10 virtual fundraising ideas for your summer campaign

Ready for some socially distanced fun in the sun? Have a blast – and smash your targets - with Raisely’s Top 10 Virtual Fundraising Ideas for Your Summer Campaign.

The skies are clearing, birds are tweeting, and it's the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

The season of fun in the sun is here: summer!

For the sun-loving fundraisers among us, summer opens the doors for a wide range of fundraising opportunities. When temperatures heat up, it’s time to launch the BBQs, picnics, and of course, your summer fundraiser.

But thanks to COVID-19, summer campaigns need to get a bit creative. To help you keep your campaign thriving in the face of restrictions, we've put together a list of 10 virtual fundraiser ideas for your summer campaign.

They're fun, safe and socially distanced.

And best of all, because they're hosted online, almost anyone can join in—no matter where in the world you are.

#1 Move for change: the classics—reinvented. 🏃🏻‍♀️

While we may have to do them a little differently (digitally), your 'classic' fundraisers are still a great option. Jump online and find sponsors, then get outside and start moving – with countless activities to promote your cause, the world is your oyster!

Why not try something new?

Instead of a walk-a-thon, why not try kayaking? Or stand-up paddleboarding.

Pick one that works for you! There are loads of activities to choose from, including swimming, cycling, stair climbing and more.

With Raisely, you can set up a specialised fundraising page for active, outdoor events that come with inbuilt activity tracking. Your team can run, walk or paddle their way to their goals while tracking their progress online.

Don't forget: Community engagement is vital for virtual fundraisers.

Make sure your participants share their journey online - posting pictures of their progress, sharing reels of their experience and encouraging others to get involved.

Since it's all digital, there's no need to find a specific time and place that works for everyone: you pick when works for you, secure your sponsors and let the good times roll!

#2 Virtual scavenger hunt: Outwit, outplay, out-fundraise 👯

Interested in an 'amazing race' that raises funds? Try a virtual scavenger hunt - a fun, interactive experience that gets hearts racing and funds rising.

Send your teams into the wild, with games or instructions like:

• Take a photo of yourself with something *your cause's colour scheme*
• Make a video explaining why this cause is important to you
• Track your movement on Strava and make some GPS art.

To encourage donations, do a poll online and get your followers to vote for the best entries. You could even build some competition and make the hunt harder for those who raise more. Challenge accepted!

#3 Online Olympics: Go for gold. 🥇

As this is an Olympic year, why not whip up some team spirit of your own?

Encourage your participants to form a team – they can even design their own flag – and register for their chosen sport. Then, competing in tournaments, teams can work their way up the leaderboard, collecting donations as they go.

Encourage your participants to live-stream their chosen sport. It’s easy to embed a Facebook Live or YouTube video right there on their fundraising page!

Elite athlete or regular rookie, everyone can play at a level they're comfortable with. Create a 'fun' Olympics that's accessible to all – with games and events that everyone can enjoy.

Why not try some old favourites, like:

• Three-legged races
• Hula hooping
• Beanbag tosses
• Shooting hoops

Get creative, make it your own, and have some fun!

Raise money through registration fees, friendly donation-based wagers and giving your participants resources to ask friends and family to donate.

#4 You vs Nature: Go wild this summer 🏕

A classic fundraising option is to 'go without' for a cause.

More often than not, people gain sponsors by giving up food, special drinks, talking – even furniture – for a set time. But why stop there?

Now that the weather is looking good – it's time to look beyond your four walls. Give up your creature comforts and get out into the wild!

A ‘You vs Nature' fundraiser is a fun challenge for families or small groups. Immerse yourself in your natural environment (or your backyard) and set a goal for yourself in the process.

Can you last a night in a tent? A week with no shower? 10 days with no cooked dinners?

You could encourage your fundraisers to take it up a notch, and earn badges with ‘You vs Wild’ challenges, like:

• Build your own shelter – and sleep in it!
• Make a (safe) fire without matches
• Change locations every night

Kick off the fundraiser by getting your participants to post blogs about their challenge, and share updates of their outdoorsy adventure.

#5 Exercise classes: Let's get physical 🏋🏽‍♀️

Virtual exercise classes can be a great way to get moving and raise money —and you can customise it to suit your needs and accessibility requirements.

Hard-core exercise lovers might prefer to buy tickets to a virtual Bootcamp, while others might prefer a gentle yoga or guided meditation class.

Choose a type of class, get in touch with local trainers, and ask your supporters to donate to participate.

You can pre-record your sessions, allowing participants to pick a time that works for them. And, because there are no attendance limits, you have the potential to raise even more than in a traditional event.

#6 Virtual Show: It's talent time 🎭

Ready to take the stage by storm? Why not hold a virtual concert or talent show?

Think of it as your own private festival. Pick a gimmick, plan your event, and get people involved!

You can invite people to perform via Zoom, Google Meets, or your preferred live-streaming service.

Get your fundraisers to live-stream their talent show on their fundraising page, with a donation form next to the stream! They can direct their friends, family, or Instagram following there to donate during the show.

#7 Virtual Picnic: Put power in your basket 🧺

Moving everything online has left a lot of people craving community. Why not give your community the chance to connect, take a break and raise money at the same time?

Try a tasty picnic with friends (and fundraising).

With a virtual picnic, you can choose your level of engagement.

For a more hands-on approach, your volunteers could make food and sell picnic packs for participants to enjoy at a set time.

Or, you could ask people to hold private picnics while posting to social media and encouraging donations.

Either way, it's an excellent opportunity to come together, enjoy some tasty food and bask in some vitamin D - all while raising money for a good cause.

#8 Hikes and hill-walks: Climb for a cause 🥾

Ready to take your fundraiser to new heights? Try setting a challenge to scale to the top of a nearby mountain.

Or, for a slightly easier challenge, you could hike to a local hilltop.

Choose the option that works best for you.

You can set yourself a fundraising goal before the climb and ask for sponsors.

For bonus donations, you could:

• Aim to hike in a specific time frame
• Hike in a costume
• Hike it twice (or even backwards!)

With climbing, there's always room to get creative. Just make sure to stay safe and secure some sponsors.

#9 Pet-Fest: What a paws-ome idea! 🐶

Like we needed an excuse to involve our furry friends!

Pets can make online fundraisers so much more enjoyable. You can:

• Host a virtual walk fundraiser with your pet
• Hold pet dress-up competitions
• Introduce a pet selfie competition

Raise funds through entry fees, walk quotas, or a donation to vote for the cutest campaigner (it'd be yours, though, right?).

Plus, it's a great way to make sure our furry friends get some TLC.

#10 Creative competition: Celebrate the right side of the brain 🧠

For out-of-the-box virtual fundraiser ideas, why not get inspired and get creative with an artistic competition? Ideas include:

• Photography
• Poetry
• Music and songwriting
• Art

You could create a weekly competition based on a specific prompt or ask people to visit their favourite outdoor places and let nature inspire their creativity!

Pick your task, set your parameters and get creative! You can raise funds through awarding anything you've created to your top donors.

☀️Have some fun in the sun

After spending so long enduring restrictions, people are keen to get outdoors – and behind a good cause.

So, no matter what you pick, make sure your participants can enjoy their time – and the sunshine – with a fundraising campaign that encourages your community.