College fundraising ideas
Bring students and staff at your college together for a common cause. Read on for inspiration on how to support charity with events and challenges in these fundraising ideas for college. From fashion fundraisers to campus-wide social media challenges, you’ll find all the inspiration you need right here.
Charity fashion show
Rally campus fashionistas with a catwalk show where they can show off their creations. Consider giving the event a sustainable theme, using only reused or recycled goods, to keep costs down and protect the environment. Ask guests to pay an entry fee and think about bringing in a panel to judge the designs. Setting up a clothes donation stall in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust will be a great and fitting addition to the night.
TikTok challenge
Most if not all the students at your college will be on TikTok, and some may have big followings. So, targeting that vast audience is a brilliant college fundraising idea. Come up with an entertaining challenge, whether that be inventing a new dance for people to learn around campus or artwork tasks. Tell anyone taking part to hit the ‘Support Nonprofit’ sticker and nominate Teenage Cancer Trust to enable viewers to donate directly.
College formals
Most students love the chance to socialise and party, so why not hold formals in aid of charity? There are themes throughout the year to celebrate from Burn’s Night to Halloween, and you have a free-to-use venue at your disposal which keeps costs down. Sell tickets to the event, lay on refreshments, and consider a raffle to further boost funds. Here’s more inspiration on organising charity event fundraisers.
Film night
Take over the hall or lecture theatre and fire up the projector for a night of film fun. Charge students an entry fee or ask them to donate what they can afford, and then sell drinks and refreshments to bring in extra pounds for teenagers facing cancer. It’s great as a one-off college fundraiser or a regular monthly event.
Calendar
Colleges are a hotbed of creative talent, so why not tap into that and produce some merchandise that celebrates it? One idea is to get art or photography students to submit their best works and turn them into a calendar. Or how about asking wordsmiths to submit their finest poetry? Charity calendars can be cheap to produce but can carry a decent markup.
Bake sale
It’s an age-old classic for a reason… it works! Give your cake sale a theme and ask students and staff to be baking volunteers. Invite the whole college along for a slice of the action in return for a donation.
Read our charity bake sale tips for more ideas and advice.
College fun run
Unite your campus’s fitness fanatics for a charity fun run. Ask runners to pay a fee to take part and consider encouraging fancy dress to boost the entertainment value. Sell drinks and snacks on the day for further income.
Sponsored challenges
Get a group together for a sponsored challenge, whether it’s a long-distance trek or a 24-hour dance-a-thon in the campus hall. Ask participants to set up a fundraising page as a team or individuals and put out a call for sponsorship. Reach out to local businesses to see if they can support your college’s fundraising efforts.
Open mic night
Whether students (or staff) take to the stage to sing, dance, or deliver a poetry or comedy performance, an open mic night is a fantastic college fundraising idea that provides an evening of entertainment for all involved. Sell tickets to spectators and think about turning the night into a competition to up the stakes and encourage more talent to perform.
Quiz night
Invite students and staff to get into teams for an evening of quiz fun on campus. Ask local businesses to pledge prizes for the winning brainboxes or split the prize pot between the top team and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Sporting tournament
From football to athletics, holding a college sports day for charity is great for camaraderie as well as fundraising. If you’ve got the facilities on site, it should be straightforward to arrange. Ask participants to pay a fee to enter the competition to be in with the chance of being crowned the next college sporting hero.
Sporting challenge guides and assets
Theatre shows
Most colleges have passionate amateur dramatics departments with regular performances. Make a show of it in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust and donate the proceeds to the young people that rely on us.
How do I get the money raised to Teenage Cancer Trust?
We’ll automatically get the money if you’ve set up an online fundraising page. If you’ve collected cash donations, check out our paying-in money guide. And be sure to register your event in advance to get all of the help and resources you need to make it a success.