Ah, winter. Crisp air, snowy afternoons, twinkling lights. As the holiday whirlwind sweeps us along, we find ourselves with an endless list of planning, shopping, and decorating activities, and the idea of organizing a winter fundraiser can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be!
‘Tis the season for giving and sharing good things, after all, and all that winter magic can be harnessed to generate some serious excitement about your organization’s goals and message. Whether you want your fundraiser to be a cozy indoor event or a massive glittery shindig, we have plenty of winter fundraising ideas to inspire you!
#1: Photo Op with Santa
Whether you’re 5 or 65, there’s just something about Santa Claus that makes your heart beat a little faster. Both Santa and presents are huge subjects with kids during the holidays, and dear old St. Nick can teach little ones that giving to others is important and fun.
Here’s how to make it happen:
Partner with your neighborhood community center or school to host an evening with Santa, where the local children can finally meet and be photographed with their hero. Christmas markets are also an awesome place to set up your photo station.
If you want to keep it super easy, all you need is a big armchair for the big guy and a few plastic trees (don’t forget lights!). Want to go all out? Bring on the artificial snow, an inflatable snow globe, elves, reindeer–the works. Since Mr. Claus is too busy this time of year to attend your fundraising event himself, have a volunteer dress the part. Sell tickets (say, $20 per family) in advance through a fundraising platform like RallyUp and consider including a Holiday Treats stand for some extra cash flow. What’s better than chomping on gingerbread cookies while you wait to talk to Santa?
#2: Read A Christmas Carol
Marley was dead, to begin with.
There are so many reasons that Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, is timeless: Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Ghost of Christmas Past. It’s the stuff of winter holiday legend, and its message of selfless giving is perfect for your nonprofit. All you need is, um, the book. That’s it.
Here’s how to make it happen:
The novella takes about two hours to read cover to cover. Reach out to local vendors to use their space–bookshops and coffee shops work best for this type of event. Since very small children have trouble sitting still for that long, it helps if the audience has other stuff to do while they listen, like eating, browsing, or just hanging out.
If the community loves it, you can repeat every month with other books! Other inspiring holiday classics to read aloud:
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by E.T.A. Hoffman
The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry
The Polar Express, by Chris Van AllsburgAmazing Peace, by Maya Angelou
#3: Holiday Lights Festival
The best thing about those dreary, long winter nights is all the gorgeous colored lights dangling from trees and rooftops. They twinkle, they’re merry, and they can brighten up your nonprofit’s mission in no time.
Organizing a holiday light display sounds complicated, but it really isn’t too bad. It’s just a matter of coordination and basic admin to get everyone on the same page.
Here’s how to make it happen:
Invite homes and businesses in a neighborhood or on a particular street to decorate their houses, fences, driveways, trees, windows, and yards. Communicate your nonprofit goals on social media or a fundraising site like RallyUp, with a message of encouragement, so that everyone knows why their participation matters. Sell tickets per individual, per family, or even per vehicle.
For extra oomph, add selfie stations along the way, and a pick-up point for glow sticks! If you can (safely) add a fire pit, the night will be truly #lit.
#4: Gift Wrapping Booth
You know that feeling, right before you exchange presents with the fam, when you realize that you forgot to wrap grandma’s cashmere scarf? And you’re all out of wrapping paper? So, you have no choice but to stick your beautiful, thoughtful gift into a wrinkled gift bag from last summer and hope nobody notices that it says Happy Birthday, Marge. It happens!
An easy way to save everyone a ton of time and effort, while raising money for your awesome cause, is to set up a gift-wrapping station. Get creative and playful with it. Think cool holiday patterns, boxes, yards of ribbon, scissors, tape, and a team of Santa’s Little Helpers (okay, you don’t actually have to call them that).
Here’s how to make it happen:
Recruit volunteers and set up your station inside a local store (consider toy stores, souvenir shops, bookstores, boutiques, even pet shops). If it’s not too cold, set up outdoors, in a shopping plaza. Plenty of store managers will welcome you in, since a gift-wrapping station drives traffic, and they don’t have to lift a finger!Advertise ahead of time, and charge depending on the size of the gift. For example, ask for $5 to wrap up a candle, and $30 to wrap a big TV set. Some members of your nonprofit community might even want to donate handmade decorations, like paper flowers or fabric bows.
#5: Hot Cocoa and Gingerbread Station
Speaking of memorable holiday classics, what’s cozier on a chilly winter day than hot chocolate? Unless it’s hot chocolate with a side of gingerbread? Nourishing and nostalgia-inducing, these are treats for all ages to enjoy.
Here’s how to make it happen:
As a mini variation on the bake sale theme, your station can be set up during school events (e.g. football games, plays, meetings), at community centers, inside the local grocery store, or even digitally at an online fundraising shop. There are just two tricks to attracting a long line of gingerbread lovers:
- Delicious treats. Enlist some old school talent to share their family gingerbread recipe, and if you’re opting to make hot cocoa from a box, make sure it’s top shelf. Tip: offer alternative milk options, like oat or almond.
- Get the word out! Make sure everyone from here to the other side of the Mississippi knows all about your winter fundraiser station. From traditional flyers stuck into school lockers and mailboxes, to advertising on easy-to-use fundraising platforms and social media channels, shout it from the rooftops.
#6: Formal Winter Charity Ball
For the high rollers in your community, winter festivities better involve a black tie. To create a truly unforgettable experience, your nonprofit can throw a lavish and formal party, complete with dancing, a DJ, artwork, and an MC to host your winter ball. Big deal events attract big spenders, resulting in impressive donations.
Here’s how to make it happen:
Organize an Event Committee. Whether your organization’s staff or local volunteers, a reliable team is crucial to successfully plan a big event. Decide who does what: for example, if John is in charge of sponsorship management because he works at a bank that supports tons of similar events, then Anna covers booking the entertainment because she has great taste in music.
Get Sponsored. A formal ball costs a pretty penny, and if your initial budget doesn’t allow it, begin by contacting potential sponsors for donations. Sit down with local businesses, organizations that are known for supporting similar events, and companies whose vision jives with yours (if you’re raising cash for homeless animals, for example, your best bet is to get in touch with pet product vendors; chain stores will often have streamlined grant application processes).
Rent a Banquet Space. While a school gym or community center are fine for ordinary parties, if you’re aiming to create a sumptuous atmosphere, opt for your city’s ballroom, banquet hall, or similar venue.
Plan Refreshments and Book Entertainment. Will you serve hors d’oeuvres or just cocktails? Will you have a DJ or a live band? Get in touch with artists ahead of time – they get busy around the holidays!
Sell Tickets and Advertise. Use a reliable and upscale fundraising event management platform, like RallyUp, to communicate with your attendees and celebrate your generous sponsors.
#7: Christmas Tree Sale
Let’s face it: there would be no holiday joy without all those beautiful Christmas trees sparkling in the windows. For folks who love the fresh, wintry scent of pine, nothing beats a real tree. That’s why selling locally grown Christmas trees is pretty much guaranteed to turn a healthy profit every winter.
Here’s how to make it happen:
First, decide whether you want to keep it simple or make a big splash.
Keep it small. If you want an effortless event, partner with a local tree farm. They’ll provide you with order sheets so you can pre-sell the trees which they later deliver.
Go big. Find a farm that offers wholesale Christmas trees and set up a DIY tree lot — a school or church parking lot would work well. Add DIY wreaths for an extra source of income. Promote your beautiful trees on social media, where you can post pictures and live updates (e.g. “We just got a dozen fir trees delivered, almost out of spruce!”) and people can order ahead of time.
To make the event feel extra festive, play holiday music and have hot cider or hot cocoa on offer, so people can sip holiday drinks while they browse your tree selection.
#8: Return of the Light Celebration
We all know that the winter solstice, on December 21, marks the beginning of the end of winter and the return of longer daylight hours. Western culture inherited its midwinter holidays, including Christmas, from the ancient Romans, who praised their god of agriculture, Saturn, with an annual festival called Saturnalia.
However, the winter solstice has been special across the globe since prehistoric times. From the Incas to the Scandinavians, many cultures have their own beautiful ritual to celebrate the return of the light.
An innovative and thoughtful way to encourage cultural appreciation while attracting donors for your cause is to organize a Return of the Light festival, where the community can learn about winter solstice traditions from around the world.
Here’s how to make it happen:
- Plan. Find a venue, whether a neighborhood library or community gym, and set a date.
- Organize. Sell tickets in advance and advertise: stick flyers in your community gym, post on social media, and use an event management platform to build anticipation and start meaningful conversations.
- Reach out. Invite storytellers, educators, poets, artists, and musicians to share their knowledge and talent with your community. On the day, participants can set up booths or tables, while entertainers can circulate a sign-up sheet.
- Add-ons. Schedule workshops, yoga classes, and meditation sessions so attendees can get in touch with the spiritual side of the winter solstice.
For those who can’t make it, set up a free live stream with RallyUp, so everyone can learn about the myths and legends surrounding this transformative winter holiday.
#9: Food/Clothing/Toy Drive
If your nonprofit is dedicated to lending a hand to those in need, you already know that clothes or toy drives make a big difference during the holidays. When winter temps drop, not everyone can toss on a scarf and crank up the heating. And for some children, winter break means two weeks of housing and food instability.
Finding ways to offer warm clothing, food, or toys can help spread holiday cheer where it’s needed the most.
Here’s how to make it happen:
Winter Clothing. For a clothes drive, invite your community to donate winter items, focusing on coats, warm socks, and gloves. Basically, think of what you would want to have on hand on a freezing day. Place bins at your local school, community center, grocery store, or church, and even near elevators in apartment buildings. Share your efforts on Facebook and fundraising platforms to inspire people to give.
Food Drive. A food drive collects the basics for vulnerable folks, often collaborating with food pantries and food banks in your area. Focus on healthy non-perishables, like peanut butter or brown rice. It’s especially helpful for the homeless to have something they can easily put into their pockets – think energy bars, cereal bars, trail mix, and bags of nuts.
Holiday Toys. For a toy drive, set out holiday donation boxes to collect toys for families in need. Try to avoid items with lots of small pieces, focusing on toys for all ages. There’s nothing like a new toy to spark a little joy on a wintry day!
Winter Fundraisers Make All the Difference
Are you ready to start planning an unforgettable fundraising experience this winter?
Whatever winter fundraising idea tickles your fancy, RallyUp has your back. We have the functionality to plan, promote, and help you pull off your most sparkly ideas to inspire true holiday magic–for FREE!
