Creative Winter Fundraising Ideas for your Nonprofit

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Creative Winter Fundraising Ideas for your Nonprofit

A few days over a month and we have Christmas waiting for us. Winter is a season of exchanging warmth and happiness. Nonprofit fundraising, generating the act of giving becomes really huge during this period, which is exactly why winter fundraising is so popular. 

The month of November and December are usually very busy for nonprofit professionals mainly because #GivingTuesday and Christmas fall within this period, not to forget Black Friday. Keeping that in mind, GiveCentral has listed out a few timeless and easy fundraising ideas that can be adopted every now and then. Most of the ideas are group or community oriented as this season stands for togetherness too, These are ideas that could just prepare you for next year as well, a little advance planning has never really harmed any nonprofit. 

Soup party

Let’s begin with a cozy way to raise funds. The cold weather is most likely to have everybody willing to have a bowl of hot soup. The winter solstice aka midwinter falls on the 22nd of December, it is known to be the shortest day of the year. You can pick this day to mark the actual onset of Christmas and have a soup party with you church members or community. A request can be made for your supporters to get different soup recipes, prepare and bond over the same. Entry fees can be priced at an amount which will meet the target of your fundraising.

Sledding event

An Ice skating or sledding event is probably one of the best substitutes to ski-a-thon and it is perfect for the winter season. At the event, make sure that you have food and beverages available so that apart from the ticket, you also get your funds from the sales of the eatables. You can either get your donors to donate through modern techniques like online and mobile giving. This will be a good warm up to beat the cold that is coming; it is a great activity for kids, adults and even families. 

Bake-off

Be it cookies or cakes, winters can always be associated with baked goodies. As a part of your nonprofit fundraising plan, you can organize a bake-off where you set a colour theme and the goodies can be prepared around that same theme. This event can also be combined with a networking session where you can invite a locally well known cooking expert to come and share some tips and tricks, the price of the tickets can go to your cause while your guests can savour some cakes and cookies. Moreover, you can organize an eating competition too.

Workshop for winter craft

We have all learned to appreciate art and craft these days, no wonder why the DIY videos on youtube and other social media channels get a lot of supporters. In alignment, you can organize a workshop for winter crafts such as knitting, wreath arrangement or even candle making. You can get local artisans to come teach your audience while you give the latter the freedom to choose what they wish to learn. This is best kept open to both kids and adults because learning never stops. 

Carnival

This carnival doesn’t have to be expensive, it can have more self made booths so that the amount you raise will be bigger than the amount that went into setting it up. You can have your photographer friends or friends of friends to take pictures at the photobooth, then you can have a few of your “great cook” members to set up a snack stall and keep people engaged. Some supporters would also love to take part in a fashion show with costumes around themes. Treasure hunt could also be a great activity for the kids. 

Love feast

Like we mentioned, this season is about warmth, bonding and love. That is why your winter fundraising ideas should include an activity that shows the giving and receiving of hope and joy. Also termed as “dining for good”, this is a dinner where you go eat and pay an amount for more than one person. For example, you go eat alone, but you pay for two or three or even more. That way, the extra money goes to the needy. 

Clothes drive

The is one of the most common nonprofit fundraising activities, but never goes out of practice. This is where you collect unworn or old, warm clothes that people can wear in the cold weather. You can have a major sale event by putting out the clothes for purchase. Everything else that doesn’t get bought can directly donated to the people who are in need of the same. 

When we say winter fundraising ideas, it doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated and difficult to set up. In fact, your activities can all be made to revolve around quick and easy fundraising. For example, sending handwritten letters to your supporters is also a simple but sweet way of letting them know of your cause. If you are planning an event, then make sure that you promote it on social media and platforms as well, get the word out. Plan well and work it out!

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