University Fundraising Ideas

When a university needs to have a fundraiser to construct a new library or some massive improvement project, they typically hold a huge gala event and turn to their well-to-do alumni and successful supporters for large donations. Most universities have a full-time fundraiser on staff, in fact. But within the university system there are hundreds if not thousands of groups and organizations that hold fundraisers on behalf of their group, or to make a certain improvement to university life that is important to their group, and those groups often need to get creative when it comes to fundraising.

One of the biggest decisions is often deciding what type of fundraiser to do. The members of the University of Montana Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club held a fundraiser at a local tavern, sold raffle tickets, auctioned off a hang-glider and more to help raise funds secure one of the premiere launch sites in Montana and preserve it for use by the sport’s enthusiasts. In California, Loma Linda University has four members of PossAbilities that have been marked as hopefuls for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. They held a Road to Rio Sports Luncheon Fundraiser to support the student athletes’ dreams. Fundraisers by other university groups include pie throws, donation containers, sports challenges, thons, bake sales, chili feeds, yoga classes, discount cards, raffles, and product sales.

Check out our complete list of fundraising products and do-it-yourself fundraising ideas for your next university group fundraiser.

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Do-It-Yourself University Fundraiser

You can also choose from a wide variety of university group DIY fundraising ideas to supplement your program. How about Kiss the Cow, Reverse Raffle, Chinese Auction, Reserved Parking, or thons of every type? Perhaps one of these successful and creative ideas can be adapted for your group’s fundraiser.

Redneck Games – Participants in the fundraiser dress up like rednecks and take part in redneck-related activities such as the hubcap toss; mud pit belly flop contest; bobbing for pigs feet; mud pit slip-and-slide; mud pit tug-of-war; redneck horseshoes using toilet seats; the armpit serenade contest; greased pig catching; and redneck surfing, in which a participant stands on a mattress while being pulled through a mud pit by an all-terrain vehicle.Read more…

Food Fight – In Lawrence, New Jersey, it was the ultimate fundraising food fight, a chocolate lover’s dream and a neat-freak’s nightmare. But for the 670 people who participated, it meant much more. The Lawrenceville School hosted the potentially record-breaking chocolate custard pie fight at a campus field. Read more…

No Talent Contest – Organize a talent contest fundraiser where the contestants purposefully perform badly. Suggestions: singing out of tune for an entire song, silly and failing magic tricks, dance routine out of sync, etc. Place signs at the entry point that state the entry fee is $1, exit fee is $5. Read more…