Fall fundraising ideas
The fall season is the perfect time to introduce spooky themes and cozy, seasonal delights into your fundraising strategy. Try autumn fundraising ideas like pie-eating contests and haunted houses, or bring together several activities into a big fall festival to rally community members and raise more than ever.
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Hot chocolate stall
Set up a cozy drink stand to warm up your community! Offer coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and an array of syrups and toppings for an added fee. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
Make it easy for supporters to pay as they order with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and other seamless options.
Holiday market
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Pumpkin carving contest
See who can carve or decorate the best pumpkin while raising funds for your group or cause. Award prizes in different categories like kids, families, and most talented adults.
Make it easy as pumpkin pie to vote for the winners with a small donation using text-to-donate.
Social media challenge
Choose a theme and hashtag, then encourage supporters to post a video or photo, tag others to join in, and donate!
Explore more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
DIY gingerbread house kits
Make holiday magic easy for families by preparing gingerbread house kits they can buy for a small cost that supports your cause. Offer kits with larger houses or extra decorations for added fun and funds, which you can highlight in your custom your donation forms.
Alumni night
Sell tickets to an all-inclusive alumni dinner before a big game or event. During half-time or intermission, bring out the alumni for special recognition. Alternatively, you can livestream a special alumni message during a virtual event.
Concession stand
Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create customticketswith mouth-watering pictures of available treats!
Festive volunteers
Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights.
Gift wrapping
Toy drive
Set up a toy drive so your community members can donate toys or cash to support families over the holiday season. Distribute toys to those most in need and use extra funds to buy additional gifts.
Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.
Yard raking
Set up a yard raking service in exchange for donations toward your good cause.
Follow best practices for volunteer recruitment to build a loyal community of supporters ready to pitch in for yardwork and more.
Pumpkin Games
Perfect for the Halloween season, challenge participants to a pay-to-play series of games like pumpkin races and decorating contests. Sell tickets in advance or on the day of using scan-to-donate or Venmo.
Fall festival
Host your own fall-themed festival with carnival games, food and drink, local vendors, and live music.
Ask local businesses to donate supplies or prizes, and raise funds through refreshments, games, and stallholder fees.
Ugly sweater run
5k walk/run
Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer and team fundraising tools that let supporters create their own donation pages, set goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
Neighborhood tailgate party
Swap the stadium for your local streets and host a neighborhood tailgate party. Clear a block or two and set up food stalls, carnival games, and plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy.
You can make the event free and charge for activities or create a ticketed event—whichever you choose, our fundraising event features can help.
Family photo day
Partner with a local photographer and charge a fee for photo packages with themed backdrops or props. Create custom tickets with time slots for families to sign up to keep the day moving smoothly.
Photography walk
Flower bulb sale
Sell wholesale flowers or request donations from nurseries and landscaping stores to sell to supporters. To gamify your efforts, use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage individual supporters to compete to see who can sell the most!
One-day giving event
Take part in Giving Tuesday or create your own giving day in which you mobilize your community to reach your fundraising goal in one day.
Keep your supporters invested in your progress with a goal bar and campaign updates that highlight milestones, matching gifts, and special shout-outs throughout the day.
Bonfire BBQ
With user-friendly fundraising event features, you can sell tickets in advance and accept donations in person, too.
Holiday card campaign
Send a festive holiday card—by mail or email—to share season’s greetings, thank your supporters, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals.
Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.
Chili cook-off
Invite participants to prepare their best chili for attendees—and offer prizes for the winner! Create team fundraising pages for each chili recipe/culinary team. There, supporters can cast their vote with a donation and watch the live leaderboard to see which chef is in the lead!
Back-to-school sale
Get everyone set up for the new school year with a back-to-school sale. Sell items like stationery, backpacks, water bottles, and other accessories for kids of all ages.
Customize online tickets with the name and image of each product, so your supporters can easily choose between the items on sale.
Thanksgiving food drive
Raise funds and ask supporters to contribute food items to provide neighbors in need with all the ingredients for a delicious and dignified Thanksgiving dinner.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular autumn festival games?
Carnival games and family-friendly activities like face painting and pumpkin decorating will draw in the crowds and raise awareness (and funds) for your good cause. A chili cook-off or other food-based competitions are always a big draw, too!
What are the most profitable fall fundraising ideas?
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 entry fee for a kids vs. grownups football game. Partnering with local businesses is always a great way to offset costs.
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.
How do I plan and promote my fall fundraiser?
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.
Which are the easiest fall fundraisers to host?
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, a Halloween costumed bake sale, or a nature photography walk.
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