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Spring is finally here! The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and it’s the perfect time to start fundraising. Got a cause you’re passionate about? Maybe you’re going on a mission trip, your community is planning a project, your aunt has medical expenses, or you and your friends are gearing up for a fun trip. Or maybe you’re not sure what to fundraise for yet—but you know you want to make a difference.

Here are some fundraising ideas to help get you started!

1. Host a Spring 5K or Fun Run

A spring 5K or fun run is a fresh, energizing way to rally support—whether you’re raising funds to host the event itself (think sponsorships, t-shirts, signage, and permits) or using the race to support a bigger cause like a mission trip, medical need, or community project. Either way, GiveSendGo is the perfect place to collect donations, rally supporters, and share your story. It turns every step into an opportunity to give hope.

2. Raise Support for Spring Mission Trips

Many churches and ministries send teams abroad during spring and early summer. If you or someone you know is going on a mission trip, start a campaign to cover travel costs, lodging, and ministry supplies. GiveSendGo isn’t just about funding trips—it’s about sharing the hope of Jesus wherever you go.

3. Help with Spring Tuition or School Fees

Spring semester costs can sneak up on students and families. Whether it’s college tuition, private school fees, or homeschooling resources, starting a campaign can ease the burden and rally community support during a season when finances are often tight.

4. Fund a Family Vacation or Special Getaway

Not every trip is a luxury—some are much-needed moments of rest and connection, especially for families recovering from loss, health issues, or financial strain. A GiveSendGo campaign can help fund a meaningful vacation that restores hearts and builds memories. 

5. Celebrate Mother’s Day in a Meaningful Way

This year, consider starting a campaign to honor your mom or mother-figure in your life. Whether she’s in need of help, facing a tough season, or simply deserves something special, your campaign could fund a spa day, a new car seat, a home project—or even surprise her with a weekend away. Don’t just give flowers. Give hope.

6. Provide Relief After Spring Storms and Tornadoes

Spring often brings severe weather and natural disasters. If someone in your community is recovering from a storm, house fire, flood, or other emergency, you can quickly set up a campaign to help with cleanup, food and supplies, temporary housing, or rebuilding costs. These are the moments when hope shines brightest.

7. Support Graduation-Related Needs

From senior trips and cap-and-gown fees to college deposits and dorm supplies, springtime can stretch families with graduating seniors. A GiveSendGo campaign can help them celebrate this milestone without the stress.

8. Raise Funds for a Spring Service Project

Planning a park cleanup, garden project, or local outreach event this spring? Start a campaign to help cover the costs—like supplies, food, or transportation—so your team can focus on making an impact. These types of campaigns are a great way to bring people together and do something meaningful right in your own community.

9. Help with Adoption, Foster Care, or New Baby Costs

Spring is a season of life and new beginnings—making it a perfect time to support families navigating adoption, foster care, or the arrival of a new baby. From agency fees and home studies to diapers and hospital bills, these journeys come with real costs. Starting a GiveSendGo campaign lets friends, family, and communities rally around families with love and generosity.

10. Fund Home Repairs or Spring Projects

Has someone you know been putting off a necessary home repair? Maybe it’s a single parent trying to fix a roof or an elderly neighbor needing accessibility updates. A GiveSendGo campaign can mobilize friends and family to pitch in.

11. Send Kids to Summer Camp

Now’s the time to start raising funds for summer camps, especially faith-based or special needs camps with higher costs. Don’t wait until the last minute—use this spring season to give kids the experience of a lifetime.

At GiveSendGo, we believe fundraising is more than meeting needs—it’s about sharing hope. This spring, don’t just let a good idea bloom and fade. Start your campaign, share your story, and invite others to be a part of something meaningful.

Ready to get started? Start your campaign today.

Looking back, I remember one of my earliest, most impactful lessons in generosity happened one Christmas when my parents gave us the opportunity to donate a portion—or even all—of our designated Christmas money to a family we knew in need. 

Each one of my siblings and I could put a card in an envelope with any amount from $0 to $100 written on it. It was completely private. There was no judgment, no guilt, and our choices weren’t shared with our siblings. (There are 12 of us!) Our parents simply wanted to give us the opportunity to experience what it meant to give sacrificially.

I still remember the internal struggle—wanting to be generous but also weighing what I might miss out on if I gave too much. It wasn’t easy as a preteen. But now, almost 40 years later, I can tell you with certainty that I didn’t miss the money I gave. I don’t even remember what I got for Christmas that year. What I do remember is the impact it had on me, shaping a lifelong desire to look for ways to be generous.

Teaching Generosity Doesn’t Happen by Accident

As parents, we often don’t think about—or even know how—to teach our kids to be generous. Sure, we might tell them to share their toys when a friend comes over, and that is even debated these days, but true generosity goes beyond that. Teaching generosity is something we must be intentional about; we cannot just assume our children will develop it as they grow.

The truth is, generosity isn’t inherent to human nature. We aren’t naturally wired to put others first, and we’re already seeing the consequences of failing to teach and model it. Society is filled with entitled, self-focused people who believe they’re owed something. What we are finding, as no surprise, is that when no one thinks about others, communities suffer.

We’re raising children in a world that constantly shouts, Get more! Have more! Be more! Social media and culture glorify self, rather than service. If we’re not intentional, our kids will grow up believing that their worth is tied to what they accumulate rather than what they contribute. We’re already seeing glimpses of this—the rise in loneliness, the breakdown of community, and the me-first mentality are all signs of a world that has forgotten how to give.

The Power to Change the Future

The good news? We have the power to change the trajectory. We can and must raise a generation that sees generosity as normal and important—one that understands the beauty of giving without expecting anything in return. But it takes intentional effort—not just modeling generosity ourselves, which is important for our kids to see, but also creating opportunities for our children to practice it.

And here’s the key: real generosity isn’t just giving when we have extra. It’s giving when it requires sacrifice. That’s what truly changes hearts and changes lives.

If we want to shift culture—to see less depression, loneliness, and entitlement in the next generation—we need to change the focus. Instead of centering life around me, we need to teach our children to ask, How can I make a difference in the world around me? That’s where we see people thrive.

When we move from a poor me mentality to gratitude, from tightly clutching our stuff in fear of losing it, to opening our hands in love, everything changes. God is a generous God, and He created us in His likeness. We are never more like Jesus than when we live a generous, giving life rather than a what’s in it for me life.

The Secret to a Life of Abundance

Raising six generous kids has been one of the greatest joys of my life. But it didn’t happen by accident. Just like anything worth learning, generosity must be taught, modeled, and lived out daily. As one of the founders of GiveSendGo—a platform built on the power of generosity—I’ve seen firsthand how giving changes lives.

People often come to our platform struggling with fundraising, asking for the secret to success. My answer is always the same—the same lesson I taught my own children about life in general. I lean in and whisper—okay, maybe I say it a little louder than a whisper—Live generously. Be a giver.

When you do that, you will flourish. You will be happier, more successful, and you’ll never lack people who will give back when you find yourself in need.

Teaching our children generosity isn’t just important, it’s essential. If we want them to experience a life of true abundance—not just materially, but spiritually and emotionally—generosity can’t just be a nice idea. It has to be a way of life.

We must model it. We must create opportunities for them to live it. Because a world filled with generous people is a world where everyone thrives.
 

The start of a new year is the perfect time to make meaningful changes in our lives — and what better change than to be more generous? Generosity doesn’t have to be big or complicated. Sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness can have the most significant impact. If you’re looking for creative, fun, and impactful ways to be a difference maker in 2025, we’ve got you covered.

Here are 50 simple (but powerful) acts of generosity to inspire you for the year ahead. Some are big, some are small, and some might even surprise you.

1. Join the Giver Army
Make 2025 the year you turn generosity into a habit. Join the Giver Army here and give to one of GiveSendGo Charities causes. Your gift, combined with the generosity of others, funds grants that support campaigns on GiveSendGo with the most need. Whether it’s $5 or $50, your generosity makes a lasting impact. Be the crowd for the crowdless today!

2. Start a GiveSendGo Campaign for Someone in Need
See someone in your community going through a tough time? Create a campaign on their behalf and rally others to support them.

3. Give to a GiveSendGo Campaign
Give to campaigns you know about, or explore the thousands of incredible campaigns on GiveSendGo in need of support. You may be the answer to someone’s prayer.

4. Leave a Generous Tip
Next time you dine out or grab a coffee, surprise your server with a bigger-than-usual tip.

5. Pay for the Person Behind You in Line
Drive-thru? Coffee shop? Grocery store? Pay for the person behind you and make their day unexpectedly brighter.

6. Call and Pray with Someone Who Needs Encouragement
Got 10 minutes? Call a friend, family member, or coworker just to check in and pray with them.

7. Send an Anonymous Gift to a Friend
Everyone loves surprises! Send a small gift, note, or treat to a friend just because.

8. Write a Positive Review for a Local Business
Show support for local businesses by leaving a kind review online. It costs nothing but means everything to small businesses. While you're at it, spread the love to GiveSendGo by leaving us a Trustpilot review here!

9. Volunteer Your Time to a Local Cause
Whether it’s serving meals at a shelter, helping with a neighborhood cleanup, or volunteering at church, your time is one of the most generous gifts you can give.

10. Pray for Strangers on GiveSendGo
Every campaign on GiveSendGo has a prayer button. Click it and send a prayer. It only takes a moment, but it means the world to the recipient.

11. Mentor Someone in Your Profession
Share your knowledge and experience with someone just starting out. Your wisdom could change their life.

12. Write and Send a Thank You Note
Old-school thank-you notes are rare but powerful. Write one to a teacher, pastor, or someone who impacted you.

13. Pay a Bill for a Friend or Family Member
Surprise a friend or family member by covering a bill for them, like a utility or phone bill.

14. Donate Blood
Your blood could save someone’s life. Look for a local blood drive and give the gift of life.

15. Organize a Community Clothing Drive
Gather gently used clothes from your community and donate them to those in need.

16. Drop Off Treats for First Responders
Bring snacks, treats, or coffee to your local fire department, police station, or hospital.

17. Support a Missionary Through GiveSendGo
Missionaries often rely on the generosity of others to continue their work. Find one on GiveSendGo and support their cause.

18. Share a GiveSendGo Campaign on Social Media
You never know who might be willing to give when they see a need. Share a campaign that matters to you.

19. Offer Free Lessons for a Skill You Have
Are you great at playing guitar, coding, or baking? Teach a friend, family member, or local community member for free.

20. Be the "Grocery Cart Hero"
Return stray grocery carts to the cart corral in parking lots. It’s small but surprisingly impactful.

21. Bring Flowers to a Friend or Neighbor
Flowers have a way of lifting spirits. Drop some off for someone who could use a smile.

22. Support a School Supply Drive
Teachers often buy supplies with their own money. Join a local drive or start one yourself.

23. Offer to Babysit for a Friend
Give parents a much-needed night off. Your generosity = their sanity.

24. Sponsor a Child's Sports Season
Many kids can’t afford registration fees for sports teams. Pay for a child to play this season.

25. Leave Encouraging Notes in Public Places
Write positive messages and leave them in library books, coffee shops, or public restrooms.

26. Pay It Forward at the Pump
Gas prices are rough. Cover someone’s gas and remind them there’s good in the world.

27. Donate Your Old Electronics
Old phones, tablets, and laptops can be repurposed for those in need.

28. Surprise a Friend with a "Just Because" Coffee or Lunch Delivery
Use a delivery app to send a coffee or meal to a friend who’s having a tough day.

29. Write Positive Comments Online
Skip the negativity and flood someone’s comment section with encouragement.

30. Shovel Snow or Mow the Lawn for a Neighbor
Help neighbors who can’t handle their own yard work.

31. Offer Rides to People Without Cars
Sometimes, a simple ride to work can be life-changing.

32. Sponsor a Child’s School Lunch Debt
Cover unpaid lunch debts at a local school to ensure no child goes hungry.

33. Start a GiveSendGo Campaign for a Community Project
Raise funds for a community garden, park, or another local project.

34. Pay for Someone’s Laundry
Visit a laundromat and surprise someone by paying for their wash and dry.

35. Donate Pet Supplies to an Animal Shelter
Drop off food, toys, and blankets for furry friends in need.

36. Gift Your Unused Gift Cards
Don’t let gift cards go to waste. Pass them on to someone who could use them.

37. Pick Up Trash in Your Neighborhood
Take a walk and clean up your neighborhood. It makes a huge difference.

38. Make Personalized “Blessing Jars” for Friends and Family
Fill jars with notes of encouragement, Bible verses, or memories that they can open throughout the year.

39. Donate to a Disaster Relief Fund
When disasters strike, donate to help communities rebuild. You can give here to GiveSendGo Charities’ Hurricane Relief Fund. 

40. Forgive Someone
Sometimes, the most generous thing you can do is to offer forgiveness.

41. Share Your Favorite Book with a Handwritten Note
Gift someone a copy of a book that changed your life and include a heartfelt note inside.

42. Be Generous With Compliments
Compliments are free but powerful. Give them freely.

43. Help a Friend Move
Be the friend who shows up with boxes and pizza.

44. Donate Unused Points or Rewards
If you have extra airline miles or credit card points, consider donating them.

45. Sign Up as an Organ Donor
Your decision could save a life.

46. Share Your Talents for Free
Use your skills (like graphic design or cooking) to help someone.

47. Encourage Someone Who’s Struggling
Send a text or note of encouragement to someone going through a hard time.

48. Be a Listening Ear
Sometimes, just being present for someone is the best gift.

49. Leave Snacks for Delivery Drivers
Leave water, snacks, or treats for hardworking delivery drivers.

50. "Adopt" a Nursing Home Resident.
Visit, write letters, or bring small gifts to a resident who doesn’t have many visitors.

Which Act of Generosity Will You Try in 2025?