15 Fundraising Ideas for Church Youth Groups

Church youth groups often need money for programs and activities like concerts and summer camps. Thankfully, there are many church youth group fundraiser ideas like bake sales and church cafes that can help you get the money you need for these programs.

That said, fundraisers for church youth groups aren't just about increasing your capital – it’s also about getting members involved in activities that build their leadership and organization skills. 

Read on for great fundraising ideas for church youth and tips for organizing successful fundraisers.

Why Do Church Youth Groups Need Fundraisers? 

While the main objective of fundraisers is to get money for your youth groups, it’s also more than that. Here are five ways fundraising can help your church:

Support Youth Group Programs

Through fundraisers, church youth groups can raise funds independently from the main church for various activities and programs.

Get More Members

Your church youth group fundraising ideas can also be recruitment pitches. By showing young people in the community that you’re having fun while raising money for a good cause, you can encourage them to join the church youth group.

Develop Organizational and Leadership Skills

Executing fundraising ideas for church youth groups teaches organizational and leadership skills. Church youth group members who frequently organize fundraisers can gain important skills they can use for their entire lives.

Build Bonds Between Group Members

Young people love to hang out and have fun with their friends. Bringing youth group fundraising ideas for churches to life can be a great outlet to fulfill their social needs productively and create a tight bond between group members.

Bring the Community Together

Bringing fundraiser ideas for youth groups to life doesn’t just strengthen bonds within the group. Well-run fundraising events and initiatives can bring the entire community together, strengthening bonds and building new relationships between group members and residents.

Easy Fundraising Ideas for Church Youth Groups

Looking for easy ideas to make money for youth groups? Here are several quick and free fundraising ideas for your youth ministry:

Text-to-Give

Text-to-give is one of the simplest ideas to raise money for small youth groups. Sign up for a Tithe.ly Giving membership to create a text-giving campaign and announce it regularly at the church. This makes it really easy for your church family to donate to your youth group in addition to their regular tithes and offerings.

Church Car Wash

Opening a pop-up car wash is one of the easiest fundraisers for youth groups, especially in the summer. All you need to do is set up a church parking lot, some cleaning supplies, and volunteers. Don’t forget to create signs and spread the word around town to attract customers.

Christmas Decoration Installation Services

People love Christmas and seeing Christmas decorations, but putting them up and taking them down take a lot of time and effort. One of the best church fundraising ideas for youth groups during Christmastime is to offer decoration setup or takedown services to local businesses and homes. 

Bake Sales

Bake sales are one of the most profitable youth group fundraising ideas because people love sweet treats and pastries. Tell your youth group members to donate homemade baked goods, and sell them at a festival or in your churchyard. Don’t forget to spread the word on social media and announce the sale after service so that more people will come.

Parents’ Night Out

If your group has a lot of babysitting experience, holding a parents’ night out can be one of the most profitable fundraising ideas. Have parents register for the event so you know how many children you’re about to babysit.

Babysitting your church family’s kids doesn't just make money – it's also an excellent way for your youth ministry to bond with younger members and bring more kids to the group.

Coin Drives

Coin drives don’t usually make much money, but it’s a no-cost fundraising idea for youth groups that can complement other activities. Simply bring a big glass jar to church service and explain that your group is doing a coin drive to support a certain cause or program. 

Leave the jar open for a couple of weeks, and take the coins once the donation period is over. It may not be much, but every little bit helps to bring you closer to your fundraising goals.

Buy One, Give One Sale

Holding buy one, give one sales is a great way to encourage giving among church members. For example, you can promise to donate a meal to a soup kitchen for every meal you sell to churchgoers.

Sporting Events

Holding a sports competition is a great church fundraiser idea for youth groups. Charge a registration fee for every team that enters the tournament, then use part of the earnings to offer a grand prize for winners, like a trophy or gift certificate.

Christian Movie Screening

Movie nights are among the most profitable youth group fundraisers because many people love watching movies together. Charge for admission but include free snacks like popcorn and soft drinks to draw more moviegoers in.

Raffles

Raffles are another tried-and-true church fundraiser idea for youth groups. Ask local businesses, such as electronic and furniture stores, to donate some of their products as raffle prizes. It’s a win-win – your church gets the items you need to boost ticket sales, and local businesses get to promote their products and services to the community. 

Tips for Executing Fundraising Ideas for Youth Groups 

Bringing these free fundraising ideas for church youth groups to life can be a fun and productive activity for members. Here are some tips to follow so your youth group can organize memorable and profitable fundraisers:

Make Detailed Plans

Once you have a fundraiser idea in mind, you should plan things out before starting execution. Your plan should contain:

• The fundraiser’s purpose
• Your fundraising target
• Your group’s working capacity
• Resources needed to execute the fundraiser

Define a Timeline

A working timeline is essential to keep track of key dates and deadlines for the fundraising event. With a comprehensive timeline, you'll know what preparations are behind schedule before it negatively impacts your entire event.

Know the Audience

Your church family may consist of people of various ages and backgrounds. To promote your fundraiser effectively, you need to know your audience because different demographics require different approaches.

For example, you can use social media and colorful promotional materials when marketing to younger churchgoers, while older members may respond better to printed flyers and more traditional designs.

Ask Older Members for Help

You're not alone in wanting the fundraiser to succeed, so don't hesitate to ask for help from the adults around you. Senior church staff members may have tips about running a fundraiser successfully, while local business owners may donate prizes or sponsor your events.

Backup Fundraiser Ideas for Church Youth Groups

Many things can cause your church fundraiser idea for youth groups to fall short of its donation goal. However, it’s not the end of the road – here are two backup fundraiser options to help you make the final push toward your funding goal:

Celebrate Your Success and Ask for Additional Donations

Even if you fell short, you’ve created a fundraiser event that the church family will remember. Send a message to thank everyone for the donations, then explain how you fell short of the funding goal and why this cause is important to your group. Close the message with a donation link – if you’ve built enough goodwill with churchgoers, they’ll be more than happy to make an extra donation.

Create Another Fundraiser Event

If you still have the budget and the time, plan another fundraiser event. Review the past event and address what went wrong the last time. Try using another event concept to keep things varied so people won’t get bored.

Conclusions

More than simply gathering money, fundraising for youth groups can build lifelong bonds and develop skills your group members will use for the rest of their lives. To begin your fundraising journey, check out our youth group fundraising ideas for free and pick the one that suits your group best.