Church fundraising ideas that go beyond the jumble sale

The best church fundraising ideas start with one question: what is the money for? A leaking roof, the heating bill and a mission partner overseas each call for a different plan, and the jumble sale only suits one of them.

I’m Kevin Durham, a professional charity auctioneer and event host. A church already has what most charities would love: a community that turns up every week. Here are ideas that turn that goodwill into real money, plus the UK rules on raffles, Gift Aid and collections.

What are the best church fundraising ideas?

The best church fundraising ideas are the ones matched to a clear goal. Parish Resources, the Church of England’s guidance site, puts it simply: one-off events add to income, but running costs are best met by regular giving.

Christmas brings its own carol nights and fayres. Everything below works year round.

Why should regular giving come before events?

Regular giving should come first because it pays the bills that never go away. It’s the least glamorous part of church fundraising, and the most important. An event is a bonus; a standing order is a foundation.

Parish Resources’ introduction guide points out that many people assume the church is wealthy or government funded. So tell them what a gift does. Its example: £20 heats the church for a whole day.

The Parish Giving Scheme lets churches take gifts by Direct Debit, card, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Church of England churches also get Cornerstone free, with a grants database of over 1,000 grants, updated weekly. Other churches should ask their own denomination what it offers.

Fundraising ideas for church halls and small congregations

Small congregations need ideas that don’t exhaust the same ten volunteers. These fundraiser ideas for church groups also work as community fundraising ideas, because the whole village can join in:

• A quiz night in the hall. Teams, a modest entry fee and a good quizmaster. My quiz night guide covers the running order.
• A soup lunch or bake sale after the service. Low cost, and it gives newcomers a reason to stay.
• A sponsored walk between local churches. HMRC confirms sponsorship payments can be Gift Aided, subject to the normal rules.
• A concert by the choir or a local school. The building is the star.
• A stunt for the local paper. Parish Resources suggests the vicar sleeping on the roof to raise money for the roof. Local radio loves it.

These double as fundraising ideas for small charities of any kind. There are plenty more in my easy fundraising list.

How do you run an auction of promises at church?

You run an auction of promises by asking members to pledge their time or skills, then selling those promises to the highest bidder. A congregation is ideal. It is full of people who can bake, garden, mend, tutor or drive.

Think of a homemade cake every month for a year, a day’s gardening, a lift to the airport or a piano lesson. None of it costs the church a penny.

One thing to know: HMRC says a payment at a charity auction is a purchase, not a gift. Where the promise can’t be bought anywhere else, its value is the price paid, so the bid doesn’t qualify for Gift Aid. My guide to an auction of promises covers gathering and pricing lots.

How do you raise money for a church roof or restoration?

You raise money for a church roof with a planned appeal: a clear target, grant bids running alongside, and one evening where you ask the room directly.

Parish Resources publishes 12 capital funding guides for building projects. Its event guide advises a cheerful atmosphere and speeches of five minutes at most. I agree. One short, honest talk about the roof, then the ask.

That ask should be a live pledge. It is the single most powerful segment of any fundraising evening I run, because the pledge is where the real money lives. At the Jigsaw Trust’s event, the team expected £14,000 from the auction. The auction made £27,000, and a live pledge they hadn’t planned raised another £30,600. That was a powerful team behind a powerful charity. Here’s how I approach running a pledge.

Keep the tone sincere, but it’s not a funeral: the excitement should build as the pledges come in. Two rules from the floor. Command the room first, because whoever holds the room holds the total and nobody gives to an appeal they can’t hear. And never approach someone with food going into their mouth.

Can a church run a raffle or tombola?

Yes. A church can run a raffle or tombola at a fete, supper or concert without a licence, as an incidental lottery. The Gambling Commission’s rules, as they stood in October 2026:

• The raffle can’t be the main reason for the event.
• Tickets must be physical and sold only at the event, while it is happening.
• You can spend up to £500 of the proceeds on prizes and £100 on expenses. Donated prizes have no limit.
• Prizes can’t roll over to another lottery.

Selling tickets in the weeks before, or running a 100 club, is different. That needs a small society lottery registered with your council: £40, buyers aged 16 and over, and at least 20% to the good cause. HMRC doesn’t treat raffle tickets as gifts either, so no Gift Aid. My charity raffle guide has the detail.

How do Gift Aid and the Small Donations Scheme work for churches?

Gift Aid lets a church claim 25p for every £1 a UK taxpayer gives, provided the church is recognised as a charity for tax purposes and holds a declaration from the donor.

Most churches are charities already. In England and Wales, churches linked to the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union and several other denominations, with income of £100,000 or less, are excepted charities: they don’t have to register, but the Charity Commission regulates them like registered charities. That exception has an end date of 31 March 2031.

For the plate, there is the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. As GOV.UK’s top-up guidance stood in October 2026:

• Donations of £30 or less, in cash or by contactless, qualify with no declaration.
• You can claim on up to £8,000 a year, which is a £2,000 top-up, capped at ten times your Gift Aid donations.
• You must also claim Gift Aid in the same tax year.

Parish Resources notes that loose plate collections and undeclared envelopes form the basis of most parish claims, with the £8,000 limit applying per church.

Making it easy to give on the day

Whatever you run, make giving effortless. Parish Resources’ checklist says to have chances to donate everywhere, and wherever someone can donate, to offer Gift Aid. As the guide puts it, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Put a contactless reader by the door. Agree with the treasurer how cash is counted and banked before the day, not after. Then thank everyone and tell them what they raised.

Planning your church fundraising ideas for the year

Spread events through the year, review which ones raised the most, and keep the big ask for the project that deserves it.

If you are planning an appeal evening or an auction of promises, call me on 07596 851647. I’d rather talk it through than trade emails, and I’ll tell you honestly what works in a room like yours.