10 charity fundraising ideas for Ramadan

Photo: ©Sami Abdullah

Ramadan, observed between February and March, is more than a time of fasting and prayer for Muslims worldwide. It's a time of solidarity, generosity, and giving. Whether your charity focuses on humanitarian, social, educational, or religious causes, this period presents a powerful opportunity to launch impactful fundraising campaigns.

To help you, we've put together 10 simple charity fundraising ideas to boost donations during this holy month.

10 fundraising ideas for Ramadan
1. Online fundraising for Zakat and Sadaqah 
2. Organise daily giving challenges
3. Encourage your donors to sponsor Iftar meals
4. Launch a donation campaign after the Taraweeh prayer
5. Organise an Eid gift drive for orphans and families
6. Skip a coffee, buy a meal challenge
7. Organise an online auction for your cause
8. Organise a webinar on giving during Ramadan
9. Suggest a virtual donation tree with matching gifts
10. Create a digital Ramadan calendar with donation reminders

10 fundraising ideas for Ramadan

1. Online fundraising for Zakat and Sadaqah 

Ramadan is a particularly favourable time for generosity, emphasising two key forms of giving in Muslim culture:

• Zakat, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the annual charitable giving that Muslims must complete. It consists of giving a portion of one's wealth (usually 2.5%) to those in need, mainly the poor and destitute. 

• Sadaqah is a voluntary donation with no fixed donation amount. You can give it at any time of the year.

To allow potential donors to make donations in just a few clicks, you can opt for a native donation form. Integrate it directly into your Zakat or Sadaqah fundraising campaign page. Donors will then be able to pay their Zakat or Sadaqah with ease.

Check out the Belgian organisation Karama Solidarity and their Zakat and Sadaqah campaign for Ramadan. The nonprofit’s online donation form makes it easy for supporters to give alms and directly support its missions.

2. Organise daily giving challenges

Throughout the month of Ramadan, why not invite your donors to make a small donation each day? Share the challenge on your social media channels to engage your community and inspire more participants. To maximise impact, provide practical tips such as setting daily reminders, inviting friends and family to join, or showcasing real-time progress towards your fundraising goal.

Did you know that iRaiser's fundraising platform allows you to turn one-time donors into regular supporters by splitting their donation into smaller, recurring gifts? By offering this option, you can acquire new monthly donors and strengthen long-term engagement.

Want to see this feature in action? Try it out on Amnesty International’s donation form! Select the one-time donation option: "I donate once". Then choose the €100 donation amount, and fill in your personal details to see feature in action!

3. Encourage your donors to sponsor Iftar meals

Make every Iftar a moment of giving by letting donors sponsor meals for their local community.

On your online donation form, highlight clear donation equivalents, just like DIGNITÉ International does. The charity provides food parcels and anti-malnutrition kits to support the poorest families during Ramadan. Thanks to equivalents displayed on their online donation form, donors can see the real impact of their generosity. For example: €75 donated will fund a parcel for 1 family of 6, for 30 days.

You can also apply this type of campaign to peer to peer fundraising. In this case, invite your supporters to create their own fundraising pages to appeal to their friends and family. Thereby amplifying the impact of your appeal to collect donations.

4. Launch a donation campaign after the Taraweeh prayer

Taraweeh prayers, a deeply spiritual and unifying moment during Ramadan, draw many faithful each night. Use this opportunity to encourage online donations after these prayers, making giving easy and meaningful.

Place posters with QR codes at the entrances and exits of mosques. This approach allows faithful supporters to make a donation quickly via their smartphone. With a mobile-friendly donation form, all your participants need to do is scan the code and donate in just a few clicks.

Want to learn more about using QR codes in your fundraising campaigns and events? Read our article: From Offline to Online Fundraising: Convert Donors with Drive-to-Web Strategies.

5. Organise an Eid gift drive for orphans and families

Eid is a festival of joy, sharing and generosity. It presents an opportunity to bring a little comfort to families in need. Your charity can, for example, organise a fundraising campaign specifically for Eid, to offer: 

• new clothes, 

• food hampers 

• and gifts for children and disadvantaged families.

To inspire even more donors to get involved, include interactive elements on your online donation platform. Think of widgets showing the first names of recent donors, or testimonials from beneficiaries.

6. Skip a coffee, buy a meal challenge

Turn an everyday gesture into an act of generosity. Ask your supporters to donate the price of a coffee or a baked good to provide a meal for someone in need.

A pop-in donation form integrated directly into your website can make this initiative even more effective. Without interrupting their browsing, donors can participate in just a few clicks, without having to leave the campaign page. With a donation of around £3 or £4 per coffee, these small contributions can mean real support for your campaign.

See how the Alima charity is using the iRaiser pop-in donation form to raise funds during Ramadan. Click here to see it in action! Once on the page, click on the ‘Make a Zakât Donation’ button to see the form appear.

iRaiser tip: To spread the word about your fundraising activity, launch a social media campaign that taps into the power of community. Use a compelling hashtag like #ACupForACause and encourage supporters to share their stories.

Personal stories from donors can encourage people to join the cause and make a difference. This can help expand the impact of your campaign and help raise more money.

7. Organise an online auction for your cause

A virtual auction is an excellent way of engaging your community while raising funds for your projects. Highlight unique items or experiences, such as Islamic artwork, rare books, or traditional cooking classes.

Use your online fundraising platform to allow participants to bid easily. Communicate transparently about the destination of the funds: for example, “The profits will finance Iftar meals for 500 families”.

8. Organise a webinar on giving during Ramadan

During the month of Ramadan, you can organise a live webinar hosted by a spirituality expert on the importance of generosity and giving during this month. 

This event can include reflections on Zakat and Sadaqah, as well as testimonials on their impact in the community. To make the experience interactive, include links to your dedicated donation pages during the stream, allowing participants to contribute in real time. 

Would you like to start organising digital fundraising events? 

Read our article and find out how MSF France raised over £2.9 million during a gaming marathon on Twitch: Stream for Humanity: breaking charity fundraising records for MSF. Inside, you’ll find our 5 key tips for a successful digital fundraising event!

9. Suggest a virtual donation tree with matching gifts

Display a virtual donation tree directly on your online donation platform. Each contribution ‘grows’ a new leaf or branch, illustrating our collective generosity in a visible and motivating way.

If you opt for a crowdfunding campaign, or peer to peer campaign for your charity, we suggest you highlight:

• Fundraising progress, updated in real time on your online fundraising platform,

• The stages involved in reaching your fundraising target.

iRaiser Tip: Work with corporate partners to set up a matching gifts programme. This will maximise the impact of the contributions (doubled or tripled by the company) and encourage your donors to raise funds for charity.

10. Create a digital Ramadan calendar with donation reminders

Innovate by offering an interactive Ramadan calendar, designed to accompany your donors throughout the holy month. Each day, share a donation reminder along with a story of the impact it has had. A spiritual reflection on generosity, or even a practical tip for giving are also good options to share.

To enhance engagement, consider sending daily emails with donation prompts, inspiring stories, or exclusive content.

Boost your fundraising during the month of Ramadan!

Ramadan is a unique time to mobilise your community around generosity and solidarity. By putting the right initiatives in place and using online fundraising tools, you can maximise the impact of your efforts and strengthen the bonds with your donors.

Looking for other fundraising ideas for charity? Take a look at our fundraising calendar and get inspired by seasonal campaigns tailored to each key moment of the year!