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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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Gift wrapping

Source donated paper, set up a gift wrapping station in a popular location, and charge for holiday gift-wrapping! Use scan-to-donate or Venmo to accept payments on the spot.

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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!

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Maze for a cause

If you don’t have corn maze capabilities, find a large outdoor space where you can build a maze from hay bales!

Charge an entrance fee to walk the maze, and make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and Tap to Pay options.

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Fall carnival

Host your very own fall-themed festival with live music, food and drink, local vendors, and carnival games.

Ask local businesses for supplies and prize donations and raise funds through refreshments, games, and stallholder fees.

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Festive volunteers

Rally volunteers to act as festive little helpers to put up holiday decorations for others in your community in exchange for donations.

Set up a donation form and use custom labels to create fun options, like a $50 donation = putting up your roof lights.

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Pie baking contest and potluck

Invite bakers to submit their best pies for consideration as the dessert offering at your next potluck dinner.

Community members can make small donations as their “votes” for their favorite pies, and you can display the leaderboard to keep the competitive spirit up and momentum moving toward your fundraising goal throughout the event.

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Toy drive

Set up a toy drive to allow your community members to turn their generosity into thoughtful gifts for kids over the holiday season. Ask for toy and cash donations, then distribute toys to those most in need and use funds to buy extra gifts.

Let everyone know when, where, and what to donate with the help of email marketing software.

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Garage sale

Host a garage sale to transform your old belongings into funds for your mission. Your buyers will get some new treasures, and you will reach your fundraising goal.

Use our free email marketing software to send a big launch email with all the details, then send reminders closer to the day of the sale.

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Golf tournament

Golf tournaments are an incredible way to build relationships and raise funds for your cause. Charge teams an entry fee, secure sponsorships, and enjoy a day on the green with your community.

Check out our guide to discover how to make your next golf tournament even more profitable.

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Impact:
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Holiday card campaign

Craft a festive holiday card to mail directly or send digitally to your supporters. Extend season’s greetings, express gratitude for their support, and invite them to contribute toward your year-end fundraising goals.

Use Givebutter’s built-in Canva integration to add a little extra cheer to your letters or emails in just a few clicks.

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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.

Cost:
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Impact:
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Auctions

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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Holiday wreath sale

Partner with a local nursery to sell holiday wreaths made of fresh greenery. Create a fundraising page where supporters can purchase them with ease.

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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.

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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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Fitness challenge

Participants commit to completing a certain number of workouts and collect pledges for each milestone achieved using personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages.

Watch as donations come in through the leaderboard in real time and friends and family share words of encouragement on the supporter feed.

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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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Pumpkin patch

Partner with a local farm to create a family-friendly pumpkin patch event. Invite your community to come take fall photos and pick out a pumpkin or two in exchange for a donation.

Make transactions quick and easy with Tap to Pay and a scan-to-donate QR code posted to let donors choose their payment method—PayPal, Google Pay, Venmo, and more.

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Pumpkin carving contest

See who can carve or decorate the best pumpkin while raising funds for your community group or cause. Award prizes in different categories for kids, families, and talented adults.

Make it easy as pumpkin pie for participants to vote for the winners with a small donation using text-to-donate.

Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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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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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.

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Harvest dinner party

Host a grand harvest or Thanksgiving dinner party for special guests. Raise money through exclusive ticket sales, and use corporate sponsorship best practices to secure a partnership with a local restaurant or catering company.

Cost:
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Impact:
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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.

Cost:
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Effort:
2
Impact:
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Oktoberfest

Take inspiration from the popular German event and host your own Oktoberfest with carnival games, a haunted house, and plenty of beer and non-alcoholic drinks.

This fall festival idea is a great way to raise funds for your cause and give your supporters an exciting day out.

Cost:
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Impact:
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Apple bobbing

Set up a stall where people can try apple bobbing in exchange for a small donation. This works well as part of a fall festival or Halloween event where you can set up a range of fun activities for families to get involved with.

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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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