Discover the 15+ Most Popular Fundraising Products to Sell

Selling products provides your supporters with a tangible reward for supporting your cause. Product sales create a mutually beneficial relationship, diversify your revenue streams, and offer consistent access to unrestricted funding. 

When selecting which products you’ll sell, consider factors like pricing, market demand, and alignment with your mission. You’ll spark conversations, raise awareness for your cause, and attract new supporters. 

We’ve curated a list of the best products for your nonprofit to sell—let’s get started!

1. T-Shirts

T-shirts are a great fundraising product because of their widespread popularity and appeal. Who doesn’t love a good T-shirt? They’re comfortable and practical, and your supporters can wear them for years to come.

Why We Like This Product for Fundraising Purposes

• T-shirts can easily be customized to align with your organization and/or fundraiser. 
• They can be ordered in bulk at a relatively low cost. This makes it possible for you to sell t-shirts on-site at fundraising events.
• T-shirts are perfect for summer fundraisers. Your supporters can rock your merchandise while still staying cool and comfortable. 
• Since they are unisex and come in various colors and styles, there’s sure to be something for everyone to purchase and enjoy.

“I love the Premium Unisex Tee. Not only is it one of our best and most popular options, but it’s an easy recommendation for my sellers if they’re looking for something easy, comfortable, and classic when getting started with their fundraising.”

– William Chase, Account Executive

What Types of Fundraisers This Product Is a Good Fit For

• Charity Runs/Walks: T-shirts can be sold to participants or given out as a memento for charity runs, walks, or other similar events. People often appreciate receiving a shirt that represents their participation in a specific event and that supports a cause.
• School Fundraisers: T-shirt sales are popular in school fundraisers. They can be customized with the school’s name, logo, or event-specific designs and sold to students, parents, and staff members to support various school initiatives or projects.
• Community Events: At community events such as festivals, fairs, or concerts, organizers can create event-themed shirts and sell them to attendees. Proceeds can go towards event costs or supporting local causes.
• Sports Teams/Clubs: Fans and supporters can purchase shirts to show their team spirit while also contributing to the team’s expenses or equipment needs.

Design Tips

If you’re selling shirts for a specific event, consider incorporating the event’s logo or poster design into your shirt’s design.

Focus on eye-catching imagery and a powerful message related to your fundraiser. The more unique and specific your shirts are, the more likely they are to capture the attention of your supporters. To enhance their appeal, make these shirts available for a limited time, building a sense of exclusivity and urgency among buyers.

Favorites From the Bonfire Product Catalog

2. Tank Tops

Tank tops are an excellent choice to sell for fundraisers during warmer months. As temperatures rise, people gravitate toward sleeveless shirts, creating a demand for seasonal garments like tank tops.

Why We Like This Product for Fundraising Purposes

• Tank tops can be produced at a relatively low cost, especially when ordered in bulk quantities. This cost-effectiveness allows you to maximize your fundraising potential and keep prices affordable for your buyers.
• Since the cost of tank tops tends to be lower, this encourages even more people to make a purchase and support your cause.
• Tank tops can be particularly beneficial for team-based fundraisers, creating a strong visual representation of your collective efforts.

“You can’t go wrong with the Premium Unisex Tank Top! As something to work out in, your go-to summer shirt, or just as staple in your wardrobe, these are so versatile and comfy. Truly flattering on all body types, especially if you like a loose fit. No matter the occasion, they’re a must-have. Premium Unisex Tank Tops are a great addition to event based fundraisers, like a 5k or a charity walk, where people want to rep matching shirts, but don’t want to get hot while moving around!”

– Amber Gauldin, Account Manager

What Types of Fundraisers This Product Is a Good Fit For

• Charity Runs/Walks: Tank tops can be great for participants in charity runs or walks. They offer comfort and freedom of movement, making them ideal for physical activities. 
• Sports Tournaments: If you’re organizing a sports tournament to raise funds, custom tank tops can either serve as uniforms for the teams or personalized apparel for players to represent their team and/or the cause they’re supporting.
• Music Festivals/Concerts: Tank tops can be popular attire for music festivals or concerts, especially in warm weather. They provide attendees with a keepsake while promoting your cause.
• School or College Fundraisers: Tank tops can be used for fundraising efforts within educational institutions. Whether it’s a sports team fundraiser, club event, or a school-wide initiative, custom tank tops can be customized with the school logo, mascot, or a specific message to support the cause.

Design Tips

When designing your custom tank tops, select a color palette that aligns with your cause or represents your event’s theme. Be sure that the content of your design communicates the purpose of the fundraiser clearly and concisely. Use bold and legible fonts to convey your message effectively, whether it’s your organization’s name, a slogan, or the cause you’re supporting.

Aim for a harmonious design by ensuring the colors, fonts, and graphics work well together. Avoid overwhelming the design with too many colors or complex patterns that distract from the main message.

Favorites From the Bonfire Product Catalog

3. Sweatshirts

Sweatshirts are an undeniable crowd-pleaser, regardless of whether you opt for the classic crewneck or the cozy hoodie style. Not only are they stylish and comfortable, but sweatshirts also hold a permanent place in many people’s wardrobes. Offering trendy sweatshirts with your logo or custom design can attract a broader customer base and generate more interest in your fundraising campaign.

Why We Like This Product for Fundraising Purposes

• Sweatshirts are crafted from durable materials, built to withstand daily wear and frequent washing. This guarantees buyers can enjoy wearing their sweatshirts for an extended period, prolonging the visibility of your cause or event.
• Sweatshirts can also be sold at a higher price point than some other fundraising products. This allows for a potentially higher profit margin, enabling you to raise more funds for your cause. It’s important to always strike a balance between setting a competitive price and ensuring affordability for your target audience.
• Sweatshirts are the perfect product to sell at events and fundraisers during colder months.

“I love the Crewneck Sweatshirt – it comes in so many sizes and colors and is such a comfy staple. I love recommending sellers offer a short sleeve and a long sleeve option since everyone has their own preference – this can help to maximize sales and ensure there is something for everybody in your campaign. Personally – cool summer nights or chilly winter mornings you can find me in a Bonfire Crewneck.”

– Raegan, Strategic Account Executive

Favorites From the Bonfire Product Catalog

What Types of Fundraisers This Product Is a Good Fit For

• Camping or Hiking Expeditions: Fundraisers that involve camping trips, hiking challenges, or outdoor adventures can utilize sweatshirts to provide participants with warm and functional attire. 
• Winter Festivals and Holiday Events: Sweatshirts are a natural fit for winter-themed fundraisers or holiday events. Participants and attendees can wear customized sweatshirts featuring festive designs, spreading holiday cheer while supporting a good cause.
• School or College Fundraisers: Sweatshirts can be popular among students, faculty, and alumni for school or college fundraising events. 
• Outdoor Festivals and Fairs: Sweatshirts can be a valuable merchandise item for fundraisers held at outdoor festivals, fairs, or community gatherings. Attendees may be more inclined to purchase sweatshirts to support the cause while keeping themselves warm in cooler outdoor environments.

Design Tips

Focus on a central theme or message that effectively represents your cause or organization. A simple and clear design ensures the message is easily recognizable and memorable.

Consider the placement of the design elements on the sweatshirt. Experiment with different sizes and proportions to find the right balance. The design should be visible and recognizable when someone is wearing it.

4. Tote Bags

Tote bags are eco-friendly and offer incredible practicality and versatility. Your supporters can use them to carry groceries, books, gym clothes, beach essentials, and many other items. Since they are so useful for daily life, your supporters will use their tote bags again and again.

Why We Like This Product for Fundraising Purposes

• Tote bags suit all ages and genders, making them an inclusive fundraising product.
• Whether targeting students, professionals, or environmentally conscious individuals, tote bags cater to diverse groups, expanding your potential customer base.
• Tote bags offer a large surface area that can be customized with logos, slogans, or artwork related to your cause or event. This allows you to showcase your organization’s branding or promote a specific message associated with your fundraising campaign.

“I’m a fan of our Premium Tote Bag! It’s versatile enough to use as my daily bag, and the canvas material is durable for hauling my stuff around town. I always encourage folks to fundraise with our totes because they’re such a great way to spread the word about a cause every time someone uses it!” 

– Rose Harvey, Sales Manager – Emerging Accounts

Favorites From the Bonfire Product Catalog

What Types of Fundraisers This Product Is a Good Fit For

• Environmental and Sustainability Campaigns: Tote bags align well with environmental causes and sustainability initiatives. They can be used as an alternative to plastic bags, promoting eco-friendly habits and reducing single-use plastic waste.
• Farmers Markets and Community Events: Tote bags are popular at farmer’s markets and community events where people often purchase fresh produce, handmade goods, or local products. 
• Nonprofit Conferences and Workshops: Tote bags can be given to attendees at nonprofit conferences, workshops, or educational events. Participants can use the bags to carry event materials, notebooks, or promotional items.

Design Tips

Keep the design simple and uncluttered, focusing on a central theme or message that represents your cause or organization. Use bold and eye-catching colors to make the design stand out.

Include relevant and visually appealing graphics or artwork. Ensure that the design is appropriately sized to fit the bag and maintains its visual impact when the bag is in use.

5. Long Sleeve Tees

If you’re searching for a clothing item that’s great for multiple seasons, look no further than long-sleeve tees. These versatile garments offer the perfect balance of warmth and coverage for cooler weather while ensuring comfort and breathability. With their year-round appeal, long-sleeve tees are an easy choice for supporters, boosting their potential for sales and popularity.

Why We Like This Product for Fundraising Purposes

• Long-sleeve tees offer added protection against the sun’s rays and/or environmental elements, making them great for fundraisers that include outdoor activities.
• You can offer supporters a short-sleeved and long-sleeved option to appeal to a variety of preferences
• Long-sleeve tees offer versatility beyond a specific event or season. They can be worn throughout the year, both indoors and outdoors. Whether layered under jackets in colder months or worn alone during milder weather, long-sleeve tees have a longer shelf life compared to other seasonal merchandise items.

“I have a lot of different apparel items in my closet but my favorite one by far is the Comfort Colors Long Sleeve Tee. Just by the word ” Comfort ” in the name, you can tell that it’s a very soft shirt and I love that it’s 100% cotton. It’s a heavyweight fit so not only does it feel good but it tends to be more durable. It comes in a lot of different colors and is not only popular amongst adults but also the younger community. I recommend going for a unique color like Seafoam, Island Reef or Blue Jean.”

– Michael Chinen, Mid-Market Account Executive

Favorites From the Bonfire Product Catalog

What Types of Fundraisers This Product Is a Good Fit For

• Outdoor Adventures: Long-sleeve tees can benefit fundraisers that involve outdoor adventures such as hiking challenges, camping trips, or cycling events. Participants can wear the tees as a functional and practical clothing option to protect themselves from the elements while promoting the cause.
• Volunteer Drives and Community Service Events: Long-sleeve tees can be given as a token of appreciation to volunteers who contribute their time and effort to a cause. They serve as a tangible reminder of their participation and can help foster a sense of pride and belonging within the volunteer community.
• Charity Walks/Runs: Long-sleeve tees are perfect for charity walks or runs held during colder weather. Participants can wear the tees during the event to stay warm and comfortable.

Design Tips

When creating the design for your long-sleeve tee, remember you also have space on the back to play with. Long-sleeve tees look awesome with a small logo or image on the front off to one side and a large graphic on the back.

Use contrasting colors to ensure that all of the design elements pop. Remember to pay attention to how the colors you choose for your design will look on the fabric of the long-sleeve tees.

Food & Beverages

6. Popcorn

Popcorn is a very popular and versatile snack. You can make it sweet, salty, spicy, or cheesy, depending on your audience’s preferences. Here are a few ideas for selling your popcorn:

• Rent a popcorn machine and sell it fresh at a fundraising event, like a movie night.
• Make or purchase creative gourmet popcorn and allow supporters to order it.
• Sell baskets of various popcorn flavors or create a movie night snack basket with popcorn.

Promote this fundraiser widely to connect with the popcorn fans in your supporter base. Ensure that each supporter who buys a batch receives a fresh, high-quality product.

7. Cookies or Cookie Dough

Another popular treat is cookies or premade cookie dough. Your supporters can enjoy the cookies themselves, purchase individual servings at your events, or bake up a batch of cookie dough to serve up to guests. They can even freeze the product and enjoy it months later.

While there is never a bad time to bake cookies, consider when would be the best time for this fundraising idea to maximize sales. For example, you might sell classic sugar cookies and gingerbread during the holiday season. Or, perhaps you sell cookie dough at your bake sale so supporters can make their own treats at home. 

8. Coffee and Tea

Chances are, you’ve got coffee and tea lovers in your supporter base. These drinks are a part of many people’s morning routines, so why not offer a product they’ll look forward to daily?

First, you’ll need to source the coffee or tea (or both). Research what makes for a good brew or cup of tea. You should also sample the products yourself to ensure they are high quality and worth selling to your supporters. If you’re feeling lost, consider reaching out to a local coffee shop or teahouse—they can give you some points and might even offer to donate some of their products or partner with you!

Next, simply promote the sale to your supporters. Consider creating bundles or themed packages (e.g., a holiday tea basket with flavors like pumpkin spice and peppermint) to encourage supporters to purchase more.

9. Gourmet Sauces & Spreads

Seek out local shops or individuals in your area that sell handmade:

• Hot sauce
• Barbeque sauce
• Jellies, jams, and preserves
• Honey 
• Other spreads and condiments

Reach out to the vendors and ask about running a joint campaign in which both of your organizations benefit from the sale. Share the benefits they would see—like exposure to your audience, increased sales, and new customers. 

Create baskets, kits, or flights of the sauces and spreads of your choice, or even collaborate with the vendor to create a signature sauce, jam, or flavored honey unique to your organization. Reinforce that these bundles or unique flavors will only be available for a limited time to ramp up supporters’ sense of urgency.

Home Goods

10. Drinkware

Create custom drinkware with your organization’s logo, brand colors, and fonts. When supporters drink their morning coffee or fill their reusable water bottles, they’ll remember your organization’s important work.

You might offer branded:

Remember that these products—especially travel-friendly drinkware—are great for spreading awareness of your cause. Supporters can share your mission with passersby just by carrying your branded drinkware.

11. Candles

Have you ever smelled a scent that reminded you of a specific day or time in your life? Creating a custom candle for your nonprofit could have the same effect on your supporters—any time they smell it, they’ll think of your cause. 

Work with your team to create a scent that represents your organization. If you are working to protect the environment, you might create a candle inspired by the ocean or rainforests. Or, maybe you support children in the foster care system and choose a homey scent like fresh laundry to represent your mission of finding the children safe homes with loving families.

Promote the candles and explain how the product relates to your mission. To encourage more supporters to participate, specify the impact that purchasing your products will have.

12. Blankets or Pillows

This is the perfect product for the cooler fall and winter months! Encourage your supporters to relax and unwind with cozy products like:

• Fluffy, fleece, or flannel blankets
• Branded or decorative throw pillows
• Stuffed animals or characters related to your mission (e.g., a plush representing your nonprofit’s mascot)

Additionally, this idea could pair well with other product fundraisers like coffee and tea or custom-branded mugs. You could even sell bundles of cozy staples to get your supporters ready for winter.

13. Cookbook

This idea is a great way to foster community connection. Create a cookbook full of the best recipes in your local area and sell it to your supporters. This is also a great option for teams or groups—simply aggregate recipes from your members!

Here’s how to get started:

1. Get recipe submissions. Share emails with your supporters and create social media posts asking for great recipes. Consider reaching out to local schools, churches, and even restaurants for highly sought-after recipes.
2. Create the cookbook. Design the layout of the cookbook and add in the recipes. You could do this yourself using a free platform like Canva or work with a graphic designer.
3. Add the cookbook to your online store. Promote the cookbook to your audience, encouraging them to explore the recipes that will give them a taste of your local community. 

You’ll also need to decide whether to print the books, sell digital copies, or both. Keep in mind that printing and binding books can be expensive, so you may need to partner with a printing shop that’s willing to offer you a discount on their services. 

Stationery & Office Supplies

14. Pens, Pencils, & Erasers

Make supporters think of your organization whenever they jot something down at work with custom writing utensils. Add your brand colors and logo to:

• Ballpoint and fountain pens
• Wooden and mechanical pencils
• Erasers 
• Novelty tools, such as light-up or four-color pens

These products are a simple, low-cost option—and everyone needs them! Plus, you can hand them out for free at events to spread awareness of your nonprofit to new audiences.

Remember to promote your pens and pencils heavily during the back-to-school season to appeal to parents and college students. 

15. Notebooks

Create branded notebooks that supporters can use for journaling, planning, to-do lists, or grocery lists. As you source and design the notebooks, consider:

• The cover of the notebook: What material, colors, and finish will it have? Is it durable enough to be tossed into purses and backpacks?
• The size of the notebook: Can supporters take it on the go, or is it better to leave it at home or use it for study? How heavy or thick is the notebook?
• Your branding: How much can you customize the notebook? For instance, can you create a fully custom cover? 
• The pages: Are they lined, unlined, college-ruled, etc.? Or, do they feature grid paper? What is the paper quality like?

There are no “right” answers to these questions—it all depends on your audience and how you expect them to use the notebooks. Carefully consider what design aspects will make the product most practical and convenient for them.

16. Sticky Notes

Design custom sticky notes with your logo at the top of each page. When supporters leave reminders on their counters or computer monitors, they’ll also be reminded of your organization. Offer various sizes of sticky notes, from small tabs they can use to mark a spot in a book or document to the larger 4×4 inch or 4×6 inch sizes for longer notes. 

Again, this a great product to bundle with other related items in your online store. Sticky notes pair well with other office supplies like writing utensils or planners.

17. Desk Calendars

Even though we all have digital calendars on our phones and computers, there’s something about writing down your appointments and upcoming events on a physical calendar that makes those obligations easier to remember. Help your supporters keep track of everything going on in their personal and work lives with a desk calendar.

Create a 12- or 18-month calendar with your branding and plenty of space to write reminders, meetings, and more. Add tear-off sheets so users can easily transition from one month to the next. Consider marking dates that are important to your nonprofit on the calendar—such as the day the organization was established—and adding photos of your work or beneficiary testimonials.

This practical product will not only keep your supporters organized but also remind them of the important work you do.

Consider practicality, target audience appeal, customization options, cost-effectiveness, and promotional opportunities to select products that resonate with your supporters and support your fundraising goals. Strike a balance between profit and audience demand, and remember that the best fundraising products generate funds and create a sense of community among your supporters.

Get more tips on how to level up your fundraising with these additional resources:

Written by: Hayden Ireland / Content Specialist
Illustrated by: Madison Summers / Lead Marketing Designer