is still doubled. Let’s close the gap together.”
Recurring ask
“Join the [Club Name] with a monthly gift of $25. We’ll send quarterly impact snapshots and first looks at new projects.”
Metrics to watch (and improve)
- Conversion rate by device and by preset amount
- Fee coverage opt-in rate and impact on net revenue
- Repeat gift rate (30/90 days) and lapsed reactivation
- P2P leaderboards: top fundraisers, average raised per page
- Email: open/click/conversion by message type (launch, impact, last call)
- Event ROI: total raised minus costs; sponsor revenue per event
Build it in Expirely
Launch donation pages, receipts, and automated journeys in minutes. Track campaigns, segment donors, and keep your team aligned.