With pollution and global warming taking center stage, it is no surprise that eco-friendly fundraising ideas are gaining prominence. It is not just charities and nonprofits but even donors are becoming aware of their ecological footprint. They are seeking out environment fundraising ideas and enthusiastically supporting such causes.
If you are planning to raise funds for a needy cause, we give you the eight best eco-friendly fundraising ideas to put your nonprofit in green.
1. Cleaning riverfronts, seashores, and lakesides
Over 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year. Hide tide brings this waste to the surface. The receding waves leave a ton of debris and waste on the seashores. Riverfronts and lakesides are also the worst affected by people who come for a picnic or party and litter everywhere. Gather a big team on weekends or any allotted day. Get buckets, gloves, boots, brooms, and other tools to collect the waste. Coordinate with your area civic services to dispose of the collected waste. Spread the word on social media channels and local media houses about your cleanliness drive. If corporate houses agree to join you in this drive, request them to send their staff as volunteers. The more people you gather, the better donations you will be able to collect for the cause.
2. School gardening
One of the best environment fundraising ideas is to encourage kids to grow their own gardens. Visit schools in and around your community and help teachers and children grow a garden in the school. Distribute free seeds and help them set up a flower and vegetable bed. This is a great way to get the student community involved at a young age so that they grow into responsible citizens and care for Mother Earth. You can also organize competitions between schools to see which of them has the greenest garden with active student participation. Again, involve local corporate houses to judge and sponsor the event.
3. Vegan challenge
Slaughterhouses release more than 30 million pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus directly into the rivers and streams every year. These chemicals pose a very serious pollution risk. Meat farming also causes deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most significant contributions to cleaning the environment is to reduce or stop the consumption of meat. Encourage your friends, colleagues, and family to give up meat for a week or a month. Form a team and share videos and messages showing them the reality of slaughterhouses and their effect on the environment. Share charts of breakfast, lunch, and dinner with recipes included. Encourage all the participants to donate money to a green charity or for carbon offsetting funds.
4. Yard sale
Yard sale is a good eco-friendly fundraising idea. Collect all the clothes and shoes that you have outgrown or no longer use. Arrange for a yard sale and donate the money collected to an eco-friendly cause. You can even tell your neighbors to participate in the yard sale. You can make it more fun by arranging for a sustainable fashion show with clothes for sale.
5. Reusable shopping bags
It takes 1000 years for a single-use plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. These bags do not break down completely. They photo-degrade and absorb toxins continuing to pullet the environment. One of the best ideas to raise funds in an environment-friendly way is to make reusable shopping bags from old clothes and quilts. You can also collaborate with rural artisans to make bags from eco-friendly materials such as hemp and cotton. Set up a kiosk at the entrance of shopping stores and encourage shoppers to buy and use these bags. Associate to any good cause so that the money got from selling these bags funds the cause. You can also place a donation box in the kiosk for people willing to donate.
6. Fairtrade coffee and chocolate
The fair trade system aims to guarantee a fair price for cocoa and coffee grown by farmers. There are many companies that buy products directly from these farmers and make chocolates and sell them as fair trade certified chocolates. Find out such companies and buy chocolates and coffee in bulk from them at wholesale cost. Sell them at retail price and donate the money collected to any good cause. You can even arrange for eco-friendly fundraising ideas such as cooking events and encourage participants to use these chocolates and coffee in their recipes. Charge entry fee for participants and viewers. Invite celebrated people as judges for the event to get better participation and viewership.
7. Bookfair
Storybooks, novels, recipe books, educational books- there is rarely anyone who does not have books at their home. Ask people to donate the books they have read for a good cause. Collect these books from your neighbors and friends. Arrange for a book fair and inform the buyers about the charity you support. Gather volunteers and make them in charge of sections such as books for kids, books on fashion, books on leaders, and so on. Arrange for a reading session by experts so that more and more are interested to buy books. Allow donors to donate even if they do not want to buy books. You can arrange for kids to explain the cause to people who come to buy books.
8. Cycling event
How about fuel-free environment fundraising ideas such as a cycling event or a trip? Arrange for a cycling excursion to a nearby green spot. Charge a fee for participation. You can even arrange for an overnight camp and explain the benefits of cycling and the pollution caused by vehicles. Another fun game is the treasure hunt. You divide the participants into teams and give them clues to hunt for a hidden treasure. The participants have to go on a cycle to search for clues and the treasure.
Wrapping Up
Whether it is raising funds for the environment or eco-friendly fundraising ideas for a good cause, the first step for you is to set up a donation page on a trusted online fundraising platform. It makes the task of giving funds easy for the donors and you can promote it on social media channels too.
Environment fundraising ideas are becoming increasingly popular and they strike a chord with the donors too. After all, isn’t it good to know that your money is contributing to a sustainable environment?
