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.
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Quick and easy fundraising ideas for work
Short on time or budget? These quick and easy fundraising ideas for work need little planning and fit neatly into a lunch break. They are simple charity ideas for work that get the whole team involved.
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Dress-down or themed dress day
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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.
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Office bake sale or cake competition
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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.
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Work sweepstakes
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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.
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Name the teddy (or guess who)
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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.
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Coffee morning fundraiser
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Invite colleagues to a mid-morning break where everyone donates for a hot drink and a treat. Ask people to bring something home-baked, and you have a coffee morning fundraiser that costs almost nothing to run.
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Bring-and-buy sale
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Colleagues bring in books, plants, games or homemade treats, and others buy them. Set up a table in a shared space, add prices or ask for donations, and let the bargains do the rest.
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Fundraising Friday
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Make it a weekly habit. Each Friday, colleagues donate a small amount to wear something fun, join a quick game or share a bake. Small amounts add up over a few weeks.
Bigger charity fundraising event ideas for work
Ready to go bigger? These charity fundraising events bring colleagues together and can raise a lot more. Whether you are planning your first event or your tenth, these fundraising event ideas are easy to shape around your team, budget and diary. They are charity event ideas for work that suit offices of any size.
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Charity quiz night
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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.
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Talent show or performance evening
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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.
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Sponsored group challenge
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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.
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Corporate golf day
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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.
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Office Olympics
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Set up silly sports around the office, such as paper-plane throwing, chair relays and desk-tidying races. Teams pay to enter and compete for a trophy. Among office fundraising ideas, this one guarantees laughs.
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Charity auction
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Ask colleagues, suppliers or local businesses to donate prizes, such as lunch with the boss, a month of parking or a signed item. Bids can be made in person, by email or online. Among office fundraising ideas for charity, an office auction lets colleagues choose how much they give.
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.
Virtual workplace fundraising ideas
Working from home or across several sites? You can still raise money together.
Virtual workplace fundraising ideas let remote and hybrid teams join in from anywhere. Try a video-call quiz, an online bake-off where everyone shares photos of their creations, or a team step challenge with colleagues logging their steps. A shared JustGiving page makes it easy for everyone to donate.
These virtual fundraising ideas for workplace teams also sit well alongside in-person events, so no one misses out, and virtual office fundraising ideas keep your team connected all year.
How to choose the right corporate fundraising idea
Not sure which corporate fundraising idea will work best? Think about the size of your team, where people work and how much time and money you have. These suggestions will help you choose.
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Best for small teams
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Small teams do well with simple, social ideas such as a coffee morning, a bring-and-buy sale or a charity quiz night. With fewer people, it is easy to agree a date and share out the jobs.
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Best for large offices
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Big offices can run friendly competitions between floors or departments, such as an office Olympics, a charity auction or a sponsored group challenge. A little rivalry can boost donations.
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Best for remote teams
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Remote teams can take part from anywhere with a video-call quiz, a team step challenge or a themed dress day. Set up a JustGiving page so colleagues can donate online.
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Best low-budget fundraising ideas
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You don't need a big budget to raise money. A bake sale, a sweepstake or a Fundraising Friday asks very little of your team and your budget.
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.
