All fundraising ideas

Spring fundraising ideas

Spring brings a sense of fresh beginnings and new opportunities—even for fundraising! Take advantage of the cheerful seasonal vibe to introduce exciting new spring fundraiser ideas to your community. We’ve brought together a master list of the best spring fundraising ideas for schools, nonprofits, and community groups that embrace the season and several holidays that fall within it.

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Pet-friendly bake sale

Choose a location in a high-pet-traffic area, request treat donations from pet supply stores, and get to selling! Offer multiple methods for payment including scan-to-donate and Venmo.
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Fourth of July party

Celebrate our nation’s independence with a red, white, and blue fundraiser! Work with businesses to secure sponsorships and an amazing venue, then sell tickets to your fundraising event, filled with food, music, and activities.
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Auctions
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Gift basket auction

Go big with your silent auction baskets! Ask local businesses to donate goods to help you fill hampers with items that fit different themes. Wrap them up nicely to entice bidders and bring in more dollars for your cause. 
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Virtual bike-a-thon

Set a distance and have your bikers pay a registration fee to join in. Then, foster some friendly competition by encouraging supporters to start or join a team, raise funds, and set off wherever they are.
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School auction

Source quality school-related items, such as backpacks and shoes, and auction them off during a virtual, in-person, or hybrid event. 
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Skate-a-thon

For a fun twist on a walk-a-thon, swap the walking shoes for a pair of rollerblades or quad skates and raise money for a good cause.

Leading up to your event, encourage your participants to create their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages, which they can personalize with their own stories and updates. 
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24-hour relay race

Create the ultimate relay race for rival schools in your district and charge an entrance fee for spectators. Encourage each school to create a team fundraising page where friends and family can show their support with donations and  progress toward their goal in real time. 
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Pajama run

Ask participants to don their favorite PJs while tackling a walk, jog, roll, or run for the cause. Encourage everyone to set a donation goal and spread the word about the fundraiser with peer-to-peer fundraising. Don’t forget to award prizes to the coziest runners! 
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Corporate matching gift drive

Create a special awareness campaign and fundraiser that highlights the matching donation programs that many companies offer. 

Feature matching gifts on your fundraising page and encourage corporate staffers to explore employer matching via Double the Donation
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Donation forms
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Parents’ night out

This fundraising event can be a fun gathering for parents, or you can make it an opportunity for grownups to drop off their kids for a few hours in exchange for a donation to your cause! Charge an hourly rate or a flat “entrance fee” and give caregivers some priceless peace and quiet. 
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Baseball hit-a-thon

Collect pledges or donations from supporters based on the number of hits they make during a designated period of time. Have each participant create a personal peer-to-peer fundraising page and reach out to friends and family for donations!
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Home decor workshop

Charge a registration fee and provide materials for attendees to create their own home decor. Selecting seasonal DIY projects—such as holiday wreaths or pumpkin painting—is a great way to draw a larger crowd. Take this event to the next level by turning it into a competition! Once all projects are completed, attendees can donate to vote for who should be crowned winner.
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LGBTQ+ trivia night

Charge a registration fee for a fun night of testing your LGBTQ+ knowledge. To raise additional funds at this fundraising event, sell pride-themed merch, drinks, and snacks, too!
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Face painting

Set up a booth where passers-by can have their face painted by volunteers in your group in exchange for a small donation.

Make it easy for people to take part with scan-to-donate. All they need to do is scan the QR code and they’ll land on your donation page in seconds.
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Mini-golf tournament

Assemble teams, charge entry fees, and cheer everyone on as they compete for the best score. Encourage participants to make personal team fundraising pages and ask friends and family to support them and the cause. 
 
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Bar crawl

Organize a themed 21+ bar crawl to the local pubs! Create custom ticket types for various amounts of drink tickets and eats along the way. 
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Auction your time or skills

Ask supporters to volunteer their special skills, then auction their time and expertise to the highest bidder!

Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.
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Auctions

Drive-in movie night

Turn a parking lot and the side of a building into a makeshift drive-in movie theater. Charge an entrance fee and raise funds by selling drinks and snacks.

Sell tickets for your fundraising event in advance, and use engaging features like scan-to-donate and mobile app check-in to streamline your guests' experience.
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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. 
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Petting zoo

Partner with a local farm or petting zoo to bring in animals for a day of fun. Charge an entry fee and offer optional donations for extra activities, like pony rides, to raise even more funds. Make sure attendees can make quick payments from their phones, using methods like Venmo or Tap to Pay, so they don't need to return to their cars for cash.
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Hot chocolate stall

Set up a hot chocolate or coffee stand and sell hot drinks to warm up your community! Have coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and plenty of syrups and toppings that they can add for an extra fee. Don’t forget marshmallows! 

Make it easy for supporters to pay for their drinks as you make them with scan-to-donate, Venmo, and other seamless payment options.
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Bonfire BBQ

Plan a cozy community fundraiser with a firepit, s'mores, firecrackers, and a delicious BBQ. Charge an entrance fee or raise funds through carnival games and refreshments.

With user-friendly fundraising event features, you can sell tickets in advance and accept donations in person, too.
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Lemonade stand

Sell lemonade (and maybe some tasty treats, too!) to raise funds for your cause. Make purchases smooth as butter with scan-to-donate and donation forms that accept every payment method, including Venmo!  
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Grants

Research grants that you can apply for to fund your nonprofit organization or project. Be sure to create a stand-out grant proposal in order to impress grantmakers! 
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Donation forms

Desk decorating contest

Choose a theme and invite all of your coworkers to pay a small entry fee to participate in beautifying their workspace. To determine the best “dressed” desk, ask colleagues to submit a $5 donation per vote on each decorator’s peer-to-peer fundraising page. Watch the leaderboard to see who’s in the lead in real time!
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Frequently asked questions

The most popular springtime fundraiser ideas are the ones that your local community members are excited to take part in. If you’re looking for family-friendly school or PTA spring fundraiser ideas, a bake sale or Easter egg hunt in the local park is a fun way to raise money. For community groups and nonprofits, car washes, pet competitions, and walk-a-thons are popular choices.

If you’re looking to bring in higher donation amounts to reach your fundraising goal, try a spring fundraising event idea that is larger in scale. Golf tournaments, fashion shows, silent auctions, and galas are great ways to raise more funds—especially if you partner with a local sponsor and sell tickets and refreshments.

Planning your spring fundraiser is a lot like organizing any other event. Once you have an idea, use our event planning checklist to guide you from start to finish and avoid any roadblocks along the way. It even includes tips on staffing, supplies, marketing, and on-the-day prep. Be sure to enlist friends and family to help and utilize social media to spread the word!

This season is full of celebrations and awareness days that can inspire exciting fundraising ideas for spring. Earth Day, Pi Day, International Women’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, April Fool’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day are just some of the many moments you can plan an event or campaign around.

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