How Much Does a 31-Day Calendar Fundraiser Raise? Real Data From 22,449 Participants

How Much Does a Calendar Fundraiser Raise?

A traditional 31-day pick a date calendar fundraiser contains $496 in available calendar dates.

However, based on Teamfi’s data from 22,449 Teamfi calendar fundraiser participants, an average calendar fundraiser fills only 10.93 or 35% of available days, resulting in $153.68 raised through calendar dates alone. Teamfi’s calendar fundraiser templates allow for additional donations that are not associated with specific calendar days (‘custom donations’), and this raises the average result by an additional $38.93. In total, the average Teamfi calendar fundraiser participant raises ~$192.61, or 39% of the $496 total. 

Making use of an automated donation reminder system was associated with higher results - the Teamfi calendar participants who invited 20 or more potential donors via Teamfi’s automated SMS reminder system raised $347.97 – 80.6% more than the average participant.

Project Your Group’s Total Amount Fundraised

Your group’s total amount raised from a calendar fundraiser can be easily projected from this data by multiplying the average amount raised per participant by your group’s number of participants:

These projections can potentially be improved substantially by using Teamfi’s automated SMS reminder system. In our study, we observed a relationship between the amount raised and if a calendar fundraiser participant invited 20 or more donors to donate via Teamfi’s automated SMS reminder system: their average funds raised increased substantially to $347.97, an increase of 80.6%.

The Calendar Data Behind The Study

Based on 22,449 participants in completed Teamfi calendar fundraisers, the average participant raised $192.61 from 5.2 donations while filling 10.93 of the 31 calendar spaces.

The Importance of Accepting Donations Unassociated With Calendar Days

Across our dataset, the average calendar fundraiser participant filled:

• 10.93 calendar spaces
• At an average value of $14.06 per filled space

That means the average participant filled approximately 35% of the available 31 dates.

The estimated amount generated directly from calendar-date selections was:

10.93 filled spaces × $14.06 per space = approximately $153.68

Because the average participant raised $192.61 overall, approximately $38.93 per participant came from funds beyond the standard calendar-date value.

Based on these averages, the participant’s proceeds were approximately:

This underscores the importance of having the ability to accept donations that are unassociated with dates on your calendar: the dates alone raise an amount lower than what is raised through dates & unassociated donations together.

Reminding Supporters Consistently Is Associated With Better Results

Teamfi allows participants to add the phone numbers of potential donors, so that Teamfi can then send those contacts up to four automated SMS reminders during the fundraiser. This gives each potential supporter multiple opportunities to visit the participant’s calendar and donate.

Our data shows a strong relationship between the number of cell phone numbers added and the amount raised.

Participants who add more contacts raise nearly 7x more.

Average funds raised increased in every contact tier.

Participants who added no contacts raised an average of $72.17. Participants who added at least 30 contacts averaged $497.57… nearly seven times as much!

What Happens When Participants Follow Teamfi’s 20-Contact Recommendation?

Teamfi recommends that each participant add at least 20 potential donors to the automated SMS reminder system.

Among the participants who followed that recommendation:

• Average funds raised were $347.97
• Average donations received were 10.12

Compared with the full dataset, participants adding at least 20 contacts raised:

• $155.37 more per participant
• Approximately 81% more than the overall average
• Nearly five times as much as participants who added no contacts

Stronger Results Came From More Donations, Not Larger Donations

The participants who added more contacts did not necessarily receive larger individual gifts.

In fact, the average donation amount generally declined among the highest-contact groups. In other words, more contacts means more donations — not bigger ones.

Participants who added at least 30 contacts received smaller individual donations on average than participants who added no contacts.

They raised more because they received 15.46 donations instead of 1.94.

The benefit of consistent outreach is not that it pressures each supporter to donate more. It is that it helps the participant reach more supporters and generate more completed donations.

Summary: How Much Should a Calendar Fundraiser Participant Expect to Raise?

No single number can predict the result of every calendar fundraiser.

Results depend on factors including:

• The ability to accept donations that are unassociated with calendar days (‘custom donations’)
• The number of potential supporters contacted
• How consistently the participant follows up
• The number and value of calendar dates selected
• The participant’s personal network
• The length of the fundraiser
• The level of involvement from organizers, coaches and families

The observed benchmarks provide a more useful range:

How To Raise More With a Calendar Fundraiser

Timing matters as much as reach: one-third of all donations in the dataset arrived within 24 hours of a campaign's kickoff. A strong launch — announced everywhere at once, with participants sharing immediately — sets the trajectory for the entire fundraiser.

Based on the observed results, participants should adhere to the following advice when running their calendar fundraisers in order to maximize results. 

1. ‍ Build a list of at least 20 potential supporters –Include family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, former coaches, teachers and others who have a personal connection to the participant or organization.Those raising the largest amounts on Teamfi Calendar Fundraisers acquire more individual donors, rather than larger donation amounts. ‍
2. Allow Teamfi to send consistent reminders – Each added contact can receive up to four automated text reminders.A supporter may not donate immediately after the first message. Follow-up creates another opportunity without requiring the participant or organizer to manually contact every person several times.‍
3. Continue sharing the page publicly – Social media remains useful, particularly when participants share more than once and explain what the fundraiser supports. However, public posting should complement direct outreach—not replace it.‍
4. Keep custom donations open – Custom donations allow supporters to contribute when their preferred calendar date is unavailable or when they want to give more than the remaining dates permit. They also allow participants to continue raising money after the calendar is completely filled.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a calendar fundraiser make?

‍Total results depend on group size. With the average participant raising $192.61, a 15-person group makes around $2,889, a 25-person roster around $4,815, and a 50-participant program around $9,630. Use the calculator above to project your group's total.

What is the maximum amount a calendar fundraiser can raise?

The 31 calendar dates are worth a combined $496. On Teamfi, however, the participant’s total fundraising amount is uncapped because supporters can also make custom donations.

How much does the average calendar fundraiser participant raise?

Across 22,449 Teamfi participants, the average participant raised $192.61 from 5.2 donations.

How quickly do calendar fundraiser donations come in?

‍Fast. Across Teamfi's dataset of 22,449 participants, one-third of all donations arrived within the first 24 hours of a campaign's kickoff. Early momentum is a strong predictor of a fundraiser's final total, which is why a well-organized launch matters.

How many calendar dates does the average participant fill?

The average participant filled 10.93 of the 31 calendar spaces.

What is the average value of a filled calendar fundraiser space?

The average filled calendar space generated $14.06.

How many people should a fundraiser participant contact?

Teamfi recommends adding at least 20 potential supporters.

Participants who added 20 or more contacts to Teamfi’s automated SMS reminder system raised an average of $347.97, compared with the overall average of $192.61.

Can a participant raise more than $496 with a calendar fundraiser?

Yes. Custom donations remain available even after every calendar date is selected. Participants adding at least 30 reminder contacts raised an average of $497.57 in the observed dataset.

Does automated texting help with fundraising? 

The data shows a strong association between the number of contacts added and fundraising performance. However, participants who add more contacts may also be more engaged in other aspects of the fundraiser.

The figures are observational and should not be interpreted as proving that automated reminders caused the entire difference.

Methodology: How We Analyzed 22,449 Calendar Fundraiser Results

This analysis includes 22,449 qualifying participant calendars from completed Teamfi calendar fundraisers conducted in 2025 and 2026.

To be included in the analysis, a participant had to have an associated calendar and a completed participant profile that included a headshot. Participants were included regardless of how much they ultimately raised. Because completing a profile does not necessarily mean a participant actively promoted their fundraiser, the dataset may include participants who completed setup but made little or no fundraising effort.

The analysis measures fundraising results, donation activity, calendar spaces filled, and use of Teamfi’s automated SMS reminder system across this qualifying participant population.

All results are presented as observed averages and associations. Individual fundraising outcomes vary based on participant engagement, supporter reach, campaign execution, and other factors. Relationships between use of Teamfi features and fundraising results are observational and should not be interpreted as proving that those features alone caused differences in outcomes.