Inspirational Relay for Life Fundraising Ideas to Make an Impact

Relay for Life is a movement organized by the American Cancer Society to bring awareness and contributions for cancer research and patient support. Every year, thousands of communities across the country come together to celebrate survivors, remember loved ones, and fight back against cancer.

Of course fundraising is a very important aspect of this event and it’s how their goals are achieved and how we can continue to make strides in the fight against cancer. From bake sales to online campaigns, there are countless ways to raise money and show support.

But for those of you that are looking to creative and hold your own Relay for Life event, consider hosting a themed event or auction. You could organize a “Glow in the Dark” walk or a silent auction or Chinese gift baskets with donated items from local businesses and individuals. The important thing to do is to think outside the box when you’re coming up with interesting ideas and to focus on bringing your community together in a fun and memorable way. Fundraising for Relay for Life isn't just about the money it supplies to cancer research, it's also about creating an impact that resonates with people long after the event. So on to our best  relay for life fundraising ideas.

Our Best Relay for Life Fundraising Tactics for a Memorable Time

Team Relay Race

If you have access to a track, you can hold a relay race where participants take turns running laps around the track. You can include other races to make the day more eventful like a family sack race or an egg race. Then look to corporate sponsorship to raise funds, hold raffles, sell refreshments and even charge a ticket fee for entrance. This is an easy event to put together and can be expanded upon in numerous ways.

Obstacle Course Challenge

Set up a fun obstacle course with various physical challenges depending on your participants. The great thing about this challenge is you can make it as big or small as you want. Imagine using a town square or a few streets to make an awesome course. This can be very family and kid friendly or you can make it an Iron Man type challenge. You can even make it a bicycle course or get people to choose a running mate and tie one of their legs together. There are a ton of ways to spice up a challenge like this.

Spin-a-thon

Spin-a-thons aren’t for the weak of heart! Host a spinning class marathon where participants pledge to bike for a certain number of hours, or register a certain amount of distance. Then create forms for people to sponsor them according to their results similar to a walk-a-thon. You can even charge an entry fee to raise more and include a silent auction or raffle.

Walking Dead-Themed Costume Walk

Organize a costume walk with a twist, participants must dress up as zombies or characters from "The Walking Dead" to raise funds. Actually you can do this with any movie or TV series, and the added costumes brings a memorable drama and fun to your event. You can end the walk with a dinner and auction event to bring in even more donations, or go the walk-a-thon route and have people get sponsorships for the miles they walk. Either way, dress up parties like this are always fun for everyone, and a great way to keep your charity in people’s minds in a positive way.

Triathlon

Do you have a lot of sponsors that are in great shape? Why not challenge them with a mini Relay for Life Triathlon that includes swimming, bike riding and running. Participants can compete individually or as teams. And financial streams can include selling tickets to the events, entrance fees, corporate sponsorships and even selling refreshments and food during the event. Just be sure your supporters are up to the challenge!

Zumba for Relay

Host a Zumba class where participants pay to join in a fun, high energy dance fitness session with all proceeds benefiting Relay for Life. Similarly to the Zombie idea above, you can add unique twists like dressing up as zombies, superheroes, Disco or even a glow light Zumba class! The point is to make it fun even for people new to Zumba.

Yoga Marathon

Set up a yoga marathon where participants donate to join a long yoga session with different instructors or styles of yoga. The great part of this marathon is you’ll often be able to secure teachers and even studio space from local yoga centers looking to get the attention of more potential customers in their areas. So in the end it’s a win win for both parties.

Virtual Walk or Run

Organize a virtual walk or run where participants can sign up and track their own miles from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection. Luckily platforms like Paybee make this easy and profitable as your participants can sign up and submit donations all from one easy to create page. Now supporters from anywhere can participate whether they like in your town or not!

Kickball Tournament

Host a friendly kickball tournament with local teams. Teams pay an entry fee, and the winning team receives prizes donated by local businesses. You can take it up a notch by hosting a costume kickball tournament where teams dress according to a theme (e.g., superheroes, 80s vibes, or beachwear). Offer a prize for the best-dressed team. Or add creative rule variations and implement fun twists like kicking with your non dominant foot, running the bases backward, or using a giant beach ball for one inning. You can even include designate specific innings for “wild cards” where rules (like all players kick twice) change.

5k Run or Walk

Organize a 5k run or even a walk where participants can choose to run or walk at their own pace. There are a ton of ways to make it more interesting using some of the ideas we’ve mentioned in our other ideas above. Just imagine everyone dressed in beach wear when it winter, or everyone dressed like superheros. It’s guaranteed to catch people’s attention and be a whole lot of fun for everyone involved, even the spectators! A great way to spark some interest in your charity.

Walking Bingo

Create a walking bingo game where participants must walk to different spots to mark off spaces on their bingo cards. The person or team that gets bingo first wins a trophy or prize donated by corporate sponsors. You can even include sponsor stores or shops as places to include on the card so your sponsors can see the new potential customers coming into their place of business.

Key Scavenger Hunt

Similar to above, give all the participants a map with destinations and clues to hidden keys. At each stop each person or team gets a key. Then at the very end each person tries all their keys on a locked boxes at the end of the game. Each box can include a donated prize. Imagine securing some great prizes like a Hawaiian vacation or rare signed memorabilia. By marketing all the prizes through social media channels before hand, you can really get a big turnout, and a big payday with this event.

Bicycle Ride

Organize a cycling event where participants ride a set distance, either individually or as teams, and raise funds through different types of sponsorships. You can include creative themes or challenges like a "Glow Ride" (cycling with glow sticks and LED lights at night) or “Costume Ride” (participants dress up in fun outfits). You could even make it a historical and educational experience by adding a map of the route that takes them through historically significant or scenic landmarks, with signs along the way sharing fun facts. Or introduce optional challenges, like a “Hill Climb Hero” for the fastest rider up a hill or “Slowest Lap Champion” for balancing skills. You can also use GPS apps to share route details with your participants, and include checkpoints with QR codes for an interactive experience.

Obstacle Walk

Set up an obstacle course specifically for walkers, with hurdles and challenges along the route. Participants pay to enter, and the funds support the cause. Or use peer-to-peer fundraising or corporate sponsorship opportunities. Add challenges requiring teamwork, like carrying a "torch" together or navigating a balance beam as a group. Or amp up the fun with a Water Balloon Zone where participants dodge or toss water balloons for a lighthearted break. Or trivia stops where walkers must answer questions about cancer awareness or your charity before proceeding. You can even make it a themed walk by creating a story or mission for participants to complete, such as a "Survivor’s Journey" or “Superhero Rescue.” Offer optional upgrades like professional photos, access to a post-walk celebration, or commemorative merchandise to boost revenue.

Group Fitness Class Marathon

Offer a variety of fitness classes back-to-back, such as HIIT, pilates, or aerobics. Charge entry fees for each class, with proceeds benefiting the cause. You can make things more unique and fun by incorporating a decades workout, each class represents a different decade (e.g., ‘80s aerobics, ‘90s hip-hop dance, futuristic HIIT). Or a ‘global fitness tour’ where your classes are inspired by international fitness trends like Bollywood dance, Brazilian samba, or African drumming workouts. You can even make it a game by offering participants bingo cards and they collect stamps for each class they attend to complete a bingo card. Then offer donated prizes for different bingo patterns.

Run in the Dark

Host a nighttime 5K or 10K run, where participants wear headlamps or glow-in-the-dark gear. This unique experience can draw more participants and bring a lot of attention to your cause. Further encourage participants to wear neon and glow-in-the-dark outfits, providing glow sticks, LED bracelets, or body paint at check-in. The host a Dance Party after the run with a DJ, light show, and refreshments in order to ramp up the contributions even more. This is one event that even The Grateful Dead would highly approve of!

Poker Walk

This is great if you have many older or not so physically enthusiastic supporters to keep happy. You just combine a poker game with walking. At each checkpoint, participants draw a poker card. The best hand at the end wins a donated prize and each participant pays a fee to be included. Make the walk more entertaining by creating a Casino Royale Theme where everyone dresses up in glamorous casino style outfits or costumes inspired by famous card characters like the Queen of Hearts or the Joker. Or make it a wild west poker walk by creating a cowboy themed event with saloon style checkpoints. Volunteers can dress as cowboys and cowgirls. Then include "wild card" stations where participants can exchange a card for a better one by making a small donation to increase your revenues even more.

Step Challenge

Encourage participants to track their steps using fitness trackers or mobile apps. Offer prizes for those who reach the most steps and ask for pledges for each milestone. Use a platform like Paybee to track participation, collect contributions and make your event virtual so anyone in the world can participate as well. You can gamify the challenge with leaderboards, badges, and milestone alerts so everyone stays motivated and competitive. Keep people interested by recognize unique achievements like “Most Scenic Route” (participants share photos on your social media pages) or “Coolest Walking Outfit.” This not only makes it more interesting and fun for everyone, it also gives your pages a lot of great publicity!

Rock Climbing Challenge

Set up a rock climbing event where climbers raise funds through pledges for each climb they complete. Offer multiple routes of varying difficulty, from beginner to expert so everyone can participate regardless of their skill level. You can also form teams where each climber must complete a specific route before tagging in their next teammate. Team members can raise funds as a group with each team having a fundraising goal they are looking to accomplish. And if your supporters are into it, create a "Superhero Climb" where participants wear capes or gear as their favorite superhero.

Silent Disco

Organize a silent disco walk where participants wear wireless headphones and enjoy music while walking the event route. Charge for headphone rental and entrance fees. Make the walk more enjoyable by incorporating live DJ or a playlist curated by popular local artists. The DJ could engage with your participants via their wireless headphones and provide fun commentary, motivational shout outs, or themed trivia to keep everyone energized. Stetting up different music genres or themes at various checkpoints along the walk can also help to spice things up a bit. Themes could include:

• 90s Dance Hits
• 80s Flashback
• Pop Divas
• Classic Rock
• Karaoke Hour

5 Ideas to Increase Revenues During Your Event

Successfully raising funds through a Relay for Life event involves more than just collecting entry fees. To truly maximize your revenues you’re going to need to add additional fundraising strategies, leverage sponsorships, engage participants in meaningful ways, and capitalize on upsell opportunities. Below are several tactics we’ve found that can really help your charity maximize its potential earnings and can be used in conjunction with any of our fundraising ideas from above.

1. Offer Tiered Registration Levels

An easy way to generate more revenues for your event is to charge different fees for additional levels. For example:

• Basic Registration: Includes event participation and standard swag.
• Premium Registration: Includes VIP perks such as early access, exclusive event gear (like T-shirts or hats), or access to a special area during the event (VIP lounge, reserved seating, etc.).
• Super Supporter Registration: A top-tier package that could include all of the above, plus a guaranteed raffle entry, a personalized thank-you letter, and recognition at the event through your social media and website.

2. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships

Securing corporate sponsorships can dramatically increase your event’s revenue whether it’s through monetary or physical goods. Reach out to local businesses or larger corporations to sponsor different aspects of your event and offer them something in return for their support:

• Event Sponsorships: Offer businesses the opportunity to sponsor the entire event or specific segments (e.g., a "T-shirt Sponsor" or "Glow Gear Sponsor"). In exchange for their support you can offer them booths or stands selling anything from their regular products to food. You can also offer them a chance to engage with your guests and place their logo in noticeable places around the event or on event merchandise.
• Prize Donations: Allow your sponsors to get involved by offering to donate goods or services as either prizes (like sports equipment) for raffles or silent auctions or refreshments during the event. Their involvement not only boosts your fundraising in other ways, but it also promotes their business to your attendees giving them more of a reason to support your cause.

3. Upsell Event Merchandise

Event merchandise is a great way to raise additional funds. Consider offering the following:

• Glow-in-the-Dark Gear: If your event includes elements like a silent disco or nighttime walk, sell glow-in-the-dark accessories such as wristbands, hats, and necklaces.
• Commemorative Items: Create event-branded T-shirts, water bottles, or tote bags that participants can purchase. You can even include a special message or a unique design that commemorates the event or your cause.
• Pre-Order Discounts: Offer participants a discount for pre-ordering event merchandise when they register. This creates anticipation and helps secure funds ahead of time.

4. Host a Silent Auction or Raffle

Holding a silent auction or raffle during your event is always a fun and profitable way to increase funding.

• Silent Auctions: Ask both individual donors and corporate donors to donate either goods and services and services such as gift certificates, experiences (spa day, sports tickets), or unique memorabilia. Display the items prominently at the event or online through a hybrid event and allow participants to bid on each item.
• Raffles: Set up a raffle with smaller fun prizes. Participants can purchase raffle tickets before or during the event and you can call out the winning numbers at the end.

5. Virtual Participation and Remote Fundraising

Increase accessibility and expand your event's reach by offering virtual participation options like Paybee’s virtual events platform. This way you can still have people who can’t attend in person still contribute and participate no matter where they are in the world.

• Virtual Races or Walks: Participants can sign up and complete the event in their own location no matter where they are in the world. They can track their distance, raise pledges, and receive swag or a medal for completing the challenge.

Conclusion

Relay for Life fundraising is about more than just raising money, it's about creating a sense of community and inspiring hope for a brighter future for those affected by cancer. By organizing fun and creative events, you can help support this cause and all that it aspires to achieve, the complete obliteration of cancer. Whether you opt for a themed event, a fitness challenge, or a unique auction idea, remember that the heart of Relay for Life lies in unity and philanthropy.