Blogs
These are a mixture of blogs (and vlogs) written by myself and guest writers with specialist knowledge in different areas of fundraising. These are designed to help you with your fundraising. Get in touch to suggest or request a topic.
10 Fun Challenges to Get Supporters Involved in Fundraising
Looking for a way to energise your supporters and make fundraising a memorable experience? Incorporating fun challenges into your campaign can be an excellent way to boost engagement, attract new donors, and rally your community. Whether your supporters are online or in person, these challenge ideas offer creative ways to make fundraising both effective and entertaining.
1. The "Polar Plunge" Challenge
Participants agree to take an icy dip in a lake, ocean, or even a kiddie pool in exchange for donations. Promote the challenge on social media and encourage participants to post videos of their plunge with a custom hashtag. This daring event is both hilarious and a great way to draw attention to your cause.
2. The "24-Hour Silence" Challenge
Encourage supporters to stay silent for an entire day to raise awareness and funds. This is particularly effective for causes related to communication barriers or advocacy for underrepresented groups. Participants can ask for sponsorships from friends and family for each hour they stay silent.
3. The "10,000 Steps a Day" Challenge
Turn fitness into fundraising by challenging supporters to walk 10,000 steps daily for a month. Participants can log their progress on social media and gather sponsorships for their commitment. Bonus: This one is great for workplace teams or community groups.
4. The "Dare Me" Challenge
Allow donors to issue dares to participants once they hit specific fundraising milestones. For example, a participant might agree to dye their hair a wild colour, wear a silly costume, or eat something unusual. This keeps the campaign fun and unpredictable, attracting more donations.
5. The "Digital Detox" Challenge
Challenge participants to unplug from social media, video games, or even their phones for a set period. Sponsors can pledge donations for every hour or day completed. This challenge not only raises funds but also promotes mindfulness and connection.
6. The "No-Sugar" Challenge
Participants commit to giving up sugar for a week or month and collect donations to support their effort. Pair it with educational content about healthy eating or your cause for added impact. This challenge often resonates well with health-conscious communities.
7. The "Reverse Marathon" Challenge
Instead of running 26.2 miles in one go, participants can commit to running or walking the equivalent distance over a set time (e.g., two weeks). This makes the challenge more accessible while still creating a sense of accomplishment.
8. The "Trivia Night Tournament" Challenge
Host a series of trivia nights where teams compete to raise the most money. Add extra challenges, like bonus rounds where teams can "buy" extra points through donations. This is a fun and interactive way to get people involved.
9. The "Upcycle It" Challenge
Encourage participants to upcycle old clothes, furniture, or household items and auction them off to raise money. Award prizes for the most creative transformations to inspire some friendly competition.
10. The "Mini-Challenges Marathon"
Combine multiple mini-challenges into one fun-filled day or week. Think mini-golf tournaments, three-legged races, pie-eating contests, and scavenger hunts. Each activity can have its own fundraising goal, and supporters can choose which challenges to participate in.
How to Maximize Engagement with Challenges
- Use Social Media: Encourage participants to share their progress, videos, and photos to spread the word and inspire others to join.
- Offer Prizes: Provide small rewards or recognition for the top fundraisers or the most creative participants.
- Create Teams: Promote friendly competition by encouraging supporters to participate in teams, which often increases fundraising totals.
- Tie It to Your Mission: Make sure the challenge aligns with your cause. For example, a silence challenge works well for charities focusing on communication disabilities.
Final Thoughts
Challenges are a fantastic way to transform fundraising into an engaging, community-driven experience. By offering fun, creative opportunities for supporters to get involved, you can increase donations, spread awareness for your cause, and build a stronger connection with your audience.
Which challenge will you try first?!