30+ cheap fundraising ideas for 2026

With household budgets still under pressure and the cost-of-living squeeze showing no signs of easing, fundraising in 2026 needs to be smarter, leaner and more creative than ever.

These cheap fundraising ideas make it easier for charities, schools and community groups to raise funds without stretching budgets. While supporters are keen to help, they are often unable to give large one-off donations. That’s why low-cost, low risk fundraising ideas are no longer a ‘nice to have’, but essential.

The good news? You don’t need big budgets or months of planning to raise meaningful funds. This blog brings together 30+ cheap fundraising ideas for 2026 that are easy to run, kind to your supporters’ wallets and flexible enough to work both online and offline. Whether you’re fundraising from home, in your workplace, at school or out in the community, these ideas are designed to keep costs low and participation high.

Below, you will find a mix of quick wins you can launch immediately, family-friendly activities, and practical ideas tailored for schools, workplaces and local groups. Expect simple challenges, community events, digital-first campaigns and seasonal fundraisers that can be repeated year after year. If you’re looking for realistic ways to build momentum, engage more people and make fundraising manageable in 2026, you’re in the right place.

Quick wins you can launch this month

If you need to raise funds fast, these cheap fundraising ideas are simple to set up, cost very little and can start generating donations almost immediately.

24-hour online donation blitz

Run a short, high-energy fundraising push with a clear goal and deadline. Set up a single online fundraising page with GoodHub, explain exactly what the money will support and promote it heavily for 24 hours via email, social media and WhatsApp. The limited time frame creates urgency and makes it easy for supporters to say yes.

Loose-change week

Ask supporters to donate their spare change over the course of a week. Place jars in homes, offices, schools and friendly local shops, or encourage people to collect digitally by donating the value of their loose change online.

It’s a great reminder that small amounts quickly add up when everyone gets involved.

Round up your bill partnerships

Partner with local cafes, takeaways or independent retailers to ask customers if they’d like to round up their bill to the nearest pound and donate the difference.

Provide simple QR codes or posters explaining the cause and keep the campaign short and visible to make it easy for businesses and customers to take part.

Low-cost community event ideas

Community events are a great way to raise funds while bringing people together. These cheap fundraising ideas keep costs down by using donated items, volunteer time and low-cost venues.

• Charity car boot sale: Ask supporters to donate unwanted items and sell them at a local car boot sale, school playground or community car park. Charge a small fee for stalls or sell items on behalf of donors, with all proceeds going to your cause. It’s a simple way to turn clutter into cash and works especially well at weekends.
• Community bake sale or soup lunch: Invite volunteers to donate homemade cakes, bread or soup and host a pop-up sale in a hall, church, school or workplace. Keep prices affordable to encourage volume and include a QR code for anyone who wants to give a little extra.
• Quiz night in a hall, pub or online: Run a quiz in a local hall, pub back room or using a free online platform. Charge a small entry fee per person or per team, offer donated prizes and boost income with raffles or bonus rounds.
• Bingo night or games night using donated prizes: Host a bingo or games night with prizes donated by local businesses or supporters. Keep entry costs low and sell extra bingo cards or games tokens on the night to increase fundraising without extra expense.

Workplace-friendly fundraising ideas

These cheap fundraising ideas are easy to organise, require little to no budget and fit neatly into the working day, making them ideal for busy teams.

Dress-down or wear your team colours

Ask colleagues to donate a small amount to come to work in casual clothes or wear their favourite team’s colours. It’s simple to run, inclusive and can be repeated throughout the year with different themes.

Office coffee morning or bake-off

Invite staff to bring in homemade bakes or contribute to a shared coffee morning. Ask for small donations per item or per person and include a QR code so people can give without cash. Adding a friendly bake-off vote can increase engagement.

Lunchtime learning session

Hold a short, informal talk during lunch led by a colleague or guest speaker. Colleagues can donate to attend, and topics can range from professional skills to wellbeing, hobbies or personal interests.

Skill swap hour

Encourage team members to offer quick skill-sharing sessions, such as CV tips, language practice or tech tutorials, in exchange for a donation. It’s a zero-cost way to raise funds while helping colleagues learn something new.

School and youth group fundraisers

These cheap fundraising ideas are designed to be affordable, easy to organise and fun for children and young people, while keeping costs low for families.

Sponsored read-a-thon or silence

Ask pupils to gather sponsorship for reading a set amount of time or completing a sponsored silence. These activities are simple to run, inclusive and easy to support with online fundraising pages.

Penny wars between classes or houses

Set up collection jars for each class or house and encourage friendly competition. Coins of one type add points, while others deduct points, keeping it fun and engaging. It’s a great way to raise small amounts that quickly add up.

Talent show or open-mic evening

Host a talent show featuring music, dance, comedy or poetry and sell low-priced tickets to friends and family via a GoodHub fundraising page.

Keep costs down by using school facilities and student volunteers and boost funds with refreshments or a raffle.

Upcycled craft sale

Ask families to donate clean, unwanted materials and help pupils create crafts to sell at a school fair or event. This encourages creativity, sustainability and fundraising at the same time.

Digital-first fundraising ideas

Digital-first fundraisers are ideal for reaching supporters wherever they are, using simple online tools like GoodHub and social platforms to raise funds quickly with little or no upfront cost.

• Peer-to-peer fundraising for birthdays or milestones: Encourage supporters to set up their own fundraising pages for birthdays, anniversaries or personal milestones. Instead of gifts, they ask friends and family to donate, helping you reach new audiences at no extra cost.
• Give up ‘x’ for a month challenge: Invite people to give up something they enjoy, such as coffee, sweets or social media, for a month and collect sponsorship online. These challenges are easy to promote, flexible to run at any time of the year and work well on social platforms.
• Livestream challenges: Supporters can livestream a gaming marathon, music performance or fitness challenge using free platforms. Viewers donate in real time via a fundraising page, creating energy, interaction and instant impact.
• Social media ‘donate your coffee’ day: Run a simple one-day campaign asking followers to donate the cost of their usual coffee. Use small, fixed donation amounts and clear messaging to make it quick and accessible for supporters to take part.

Seasonal and holiday-themed ideas

Tying your cheap fundraising ideas to the seasons and key calendar moments gives people a natural reason to get involved and makes promotion easier throughout the year.

New year fresh start declutter sale

Encourage supporters to donate unwanted items as part of a New Year clear-out. Sell items online or at a local sale and position it as a feel-good way to start the year while supporting a good cause.

Spring or Easter egg hunt

Run a low-cost egg hunt in a school playground, park or community space with a small entry fee. Keep expenses down with donated prizes or reusable eggs and add refreshments or a raffle to boost funds.

Summer picnic or sports day fundraiser

Host a relaxed picnic or mini sports day with low entry fees and simple games. Ask families to bring their own food and charge small amounts for activities, competitions or team entry.

Halloween costume contest and spooky bake sale

Invite children and adults to dress up and pay to enter a costume competition. Pair it with a spooky-themed bake sale using donated treats to maximise fundraising with minimal spend.

Festive jumper day or carol singing collection

Ask supporters to donate to wear festive jumpers at school or work or organise a small carol singing collection in the community. These feel-good activities are easy to repeat year after year and fit naturally into December schedules.

Creative challenge ideas on a budget

Challenges are a fun, engaging way to raise funds while encouraging participation and healthy competition, all without spending much money.

• Step count or walking challenge: Use free tracking apps to set a collective goal for steps or distance walked. Supporters can get sponsored per step, mile or week, making it easy to fundraise while staying active.
• 100 of something challenge: Ask participants to complete 100 of a chosen activity, like 100km, 100 push-ups or 100 acts of kindness. Online sponsorship or social sharing can help spread the word and boost donations.
• Haircut, beard shave or makeover challenge: Volunteers take on a dramatic change and gather sponsorship for each step. This works especially well if participants livestream or post updates on social media.
• Art, photo or poetry challenge: Encourage supporters to create and share their art, photography or writing online. They can collect small donations per entry or per vote, turning creativity into fundraising with minimal cost.

Partnering with local businesses for less

Working with local businesses can boost fundraising without adding costs, creating a win-win for both your cause and the community.

• Donation tins or QR posters at tills: Place collection tins or QR codes at checkouts so customers can donate easily. These low-effort setups keep overheads minimal while giving your cause visibility.
• Percentage of sales day or charity product of the month: Partner with a business to donate a portion of sales from a specific day or a chosen product. It’s simple for the business to implement and encourages customers to support your cause while shopping.
• Raffle or auction with donated prizes: Collect prizes or experiences from local businesses and run a raffle or auction. Low-cost or free prizes make this a high-impact way to raise funds while promoting local partners.
• In-store mini events with ticket donations: Host small events like tastings, demos or workshops in a shop or café, charging a small ticket or suggested donation. Businesses benefit from extra footfall, and you raise funds with minimal setup.

Making these ideas work on platforms like GoodHub

Putting your cheap fundraising ideas into action is easier when you use a simple, structured approach. Start by grouping your chosen ideas into a clear campaign calendar for 2026, so you can see what’s happening when and avoid last minute rushes.

To get started, pick 3-5 ideas from this list and schedule them right away. If you create a dedicated campaign or event page on GoodHub for your initiative, it will have a unique URL that you can use to promote through email, social media, and QR codes to maximise participation.

Your profile page serves as your central fundraising hub, and also displays individual clickable cards for each campaign or event.

Small steps early in the year can build momentum and keep supporters engaged. Finally, ensure your profile page and linked campaign pages are ready for 2026 so donors can give quickly and easily, giving your events and challenges the best chance to succeed.