Creative Winter Fundraising Ideas & Themes For Your Next Event
If you’re hosting a fundraiser, the holiday season is the perfect time to bring people together for a good cause. A creative winter fundraiser is a fun way to engage your community, raise money, and have a good time. Here’s a list of eight fundraising ideas to get you started.
1. Winter Carnival
Transform your venue or outdoor space into a magical winter wonderland. This kind of large-scale event brings together the community for an unforgettable experience. Partner with local businesses to co-sponsor or donate setup materials like lights and decorations.
Ideas to include:
Live Attractions⎯Include activities like photos with Santa, ice skating, or rides.
Winter Games⎯Have a scavenger hunt, sled races, or ring tosses with candy canes.
Other Fundraising Ideas⎯Sell tickets for entry and host food stalls for additional revenue from hot chocolate or festive treats.
2. Winter Wonderland Gala
Transform your venue into a snowy paradise with white decor, fairy lights, and frosty centerpieces. Guests can enjoy a formal evening with a silent auction, live music, and a gourmet winter menu.
3. Dinner Fundraisers
Nothing warms the heart like comfort food in winter. A themed dinner fundraiser creates an intimate atmosphere where attendees can eat themed food, connect, and lend their support to a good cause.
Theme ideas:
Holiday Table⎯Organize a formal sit-down dinner with decorative table settings and a menu featuring holiday classics.
Potluck Fundraiser⎯Invite people to share their favorite winter dishes while contributing toward ticket sales or a raffle.
4. Winter Fun Run
For organizations looking for a fitness-related event, a winter-themed fun run is a great idea. Participants can get involved by running or walking a distance of their choice while raising funds for the cause. Offer an exclusive finisher’s medal or swag for participants to boost sign-ups!
Ideas on organizing a fun run:
Encourage people to wear holiday costumes or themed apparel like Santa hats.
Reward top fundraisers with small prizes.
5. Warm Clothing Drives
Organize an event by hosting a warm clothing drive to collect coats, scarves, gloves, and blankets for those in need. Make giving seamless for donors to help with your fundraising goals like creating a landing page to accept online monetary donations, offer local drop-off points for easy contribution, and share the event on social media to spread awareness.
6. Raffles With Festive Rewards
Host a raffle event, focusing on high-value or theme-related prizes. Sell tickets online and in-person to maximize reach. Spreading excitement for raffle draws every week leading up to the big winner of the finale drawing.
Some prize ideas are:
Skating lessons at a local ice rink.
Luxury gift baskets filled with winter treats.
Weekend ski getaway or spa experience.
7. Tree Of Giving Auction
A tree of giving is a festive way to unite your community while raising money for a great cause. Decorate a tree with ornaments, tags, or items that represent donations, experiences, products, or services up for auction. Typically ornaments or tags have descriptions of the items, their value, or minimum bids. Participants bid during the event or even online, depending on your format, with the highest bidders winning the prizes. It's a festive, engaging, and popular way to have people donate to good causes.
8. Holiday Bazaar
Showcase your community's creativity with a holiday bazaar. Invite participants to sell homemade baked goods, crafts, and holiday-themed products, with a portion of proceeds going toward your fundraiser. Ideas to include are holiday workshops like cookie decorating or ornament making, to drive additional donations. Have a gift packaging and wrapping station for those that want their gifts wrapped and let them donate an amount of their choosing.
How To Promote Your Fundraiser
The success of your event often depends on how well you tell the story behind your cause. Use marketing material to promote and show supporters how their generosity makes a tangible impact. If possible, show statistics from how the event last year made a difference to those that received the proceeds. Have fun with how you promote the fundraiser. Host an Instagram Live, show behind-the-scenes content on how the event is coming together, and share stories from team members. The more unique it is, the more likely people will engage with your content.
Send out emails to your contacts to let them know about the event and how they can participate or donate. Partner with local companies or influencers to help spread the word.
Winter fundraisers are an opportunity to create memorable moments while supporting important causes. Whether you’re hosting a themed dinner, an outdoor carnival, or a fun run, there’s no shortage of creative ways to make your event special.
Ready to organize your winter fundraiser? Learn more about how we can help you create an amazing event.