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Winter fundraising ideas

Beginning with the holiday season, winter is one of the most profitable times of the year when it comes to donations for good causes. These joy-filled fundraising ideas for winter will help you capture the attention and generosity of your community and raise more during the chilly months ahead.

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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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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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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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Year-end fundraiser

Celebrate the end of the year with a big annual fundraiser. Host an event and attract donations and support with a silent auction, peer-to-peer campaign, and more.

Use the year-end giving checklist to make sure you’ve covered every angle!

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Holiday cookie sale

Whip up some sweet treats to sell at your next fundraising event, group gathering, or around town. Consider setting up a station for supporters to decorate their own cookies or create kits for families to bring home in exchange for a donation.

Streamline the buying process with scan-to-donate—which guest can use to make their payment instantly right from their phones!

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Holiday market

Ring in the festive season with your own holiday market. Invite stallholders to participate for a small fee and raise funds through selling refreshments, merch, and game tickets.

Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.

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Date auction

Brave individuals offer themselves up for your auction to go on a date with the highest bidders. This idea is a little bitdated, but with the right planning, you can have a lot of fun with it.

Ask sponsoring restaurants to donate gift certificates to bring in more bids for these “items”and make for an easy, in-public location for each date.

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Sledding course

Embrace the winter wonderland and assemble your own sledding course for all to enjoy. Encourage participants to bring their own sleds and contribute to your cause in exchange for a thrilling ride. Simplify donations with scan-to-donate and raise additional funds by selling cozy treats like hot chocolate or soup.

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Snowman contest

If you've been lucky to have enough snow, host a pop-up snowman contest for your local area. Invite everyone to take part, tour the entries, and then award the winner with a prize donated by a local business. Use team fundraising pages and encourage people to donate to vote—they’ll be able to see who’s winning on the live leaderboard!

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Masquerade ball

Whether it's time for Mardi Gras or you’re looking for a creative New Year’s Eve idea, a masquerade ball will make for a memorable evening and bring in lots of donations. Create an unforgettable fundraising event experience with easy ticket sales and check-ins, live display, and a silent auction.

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Holiday movie marathon

Create a lineup of classic holiday movies for a community movie marathon. Sell tickets, popcorn, hot chocolate, and other treats to create a delightful (and profitable!) experience.

With user-friendly fundraising event features for online ticket sales and in-person donations, organizing this event can be as easy as hitting play on your favorite festive film.

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Ski-a-thon

Swap a traditional walk-a-thon for a wintry ski-a-thon. Invite supporters to raise funds from friends and family members leading up to the big day through peer-to-peer fundraising, and watch your leaderboard update in real time to reflect who’s raised the most!

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Gift basket auction

Go big with your silent auction baskets! Ask local businesses to donate goods to help you fill hampers with items that fit different themes. Wrap them up nicely to entice bidders and bring in more dollars for your cause.

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Frequently asked questions

December is by far the most popular month for donations, with the last week of the year bringing in a staggering 46% of online year-end revenue—nearly eight times more than on Giving Tuesday. With so much generosity at this time of year, it’s worth investing heavily in your winter fundraising event ideas.

With so many holidays in the winter season, it’s no surprise that holiday-themed fundraisers continue to be among the most popular. To make the most of the seasonal joy, plan a cookie decorating contest, bake sale, festive market, or holiday card campaign.

If you have a year-end fundraising target to hit, a winter gala or silent auction is a great opportunity to attract corporate sponsors, generous donations, and high ticket sales. Themed walk-a-thons or ski-a-thons are also effective ways for community members to raise money from their friends and family using peer-to-peer fundraising.

Sometimes you just want to organize a simple yet fun way to enjoy the holiday season and raise funds for your cause. Sell DIY gingerbread house kits at a holiday fair, sing carols under the city Christmas tree, or host a pop-up snowman contest for a fun and easy winter fundraiser event idea.

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