Seasonal Fundraising Ideas

Planning your fundraising event in conjunction with July 4th or another upcoming holiday or season puts an extra reason to give in the hearts of your donors. There are plenty of holiday fundraising ideas leading up to Christmas such as discount Christmas shopping cards, gift-wrapping services, catalog sales, photos with Santa, and more. There are also exciting opportunities year-round; if you think about the timing of your event perhaps you may ride the excitement and warmth of your favorite seasons.

Independence Day celebrations will be happening in cities across the nation on July 4th. During this time, many communities host fundraising campaigns in support of a charitable cause or to help fund the various activities that allow US citizens to celebrate our freedom. Some cities run standard donation drives in order to raise money to fund 4th of July celebratory events such as: fireworks, parades, or free concerts.

Holiday Golf Tournament Fundraising

Be creative with holiday themed golf fundraising ideas that provide a great opportunity to support your cause while bringing your organization together with members of your local community. With a standard charity golf tournament, funds can be raised through golfer registration fees, sponsorships and online donations. Local sponsorships can be secured for additional financial support and cost-savings through in-kind donations. Additional funds can be raised at the actual golf tournament by tying in a fundraising raffle or golf contests. But there are plenty of more creative golf ideas as well, such as a Mini-Golf Fundraiser, or a Golf-a-thon. You can also spice up any golf fundraising event by including a luncheon or happy hour at the clubhouse.

Seasonal Themed Gala Dinners

Independence Day is one of the times of year that people dip into their savings and spend a little. Whether it’s on travel expenses for a family vacation, or indulging on a night out on the town for a decadent dinner. Take advantage of this “giving spirit” by requesting donations or hosting a fundraising event where people can celebrate and give-back. 4th of July weekend could be an excellent time to host a charity fundraising event. If a fancy indoor dinner does not sound appealing during the month of July, why not rent a cruise boat and host a charity dinner cruise where attendees can enjoy the beautiful weather, and a fabulous meal? Many street fairs or carnivals are also offered 4th of July weekend. Planning a large community celebration with activities and entertainment can bring in a great deal of funds by charging an admission fee and bringing on local event sponsors.

Gala fundraisers are particularly popular holiday themed events, such as a 4th of July barbecue with fun games. The success of the campaign depends not only on how well the event is planned and promoted, but also by conducting a proper analysis of the target audience. Make sure the theme, type of food, and entertainment is suitable for your audience. Themes make the event more fun. Be creative with Christmas, Thanksgiving and 4th of July galas and more. Consider incorporating a fundraising raffle as additional fundraising opportunities. Showing a short slide show and distributing information and envelopes about your cause, right at the table, and expected goals and intentions for proceeds can be an excellent way to bring in last minute funds.

Other fun events that are a bit easier to plan than a full gala event include charity wine tastings, breakfast fundraisers, and charity poker tournaments.

To make registrations and donations easy, use event management software to manage all the details of the event, allowing people to register online or make online donations directly if they are unable to attend the event. Be sure to promote your event throughout the community. Send press releases, create event flyers, and start a conversation online throughout your social networking channels.

Holiday Walk-a-thons & Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Events

Walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, swim-a-thons and other peer-to-peer fundraising events have become a very popular means of fundraising. These online fundraising events support health and wellness, encourage teamwork, and create a fun community gathering, tying in local sponsors and offering event participants and attendees food, beverage, entertainment, prizes and more. They are successful because they introduce your cause to a wider audience, via your supporter and event participants. And don’t forget to think about your mission – a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about healthier eating habits may host a “cook-a-thon” with well-known chefs dedicated to healthier food preparation and lifestyle choices.

A “Freedom Walk” is a walk-a-thon event that typically takes place over 4th of July weekend. As people across the country gather with family and friends and look for ways to celebrate our independence, participating in a walk-a-thon is an excellent ways for people to “give-back” and say “Thanks” for our freedom… all while getting exercise and enjoying quality time with friends and family! Funds are raised through participants collecting pledge donations, as well as offering additional fundraising opportunities (such as a fundraising raffle) on-site the day of the event.

Planning a 4th of July fundraiser for this year is past, but keep your eyes open this weekend, and take in all the local activities happening. Notice the various events and fundraising opportunities offered throughout your community. Perhaps you’ll be inspired by ideas to host an independence day fundraiser next year, or some dive into planning Thanksgiving fundraising event.

More Fundraising Resources

DoJiggy provides fundraising resources to help non-profits better plan, manage and execute fundraising events. We provide the best collection of fundraising resources including: creative fundraising ideas, fundraising event budgets and tools, powerful fundraising software to help you manage your fundraiser, numerous fundraising templates for you to download and customize, helpful fundraising tips and guidelines, along with numerous planning tools for your next fundraiser. Whether your organization is hosting a walk-a-thon, charity golf tournament, online charity auction, school fundraiser, church fundraiser, and any other kind of fundraising event or donation drive, these resources are sure to help you achieve success. Enjoy a free trial of our software while you decide on the best tools to help you in meeting your fundraising goals.