The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is one of the first councils in England to launch a PledgeBank.
The pledges, from cleaning graffiti to organising a street party, can only be undertaken if other residents commit to the idea.
The Conservative council said the scheme helps it save money but also "results in a better social outcome".
Once a pledge is made, the council will check it fits the set criteria and then publish it online.
It comes after a failed Big Society scheme to get residents to donate savings in their council tax, which the council has cut for the past four years.
George Bathurst, cabinet member for policy and performance, said other schemes such as Green Redeem recycling rewards were a success.
He said: "No one wants to just hand over a cheque but everybody would like to do something for their community."
Mr Bathurst will make the first pledge to donate five Christmas food items to FoodBank if 10 other local people will do the same by 18 December.
Fiona Dent, Windsor's Labour candidate, said: "Volunteering creates strong bonds between people, reinforces their ideals and can provide the help people need in difficult times.
"However, we are living through difficult times now. Most people in the middle and lower incomes are a lot worse off than they were five years ago and they may well have more than one job to help pay the bills, leaving less time for volunteer activities."

It was the sixth Olympic gold and 10th medal overall for the 33-year-old.
She finished in one hour 11 minutes and 5.2 seconds to lead home a Norwegian clean sweep with Therese Johaug in silver, 2.6 seconds back and Kristin Stoermer Steira winning bronze.
"It's incredible. I thought it would be hard but I've felt good," she said.
"I knew that I am stronger in the sprints, so I was waiting for them to attack on the last climb.
Bjoergen's gold saw her match the six golds won by Russian cross-country skier Lyubov Egorova, who also won three silvers over her career, and former Soviet speed skater Lidia Skoblikova.
She also matches the 10 medals won by fellow cross-country skiers Stefania Belmondo of Italy and Raisa Smetanina of the Soviet Uniion and the United team, but they have won fewer golds.
Bjoergen, who won three golds in Vancouver, pulled away from Johaug heading into the stadium and sprinted clear to follow up on her wins in the 15km skiathlon and the team sprint classic earlier in the programme.
It was the first clean sweep in Olympic cross-country skiing since Vegard Ulvang led Bjorn Daehlie and Terje Langli for a Norwegian sweep in the men's 30km classic in 1992.

The New Wales Link Path spans an extra 18 miles (29km), joining the route near the Cheshire border at Saltney Ferry.
It takes in four counties in all, stretching into Wrexham at Caergwrle and meeting the Offa's Dyke trail at Llandegla Forest in Denbighshire.
Flintshire council secured Â£30,000 in funding to pay for route-markers.
"If you are looking for a bit more of a challenge to walk around Wales, this route is for you," said councillor Bernie Attridge, cabinet member for the environment.
Work on Wales Coast Path, the world's first round an entire country, began in 2007 with the formal opening in May 2012.
People in part of Berkshire are being encouraged to make pledges to help their community.
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Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen won the women's 30km mass start to become the most decorated female Winter Olympian.
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A new link has been added to the 870-mile Wales Coast Path at Flintshire for walkers seeking a "bit more of a challenge".