By the Vertexweb team. Last reviewed October 2026.
The best online fundraising ideas for small charities are simple to run, cheap to set up and easy for supporters to share. You do not need a big team or an agency budget. You need a clear ask, a good donation page and a plan to tell people about it.
Below are 15 online fundraising ideas that work for small and local UK charities, grouped by effort. Each one includes tips to make it work and the tools you can use. Pick two or three, run them well, and build from there.
Key takeaways
- Start with your own supporters: email, social media and regular giving.
- Peer-to-peer fundraising and virtual challenges let supporters raise money for you.
- Match funding campaigns and Giving Tuesday create urgency.
- Always add Gift Aid where you can and say thank you quickly.
- Your website donation page is the engine behind every idea.
Before you start
Every one of these online fundraising ideas sends people to the same place: your donation page. Before you launch anything, make sure it loads quickly on a phone, takes card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, offers monthly giving and includes Gift Aid. Our charity website checklist covers the details.
Then set a clear target and a story. “Help us raise £3,000 to keep our youth club open over the summer” works far better than “please donate”.
Quick wins: online fundraising ideas you can start this week
- An email appeal. Send a short, personal email to your list with one story, one ask and one button. Follow up a week later with progress.
- A Facebook or Instagram fundraiser. Ask trustees and volunteers to set up birthday fundraisers. Facebook handles payments and many supporters already know how they work.
- A “what your gift does” page. Show what £5, £15 and £50 pays for. Concrete amounts make giving easier.
- A thank-you video. A 30-second phone video from a volunteer or beneficiary, shared with past donors, often prompts a second gift.
- An online raffle or prize draw. Raffles can work well, but check the Gambling Commission rules and your local authority requirements first. Gift Aid cannot be claimed on tickets.
Ideas your supporters run for you
- Peer-to-peer fundraising. Give supporters their own fundraising page through JustGiving, Enthuse or your own platform, so they can ask friends and family.
- Virtual challenges. Walk 100 miles in a month, run 5k a day, or a step challenge. Supporters take part anywhere and share progress on social media.
- Livestream events. A gaming stream, a quiz, a music session or a cook-along on YouTube, Twitch or Facebook Live, with a donation link on screen.
- Workplace fundraising. Ask supporters to put you forward for their employer’s match giving or charity of the year. Mention Payroll Giving too.
- Celebration giving. Invite people to ask for donations instead of gifts for birthdays, weddings or Eid and Christmas.
Campaigns and moments
- Giving Tuesday. A global day of giving on the Tuesday after US Thanksgiving, which falls on 1 December in 2026. Plan a short, focused appeal with a clear target.
- Match funding. Platforms such as the Big Give run match funding campaigns where donations are doubled for a set period. If you are not selected, ask a local business or major donor to match gifts for a week.
- Crowdfunding for a project. A specific, time-limited project, such as a new minibus or a sensory room, works well on platforms like Crowdfunder.
Ongoing income
- Monthly giving. Regular donors are worth far more over time. Offer a monthly option on every donation form and give it a name, such as “Friends of”.
- Shop and support schemes. Schemes such as easyfundraising let supporters raise money when they shop online, at no extra cost to them.
Remember to make legacy giving information easy to find on your website too. It is a quiet but important income source for many charities.
How to promote your appeal
- Post on social media several times through the campaign, with progress updates. See our guide to social media for small charities.
- Use Google Ad Grants to show free search ads for your appeal.
- Ask local press, community groups, faith groups and schools to share it.
- Pin the appeal to the top of your website homepage with a progress bar.
- Thank every donor within 48 hours, and tell them what happened once the appeal ends.
Measuring what works
Track how much each idea raises, how many new donors it brings in, the cost to run and how many donors give again. Use UTM links on emails and social posts so you can see the source of each donation in Google Analytics 4. After a few campaigns you will know which online fundraising ideas suit your supporters best.
Whichever ideas you choose, follow the Code of Fundraising Practice from the Fundraising Regulator so supporters can trust how you ask.
Common questions
What is the easiest way for a small charity to raise money online?
An email appeal to existing supporters, sent to a fast donation page with Gift Aid, is usually the quickest and cheapest way to start.
What is peer-to-peer fundraising?
It is when supporters create their own fundraising pages and ask their friends and family to donate to your charity, often linked to a challenge or celebration.
When is Giving Tuesday 2026?
Giving Tuesday falls on the Tuesday after US Thanksgiving, which is 1 December 2026.
Can we claim Gift Aid on online raffle tickets?
No. Raffle tickets are a payment for a chance to win, not a donation, so Gift Aid does not apply.
How do we know which fundraising idea works best?
Track income, new donors, cost and repeat giving for each campaign, and use UTM links so you can see where donations came from.
Final thoughts
The most effective online fundraising ideas for small charities are rarely the most complicated. A clear story, a fast donation page with Gift Aid, a short email appeal and supporters who fundraise on your behalf can raise far more than a one-off event. Choose two ideas from this list, plan them properly and build from what works.
Need a better donation page or campaign landing page? Contact us or explore our charity website design service.
Related reading
- Charity and non-profit website design
- How to Add Gift Aid to Online Donations
- Social Media for Small Charities: A Practical Strategy
- Ramadan Fundraising Ideas for Mosques
- Google Ad Grants for Charities: UK Eligibility and How to Apply
Every idea needs a page that converts. VertexWeb builds fast appeal pages, donation forms and progress bars for UK charities.
