How to Use a Shoe Drive to Boost Your Digital Fundraising

Turn an Online Campaign Into a Community Effort

All of us have been involved in a fundraiser at one point or another. Whether it was during your school years as a young elementary student trying to sell scented pencils to friends, as an athlete raising money for your sports team, as a parent helping your son or daughter with fundraising, or as a coach or fundraiser organizer.

Digital fundraising has boomed in recent years and for good reason. Digital fundraising gives schools, nonprofits, teams, churches, and community groups an easy way to raise money by reaching stakeholders across the country by text, email, or social media in seconds.

There is tremendous value in that. Even the best digital fundraising companies know the value of community-style fundraisers. Community fundraising helps build teamwork and communication skills while working together for one program goal.

Online fundraising is powerful, but it can lose attention quickly. Pairing an online fundraiser with a socially responsible fundraiser, such as a shoe drive fundraiser, combines the two most powerful fundraising formats into one elite fundraiser. 

Instead of relying only on online donations, a shoe drive fundraiser gives your community another way to participate. Supporters can collect gently worn, used and new shoes and sneakers of all styles and sizes. They can bring pairs from home, ask neighbors, or collect from friends and family. There’s tremendous cross-branding potential. When someone drops off a shoe drive donation, you can give them a QR code to the digital fundraiser. On the digital fundraiser, you also provide instructions for donating to the shoe drive fundraiser in person.

This provides multiple options for donating to the two fundraisers. People who aren’t online very often will have a way to see it. People out of town will see it and think, “Oh, I have plenty of gently worn shoes,” and could even ship them across the country.

Ultimately, the goal is to combine a digital fundraiser with a community fundraiser for double the impact.

What Is a Shoe Drive Fundraiser?

Sadly, only 13% of sneakers are reused each year. It’s a problem for the planet of course, but it’s a problem for families who throw out several pairs each year. 

Instead of throwing them out, why not get money for them? That’s where a shoe drive fundraiser comes in and why Funds2Org’s mission statement exists.

“We empower communities to thrive with fundraising solutions that also support micro-enterprises and create a positive environmental impact.”

A shoe drive fundraiser is a fundraiser where your organization collects gently worn, used and new shoes from your community. After the logistics team at Funds2Orgs receives and processes the shoes collected from your shoe drive fundraiser, they redirect them into the hands of micro-entrepreneurs worldwide, and your organization receives a check.

It’s no secret that people are struggling in the economy here in 2026. Gas above $5.00 a gallon in many places. The cost of living is as high as ever. Shoe drive fundraisers offer an alternative to digital fundraising, allowing people to donate without opening their wallets.

For a digital fundraiser, that matters. Not every supporter is ready to donate online, but many people have shoes they no longer wear. When they contribute shoes, they become part of the campaign. Once they are involved, they are more likely to share the fundraiser, talk about it, or support it in another way.

That is how a shoe drive fundraiser can boost a digital campaign. It gives people more than one way to help.

Start With One Clear Goal

As you prepare to launch both your online and shoe drive fundraising campaigns, make sure you’re clear about your goal.

Saying “Please support our hockey program” is fine, but saying “Please help our hockey program raise $5,000 to cover the cost of new uniforms for the upcoming year” is much more powerful. It gives people a reason to donate and feel that they’re contributing to something tangible.

The specific monetary goal matters too. You have to find the balance between shooting for the stars and realistic expectations. 

Both the specific monetary goal and statement goal should appear everywhere: your online campaign page, social posts, email updates, flyers, and collection site signs.

Connect the Shoe Drive Fundraiser to Your Online Campaign

Like Funds2Org, your online fundraising partner should be 100% free to use. A free-to-use digital fundraising platform like Teamfi gives your organization a simple way to collect donations online through crowdfunding, calendars, and a-thons.

These fundraisers include a hub for your program or organization to post the fundraising goal, fundraising statement, and instructions for participating in the shoe drive fundraiser.

That is the right balance. Funds2Orgs helps your organization run the shoe drive fundraiser. Your digital fundraising platform gives supporters an easy place to donate and share.

By scheduling and cross-promoting within your organization, you’re helping turn one fundraiser into a full-fledged multi-platform campaign.

Give Supporters More Ways to Say Yes

Funds2Org has helped raise over $19 million for programs across the country through over 24,000+ fundraisers. Shoe drive fundraisers work because they address real problems for families and the environment and allow supporters to support your organization or program without making a financial donation. 

The reuse of shoes helps local organizations raise funds, protect the environment, and create global work opportunities in the reuse economy. 

That doesn’t diminish the impact of your online fundraising partner campaign; it just means there’s another way to get support.

Keep the Campaign Moving

Most shoe drive fundraisers last around 8 weeks. Most of the best digital fundraisers last between 2-3 weeks. That actually helps your program. Take the first 2 weeks, focus on the shoe drive and pre-promote the digital fundraiser. The middle 2-3 weeks, go all-in on the digital fundraiser while still emphasizing that the shoe drive fundraiser is an option. Then, the final 3 weeks make a last push for the shoe drive fundraiser.

It gives a natural break and allows for momentum for each fundraiser. You just have to be good with communication, as with any fundraiser. Post the fundraiser links and how to donate to each early and often.

You can also use friendly competition. Teams can compete by grade, class, roster group, or position group. Nonprofits can challenge volunteer teams. Churches can invite small groups to see who can collect the most shoes. A little competition gives people another reason to participate.

End Your Fundraisers Strong

Once both your digital and shoe drive fundraisers are over, whether it’s in person, through email, through social media, or all of the above, be sure to thank donors from both campaigns. Announce results, top donors and donations, how many pairs of shoes were donated, and how much the online fundraiser raised. Remind supporters what it all means for the program.

When Funds2Org processes your shoe collection, they’re weighed, given a second life, and your payment is issued within two business days of shoe processing. It’s super easy and a great way to get rid of gently worn shoes that is both eco-friendly and earns your program money.

Every pair collected also supports micro-entrepreneurs, small business owners who use the reuse economy to create income, support their families, and serve their local communities. 

The more shoes you’re able to collect. The more for your program. The more funds donated online. The more for your program.

This is all about pairing two of the best types of fundraisers. An online fundraiser that is able to reach people across the country, which in many cases is free to use, and a Funds2Orgs shoe drive fundraiser that allows supporters of your program to donate shoes and help your program earn money. Two unique fundraisers working together over eight weeks to set your program up for success.

Justin Scott – Teamfi Operations Manager

Justin has been part of the Teamfi crew since early 2025. A Lowell High School alum, he grew up with the Teamfi founders before heading off to college and later reconnecting with the team. Since joining Teamfi, Justin has written more than 100 blogs and website pages focused on helping teams, schools, and organizations fundraise more effectively.