40 Unique Youth Group Fundraising Ideas

Looking for new ways to raise money for your youth group ministry? Use these ideas to spark your creative genius! 

1. Help Squad. List available youth services such as raking, child care, cleaning, dog walking, or something more specific. Set time blocks on SignUpGenius. Pair up kids with appropriate tasks, fan out and earn cash.
2. Magic Show. There are great faith-based illusionists out there. Teach each child in your group a magic trick that they can perform and sell tickets to the show!
3. Movie Night. Tickets can be all-inclusive or you can add to the money you make by setting up a concession stand. Make sure you have the appropriate copyright permissions.
   * Genius Tip: Have volunteers sign up for concession contributions as well as job time slots.
4. Cookie Party. You provide the supplies; participants provide the creativity.
5. Gingerbread House Kit. Put supplies (graham crackers, icing, gumdrops, etc.) in a cute bag, tied with a ribbon. Now, purchasers can even re-gift it!
6. Retro Game Night. Who plays games anymore? I mean those that aren't on a screen. Collect donated prizes from local businesses and charge an entry fee. Bring on the family fun!
7. Child Care. Provide two hours of fun and activities for kids while parents have date night, or just some quiet time.
8. Holiday Child Care. For a twist on the child-care idea, schedule it two weeks before the holiday to give parents time to shop.
   * Genius Tip: Help kids make a crafty gift that they can give to parents.
9. Gift Wrapping. Snag business from parents who are picking up after your Holiday Child Care or from people who just don't like wrapping presents!
10. Jail. Create warrants, make the "arrests," and collect bail money. There are so many creative marketing angles for this one!
11. Iron Chef. Recruit church leaders to judge a formal smoothie making competition. Give it a spin by selecting a secret ingredient participants MUST include.
12. Auction. Hold an online or traditional auction by collecting donation items from church members or local businesses.
13. Ornament Sale. Have your group design just one special ornament to sell each year.
14. Dough for Dough. Make two or three types of cookie dough to sell. Now you've made it easy to have fresh cookies any time of year.
15. Play It Again. Collect used sports equipment to sell. Clean and fix it if needed.
    * Genius Tip: Donate any equipment left at the end of the sale to local sports programs.
16. Sports Photography. All the world is a photographer now with a smart phone. Charge a flat fee to take photos of their little star, while they get to watch the game.

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18. Lollipops. Sell lollipops at Silent Saturday sports events. Check with your church or local sports leagues. Most have a day for spectators to watch, not speak. Lollipops are popular on the sidelines on these days.
19. Portraits. Do you have an artist or two in the bunch? Sell drawings or caricatures of children. They can be done from photos or live sittings, if your artist is fast.
    * Genius Tip: Use SignUpGenius to schedule time before and after a worship service when little ones will be nicely dressed.
20. Dinner Service. Make dinners or sell BBQ on a Friday night - when no one wants to cook. Schedule the pick-up from 4-6pm, on the way home from work and activities.
    * Genius Tip: Deliver for an extra fee since that is a true luxury.
21. Raffle. 50/50 is the easiest. The winner gets half and your group keeps the other half.
22. Auction, part deux. Be creative. This time auction off services.
23. Craft Fair. Church members can contribute items, too, but proceeds support your goal.
24. Joke-a-thon. Get pledges for how many jokes are told in a 1-hour timeframe. You decide if they have to be funny!
    * Genius Tip: Charge an entry fee for the hour of entertainment.
25. Pie in the Eye. Sell chances to be the one who hits your youth leader with a pie.
26. Pooper Scoopers. Sure, no one wants to do it, but they'll pay for it! That's why you can charge a premium.
27. Bingo. It's not just for the retirees! Make it a family night.
    * Genius Tip: Sell slices of pizza and make it dinner, too.Flowers. A single bloom is easy and often more meaningful.

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28. Flowers. A single bloom is easy and often more meaningful. * Genius Tip: Take pre-orders on a sign up, and schedule to deliver on Mother's Day!
29. Wedding Assistance. There are so many details. Check the church schedule and offer your services on the big day or for set-up the day before.
30. Car Wash. Vacuum the inside, too. Oh, and yes, you do windows!
31. Cake Pop Bake Sale. Small and easy to sell. Have a unique theme and sell multiple times throughout the year. People will look forward to buying your treat. How about local NFL colors, shamrocks or ghosts?
32. Holiday Wreaths and Greenery. Make your own or buy in bulk and resell.
    * Genius Tip: Sell complimentary items such as bows or wreath hooks too.
33. 3-Club Golf Tournament. Three clubs, 18 holes, three hours. Accept pledges for birdies. Add an age-based putting contest, so even non-golfers can participate.
34. Cookbook. No need to print this anymore. Sell access to your digital version.
    * Genius Tip: Have contributors sign up online. Be sure to have them add their recipe title in the comments section of SignUpGenius, so you don't end up with 20 chicken casserole recipes.
35. Kids Cookbook. Create a version with simple recipes that the 5-12-year-olds can pull off without assistance.
36. Candy Jar. Guess the number of jellybeans, hair ties, bouncy balls, etc. in the jar to win.
37. Polar Bear Plunge. Dare to do more than dip your toes in the icy water, all while raising money for your worthwhile cause!
38. Chuck-a-Duck. Paint a large target on a tarp. Sell rubber ducks that participants decorate. Closest to the bulls eye wins. Create brackets or make it a double elimination event.
39. Dodge Ball Tournament. What used to be gym class torture is now beloved by many. There are opportunities to charge for team entry fee, spectator tickets, concessions, and sponsorships. This could grow every year!
40. Caroling for Cash. Sure it's fun to carol for goodwill, but accept tips for your cause this year.
41. Pet Parade. Charge an entry fee. Ribbons go to Best Dressed, Biggest, Smallest, even Best Smile.

SignUpGenius can make the organization and scheduling of these fundraisers easy. Have fun and raise money in no time!

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