Fundraising ideas
We’ve compiled a list of fundraising event ideas by type and included lots to inspire you to get started! Whether you’d like to organise an active event or are looking for some easy fundraising ideas, you’ll find something here to help support your fundraising efforts.
Please make sure to check your local fundraising laws and regulations before organising an event.
Choose your event type for some fundraising inspiration
Active challenges
If you’re ready to take on an active challenge – running a marathon, hiking a mountain or a commitment to spend the next 30 days practising some nourishing yoga – why not make your efforts even more rewarding by making it a fundraiser? Fundraise for your own activity or consider joining the Oxford Mindfulness Mindful Mile in Oxford or Llandudno in May 2025.
Run a race
Go from coach-to-5k, run a half marathon, take part in a local race or challenge yourself to run a mile. Whatever your level of fitness, running events are a great opportunity to fundraise. If you run with a club, why not ask them to do this as a group event?
30 days of yoga
If you’d like to give yourself a month-long challenge, then why not commit to 30-days of yoga? If you have a regular class, you could encourage others to get involved too! Sharing your updates on social media is a great way to involve others and explain why you’re fundraising.
Put on a charity match
Get together with friends and community and organise a charity match. You could ask for sponsorship and for a fee for teams to take part. For those who come along to watch, you could sell refreshments as part of your fundraising efforts.
In the workplace
Fundraising with your colleagues and co-workers can be a great way to bring your team together to enjoy taking part in an event, all for a good cause!
An annual charity
If your workplace chooses a charity to support each year, why not ask if they would consider supporting Oxford Mindfulness. Contact us if you would like any support with this.
Host a team quiz
Get your work friends and family together for a team quiz. Teams can pay a fee to take part. If you can’t get together in person, consider a quiz over Teams or Zoom.
Silent auction
Reach out to team members and local businesses for donations and host a silent auction. For an extra fundraising boost, why not host it as a larger event alongside a team quiz?
Celebrations
If you’d like to make a celebration feel even more rewarding, consider supporting The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation and show your support for mental health and well-being.
Wedding day
Weddings are a such a special day for couples and families and it can be even more so if you’d like to spend your day making a positive difference in the world. Make a donation for every guest or ask for an optional donation as a wedding gift.
Birthday
If you’re hosting an event for your birthday and would like to make it into a force for good, why not ask your friends and family to make a small donation rather than buying a card or a gift.
Completing your mindfulness teacher training
If you’ve recently completed, or are about to complete, your 12-month mindfulness teacher training with us, congratulations! Share and celebrate your amazing achievement with your community and suggest they make a donation to support mental health and well-being.
Music events
Why not blow your own trumpet about your fundraising efforts and host a music event which hits the right note with your community!
Choir performance
If you’re a member of a choir, consider hosting a performance with the funds raised from spectators donated to our charity, the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation.
Charity gig
Could you support local bands and a good cause? Why not host a charity gig with refreshments sold going towards your fundraising efforts.
Dance night
Put on your dancing shoes and organise a charity dance night! Whether you have two left feet or you’re ready to dance the night away, this is a fun way to support a good cause, keep fit and get together with friends.
Mindful / community events
Would you like to make fundraising part of your mindful practice or perhaps use it as an opportunity to do something to support your local community? Here are a few ideas to get you started…
A mindful walk
on 25 May 2025, Oxford Mindfulness are hosting two ‘Mindful Mile’ events in Oxford and Llandudno, North Wales. You’re welcome to register and join in or host your own Mindful Mile event.
Lead a retreat day
If you’re a trained teacher and you’d like to get together with your mindfulness community, consider organising a retreat day and asking those who join to donate to the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation.
Horticultural competition
Would you like to show off your horticultural skills while encouraging people to grow more fruit and vegatables? Why not host a horticultural competition in your local area with a fee for entry and prizes for the best specimins! Perfect for summer and a great way to get people growing.
For foodies
Do you know your galettes from your croquettes? Roasting from poaching? Then these fundraising ideas, perfect for food-lovers, are for you!
Afternoon tea and cake
Who said fundraising couldn’t be relaxing? If you like the idea of sitting down for a social-get together and enjoying a traditional English afternoon tea, complete with scones and cakes, then why not make it a charity event? Ask friends to contribute to the event by making a donation and, to bolster your efforts, consider selling your homemade goodies.
Summer BBQ
If you’d like a summer event to look forward to, organise a charity BBQ or garden party. Including a raffle, a gentle activity like a sack race for the adults or a scavenger hunt for children will help to make it a fun and rewarding event.
Host a dinner party
If you’d like to stretch your culinary skills while getting together with friends and loved-ones then why not host a charity dinner party? If you’d like to leave the cooking to others, then consider collaborating with a local restaurant to put on a charity evening. Including a game such as ‘Heads & Tails’ is a fun way to boost your fundraising efforts.
Virtual events
In today’s world of remote and hybrid working, it may not be as easy to organise an in-person event but we don’t believe that should be a barrier to a fun and rewarding fundraising activity! Here are three virtual event ideas to connect with your teams, communities, friends and family while raising funds for a positive cause.
Online auction
If you’re working remotely with your team but would still like to organise a rewarding fundraising activity, an online auction could be a great way to support our charity while giving people a reason to connect socially. Bids can be taken via private chat functionality with winners making their payment to your Oxford Mindfulness fundraising page.
Live stream an active event
If you’ve decided to take on an active challenge, whether it’s running on your treadmill or commiting to 30-days of yoga, why not consider live-streaming all or part of it and sharing your journey with your social media community?
Virtual quiz
Take your office quiz to the next level by adding in the feel-good factor of supporting a good cause. Teams or individuals can pay to enter and break-out rooms used to confer. Adding a raffle or bonus game can support your efforts while your fundraising page can be used to collect donations before and during the quiz.
Other ideas
If you’re still looking for some fundraising ideas, here are some more ideas to inspire you to get started. Whether you’d like to do something big or small, we really appreciate your interest and for supporting our cause, positive mental health and greater well-being. Thank you.
Garage sale
If you’ve been meaning to clear out that cupboard, shed, wardrobe or garage why not consider selling items so they can be enjoyed by others and donating the proceeds of your sale to the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation?
Get crafty
Are you creative? Do you have a love for crafts? How about hosting a craft fair for others to follow your designs and create their own works of art with donations taken online as entry. Refreshments sold on the day could also go towards your fundraising efforts.
A digital detox
Take the opportunity to create some time offline with a sponsored digital detox. Perhaps focusing on time away from personal use of social media and getting others in your community involved to share your experiences!
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