April 29, 2025
Fundraising has evolved over the years, and nonprofits, schools, sports teams, and other organizations that fundraise have to balance hosting in-person activities with creating a positive online experience.
Both in-person and virtual fundraisers have their benefits and drawbacks, and your group will need to be thoughtful when deciding which approach to go with. To help you brainstorm fundraising ideas and plan your next campaign, this guide will explore common pros and cons for in-person and virtual team fundraisers.
In-Person Fundraisers
Pro: Face-to-face connections
It’s easier to feel connected to a cause or group when you can meet with members face-to-face. As such, in-person events are ideal for building relationships with your supporters.
Make the most of these opportunities to connect with supporters by having your team members actively seek out and talk to guests. Check in on supporters’ lives, get to know their interests, and make your donation appeals face-to-face.
Additionally, incorporating technology into your in-person events can actually make it easier to build these connections. For example, using mobile bidding tools at silent auctions can cut down on the time guests spend hovering at bidding sheets for prizes they have their eye on and make more time for socializing.
Con: Logistics planning
In-person fundraisers require extensive planning, and there are a number of logistics your event team will need to juggle that simply aren’t applicable to virtual fundraisers. Specifically, they’ll need to think about:
- Guest travel. How will guests get to your fundraiser, and if you expect them to drive, where will they park? Conversely, if your fundraiser relies on supporters finding you, such as a car wash, where can you host your event that makes you easy to spot and access?
- Transporting supplies. From hauling event decorations to handing out auction prizes, your team will need to plan to bring everything from point A to point B. Additionally, in-person product fundraisers, like selling popcorn or cookie dough, might require your team members to make deliveries when their orders arrive (to avoid this hassle, look for a product fundraising provider that ships items straight to supporters’ doors!).
- Weather. If you’re planning an outdoor event, always prepare for the possibility of bad weather, no matter how unlikely. This means having tarps ready for rain, fans and water bottles for excessive heat, and paperweights ready to hold down any loose paper in the event of wind.
Fortunately, there are solutions for several of these problems that just require the right tools or a bit of planning. For product fundraisers, for instance, you can always partner with a service provider that will handle product delivery for you.
Pro: Hands-on activities and experiences
In-person fundraisers can create a tactile experience for both your supporters and team members. For instance, an in-person trivia night that involves food, buzzing in, and excited group discussions may be more memorable than a virtual experience where participants are separated into breakout rooms and never see their competition.
When planning in-person activities, consider how you can create an experience worth showing up for. This might involve live entertainment, catering, hands-on demonstrations, and plenty of time to socialize with other guests.
Con: Expenses
In-person fundraisers come with several costs you’ll need to consider. Specifically, to hold an in-person event, your group will need to account for:
- Renting a venue
- Hiring catering
- Paying for entertainment, servers, and/or security
While these costs are necessary and create a better experience for your guests, they can add up and may be overwhelming for small sports teams on a budget.
Virtual Fundraisers
Pro: Accessibility and convenience
As long as they have access to a computer or smartphone, anyone can participate in a virtual fundraiser from anywhere. From virtual events to online sales, both supporters and team members can join in from the comfort of their own homes.
For example, Team Butter emphasizes how discount fundraising apps are ideal for teams since every participant can manage their own fundraising efforts from their phone. For instance, discount card fundraiser participants can text, email, and message their networks to sell digital codes. Then, supporters can immediately use the codes they purchase from their own phones. This is in sharp contrast to a fundraising participant needing to wander around and physically deliver discount cards.
Con: More difficult to engage supporters
Virtual fundraisers lack the face-to-face connections and hands-on experiences of in-person gatherings. For virtual events in particular, keeping an audience thoroughly engaged can be a challenge.
Alleviate this concern by investing in software with engagement tools. For event platforms, this means looking for solutions with interactive features, such as live chats, polls, and breakout rooms. For other types of fundraisers, like auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns, and product sales, look for software with gamification features. These make your virtual fundraisers more engaging for both supporters and your team members by giving them extra motivation to help your cause.
Pro: Passive revenue accumulation
Some virtual fundraisers for teams can generate passive revenue after their initial setup. For instance, you might create an online store selling branded merchandise, launch an ongoing shopping fundraiser, or promote matching gifts.
eCardwidget walks through how to host one online fundraiser that can easily start generating passive revenue: charity eCards. Charity eCards are electronic greeting cards your group sells to supporters.
To set up this fundraiser, follow these steps:
- Create eCard designs. eCard fundraisers succeed because they provide supporters with fun, memorable, and sometimes silly photos or illustrations. Create eCards that celebrate a holiday, show off your group’s cause, or even feature jokes. For inspiration, check out these holiday eCards from the nonprofit One Tail at a Time:
Alt text: A series of eCards of animals dressed in holiday outfits
- Add them to your website. There are two main places on your website where you might make your eCards available for purchase. First, you might add them to your donation page and incentivize supporters to increase their gifts in exchange for receiving an eCard they can send to a friend or family member. Or, add eCards as products in your online store, so supporters can buy them like they would any other merchandise.
- Thank buyers. Keep supporters coming back to buy more eCards by thanking them for participating in your fundraiser!
After designing eCards and adding them to your website or donation page, you can keep them there and continually earn extra money from supporters purchasing them.
Con: Technical issues
Virtual fundraisers require software, and software can have technical issues. Before a live virtual event, run through your technology to ensure all components work properly so you’re not stuck fixing bugs in front of a live audience.
For virtual fundraisers where your participants act independently, have an open channel of communication where they can ask about problems they’re experiencing and troubleshoot solutions with the rest of your team. Additionally, make sure any platforms you invest in have active vendor backing, which includes technical support.
Team fundraisers like peer-to-peer campaigns, product fundraisers, and eCard sales can all find major success online. When balanced with in-person activities, like events and face-to-face supporter meetings, your team can expand its reach and build the relationships necessary to secure essential donations.