The short version
- A fundraiser poster should state the cause, what the money will do, the target or date, and one clear way to give.
- The headline should name the result of giving, such as a repaired roof or a funded school trip, rather than the word fundraiser.
- Progress graphics such as thermometers and bars must show the real amount raised against the real target, updated as it changes.
- One design can serve as an A4 poster, an A5 flyer, a portrait feed post and a story if the words stay in the same order.
- A thank you post after the appeal closes tells donors what their money did and makes the next appeal easier.
On this page
A good fundraiser poster answers four questions before anyone has to think: what is this for, what will the money do, by when, and how do I give. Make the result of giving the headline ("Fix the scout hut roof"), put the target or date second, and finish with one way to donate, such as a short link, a QR code or a bucket at the door. Everything else is decoration, and decoration that slows the reader down costs donations.
What every fundraiser poster needs
- The outcome. What changes if the appeal succeeds, in words a passer by understands.
- Who is asking. The charity, school or club name, small but present, so people trust it.
- The target or the date. A goal gives a sense of scale; a date gives a reason to act now.
- One way to give. A single short link or QR code. Two options split attention.
- A human detail. One line that makes it real: who benefits, or where the money goes.
An A4 fundraiser poster: outcome first, organisation above it, the way to give and the closing date below.
Lay out the poster so it reads in the right order
People mostly read a poster in order of size, not position. Decide the order you want them to read in, then make each step clearly smaller than the last. The ideas behind this are in visual hierarchy; for a fundraiser the order is almost always the same.
Rough share of the poster
Rough share of the poster
Rough share of the poster
Rough share of the poster
Leave space around the QR code; a code crammed against a busy background often will not scan. Test it from arm's length with two different phones before printing a hundred copies. If you are printing at home or through a shop, bleed and margins explains how to keep text away from the trim.
Fundraising thermometers and progress bars that stay honest
A progress graphic is persuasive because people like to help finish things. That is exactly why it must be true. Show the real amount against the real target, update it when the number changes, and never start the bar part filled to look busy. If the target moves, say so in words.
linear-gradient(90deg, #d9534f 0%, #e8833a 60%, #efe6da 60%, #efe6da 100%)A progress post that states the share raised and thanks the people who gave it.
A countdown story near the end, when a deadline is the most honest reason to give now.
Avoid
- A thermometer that has not moved in three weeks
- Starting the bar part filled before anyone has given
- Rounding up the total to the next milestone
- Pictures of beneficiaries used without consent
Do
- Update on a fixed rhythm, such as every Friday
- Show the real total and the real target
- Say plainly if the target changes and why
- Use photos of the place or the work, with permission
Fundraiser poster sizes for print and social
Most appeals need the same message in four shapes: a poster for noticeboards, a flyer for handing out, a feed post and a story. Design the poster first, because it holds the most information, then cut the words down as the frame narrows. Poster size guide covers the larger formats if you are printing for a venue.
A4 poster
2480 × 3508
A5 flyer
1748 × 2480
Feed post 4:5
1080 × 1350
Story 9:16
1080 × 1920
Facebook event cover
1920 × 1005
This is where a single source design saves an evening. In Gradiently you make the A4 poster once on a Mark, and with Pro, resizing to every size in one step lays the same words out for the feed, the story and the event cover, with the background rendered fresh for each shape rather than cropped. The Designer can also draft the words if you describe the appeal in a sentence.
Words that help people give
Short, specific and warm beats clever. Name the thing the money buys and the people it helps. Writing copy for visuals goes further, but these swaps cover most posters.
- "Charity fundraiser" becomes "New books for Hillside Primary".
- "Please donate" becomes "Give at the link" or "Scan to give".
- "Help us reach our goal" becomes "Help us finish the roof by March".
- "Thank you for your support" becomes "You bought 40 new library books", once you know it is true.
Close the loop when the appeal ends. A thank you post with a photo of the finished roof or the new books tells donors their money did what you promised, and it is the best possible start for next year's appeal. For ongoing charity content beyond one poster, see nonprofit social media, and for causes that also need petitions and meetings, campaign graphics design.
Questions people ask
What should be on a fundraiser poster?
The cause and what the money will do, who is asking, the target or closing date, and one clear way to give, such as a short link or QR code.
What size is a fundraiser poster?
A4 (2480×3508 pixels at 300 dpi) suits most noticeboards. An A5 flyer at 1748×2480 pixels works for handing out.
How do I make a fundraising thermometer graphic?
Draw a bar or thermometer and fill it to the real share of the target raised, then update it on a fixed schedule. In CSS, a linear gradient with a hard stop at the same percentage makes a clean bar.
Should a fundraiser poster show the target amount?
Usually yes, because a target gives people a sense of scale and a reason to help finish. Keep it accurate, and explain in words if it changes.
How big should a QR code be on a poster?
Big enough to scan from about a metre away, with clear space around it. Always test it on two phones before printing.
Written by Gradiently
The team behind Gradiently, a design tool built around Marks: living gradients that make everything you design look like yours.
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