About this guide
Free ideas and general information for New Zealand clubs, schools, churches, charities and anyone raising money for a cause. It’s a place to start, not the last word.
It’s general information, not advice
We’re not lawyers, accountants or event safety specialists, and nothing here is legal, tax, financial or professional advice. The guide describes how fundraisers typically work in New Zealand and the rules that typically apply. It can’t cover every situation.
You run your own fundraiser
How a fundraiser runs is up to the group running it, and so is following the rules. That includes national law, your council’s bylaws and permits, the conditions of any venue, landowner or store, and your own organisation’s rules. If you’re unsure, ask the agency concerned or a professional before you commit.
Rules vary and change
What applies depends on where you are, the size of the event, what you sell and what kind of group you are. Councils set their own permit rules, and national rules change. Our summaries are a starting point: check the current official requirements for your activity and location before you commit, using the links below.
The money figures are typical, not promised
Amounts come from published results where we could find them and are our estimates where we couldn’t (marked est.). Your result will depend on your group, your community and the day. We don’t guarantee any outcome.
How ideas are listed
Ideas are sorted by what they typically raise. Nobody pays to be listed or to be placed higher. For Goods Sake offers a free raffle ticket maker, and plans meat-box fundraisers (not available yet). Where those fit an idea we link to them, the same way we link to other options. Links to other websites are for your convenience and aren’t an endorsement.
Spotted something wrong?
We aim to keep this guide accurate, but information may be incomplete or out of date. Email hello@forgoodssake.co.nz about a possible error and we’ll review it. The rules summaries were checked against the official pages in October 2026.
To the extent permitted by New Zealand law, For Goods Sake excludes liability for loss arising from use of this guide. Nothing here excludes or limits rights or remedies under the Fair Trading Act 1986, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 where it applies, or any other law that can’t lawfully be excluded.