Seasonal Fundraising Campaigns: 12 Ideas + Strategies

Guest Author: Korri Piper, ShopRaise

There are 365 days in a year, meaning your nonprofit has 365 opportunities to engage donors and raise more funds to power your mission. Developing a detailed and well-rounded fundraising calendar is key to maintaining your financial stability, but this doesn’t mean you have to go with the same plan year after year.

By launching fresh, seasonal fundraising campaigns, your nonprofit can strategically engage donors around important occasions and renew interest in your cause.

In this guide, we’ll discuss some of the top seasonal fundraising ideas to inspire your planning and share some proven strategies for success. With a little creativity and thoughtful timing, you can design engaging experiences your donors can get involved in throughout the year.

12 Most Popular Seasonal Fundraising Ideas

Every season has special occasions and holidays that are excellent jumping-off points for fundraising. Here are a few ideas to use each season’s themes and trends to your advantage:

Spring

Many people think of nature, budding flowers, and new beginnings when spring rolls around. Because of this, it’s the perfect time to plan fundraisers such as a:

• Plant sale. Give your donors the chance to brighten up their homes by purchasing flowers, herbs, and succulents at a plant sale. Set up a garden to produce these plants yourself or secure a sponsorship from a garden store that will provide plants to your nonprofit at a reduced price.
• Easter egg hunt. An Easter egg hunt is a seasonal fundraising idea that’s family-friendly and easy to set up. Charge a registration fee for families that want to participate and incorporate other activities, such as egg decorating and face painting, to keep everyone entertained throughout the day.
• Community cleanup. Spring is an ideal season for appreciating—and taking care of—the outdoors. Encourage your supporters to give back to their community by cleaning up a local park, beach, or neighborhood. To raise funds, have them set up individual fundraising pages and collect donations from friends and family for every bag of trash they fill.

This spring, don’t miss out on the opportunity to engage your nature-loving and environmentally conscious donors with fundraising ideas that allow them to cherish the outdoors.

Summer

During summer, your nonprofit can bring donors together to enjoy the warmer weather and make an impact. Consider outdoor fundraising ideas such as a:

• Pool party. Your donors will likely jump at the chance to cool down at a pool party, especially for a good cause. Secure your venue by partnering with a local rec center or public neighborhood pool, then bring floats, beach balls, and other supplies to entertain your party guests. Consider selling branded hats and concessions to raise more funds beyond entry fees.
• Charity concert. A charity concert is the best way to assemble a crowd to support your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts in the summer. Find a local park, amphitheater, or sports field large enough to accommodate your audience. Then, invite musicians to donate performances and start selling tickets to your donors.
• Car wash. Make the most of the summer weather by hosting a car wash fundraiser. All you need is a team of volunteers, cleaning supplies, and some marketing materials to put up in your local area. You can also sell refreshments so donors can have something to eat or drink while waiting.

While you can plan these summer fundraising ideas anytime throughout the season, consider pairing your event with a holiday, such as Father’s Day, to encourage more people to participate. According to eCardWidget, there are plenty of creative ways you can celebrate Father’s Day while raising funds for your cause, from dad joke competitions to BBQ cook-offs.

Fall

Around fall, the leaves are changing, students are beginning a new school year, and people everywhere are preparing for the festivities in the coming months. The season is well-suited for cozy fundraisers such as a:

• Costume contest. As Halloween approaches, costumes begin popping up in stores everywhere. While some people purchase costumes straight from the shelf, others put a lot of effort into preparing their own perfect look. Celebrate the artistic talents of your community by organizing a costume contest, either in person or on social media. You can have participants pay a fee to enter the contest and charge a little extra for people to vote on the best costumes.
• Silent auction. For many people, holiday shopping is just around the corner. Help them get a head start by hosting a silent auction. Partner with local businesses to procure enticing auction items and experiences that your donors will love, from gift cards for purchasing new fall apparel to cabin retreats for a quiet getaway.
• Fall festival. Celebrate the season by planning a fall festival with activities such as pumpkin carving, hayrides, corn mazes, and bobbing for apples. Beyond selling tickets to your event, you can host raffles, sell merchandise, and set up a concession stand at the festival to raise funds.

GivingTuesday also takes place every year the week after Thanksgiving in the U.S. Your nonprofit can get the most out of this global day of generosity by launching a 24-hour fundraising campaign, recruiting advocates, and spreading awareness of your cause online. And don’t be afraid to start some messaging even before Giving Tuesday to include a thank you message before Thanksgiving. 

Winter

On average, nonprofits raise 17-20% of their annual revenue in December. During this season of heightened generosity, consider planning fundraisers such as a:

• Gift card fundraiser. For this easy and convenient campaign, your supporters purchase gift cards through an online fundraising platform, and your nonprofit receives a portion of the proceeds. ShopRaise’s gift card fundraiser guide recommends launching your campaign during the holiday season when many people are actively purchasing gifts and then keeping it open so you can continue raising funds year-round.
• Gingerbread house decorating. This seasonal fundraising idea appeals to people of all ages. You can either charge a registration fee for participating in an in-person decorating party or sell gingerbread house decorating kits to take home. To make your fundraiser even more engaging, consider turning it into a contest, complete with categories such as “Most Creative Materials” and “Most Colorful.”
• Polar plunge. Challenge the more daring members of your nonprofit’s community to take part in a polar plunge for a worthy cause. Find a pond or lakeside where participants can jump into the cold water, and have these brave individuals collect donations from friends and family to support their efforts.

As you wrap up the year, take the opportunity to express your gratitude for everyone who made an impact on your mission. By strengthening your relationships with donors, you can ensure that they stick around for all of the seasonal fundraisers you plan in the coming years.

4 Strategies to Boost Your Seasonal Fundraising Results

Whether you go with passive fundraising ideas such as gift card fundraisers or massive get-togethers such as a summer concert, keep these strategies in mind to set your team up for success:

• Promote your fundraiser on multiple platforms and start early. Maximize participation by spreading the word about your seasonal fundraiser through email, social media, flyers, and your nonprofit’s website. Appeal to various supporters’ communication preferences to increase the chances they’ll respond to your marketing content.
• Encourage donors to sign up for recurring giving. Your donors may not be able to attend any or all of your seasonal campaigns throughout the year. Recurring giving provides them with an easy, convenient way to become regular contributors to your nonprofit’s mission.
• Plan year-round campaigns in addition to seasonal ones. While seasonal fundraisers can bring a boost of excitement and inspire more donors to get involved, don’t forget to provide them with opportunities to support your nonprofit throughout the year. Year-round campaigns, such as direct mail, email, online shopping or gift card fundraisers, allow you to continuously empower your community to support your mission.
• Focus on the impact of donations. At the end of the day, donors want to help your nonprofit make the world a better place. For every fundraiser you plan, be sure to highlight what the donations will allow you to accomplish—for example, opening up a new facility to expand your services.

Additionally, ask for feedback after your fundraisers. By sending out surveys to your donors, you can learn which seasonal fundraising ideas best appeal to their interests and identify ways to refine your strategies going forward. For example, you might realize that you need to improve your online donation experience by making it mobile-responsive and allowing multiple payment methods.

Remember that the seasons return every year, so you’ll always have a chance to improve your fundraising results for these campaigns! By tracking key metrics such as your return on investment (ROI), average gift size, and participation rate, you’ll be well on your way to engaging more donors and raising more funds from one year to the next.

Korri Piper has been the Sales & Marketing Consultant and Director of Vendor Relationships at ShopRaise. She describes herself as a “relationship director, project manager, writer, and general life enthusiast” and is passionate about solving the world’s problems through online shopping.