Charity gaming tournament ideas and checklist

Ideas for a charity gaming tournament or charity stream, plus a checklist for before, during and after, so the event runs well and the charity gets more.

A good charity gaming tournament pairs a game your community loves with a cause it cares about, and makes giving easy at every moment of the event. Below are formats and ideas that work for charity streams and community events, and a checklist to go through before, during and after. You can host the tournament free on RoundsWon, with the charity's name and donation link shown on the tournament page.

Tournament ideas for charity

The community cup

A simple bracket for your Discord or viewers, with the cause front and centre. Single elimination with 8 to 32 players fits one evening. It is the easiest to run and the easiest to explain.

Creator showdown

Invite a handful of streamers you know to play each other, each streaming their own run with their own stream card. Every creator's audience sees the cause, and viewers can tap any player on the tournament page to watch them.

Pro versus community

A local pro, a well known player or the best player in your Discord plays anyone who enters. Viewers love watching the community try to take them down.

24 hour leaderboard

A leaderboard format runs for a set time: speedruns, high scores, most kills, fastest laps. Players send a score with a screenshot or clip link until you end it. It suits a long charity stream because people can join any time.

Team relay

Teams of two to five, where each player plays one round. It gets groups of friends to enter together, and each player brings their own friends to watch.

Retro night

Old games most people know how to play, like classic fighting games or kart racers. They are fun to watch and easy to pick up.

Chess for charity

Swiss is made for chess: everyone plays every round, and nobody is out after one loss. Players can add their Lichess or Chess.com username to their profile so you can find them.

Ideas to raise more during the event

• Donation goals with a payoff. At set totals, the host does something: plays with a handicap, switches to a silly character, or takes on a challenge.
• Donor choices. A donation picks a map, a character or a rule for an upcoming match. Players never pay to play: donors only choose what happens.
• Matched giving. Ask a sponsor to match donations up to an amount, then say so loudly.
• Bounties. Anyone who knocks out the host or a guest gets a shout out, and viewers are asked to give in their name.
• A thank you wall. Read out donor names between rounds, if donors want to be named.

Keep all of this on the charity's own donation page, never through your own account.

The checklist

Two to four weeks before

• Pick the charity and ask them which donation link to use.
• Ask if you can use their name and logo, and how they like to be described.
• Check the rules for fundraising and prizes where you live.
• Pick the game, the format and the date. See Tournament formats explained.
• Create the tournament on RoundsWon with the charity's name and donation link.
• Put the cause in the tournament name and the description.
• Decide on a prize, if any, and who provides it. A physical prize can be shown with a picture on the page.
• Ask sponsors to back the prize or match donations. See How to get sponsors for a small tournament.
• Add admins or scorers to help on the day.

One week before

• Post the tournament link in your Discord, on socials and on stream.
• Ask the charity and every player to share it.
• Set up the stream card and bracket overlay in OBS or Streamlabs. See Tournament stream overlays.
• Add the fundraising page's own total widget as a browser source, if it has one.
• Write the rules in the description: how matches are played, how to join the lobby, what happens if someone does not show.
• Plan the donation goals and what happens at each.

On the day

• Remind people an hour before. RoundsWon sends no emails or popups.
• Turn on check in so no shows drop out.
• Press Start the tournament when everyone is ready.
• Say the cause and the donation link out loud every few matches, not just once.
• Thank donors as they give.
• Keep an eye on disputed matches. Players report scores and you decide only when they disagree.

After

• Share the final total with a screenshot from the fundraising page.
• Hand over any prize, and mark cash prizes as sent on the tournament page.
• Thank players, donors, sponsors and the charity by name.
• Post the final bracket and the best clips.
• Note what worked for next year.

What to avoid

• Entry fees. Entry is always free on RoundsWon. Ask for donations, never payment to play.
• Collecting money yourself. Send every donation to the charity's own page so people can trust it.
• Made up numbers. If you say what a donation buys, use the charity's own figures.
• A bracket too big for the time. It is better to finish on time with 16 players than to run late with 64.

FAQ

What is a good fundraising goal for a first charity tournament?

One your community can reach. A goal you pass is better for morale than one you miss. Set a modest goal and add a stretch goal if you reach it early.

How long should a charity tournament last?

A bracket of 8 to 16 players usually fits one evening. For a longer charity stream, run a leaderboard alongside it so people can join any time.

Can I give a prize in a charity tournament?

Yes. It can be cash you pay yourself, a physical item or anything else, shown on the page. You or a sponsor give it to the winner directly. RoundsWon never holds or pays the prize.

How do viewers donate during the stream?

Through the charity's own donation page. The tournament page shows the charity and its link, and the QR code on the stream card opens the tournament page on a viewer's phone.