15 Fantastic Church Fundraising Ideas

Church fundraising isn’t easy, but it’s often necessary. Whether you’re raising money for mission trips, new equipment, service projects, or a new church building, asking people to give beyond their usual donations can be tough.

Fundraising helps spread the work—and the joy—of giving across your whole church community.

We’ve gathered some fundraising ideas inspired by America’s fastest-growing churches to help inspire fresh ideas. Many churches default to the same familiar tactics, but it’s getting harder to raise significant support with a bake sale, especially in a low-carb, gluten-free world.

Here are 15 fantastic church fundraising ideas to help jumpstart your team’s creativity.

1. Use your church app as a fundraising tool

If you have a church app like Pushpay’s Total Engagement Package, you can raise funds with your app’s mobile giving solution.

Crowdfunding sites have taught us that sometimes all you need to do is ask. If everyone shares your app on social media and asks their friends and families to download it and make a donation (as well as share the update), you’d be surprised at how responsive people will be.

And the cost for this idea is negligible! Plus, it aligns with the research about giving in the modern day church.

2. Launch a church fundraiser on GoFundMe

GoFundMe remains a powerful tool for churches to rally support for meaningful causes. With its user-friendly platform and extensive reach, it’s ideal for mobilizing your congregation and their networks.

Whether you’re funding a mission trip, community outreach, or facility upgrades, GoFundMe can help you achieve your goals.

Keys to a successful campaign

• Clearly Define the Need: Articulate the purpose of the fundraiser, emphasizing its impact on the church and community.
• Engage Your Community: Encourage members to share the campaign on social media, during services, and through church communications.
• Provide Regular Updates: Keep supporters informed about the campaign’s progress and how funds are being utilized.

Three effective GoFundMe campaign ideas for churches

1. Mission Trip Sponsorships: Raise funds to support members participating in mission trips, covering travel, lodging, and supplies.
2. Community Outreach Programs: Fund initiatives like food drives, shelter assistance, or educational workshops that serve local needs.
3. Facility Improvement Projects: Seek donations for renovations, accessibility enhancements, or technology upgrades to better serve your congregation.

By thoughtfully crafting your campaign and actively engaging your community, GoFundMe can be an effective way to support your church’s mission and projects.

3. Consider doing cleanup work for a large community event

Community events (like fairs, athletic competitions, etc.) are messy, but often the people organizing them don’t have the manpower or the time to manage cleanup efforts. If you have some large events like this in your community, talk to the organizers about your church handling the cleanup work. Some multi-day events will pay up to $5,000 for efforts like this and often look to nonprofits for the service.

4. Rent out church spaces for community events

Your church is already set up for weekly services—which means you have a ready-made venue that many in your community could use. For generations, churches have served as gathering places. Renting out your space helps revive that role while also bringing in extra income for your budget.

This doesn’t have to mean opening the sanctuary. Fellowship halls, classrooms, or even outdoor areas can be ideal for everything from neighborhood meetings to workshops and small celebrations.

Before offering your space, be sure your rental fees account for staff time, cleaning, and any admin work required. You can also offer optional add-ons, like support from your facilities team, for an additional fee. Just set clear guidelines about what types of events are a good fit.

This kind of rental not only supports your church financially—it also builds bridges with people who might not otherwise step through your doors.

5. Open a Christmas toy store as a church fundraiser

This idea hinges on early planning and strong promotion. You’ll also need someone confident and personable to lead donation efforts—it works best when you start before September.

If you can secure a donated mall or downtown storefront for a week, even better (property owners may be able to write this off). But a large, well-decorated room in your church can work just as well. Recruit volunteers to help transform the space into a cheerful, welcoming toy store.

In the months leading up to Christmas, focus on running a community-wide toy drive. Encourage people to donate new toys and drop them off at collection bins placed around town.

Here’s what makes the toy store work:

• The toys are donated. Local stores may host bins—it helps drive their own sales.
• Families in need “shop” the store. You provide the dignity of choice at deeply reduced or symbolic prices.
• Funds raised go back to your ministry or outreach efforts.

This model offers more than fundraising—it builds community and trust. And if done well, it’s something your church can grow into a cherished annual tradition.

6. Raise funds by creating and selling t-shirts

With the right idea and design, custom t-shirts can be a fun and effective fundraiser. Many churches now sell shirts tied to sermon series, events, or church values—both in person and online.

Great designs can appeal beyond your congregation, too. One church had success with bold “I Love My Church” tees, which became popular around town—even with people who go to different churches.

The key is a strong creative process:

• Vet your ideas. Not every slogan or design will land—get honest feedback before printing.
• Use church talent. If you have designers or artists in your community, invite them to contribute.
• Sell smart. Offer online ordering with print-on-demand tools to avoid upfront costs and excess inventory.

A fresh design with a clear message can build community, boost visibility, and raise funds with minimal overhead.

7. Partner with well-known companies for your church fundraiser

You can partner with companies like Sevenly, Threads of Hope, Pura Vida, and Noonday Collection to raise funds for various goods while raising money for developing countries around the world.
Reach out to these, or other companies, and see what kind of offers they have for fundraisers.

8. Auctions can be productive church fundraisers

Auctions are a great way to raise funds and can scale based on the creativity and drive of the organizing team. With strong outreach, it’s possible to secure high-value donations—from local gift baskets to vacation packages and event tickets.

Services donated by church members can also bring in generous bids. Consider auctioning:

• Professional services like accounting, legal advice, or tutoring
• Creative talent such as photography sessions or art commissions
• Practical help like yard work, house cleaning, or home repairs

Pairing the auction with a ticketed dinner or themed event can boost participation and create a memorable experience that brings the community together while generating meaningful support.

9. Rent out your parking lot during the week

Most of your parking lot probably goes unused during the week. Your biggest need for the parking lot is during your weekend worship service or weekday evening activities. Most of the businesses near your church need your parking during the week. Consider renting a portion of your lot for businesses that need some extra space or for people who work in your area but must get parking on their own.

To figure out a good parking fee, check and see what other nearby parking locations charge. Consider polling some of the people in your church who work in the area about what they pay.

You may be able to provide shuttle services to the business (for a fee) as well. Just make sure you’re charging enough for the shuttle service that you can pay any personnel costs and still make a profit.

10. Fundraising with dinner and a movie

If your church has a quality projector and sound system, consider hosting a family-friendly dinner and movie night. Set up a simple menu like pasta, tacos, or barbecue and transform part of your building (or outdoor space) into a casual dining area, followed by a movie screening.

To keep this event both effective and compliant:

• Use a licensed movie. Churches need a public performance license (such as through a CVLI church video license or MPLC) to legally screen most films, even if the event is free or donation-based.
• Choose family-friendly titles. Popular classics and animated features tend to draw a crowd.
• Make it a series. A summer movie night lineup can build momentum and engagement over time.

With thoughtful promotion and minimal overhead, this kind of event can bring in solid support and provide a fun, low-pressure way to invite your community to engage with your church.

11. Host a community walk-a-thon

This idea not only helps you make some extra money, but it will encourage the people in your church to get some exercise! Have people in your church ask their friends and family to sponsor their walks at a certain amount per mile. You can also open up the fundraiser beyond your church family. You might have people in the community who are willing to walk for the fundraiser, particularly if you are specific about what the fundraiser is for.

Check with your local municipality to make sure you’ve filled out any proper paperwork for the event. Depending upon where you hold the walk-a-thon, you may need to have certain roads blocked off. You’ll want to start your planning early enough to make sure this is possible. To get the word out about the event (and your church), have t-shirts printed for the event. Give every participant a t-shirt.

Make sure you have an alternative in case the weather is bad on the planned day. Either have an alternative day for the event or try to secure an indoor location. (Consider asking your local high school to host the event in the gym.)

12. Host a “Pastor’s Challenge” fundraiser

If your pastor is up for it, consider creating a fun challenge where the congregation donates toward different activities the pastor agrees to take on, like cooking a meal for the youth group, hosting a trivia night, or leading a fun class outside of Sunday services.

Here’s how it can work:

• Set clear, appropriate options. Make a short list of “pastor-approved” tasks or events tied to donation goals.
• Let the congregation vote with their giving. Whichever task receives the most in donations is the one the pastor does.
• Make it a community moment. Record or livestream the event for social media to boost engagement, while keeping the tone lighthearted and respectful.

It’s a creative way to fundraise while building connections and sharing a common investment in the life of your church.

Church Fundraising Business Ideas

For the entrepreneurial church, there are all kinds of opportunities to generate regular income. Here are a couple ideas:

13. A thrift store as a church fundraising idea

Pastor Jerry Harris of The Crossing in Quincy, IL, started a thrift store and staffed it with local workers from Celebrate Recovery programs. He began asking his church to donate their unused items to this thrift store. This helped raise community awareness of what The Crossing was doing for their community, and it brought much-needed income to those unemployed members.

This is the kind of entrepreneurial idea that can grow church revenue while solving other important challenges for local residents.

14. Open a daycare as an ongoing church fundraiser

If your church building sits mostly unused during the week, consider putting that space to work by offering a part-time or full-time daycare program.

Many churches already provide childcare for staff. Expanding this to the wider community can both meet a local need and generate steady revenue.

Offering discounted rates compared to traditional centers can make your program accessible to families while still covering costs and supporting your church’s budget.

Why it works:

• Makes use of existing facilities that would otherwise sit idle
• Builds meaningful relationships with young families in the community
• Can become a year-round source of funding and outreach

Be sure to check local licensing and staffing requirements for early childhood programs to ensure your daycare is safe, compliant, and sustainable.

15. Raise funds with workshare spaces

Remote work is now a long-term reality for many professionals, but not everyone thrives working from home. Churches with extra rooms or underused spaces during the week can create flexible workspaces for individuals or small teams who need a quiet, affordable place to work.

Offering secure and reliable Wi-Fi, basic amenities, and a quiet, welcoming space can help meet the needs of local remote workers while creating a new income stream for your church.

Whether it’s a private office, a shared table, or a small meeting room, turning unused space into a resource for your neighborhood makes smart use of what you already have.

Church Fundraising FAQs

As your church explores fundraising ideas, it helps to have a simple framework for identifying which ones are worth pursuing. Here are a few guiding questions to help you choose strategies that are both practical and impactful:

1. Has someone else recently used this church fundraising idea?

Novelty matters. If a nearby church or local organization just ran a similar fundraiser, especially one involving the same product or service, it may feel stale or redundant to your community. That doesn’t mean the idea has to be scrapped entirely, but it’s worth considering whether it still holds fresh appeal or if it needs a creative twist.

2. How much will the church fundraising idea bring in?

It’s easy to get excited about a fun idea for a church fundraiser, but it’s important to ask: what’s the realistic earning potential? While you won’t know exact numbers upfront, you can research how similar events have performed, either in your own church’s history or at others. Estimate based on your expected turnout, pricing, and available resources. A solid goal helps everyone stay focused and aligned.

3. How much will this church fundraising idea cost?

After estimating income, weigh the costs. Consider both the financial outlay and the time required from church staff or volunteers. Ideally, the fundraiser should offer a strong return with manageable effort. Even a small church fundraising event can be worthwhile if the margin between costs and earnings aligns with your goals.

4. Can you combine multiple church fundraising ideas?

Sometimes, combining a few simple ideas can lead to something far more engaging. A yard sale might attract more people if you also offer snacks and car washes. When thoughtfully combined, lower-impact fundraisers can turn into a lively, well-attended event that draws in new faces and boosts giving potential.

There’s always more to explore when it comes to church fundraising ideas, especially as digital tools and online giving reshape how people connect with generosity. But starting with clear, practical questions like these can help your church choose fundraising efforts that are not only creative but also effective and sustainable.

Learn how your church can best respond to the digital giving trends that are currently affecting the ways your community expresses generosity. Explore our popular article Church Trends to Watch in 2024 for more insights.