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Fall fundraising ideas

The fall season is the perfect time to introduce spooky themes and cozy, seasonal delights into your fundraising strategy. From apple bobbing and pie eating to photo walks and bonfires, we have all the fall fundraiser ideas you need to rally your community and raise more than ever this autumn.

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Employee appreciation day

Hosting an employee appreciation day is a great opportunity for workplace giving. Let your employees know how valued they are with a special day in their honor, during which you ask for their preferred charity and make a donation on their behalf. 

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Autographed jersey auction

Connected to the right people? Procure and auction off autographed jerseys (or other memorabilia) to your supporters. You’d be surprised how willing athletes are to offer their signature for a good cause! Take advantage of intuitive auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more—no matter if your auction is in-person or completely virtual.
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LGBTQ+ workshop series

Charge a registration fee for a series of educational workshops or panel discussions on topics such as gender identity, allyship, and queer history. 

Spread the word and follow up with attendees using free email marketing software
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Grown-up bake sale

Sell donated or homemade gourmet goodies like croissants and macarons for the ultimate grownups-with-a-sweet-tooth fundraiser. 

Collect in-person payments with scan-to-donate, which gives donors a wide range of payment options.  
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Pancake breakfast

There’s nothing like pancakes to bring a community together. Charge an entry fee for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, and ask a local restaurant to sponsor the event to make your fundraiser even sweeter. 
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Youth lock-in

Plan a good old-fashioned lock-in for your younger community members. Charge a registration fee and have chaperones on hand to supervise activities like trivia, movie screenings, and video game tournaments.

Set up an online fundraising event page where participants can register and supporters can make donations. 
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Special series

Create programming for a special series of sermons designed to help raise money for your current fundraising project.

Tie sermons directly to your goal and reach more supporters by livestreaming right from your fundraising page. Anyone can tune into the stream, make a donation, and learn about your campaign all in one place.
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Read-a-thon

Students pledge to read a certain number of minutes each day and collect donations for each minute read or a flat rate. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage readers to compete to see who reads—and raises—the most. 
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Easter gift basket auction

Source delicious treats and seasonal goodies to create a selection of Easter gift baskets for an eggcellent silent auction. 

Combine classic Easter baskets (chocolate eggs, bunnies, etc.) with other awesome silent auction basket ideas to offer biddable items for the whole family. 
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Pizza party

Each class or grade creates a team fundraising page for easy donations and campaign sharing. The team that raises the most or brings in the most donations is rewarded with a bottomless pizza day, either made by volunteers or donated from a local pizzeria. 
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Legacy giving

Encourage supporters to make a planned gift to your organization (e.g., bequests, charitable trusts, or beneficiary designations) to leave a lasting legacy. Wealth screening software can help you identify the best donors to reach out to right in your CRM.
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Community resource fair

Reserve a large space like a parking lot or school gym and sell booths to local vendors. Invite the community and charge a small entrance fee with easy mobile giving tools like Tap to Pay or scan-to-donate
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Pie-eating contest

Ask local bakeries and volunteers to contribute pies, then host a pie-eating contest with a ticket price for entry. Sell refreshments (including slices of pie!) to raise extra funds.

Use a range of fundraising event features, such as online registration, on-the-spot payments, and seamless check-ins.
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Local celebrities

Invite a local children’s book author or beloved mascot to an event. Guests will pay a fee to attend, ask questions, and take photos! 
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Caroling

Embrace the holiday spirit and spread joy by going caroling around town or at an event. Pass the hat for cash donations AND hold a big QR code or text-to-donate number for easy mobile giving!
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Church choir performance

Organize a night of beautiful singing performed by your talented church choir. Sell tickets for a small fee and invite audience members to make donations at the end of the celebration from their phones with an easy text-to-donate code. 
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Movies in the park

Ask your community members to join you for a series of movies in the park this summer. Screen a classic or trending movie somewhere scenic, and sell popcorn, drinks, and other refreshments.

Sell tickets online, check guests in with your mobile app, and offer easy payment methods like scan-to-donate for on-the-spot donations. 
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Popcorn fundraiser

Partner with a popcorn supplier and sell gourmet popcorn to family, friends, and community members. Add mouthwatering images to tickets to showcase all the different flavors available.
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Pet spa day

Recruit volunteers to perform various pet grooming services like bathing and nail trimming. Charge a fee for every “treatment” at this fundraising event by offering tiered ticket types for various services and combinations. 
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High five booth

Brighten up someone’s day and raise money for a good cause. Set up a booth where passers-by or event attendees can make a donation of their choice and receive a high-five from you or your volunteers.

Make the donation process as quick and easy as the high-five itself—send people straight to your donation form with scan-to-donate.
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Drag bingo

Sell bingo cards for a night of drag entertainment and competition! Winners receive donated prizes. To raise even more at this memorable fundraising event, offer drink specials and sell eye-catching merch. 
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Costume contest

Throw a themed costume party to match the season or holiday and award prizes for the best costumes! Sell tickets to your fundraising event online and work with local sponsors to offset costs and spread the word.
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Town hall event

Host a town hall event to give community members an opportunity to learn about your organization, program, or new project. Display your text-to-give code prominently around the space to raise funds from inspired audience members. 
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Wine pull

Collect donated bottles of wine, disguise the labels, and invite attendees to buy them blindly to discover what they’ve won. For some extra fundraising, host a livestream wine-tasting class afterward for everyone to learn more about their picks. 
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That’s a wrap

Students make donations to buy sections of toilet paper. At the end of the fundraising period, they get to wrap their teacher with it! For a smoother process, set custom donation amounts and labels on your fundraising page or donation form.
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Frequently asked questions

Fall fundraising event ideas that bring local community members together are always popular. Plan family-friendly events like a pumpkin patch, fall festival, chili cook-off, or haunted house to draw in the crowds and raise awareness (and funds) for your good cause.

If you’re raising money to hit a lofty fundraising goal, sell tickets to an exclusive, high-priced event like a gala or harvest dinner party with a silent auction. Or, charge an entrance fee for a kids vs. grownups football game. Be sure to ask local businesses to support your efforts! 

You can also start a fun social media challenge and peer-to-peer fundraising campaign to encourage friends and family to join in on the action.

Planning your next fall fundraiser just got easier, thanks to our handy event planning checklist. Follow our guide for step-by-step help, from idea brainstorming and event promotion all the way through to hosting your event debrief. 

Fall-themed fundraising ideas like a haunted house or Oktoberfest are tons of fun, but they also take a lot of planning. If you’re looking for easy fall fundraising ideas, our favorite picks include hosting a pumpkin carving contest, an apple bobbing stall, or a nature photography walk.

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