Get your volunteer team together and see which of these ideas you can execute in the office: 

1. Newspaper Sale: Donate your old newspapers and help. Hold an old newspaper sale, proceeds from which will be donated to selected NGO(s).

2. Snacks Sale: Invite all employees to make and bake their favorite foods and sell them to colleagues. All proceeds from the sale can be donated to the company’s chosen NGO(s).

3. Mark a Blue or a particular colour Tie-Day: And accept a voluntary donation from all employees not wearing that colour tie on that particular day, which can be used for donating to the company’s chosen NGO(s).

4. Hold an Auction: Auction off a prime parking space at work, a half or whole day off, a day in the boss’ cabin and other just as innovative stuff. 

You can even ask people to donate items from their home for the auction. 

5. Pretty baby contest: Gather employee baby pictures, have donation jars set up as votes -the jar with the most donations wins! This is a fun way to get to know each other and at the same time raise money for your chosen cause.

6. Spring cleaning yard sale:  Sell unwanted items lying around the office (stationary, furniture etc.) and donate the proceeds to your chosen NGO(s). Have employees bring items from their homes to sell, especially those who do wish to give money.

7. At upcoming birthdays/anniversaries of employees, request colleagues to donate money via the company’s iGive page, as a gift to them. 

8. Present an instructional class:  Invite colleagues to participate in a how-to class and charge a fee that goes toward your goal.  For example, if an employee is a great dancer, offer to conduct classes for your friends with the proceeds benefiting the company’s chosen NGO(s).

This is a great way for employees to bond as well as raise money for your chosen cause.

9. Book Smart:  Dust those bookshelves and have a book sale. Employees can contribute their old books too. Encourage employees to purchase and gift these books to their friends/family, if they have already read them themselves.

10. Car Wash:  Get your employees together on a weekend and hold a car wash.  Make teams and wash cars of those who have cars, charging them a fee for the wash, which can be donated to the company’s chosen NGO(s).  

11. Raffles:  Ask a local merchant to donate prizes (restaurant gift certificate, TV/DVD player, hotel weekend getaway, airline tickets, etc.) which can then be raffled among employees. Make tickets and start selling.

In fact, company merchandise can be raffled too!

12. Organize an entertainment event like a dance show or a music concert and open it out to employees and their families. This method allows you to raise money in the form of ticket money.

13. Organize a cricket or football match: The 11 slots on each side can be auctioned off to employees who wish to participate, which then goes as a donation to your chosen NGO(s). Request other colleagues and family members of participants, who would like to watch the match, to make a ‘spectator donation’ towards your chosen cause.

14. DVD day: Show a DVD on a big screen television or a projector screen. There can be a theme to the day, a speaker and perhaps a discussion after the movie. Charge an admission for seating, popcorn (or a small bag of chips), all of which can then go to the company’s chosen cause.

15. Candy Sale: Use the power of the sweet tooth to raise money quickly and easily! Most candy fundraisers provide 100% profit, since items cost about Re. 5 and you can sell them for Rs. 30-50. 

16. Bingo/Housie is a game that gives participants a chance to win money, but it’s also a social outing. That combination makes it immensely popular. A bingo/housie fundraiser is a great way to raise money for your cause and raise funds for your chosen cause, while you’re at it.

17. Bracelet fundraising is one such way where people from different walks of life can donate through buying fund raising bracelets (also called wristbands). Besides raising funds, these stylish promotional bracelets create awareness about a worthy cause. Get your designer to create some cool bracelets and give prizes to employees who sell the most number of bracelets. 

18. Fundraising Parties:  Hold a fund raising party for the challenge, You can have it at your office or partner with a local restaurant or bar to sponsor the event by donating food/space. Promote the party to everyone you know and charge a cover. The restaurant/bar will benefit from the free publicity and the money you raise will go toward your goal, not to mention it’s a lot of fun.

19. Baby Picture or Pet Picture Match Game: Rs.X per vote to match the baby/pet with the employee. Winning entry can receives prizes too.

20. Scavenger/Treasure Hunt: Get employees who wish to participate to make a token entry fee, which can then be donated to your chosen cause. The hunt can be held within the office building premises and neighbouring offices (who will learn about the hunt by default) can contribute towards the worthy cause too. Give a prize to the winning team.

21. Look-A-Like contest: Employees dress up like some famous personalities, such as a popular actor/actress, popular businessmen, favorite sportstar etc.; employees pay to vote for the best costume and the contestant receiving the most votes gets a prize.

22. Tug-of-War: Have employees against executive staff or an inter-departmental competition.  Each team pays a fee to enter. 

23. Team Sports Competitions: Form teams between departments, divisions, branches or regions and get pledges for runs made, goals scored etc.  Provide refreshment stands and make it a fun-draising event!

24. Money Tree Fundraising: Give every employee a plain unmarked envelope. The envelopes must be identical. Ask them to place some money inside the envelope, seal it, and hand the unmarked envelope to the organizer who staples a corner to a cardboard tree. This can be done till the challenge lasts or you can decide a time frame during which activity can be done regularly. By the end you can see a fully grown money tree. 

25. Make up an IQ test based on your company’s CSR activities: Award prize(s) to employees with the most correct answers. This is a fun and challenging way to spread awareness about the challenge too.

26. CSR Fair: Set up India Giving Challenge charity booths in the cafeteria or parking lot.  The fair is more to spread awareness about India Giving Challenge.  Make up a “passport” for each employee. Ask charities to have an inked stamp to mark passport when employees visit their booth.  To motivate employees to visit the booths, award employees with stamps from each of the booths with a chance to win prizes.