Whether you're an HR manager building a CSR calendar, a team leader looking for a morale boost, or someone who just wants to do something good on their lunch break - workplace fundraising is one of the most effective ways to raise money for charity.
Why? Because the social energy is already there. You're surrounded by people who share a space, a culture, and often a genuine desire to make a difference. You don't have to find an audience - you already have one.
Here are Save the Children's tried and tested ideas for fundraising at work, from low-effort lunchtime events to bigger corporate fundraising challenges.
Get your own personal Coach
As part of TEAM SAVE, you'll have your own personal Coach to guide you through your fundraising journey.
Don't have one yet? Email [email protected] and we'll get straight on it.
Quick and easy workplace fundraising ideas
The best workplace fundraisers don't require huge planning. These ideas work even if you have limited time or budget.
-
Dress-down or themed dress day
-
Ask colleagues to pay to swap their work clothes for casual wear, or pick a fun theme - Christmas jumpers, decades, favourite film characters. Low effort, high engagement, and easy to run across hybrid or remote teams too.
Our own Christmas Jumper Day raised £2.8 million in 2025 with more than 2.2 million people taking part - proof that a simple idea with company-wide buy-in can go a very long way.
-
Office bake sale or cake competition
-
Fire up the ovens and charge for entries and tastings. A Great British Bake Off-style theme always goes down well. You can keep it simple with a table of cakes or turn it into a judged competition with prizes - either way, it's one of the easiest workplace fundraisers going.
Head to our bake sale page for everything you need.
-
Work sweepstakes
-
Hold a sweepstake on anything - who'll win the next major tournament, who'll triumph on a reality show, what your colleague's marathon finishing time will be, or the number of sweets in a jar. Charge a small entry fee, give the winner a token prize, and donate the rest.
-
Name the teddy (or guess who)
-
Ask colleagues to donate for the chance to guess the name of a stuffed animal - or collect everyone's baby photos and guess who's who. Quick to set up, surprisingly competitive, and always gets people talking.
Bigger workplace fundraising events
If you want to get the whole office involved or make it a bigger occasion, these ideas take a bit more organising but raise a lot more money.
-
Charity quiz night
-
Everyone loves a quiz. Host one in the office, at a local pub, or online for remote teams. Charge teams to enter, add a raffle on the night, and you've got an event people will actually look forward to.
Head to our guide to organising a charity quiz for everything you need to run it well.
-
Talent show or performance evening
-
Put on a show - whether it's a talent contest, karaoke night, or comedy evening. Ask people to donate to take part or to vote for their favourite act. Get a prize donated for the winner and you've got an event that people will talk about for months.
-
Sponsored group challenge
-
A group run, walk, cycle, or obstacle course where individuals collect sponsorship. These work brilliantly as team-building events that also raise serious money.
To mark their 500th anniversary, Sedbergh School brought together over 100 students, teachers, parents, and alumni to take part in the 2025 Great North Run, raising more than £48,000.
-
Corporate golf day
-
Got a golf-loving team or client base? A charity golf day is one of the most popular corporate fundraising events going.
Head to our golf fundraising ideas page for formats, tips, and how to make it a day to remember.
Make your fundraising go further
Ask about matched giving
Many employers will match whatever their employees raise for charity - sometimes pound for pound. Before you launch your fundraiser, ask your HR team whether a matched giving scheme is in place. Chris shaved his beard and raised £2,110 through his JustGiving page and workplace donations - then his employer match-funded it, bringing his total to £4,220.
Set up a JustGiving page
Even for in-person events, a JustGiving page means colleagues who aren't in the office that day - or remote workers - can still donate. It also makes it easy to share on internal Slack channels, Teams, or email.
Make it a recurring event
The most successful workplace fundraising programmes aren't one-offs. Build a calendar of events across the year - a bake sale in spring, a quiz in summer, Christmas Jumper Day in December - and you create a culture of giving that becomes part of your team's identity.
Chris took the radical step of shaving off his facial hair for Save the Children. After setting his target at £100, his JustGiving page, donations at his wife’s salon, and contributions at his workplace raised an incredible £2,110. Chris’ work then match-funded his efforts, bringing his grand total to £4,220.
Ready to get started?
Register your workplace fundraiser with us and you'll get support from our friendly fundraising team throughout - including a personal fundraising coach, promotional materials, and advice on making your event a success.
Email us at [email protected] to get started with your personal Coach today.
