The 15 Best Fraternity & Sorority College Philanthropy Fundraising Event Ideas

The 15 Best Fraternity and Sorority Philanthropy Event Ideas

Fraternity and Sorority Philanthropy fundraising events are one of the best ways that your organization can give back to the community. 

Get creative with your Fraternity and Sorority event ideas and have a great time raising money for a worthy cause.

Here is an extensive list of the top Fraternity & Sorority Philanthropy Ideas that are sure to raise money for your organization. 

Casino Night

Hosting a Casino night at your chapter house can be a great way to fundraise for the charity of your choice. There are event planning companies that can be hired to bring the games directly to you. Invite your friends and other Greek organizations to participate. Players can be charged an entry fee and be given tokens so that no real money is being exchanged. 

Here are a few other things to consider if you plan to host a Casino night at your chapter.

    • Make sure that attendees are legally allowed to gamble; checking IDs is important if actual money is being used to gamble with.
    • Check in with your school and Greek organization to make sure that this type of event is allowed to take place. There may be rules regarding these  types of events so it’s important to research the policies regarding this type of fundraiser. 
    • If money is being used to gamble make sure to have signs posted regarding the odds of winning.
    • Also, make sure to provide resources on getting help with gambling addiction.

Casino night is a great philanthropy fundraising event idea; make sure to be safe and have fun while hosting this fundraiser.

Fashion Show

Partner with your local campus fashion club, and co-host a fashion show philanthropy event. Organizing a fashion show could be one of the best fraternity and sorority philanthropy ideas to raise funds. Involve local shops and community organizations who would be willing to donate clothing to your event; companies can get free advertisement through their branded clothing donations and are usually very willing to participate.

Greek Carnival

Greek Carnival is an event that can be co-hosted between multiple Greek organizations. This event is similar to a block party where you can partner with your neighbors (in this case it would be Greek organizations on your street) and apply with the city to block off your street for a period of time.

Once that step is complete, you’ll be able to charge an entrance fee to enter the Greek carnival, along with ticket fees where the tickets will be used to play the games available. Not only is this fraternity and sorority event idea great for fundraising, it can also help make you closer with the organizations that you partner with.

No Talent Show

This is the exact opposite of a talent show; the goal of a no talent show is to have the worst performance. Examples of bad performances can include: hoarse or out-of-tune singing, dancing without rhythm, and magic trick failures among many others. Be creative. You can advertise it as a no-talent show. The main goal of this contest is to have a good time, and raise money for worthy causes. Charge an entry fee for onlookers to gain access to the show. 

Sports Tournament

Holding a tournament is a classic fraternity and sorority philanthropy event to raise money for your philanthropic efforts. These help to bring several fraternities and sororities together in healthy competitions and is a sure way to garner support from your community. It could be anything from basketball, baseball, or even dodgeball; the possibilities are endless. Charge a per group entrance fee. Houses can participate with multiple teams, as long as each team pays their fee. Sell tickets and encourage students to bring their friends! 

Pancake Breakfast

Students are usually hungry! If you have some brothers and sisters blessed with cooking skills, it could be an ideal fundraising activity. You will need a large kitchen to cook for this event, and it may even be best to hire a company to come cater the event itself. This philanthropy fundraising event is best hosted at the start of the year to help students mix and mingle.

Alumni Night

Alumni are often great supporters of your Greek organization as they were once members of your chapter. These members of the past are often more financially secure and more willing to donate to your fraternity or sorority philanthropy event. It is always a good bet to stay in touch with your alumni and engage them in fun networking events. Hosting an Alumni night can be fairly simple. Just choose a venue close to campus and invite your Alumni to attend. From there you can have a new member walk around with a donation box gathering donations from the Alumni.

Penny War

A Greek Penny War is  an easy fraternity and sorority philanthropy event to run. You’ll only really need to advertise the rules of the event to other Greek organizations.

    • Every house has their own container where members of that house can come and drop off change.
    • All change is counted and tallied at the end of the event. The Greek Organization with the most change is the winner of the Greek Penny War, and will win a prize.
    • Other chapters can add cash to other Greek organizations’ jars and that cash counts negatively towards the overall tally of the Greek Organization of their choosing. Cash value is taken away from other groups’ point values.

This event makes it easy for everyone to participate, everyone has left over change hidden somewhere in their room. It’s really easy for someone to come and drop off their change, and help support a great cause at the same time. This is an ideal fraternity and sorority event idea to pull off.

Bake Sale

A bake sale is a simple and easy way to fundraise. You can set up a table on campus or at a local market or community event, and invite members of your organization to contribute baked goods or donate money to purchase ingredients. You can sell a variety of baked goods, such as cookies, brownies, cupcakes, bread, and more. You can also set up a donation jar at your table where customers can contribute additional money to your chosen charity.

Here are some things that you’ll need to consider if you plan to host a charity bake sale:

    • Health and safety: All food items must be prepared in a clean and sanitary manner, and should be kept at the appropriate temperature to prevent spoilage or food borne illness.
    • Permits and licenses: Depending on the location and purpose of the bake sale, you may need to obtain a permit or license from the appropriate authorities.
    • Food labeling: You may be required to label food items with ingredients, allergen information, and other relevant details.
    • Food donations: If you are accepting food donations from others, you may need to follow specific rules regarding food handling and storage.
Talent Show

A talent show is a great way to showcase the talents of members of your organization and other students on campus. You can invite singers, dancers, musicians, comedians, and other performers to participate in the show. You can charge an admission fee and sell tickets in advance or at the door. You can also offer prizes for the winners of the talent show to incentivize participation. Planning for these type of fraternity and sorority philanthropy event ideas can take a little more time to plan, but the results are definitely worth it.

Silent Auction

A silent auction is a great way to fundraise and engage with the community. You can solicit donations from local businesses and community members, and display the donated items at the event. Businesses love donating to these type of philanthropy fundraising event because they are able to promote their products, so the likelihood of them donating is high. From there, attendees can place bids on the items, and the highest bidder will win the item. You can donate the proceeds from the silent auction to your chosen charity.

Car Wash

A car wash is a simple and effective philanthropy fundraising event that can be organized by schools, clubs, and other organizations. To host a car wash, you will need to find a suitable location with access to water and electricity. This could be on a school or community center campus, or at a local business that is willing to allow you to use their facilities. You will also need to gather a team of volunteers to help with the car wash, and advertise the event to the community to encourage participation.

On the day of the car wash, set up a station with buckets, sponges, and other cleaning supplies. You can charge a fee for each car wash, and use the proceeds to donate to your chosen charity or organization.

To ensure the success of your car wash, it is important to promote the event in advance and make sure that you have enough volunteers and supplies to handle a high volume of cars. You may also want to consider offering refreshments or other incentives to attract more customers.

Movie Night

A movie night is one of our top fraternity and sorority event ideas, not to mentions it’s easy to plan. You can show a popular movie on campus or at a local theater, and charge an admission fee to attendees. You can also sell concessions, such as popcorn, candy, and drinks, to raise additional funds for your charity. Once your philanthropy fundraising event is over you can then donate the proceeds from the movie night to your chosen charity.

5K Race (5 Kilometer)

A 5K race is a great way to fundraise and promote fitness in the Greek community. You can host a 5K race on campus or in the community, and charge an entry fee for participants. Consider inviting the sports teams from your school to participate in the event and let them know that proceeds will go towards a great cause. You can encourage participants to fundraise additional money for your chosen charity by setting up a fundraising page or encouraging participants to ask friends and family to donate. You can also offer prizes for the winners of the race.

Trivia Night

A trivia night is a popular philanthropy fundraising event that can be organized by your chapter. To host a trivia night, you will need to find a suitable location with enough space for teams to participate. This could be on a school or community center campus, or at a local business that is willing to allow you to use their facilities. You will also need to gather a team of volunteers to help with the trivia night, and advertise the event to the community to encourage participation.

To prepare for the trivia night, you will need to create a list of categories and questions. You can choose categories based on your audience and interests, such as general knowledge, pop culture, history, sports, and more. You can also offer prizes for the winning team, such as gift cards or other items.

Check out this blog by TriviaHub for a more tips on hosting a successful trivia night.

The Bottom Line:

These fraternity and sorority event ideas are not too difficult to pull off and can be used to raise a substantial amount of funds for your philanthropy. Anything that you do to support these nonprofit organizations is always a good thing. Hopefully this extensive list of college philanthropy fundraising event ideas to helps you decide the theme for your event, and that it is a great success!

Additionally, if you need more in depth assistance planning a social or philanthropy event, check out our other blog, “How to Plan a Successful Social Event for Your Fraternity or Sorority.

What are Greek fraternity and sorority philanthropy events?

Greek fraternity and sorority philanthropy events are events or activities organized by Greek organizations to raise money and awareness for a charitable cause or organization. These events may include fundraisers, service projects, or awareness campaigns.

How long should a Greek fraternity and sorority philanthropy fundraiser last?

The length of a Greek fraternity and sorority philanthropy fundraiser can vary depending on the nature of the event. Some events may be one-time events that last a few hours, such as a benefit concert. Others may be ongoing, such as a week-long fundraising drive or a semester-long service project.

How do Greek fraternities, and sororities raise money for philanthropy?

Greek fraternities and sororities raise money for philanthropy in various ways, including hosting events such as charity walks, benefit concerts, and silent auctions. They may also sell merchandise, such as T-shirts, with the proceeds going to the designated philanthropic organization. Additionally, some Greek organizations partner with local businesses to donate a portion of sales or host joint fundraising events.

What is the most difficult part about Greek fraternity and sorority philanthropy fundraising?

The most difficult part about Greek fraternity and sorority philanthropy fundraising may vary depending on the organization and event, but common challenges include getting people to attend and participate in the event, finding effective ways to promote the event and cause, and balancing the demands of organizing the event with other academic and personal responsibilities. Additionally, there may be competition with other Greek organizations or fundraising events for the same cause, which can add further challenges to fundraising efforts.

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