1. Holiday light tour
If your neighborhood is known for its holiday lights, give groups of people walking tours in the name of your good cause. Caroling, photo ops, and time for families and friends to be guided while they enjoy lights and the winter wonderland together is a great way to spark joy. You can also serve warm drinks like hot chocolate or hot apple cider and other holiday treats for a suggested donation to your fundraising page. Sell tickets before the light tour for extra cash.
2. Polar bear plunge
Another fun way to help expand your fundraising in January and move beyond just the holidays, the polar plunge is a great winter-themed idea. Hardy volunteers take the plunge into the icy waters of a lake, river, ocean, or pool, no wetsuits allowed. Ask competitors to contribute a voluntary entry fee in the form of a donation to your fundraiser. Or have them raise funds through sponsorships from nonprofits, friends, and family. Afterwards, keep things going with a snowman-building contest, or what about ice skating? Don’t forget to post photos as a fundraiser update once the friendly competition is over!
3. Holiday concert or open mic night
A holiday concert is one of the most classic winter fundraising ideas. People love holiday music and carols, and its themes inspire giving. Enlist local choirs, high school or elementary school bands, soloists, and other musicians to participate in a community-wide holiday concert (or better yet, a talent show!). Partner with a local venue (community centers are always a good choice) that may be willing to host your fundraising event (remember that weather is a factor, so you may need an indoor space). Print out QR codes or the URL of your online fundraising platform so that community members can make small donations to your fundraiser as they attend.
4. Gingerbread house party
This is an especially great idea to get all ages involved. If children are looking for a holiday-themed winter break activity that gives back to a great cause, work with them to select a nonprofit organization and start a charity fundraiser on GoFundMe. This gingerbread house event is the perfect way to combine giving back with classic holiday fun. Send out an invite (via email and social media, perhaps using a Facebook Event) to family, friends, and neighbors. Ask for RSVPs to get an idea of how many gingerbread houses you’ll need—buying supplies in bulk may get you a discount. Select a day, time, and place to host the party. Ask attendees to consider making a contribution on your fundraising platform as they RSVP or ask for a small fee to join in.
Once the gingerbread houses are complete, have everyone take photos of their creations and share online, along with a link to your fundraiser. For a bonus, add the photos to a gingerbread recipe book for purchase or host a bake sale.
5. Hot chocolate stand
Another great activity to warm up and to include the whole family. A DIY hot chocolate station is one of the easiest great winter fundraising ideas, and it’s a good way to warm people up at a cold football game, winter 5k or marathon, or other outside school fundraising event. Bring a table or a small cart if needed, and an insulated container of prepared hot cocoa along with some cups, marshmallows, and whipped cream. Collect small donations per cup or ask for gift card contributions that can go toward your cause. Before the event, publicize your pop-up hot chocolate stand on your socials to spread awareness and maximize your donation drive.
6. New Year’s Eve party
Hosting a New Year’s Eve party is a great way to ring in the New Year with the joy of giving back and new year’s resolutions with purpose. If you are fundraising for a charity or nonprofit, this is an especially great idea, as users are looking to make their final charitable contributions in the fiscal year-end. To up the fun, include activities like board games, a scavenger hunt, or a trivia game. Send out invitations with a link or QR code to your online fundraiser included, that way, if people cannot attend, they still have the opportunity to donate and give their support to your cause. Your fundraising efforts will thank you for it.
7. Christmas tree recycling
Right after the Christmas holiday season, if you have a truck or a trailer, you might do your family and your neighbors a favor by collecting Christmas trees, used wrapping paper, or wreaths for recycling. A quick after-the-holidays gift wrapping station works, too. Send out a flyer or email to the people in your neighborhood and ask if they would like you to take their tree to the recycling center, and if they would consider making a small donation to your fundraiser for your help.
8. Organize a bake sale
A bake sale always works, and winter months aren’t an exception. Winter fundraising ideas often revolve around cozy and warm foods that people love, and you certainly can’t go wrong with a bake sale. Do it at a community center, a school gym, or a library. Make sure to ask everyone who is ready to support you to bake lots of brownies, cookies, cupcakes, pies, and other baked goods.
You can also ask local businesses to donate food or simply let people know about the event. Price the food individually, so people can pay you a small fee directly, or let people purchase a “fill-a-box” option for their food, which supports your peer-to-peer fundraising goal at the same time.
Winterize your tables with snowflakes, a winter theme, or foods (a gingerbread house is perfect), and hot drinks. A bake sale is a simple way to run an in-person event and raise money.
9. Movie night
Winter is the perfect time to bring people together for a cozy indoor fundraiser, and a holiday movie night does just that. Reserve your local high school or community center, or set up a space in your public library. You can also host the event outdoors with heaters and layers of blankets. Settle on your favorite classic holiday movie, invite your supporters to wear their best ugly sweaters, and you’re all set. Offer sponsorship opportunities to local businesses and pitch that there’s no better time to advertise than a movie night, where the whole community shows up.
Ask the guests for a donation to your cause via your donation page, or raise through ticket sales ahead of time to reserve their place. Movie nights are one of the easiest community events to organize and offer a relaxed environment for donors to connect with your cause while in the holiday spirit.
10. Winter cook-off or chili challenge
There’s bound to be some local chefs, parents, or students who would love to participate in a cook-off. Guests can pay an entry fee to taste and vote for their favorites. Add fun prizes or gift cards from local restaurants. The community gets to try yummy chili, and you raise money for your cause. It’s a win-win.
Help spread holiday cheer and raise money
The holiday season is the time of year that provides unlimited fundraising opportunities, helps get in touch with supporters and form partnerships, and raises money for your good cause. There’s tons of warm drinks flowing, shared laughter, and memories. Just remember to fundraise with the people who need your help in mind: whether it’s you, someone you love, or your community.