Fundraising for Youth Groups and Scouts

The best youth group fundraiser in NZ is one that turns the group's own activities into the campaign — think sponsored challenges tied to badges, camps, or community service, paired with digital vouchers from local businesses. If you're fundraising for Scouts, Guides, or a youth club, you don't need to sell wrapping paper or sausages door-to-door. You can run an activity-based campaign that builds skills, tells a story, and keeps every dollar in Aotearoa — all through a platform built for New Zealand fundraisers like Generous.nz.

Why activity-based fundraising works for youth groups

Young people fundraise best when they can see the purpose. A sponsored tramp, a badge challenge, or a community clean-up gives them something to work towards — and gives your donors a reason to give beyond obligation. Instead of asking neighbours to buy yet another box of chocolates, you're inviting them to invest in a young person's development. That's a fundamentally different ask, and it resonates.

Activity-based campaigns also solve the biggest problem youth leaders face: volunteer burnout. Instead of coordinating stock, orders, and deliveries, you're coordinating an event your group would probably run anyway. No boxes arrive at your door. No one has to chase down unpaid orders. The fundraiser is the programme, and the programme is the fundraiser.

There's another benefit worth noting: activity-based fundraising builds skills that align with the badge frameworks Scouts and Guides already use. Planning, goal-setting, public speaking, and community service are all part of the programme. Your fundraiser becomes a learning opportunity, not a distraction from it.

Choose your activity: ideas that suit Scouts and Guides

The right activity depends on your group's age range, season, and what you're raising for. Here are proven ideas that work well across Aotearoa:

1. Sponsored badge challenge

Create a "fundraising badge" with 3–5 tasks tied to your group's values. For example:

• Complete a 5km tramp and document three native birds
• Learn a new outdoor skill and teach it to a younger member
• Perform a random act of kindness for a neighbour
• Run a litter clean-up at a local reserve

Each participant collects sponsors per task or a flat donation. This works especially well in Term 1 or Term 4 when the weather suits outdoor activities. Younger members can take part with whānau support, while older members can take ownership of their own sponsorship pages.

2. Camp fund challenge

If you're raising money for a specific camp, make the camp itself the reward. Set a group goal — say, $3,000 — and create a visual tracker shaped like a tent or mountain. As the group hits milestones, unlock "camp privileges" like choosing the camp menu or picking the evening activity.

Share updates on your fundraiser page with photos of the group preparing: packing gear, practising knots, or planning the itinerary. Donors give more when they can picture the outcome. One Scout group in Canterbury raised $4,700 for a Jamboree trip this way — not by selling anything, but by showing their community exactly what the experience would mean to each young person.

3. Community service marathon

Youth groups exist to build good citizens. A "12 hours of service" event — helping at a food bank, weeding community gardens, or visiting a rest home — can be sponsored by the hour. It's a fundraiser and a public relations win in one. Local media love these stories, and your group's reputation in the community grows alongside the fundraising total.

4. Skills auction

Have your group offer skills they've learned through Scouting or Guiding: fire-lighting demonstrations, first-aid workshops for parents, or a sausage sizzle cooked entirely by the youth members. Parents and grandparents often bid generously for a chance to be served by their kids. This works particularly well for groups with older members who have earned advanced badges and want to show off their expertise.

Pair your activity with digital vouchers

Activity-based campaigns raise money from family and friends, but you can multiply your total by partnering with local businesses. Here's how:

Ask a café, hardware store, or adventure company to offer a digital voucher — say, a $20 coffee card or $50 off a gear purchase. Your group sells the voucher at face value through Generous.nz. Your group keeps at least 10% of every sale, and the business gains new customers. It's a genuine win-win.

Digital vouchers are delivered instantly by email, so there's no stock to hold and no paper to lose. You can sell them alongside your activity sponsorship, giving supporters who don't want to sponsor a challenge another way to contribute. Read more about why vouchers work so well for fundraising.

For youth groups, vouchers are particularly useful because they broaden your supporter base beyond the usual suspects. Grandparents who live in another city can buy a voucher for a local business as a gift. Parents can buy vouchers for their own weekly shopping and know the group benefits. The wholesale model means businesses don't have to donate cash — they donate margin, which is often an easier ask.

To approach businesses successfully, use the tips in our guide on getting local businesses excited about your fundraiser. The key is to approach them with a clear proposal: what you're raising for, how many families are involved, and what they'll get in return. A business that sponsors a Scout group isn't just buying advertising — they're investing in their future customers and their local community.

Set your financial goal and track it

Work backwards from your target. If your camp costs $4,000 and you have 20 youth members:

• Each member raises $200
• Sponsorships from family might cover $120 per member
• Voucher sales might cover the remaining $80 per member

That means you need to sell about $1,600 in vouchers (where you keep at least 10%, so $160+) and raise about $2,400 in sponsorships. Break it down publicly so families know exactly what's needed. When everyone can see the numbers, everyone knows their part.

Generous.nz charges a simple fee of 5% + GST, which is invoiced separately — it's never taken from your donations. And the first $1,000 of wholesale sales is fee-free, which helps smaller groups get started. See exactly what it costs to fundraise so you can budget accurately. There are no hidden costs, no monthly fees, and no charges for setting up your page.

Get the timing right

Youth group fundraising works best when tied to a clear deadline. If your camp is in April, launch your campaign in February. If it's a Term 4 activity, start in early Term 3. Give yourself at least six to eight weeks for the campaign — any shorter and you'll be scrambling; any longer and momentum will fade.

Avoid the December–January holiday slump and the busy back-to-school weeks in late January. The best times of year to fundraise in New Zealand are generally February–April and September–November, when people are settled and open to giving. School terms matter too — if your group meets during term time, you'll want your campaign running while you can rally families in person at meetings.

Also consider what else is happening in your community. Check the local events calendar. If the town is busy with a sports tournament or a festival, your campaign might get lost. If it's a quiet month, your fundraiser could be the main event.

Tell your story well

Your fundraiser page needs to answer three questions:

1. Who are you? Name your group, your area, and how many members you have.
2. What are you raising for? Be specific: "The 2025 South Island Jamboree" beats "camp costs."
3. Why should someone care? Explain what the experience means for the young people involved.

Use photos of your group in action — not just logos. A photo of a Scout tying a knot or a Guide group laughing at a meeting is worth more than any text. Stories about individual members and what they'll gain from the experience also boost donations. If one of your members has never been to camp before, or is saving up for their first big tramp, say so. Real stories move people in ways that statistics never will.

Don't forget to update your page as the campaign progresses. Post photos from training sessions, share milestone announcements, and thank donors publicly (with their permission). A page that goes quiet looks abandoned — a page that's active looks like something people want to be part of.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to run a raffle as part of our youth group fundraiser?

Raffles are legal in New Zealand, but they're regulated under the Gambling Act 2003. Most community groups need a licence from the Department of Internal Affairs unless the total prize value is under $5,000 and tickets are sold only to members of the group. Check our guide on how to legally run a raffle in New Zealand for the current rules, and always confirm with the DIA before you start selling tickets.

How much of the money we raise goes to our group?

With Generous.nz, donations come to you in full — the platform fee is invoiced separately, never deducted from donations. For voucher sales, your group keeps at least 10% of the sale price, and the first $1,000 of wholesale sales is fee-free. You control the pricing and the margin. That means if you sell a $20 voucher, you could keep $2, $3, or more depending on the arrangement you make with the business.

Can we fundraise if we're not a registered charity?

Yes. Many Scout and Guide groups are part of national organisations, but even unincorporated community groups can use Generous.nz. You don't need charity status to run a fundraiser, though donors who give to registered charities may be eligible for tax credits. Check the donation tax credit guide and current IRD guidance for details. If your group is part of a national body like Scouts New Zealand, you may already be covered under their charitable status — it's worth checking with your regional office.

How do we get local businesses to say yes to vouchers?

Approach businesses with a specific, low-effort proposal. Offer to promote them to your families and wider community. Keep the voucher simple — a fixed dollar amount is easier than a percentage discount. And follow up in person or by phone rather than email alone. Full scripts and templates are in our guide to partnering with local businesses. Remember: you're offering them access to your community, not just asking for a handout.

What if we have very few volunteers to run the campaign?

Activity-based fundraising is naturally low-admin because the activity is the event. Use a single fundraiser page to collect sponsorships and sell vouchers, and let supporters share it themselves. You can run a successful campaign with just one or two committed adults coordinating it. The digital tools do the heavy lifting — your job is to keep the energy up and the story moving.