Boosting Fundraisers with Custom Mugs: A Practical Guide

By: YouApparel Posted on: Aug 11, 2025

The right tools can increase the likelihood of success for any fundraising campaign. Campaigns like that typically leverage candy, candles, or branded tees. But the return from these campaigns may not always justify the effort. Though t-shirts are practical fundraising merchandise, mugs are just as good, with arguably more potential when customized with sweet, impactful designs.

Custom mugs are functional, budget-friendly, have high perceived value, and are very effective in fundraising drives. A survey by PPAI shows that 53% of people use a promotional mug at least once a week, and 20% keep them for more than two years. These mugs don’t have a high production cost, yet they deliver the kind of exposure almost any campaign expects. This makes mugs a powerful promotional and merchandising tool for schools, churches, small nonprofits, and event organizers alike.

Why Mugs Are Ideal for Fundraising

In addition to offering high visibility, mugs have several other benefits too that make them a solid choice for fundraising. Attractive mugs likely won’t sit in a cupboard. Every time it’s used, it reminds the user of the cause behind the art.

Here are a few more reasons why custom mugs are the top choice.

Affordable bulk pricing with room for solid margins.
Wide appeal
Reusable, eco-friendly alternatives to disposable merch.
Easy to personalize using custom prints

In MugBargain, you can turn a blank mug into something special - be it a personalized gift, a sweet reminder, or a tool that promotes a cause. Fundraising mugs for schools can have prints of mascots, slogans, or graduation years. Church groups have even used scripture-based themes on mugs. Nonprofits tap into donor loyalty with campaign quotes or volunteer appreciation messages. Even quirky campaigns like an “ugly mug coffee fundraiser” tap into humor and nostalgia, making mugs the central draw rather than just the medium.

Using our built-in, free-to-use Mug Customizer tool, you can easily customize any blank mug from our curated selection in just a few clicks. And, at the lowest overall costs.

Planning a Mug Fundraiser

Every aspect of a coffee mug fundraiser must be planned well in order to achieve maximum impact. This includes selecting the right type of mug and perfecting its design.

Choosing Your Mug Type:

Use a mug that fits the purpose of the campaign and appeals to the campaign audience.

White ceramic custom coffee mug featuring the motivational phrase “We Are Stronger Together” in bold pink and black text, perfect for fundraisers, gifts, or promotional events.

Custom Coffee Mugs: Custom coffee mugs fundraisers are arguably the most popular because everyone could use a coffee mug, especially one with thoughtful designs. MugBargain’s selection offers top-quality blank ceramic coffee mugs that are built for taking prints well.

Travel Mugs: You don’t see a lot of travel mugs in fundraising campaigns. Travel mug fundraisers are niche, and effective if the audience is interested in travel. They can also appeal to commuters. They perform best at the start of school years and New Year resolution seasons.

: Elegant white ceramic custom beer mug with gold rim, featuring black graphic icons of hands and heart alongside the words “Charity Fundraising Event,” perfect for community events or nonprofit campaigns.

Beer Mugs: If the event targets an adult audience or if it’s part of a community festival, beer mugs are a good choice. So are frosted glass mugs. Both beer mugs and frosted glass mugs can be bought and customized in MugBargain. In some parts of the United States, beer mugs are even donated to fundraisers along with clothing.

Design and Customization Tips:

Use tools like MugBargain’s free-to-use Mug Customizer to upload logos, add text & artwork, and preview designs. The tool also gives you access to a library of templates and artworks, fully copyright-free to add on your mug of choice.
Include calls-to-action, hashtags, or date markers to boost campaign recall.
Check if the color schemes align with your campaign theme or brand.
Always request a sample before placing bulk customization orders.

Get Creative with Your Theme:

You can get the best out of a campaign if there is a decent hook. Here are some examples.

Mugs for Meals - Sponsor a meal with every mug sold
Brew Good - Partner with local coffee shops and sell your custom mugs there
Change for the Good - Encourage attendees to bring their old mugs (ugly mugs) and get a new customized one for a small fee. Sell limited edition or mugs with exclusive designs to top contributors at attractive prices.

Donation & Sponsorship with Mugs

Mugs can also be part of donation and sponsorship strategies, not just direct sales.

Donated Mugs vs. Sponsored Mugs: Small fundraising groups seeking in-kind support can request donated mugs. For larger campaigns, you can try sourcing sponsor-branded mugs that can bring in corporate support. A local business might sponsor mugs with their logo alongside yours to show their support for the cause. You can then use these mugs to advertise and promote your cause, and raise funds. For example, blood donation mug campaigns sometimes reward donors with branded mugs featuring thank-you messages from local health organizations.

Community Support for Mug-Based Fundraising Drives: Businesses often want to support local causes. Pitching a mug donation drive might appeal to them. They can either provide direct financial sponsorship for the mugs or donate mugs from their stock. It’s easier to find businesses willing to fulfill your “wine glasses and beer mugs donation” request in online communities.

Understanding Donation Pathways: Organizations or individuals planning to offload unused items might be wondering where to donate their mugs or if they can donate mugs to a nonprofit. For fundraising purposes, directly sourcing mugs or specific donation requests can give better results. Spread the message that you are willing to accept unused mugs or usable throwaway mugs.

Products sell fundraisers, but the right products sustain them. Mugs offer value, visibility, and strong ROI. So next time you're sketching campaign ideas, skip the keychains and let mugs promote your cause for you. Customize mugs for campaigns of any size in MugBargain, at the lowest overall costs and complete transparency. Let’s give your fundraising the boost it needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy mugs for a fundraiser?

There are a lot of sources online that offer blank mugs at great prices, including MugBargain. But in MugBargain, there are no order minimums, no hidden charges for professional-grade mug customization, and full-color imprints.

How do I order custom mugs in bulk for my school fundraiser?

In MugBargain, simply choose a mug from our curated selection, and proceed to the Mug Customizer tool to either upload your design or create one from scratch using thousands of copyright-free templates. Get a virtual preview of your custom mug, finalize the quantity and check out in a truly hassle-free process.

Where can I request beer mugs for a fundraising event?

MugBargain offers a top-quality, custom-ready Beer Mug to elevate your fundraising event. You can directly talk to our Customer Support team for design guidance or create the design yourself with our free, on-site Mug Customizer tool

Can I get fundraising mugs with my logo printed on them?

Yes, MugBargain allows full logo printing in full colors on all mug types available in our store.

Where can I find travel mugs for a nonprofit giveaway?

You can find a good one in MugBargain. We carefully selected it after assessing both the mug quality and its customization results.

How fast can I receive custom mugs for my event?

Typical turnaround is 7-10 business days. Feel free to talk to our Customer Support Executives on delivery before the event timeline.

What are the best mugs to use for fundraising campaigns?

Custom-ready ceramic coffee mugs and blank travel mugs are the most popular for events due to the usability and strong resale value.

How much do custom fundraising mugs cost in bulk?

Prices in MugBargain typically range from $5.49 to $17.89 per mug including customization charges. But this can go down further ranging from $4.59 to $15.99 per mug for bulk orders. Bulk orders reduce our per-unit pricing significantly. And there are no hidden charges or surprise costs. What you see in the product page of each mug is what you pay, excluding shipping costs.

Are travel mugs more effective for fundraisers than coffee mugs?

Though travel mugs cost more upfront, they can yield higher donation prices. They are certainly effective for fundraisers, but coffee mugs are cost-efficient and suitable for all age groups.

Does MugBargain offer volume discounts for nonprofits?

Yes, MugBargain offers low wholesale prices per mug, which is further reduced for bulk orders.

What is the minimum order quantity for personalized mugs?

MugBargain does not have a minimum order quantity for custom mugs. You can personalize and order one or a few dozen mugs at our low per-mug prices. However, bulk orders deliver maximum value with our volume discounts.

How durable are MugBargain’s mugs for resale and fundraising use?

MugBargain is an exclusive custom mugs store with a curated collection of blank mugs. All mugs in our store are designed for repeated use, tested for longevity, and made of dishwasher-safe ceramic.

What customization options are available for fundraising mugs?

You can customize text, logos, artwork, and colors using the Mug Customizer tool. We offer full-color imprints so your customization remains vibrant and colorful on our mugs.

Do you offer wholesale pricing on mugs for schools and charities?

Yes, MugBargain provides the lowest wholesale rates on all mugs in our store.

How does a coffee mug fundraiser work?

You can buy custom mugs in bulk with logos or a message, and resell them at a markup to raise funds.

What should I print on my custom fundraising mug?

Depending on your fundraising campaign’s target audience, you can print either logos, the name of the campaign, a slogan, or a message on the mugs. You can also add dates or QR codes.