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As we spring into a new season, it’s time for your fundraising efforts to pick up speed! Spring fundraisers are a great way to unite your community this season while gaining support for your cause.
There are many seasonal themes to anchor your fundraisers around that will sprout your supporters’ giving spirits into full bloom. We’ll review how to develop a strong spring fundraiser and an extensive list of spring fundraiser ideas to help you celebrate the season with your supporters:
What makes an excellent spring fundraiser idea?
The best spring fundraiser ideas draw upon the energy of the season and the joy the warmer weather brings. Leverage these tips to shape your fundraiser around the spring season:
- Give your fundraiser a spring-related theme. Spring is a time of growth and renewal. Spring fundraiser ideas that focus on spring cleaning or helping the environment can motivate your supporters to get into the spring spirit and join your efforts.
- Host an outdoor fundraising event. As the weather warms, your community members will increasingly move their daily activities outside, and your spring fundraisers should be no different! Capitalize on bright and sunny days by hosting outdoor events that allow everyone to enjoy the sunshine while supporting your cause.
- Allow people to engage with each other. Since people leave their houses more often and enjoy the weather during the spring, they’ll be more open to social opportunities. Plan fundraisers that connect like-minded supporters and allow people to enjoy each other’s company. For instance, after a fundraising event, you may host a happy hour or coffee chat that allows supporters to discuss your campaign and form connections.
- Take advantage of seasonal and local resources. Whether you’re working with a local florist, farmers’ market, or restaurant, partnering with local businesses can help you simultaneously embrace spring trends and support your local community. For example, you may host a fundraiser with a store that sells gardening supplies, in which a percentage of a certain day’s profits go to your organization.
As we explore our list of spring fundraiser ideas, consider how you can combine these qualities to create the ultimate spring fundraiser. For example, a spring picnic fundraiser sponsored by a local catering company may tap into all of these attributes for an exceptionally engaging seasonal fundraising idea.
60+ Spring fundraiser ideas
Event spring fundraiser ideas
1. Silent auction
Silent auctions are an effective fundraising event that your nonprofit can combine with other events or campaigns to maximize your fundraising. Have supporters donate items to be auctioned off or partner with local businesses for themed auction items.
For example, you may work with a local florist to auction off a floral arrangement or a home supplies store to create a spring cleaning bundle. Use silent auction software to seamlessly manage guests, collect bids, and simplify item checkout.
2. Fashion show
Spring marks fashion week in the world’s fashion capitals, so why not host your own fashion show for your community? Work with local clothing boutiques and designers to create runway looks and sell tickets for your community to preview upcoming items.
Or, let your community’s youth put their own designs on the runway for all the aspiring fashionistas. You can also auction off the best looks to boost your funds from the event.
3. Movie night
For your movie night event, charge admission and screen popular movies. You could theme the experience around the Academy Awards by screening films from this year’s nominee list or select a classic, family-friendly option. Have volunteers sell popcorn, drinks, and other concessions to generate additional income.
4. 5K race
5K races and other “a-thon” events are common fundraisers for a reason! Spring provides the perfect weather and great scenery for a fun run event.
Plus, your participants can fundraise for you by creating a peer-to-peer fundraising page to garner support from their friends and family. With the right peer-to-peer solution, they can customize their pages to show their genuine connections to your cause, team up with others to raise more funds, compete to make it to the top of the fundraiser leaderboard, and easily share their pages via email and social media.
5. Spring Fling dance
A Spring Fling dance is a fun way to get younger generations involved in fundraising. Your community members can purchase tickets to dance the night away surrounded by flowers, friends, and fun!
To promote your event, you can partner with local radio stations to motivate everyone with some sweet tunes, create engaging social media graphics, and call upon your supporters to spread the word.
6. Tax tips event
Tax season is stressful! Host a tax tips event featuring local financial experts to provide valuable tax advice to your donors. Sell tickets to your tax tips event to raise money for your cause while helping your community stay educated on managing their finances and filing their taxes properly.
7. Spa night
Host a spa night where your supporters can relax and enjoy getting pampered for a few hours. Partner with local spas or wellness centers to sponsor the event for a luxurious experience.
Community members can unwind with massages, facials, and other spa treatments.
8. Spring bingo
Organize a spring bingo event with themed prizes and colorful decorations. Promote your grand prizes on social media to attract a larger audience and create buzz around your event. Create spring-themed bingo boards with flowers and pastel colors for a more immersive experience.
9. Star Wars-themed party
May the force (fourth) be with you! Consider hosting an epic Star Wars-themed party this spring to celebrate May 4th.
Offer Star Wars-inspired food and drinks and a friendly costume contest for a bit of competition. Incorporate activities like Star Wars trivia games and a lightsaber duel tournament. You can even auction off Star Wars merchandise to raise more funds at the event.
Sports spring fundraiser ideas
10. March Madness bracket challenge
March Madness is an exciting time for basketball lovers everywhere, and you can use that to your advantage for a March fundraising idea. Host a March Madness bracket challenge and allow your supporters to predict this season’s tournament winner for an entry fee. Partner with a local sports store to offer your winners a basketball-themed prize!
11. Sports tournament
Spring is a big season for quite a few sports, so embrace the athletic spirit and host a tournament featuring your community’s favorite sport. Participants can pay an entry fee for their team to compete for a grand prize. Make it a peer-to-peer fundraiser by allowing teams to have a secondary competition to see who can raise the most for your organization!
12. Golf tournament
With the Masters Tournament in the first week of April, a community golf tournament is a great April fundraising idea for your nonprofit. Partner with a local golf course to allow your participants to compete against each other in their own Masters experience while raising money to support a great cause.
13. Fantasy baseball fundraiser
With baseball kicking off in April, organize a fantasy baseball league your donors can enter. Participants can create their dream teams and compete throughout the six-month season. Partner with a local baseball team to provide the league winner memorabilia or tickets for the following season!
Food spring fundraiser ideas
14. Bake sale
Bake sales are always a delightful way to raise funds for your organization. You can recruit volunteers from your community to make and sell different homemade goods. The treats can even be themed around spring or seasonal holidays, like Easter or Mother’s Day! Ask local bakeries to provide sweets to sell to further motivate donors to purchase a treat.
15. Spring brunch
Host a spring-themed brunch, combining delicious food with a pleasant community gathering. Sell tickets for the brunch and include options for additional donations during the event. Partner with local restaurants or catering services for a wonderful dining experience for your attendees.
16. BBQ potluck
Break out the grills this spring with a BBQ potluck! Your attendees can buy tickets to bring their favorite dishes to share and sample other supporters’ cooking skills. This is a great May fundraising idea you can host over Memorial Day weekend. You can even plan a friendly BBQ competition for a small entry fee to see who’s the community grill master.
17. Pie sale for Pi Day
A wonderful March fundraising idea is to organize a pie sale on Pi Day (March 14). Ask volunteers or local bakeries to make pies you can sell on March 14 to celebrate some mathematical fun. You can also use pies to help teach kids in your community more about math for the day!
18. Cook-off
Host a cook-off for your supporters to flex their culinary skills. Allow participants to register their dishes for a small entry fee and ask local chefs or food enthusiasts to judge them. Or, let your attendees judge the food to find the fan favorite. Offer food-themed prizes for the winning dishes, such as a restaurant gift certificate or new cooking supplies.
Challenge spring fundraiser ideas
19. Pub quiz
Everyone loves a bit of trivia! Host a pub-style quiz for your community and include some questions about your mission as a fun way to share your organization’s impact. If you host the event at a restaurant or local pub, offer a gift certificate to the establishment as a prize for the trivia winners.
20. Fitness challenge
Help your supporters with their fitness goals by hosting a peer-to-peer fitness challenge! Allow your participants to register a fitness goal with your organization and gather support from their personal networks to motivate them. To add a little competition to the challenge, provide participants who hit major milestones with a badge on your campaign’s main donation page!
21. Spring decorating competition
Since many people like to decorate their homes for holidays and seasons, why not host a little competition? Organize a spring decorating competition where participants can showcase their creative home decor. Your supporters can pay an entrance fee for the chance to show off their decorating skills and even win a prize for their hard work.
22. Reading challenge
Issue a community-wide reading challenge this spring to encourage literacy in your community. Participants can collect pledges based on the number of books they read during the campaign to raise money for your cause. Encourage participants to take advantage of your local public library and get reading!
23. Mud run
Spring can be a pretty muddy season with all the rain. Hold a mud run to attract fitness enthusiasts and adventure seekers. The event can include various challenges in the mud and an actual run challenge to create an engaging and memorable experience. In addition to raising funds through participant ticket sales, you can also sell spectator tickets for people to support their family and friends.
24. Obstacle course
If you’re not fond of the mud, you can also organize an obstacle course with inflatable obstacles to experience the fun without the mud. Offer different difficulty levels to appeal to participants of all ages to sign up. To maximize attendance and engagement, consider hosting the course at a local fair or festival.
Product or item spring fundraiser ideas
25. Plant sale
Spring is heavily associated with nature and plants, making a plant sale is an excellent spring fundraiser idea. Partner with local plant nurseries and gardeners to provide various plant options for your donors to purchase to support your mission. Include flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and house plants to guarantee something for all plant lovers!
26. Flower sale
April showers bring May flowers! You can help bring those flowers by hosting a flower sale featuring a variety of bouquets and arrangements. Partner with local florists or gardeners to provide a diverse selection of flowers and decorative plants for your donors to choose from.
27. Flower delivery
You can also offer flower deliveries as part of your sale or as a separate spring fundraising campaign. Work with local florists to offer deliveries of flowers for Mother’s Day and other special spring occasions, like birthdays or anniversaries. You can include a card with a link to your donation page with all your deliveries.
28. Gift basket fundraiser
With all the celebrations throughout the season, you can host a gift basket fundraiser using donations from local businesses for donors looking for a nice present that supports a great cause. Create various gift basket options to appeal to a diverse group of donors and raise more money.
29. Flower crown sale
With so many flowers blooming, it’s the perfect time to organize a flower crown-making sale. To appeal to younger donors, offer pre-made flower crowns at a local event, farmers’ market, or school. Partner with florists or local flower farms to help collect flowers and make crowns.
Environmental spring fundraiser ideas
30. Yard sale
Spring is often associated with cleaning and decluttering your home, making it the perfect time of year to host a yard sale. It also provides your supporters with more than one way to support your cause: donating items to sell or making purchases themselves. You can also put out a donation jar for donors who want to support your cause but don’t want to purchase an item.
31. Spring cleaning
While some of your supporters may do their spring cleaning and donate unneeded items to your organization on their own, you can also help your donors who need extra hands when decluttering their spaces. Have donors make a fixed donation in exchange for volunteers helping them with their spring cleaning.
32. Trash cleanup
Spring cleaning shouldn’t be limited to homes! Host a trash cleanup to help out your community and encourage volunteers to engage with your organization. Pick a beach, park, or other public space and set up a donation table for community members to give to help your cause. You can also talk to local businesses to help cover the cost of any cleaning supplies you may need.
33. Tree planting
Earth Day is in April, and you can launch a tree-planting campaign to celebrate with your community. Offer saplings indigenous to your area for your supporters to purchase for planting. You can work with your local nurseries and parks to provide a place for planting trees.
34. Gardening classes
Another great nature-themed spring fundraiser idea is to offer gardening classes. Local gardening experts can demonstrate their green thumbs and teach others in workshops that cover topics such as organic gardening, composting, or urban gardening. Participants can buy tickets to the classes that cover topics that most interest them.
Family-friendly spring fundraiser ideas
35. Raffle
One of the best spring fundraiser ideas is to host a raffle. Your donors can purchase raffle tickets for the chance to win cool prizes donated by local businesses.
The best part of hosting a raffle is that you can combine it with another fundraising event or campaign to raise more money for your cause. For example, you may host a spring sports tournament with sports-themed raffle prizes.
36. Scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts are fun family activities that can really excite your supporters! Donors can purchase tickets to participate and spend a day exploring your community via fun clues that focus on your mission. Offer prizes for winning participants to add a little competitive spirit to the event.
37. Talent show
Another family-friendly fundraising idea is to host a talent show. Your participants can showcase their unique skills—whether singing, dancing, or any other talent they’d like to show off. Offer tickets for your community members to watch the event and bring in a judging panel to determine the prize winners.
38. Community picnic
Hosting a community picnic is a great way to bring your community together this spring. You can raise more funds simultaneously by offering tickets to different activities and concessions. Encourage your supporters to spend a day outside with their families and meet some of their fellow community members while supporting your cause.
39. Pool party
As the weather gets warmer, you can beat the heat with a pool party. Work with a local pool facility or use a bunch of blow-up pools and splash slides to provide some family fun to the community. Play some upbeat music and offer food and drink concessions to make it the event of the spring!
40. Petting zoo
Spring is often connected with baby animals, especially kittens, bunnies, and lambs. To celebrate all the new life brought into the world, host a petting zoo for families and animal lovers to enjoy. You can also set up an adoption table to find new homes for household pets in need!
41. Cherry blossom kite-making
Spring is also cherry blossom season, and to celebrate the pink blooms, consider hosting a themed kite-making event. Families can sign up to make kites together and fly them with the rest of the community for a beautiful spring day. Your organization can help with the kite-making by offering a workshop to get participants started.
42. Tea party
Who doesn’t like the idea of some tasty tea and fun finger food? This spring fundraising idea is perfect for providing young kids with an experience they won’t forget. Bring your community together for a fancy afternoon!
Holiday spring fundraiser ideas
43. Mother’s Day cards
Handmade cards are always a win for Mother’s Day, and you can create a campaign to sell creative and personalized cards while also helping out a great cause in the recipient’s name. Work with local schools and community centers to get some help making all the cards you need and send them out to your donors!
44. Influential women’s panel for International Women’s Day
Celebrate International Women’s Day by organizing a panel discussion featuring influential women from your community.
This spring fundraising idea provides a great chance to empower the women in your community and help them network with other women. Ask local women-owned businesses to sponsor the event and offer a place on the panel for them to talk about running their businesses.
45. Irish potluck for St. Patrick’s Day
A great March fundraising idea is to host an Irish potluck for St. Patrick’s Day. Your supporters can volunteer to bring traditional Irish dishes, and your community can purchase tickets to enjoy the food. Put on some Irish music and work with a local dance company to show off some Irish Riverdance for a more festive celebration.
46. Easter egg hunt fundraiser
Easter is often a big celebration during the spring. Host an Easter egg hunt in a local park or church for the kids in the community to collect. You can have parents sign up their kids as participants, and you can raise funds through ticket sales and refreshments or merchandise sales.
47. Passover celebration fundraiser
Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Israelites’ escape from slavery and departure from ancient Egypt.
If you’re part of a Jewish organization or are fundraising for your temple, arrange a Seder fundraiser with traditional food, music, and activities for your community to celebrate the holiday together. There’s even special Kosher pet food that doesn’t use chametz, which you can include for your supporters’ pets to join in.
48. Holi festival fundraiser
Holi is the Hindu Festival of Colors, Love, and Spring. It celebrates the love of the deities Radha and Krishna and the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu.
If you serve a Hindu community, Holi is a perfect celebration to bring your community together this spring. Host a Holi festival with music, dance, and colored powders. Alternatively, host a color fun run in honor of the festival to spread joy around the community.
49. Eid al-Fitr feast fundraiser
When Ramadan, a month-long fast to commemorate Muhammad’s first revelation, ends and it’s time to break the fast, consider organizing a community Eid al-Fitr feast with traditional dishes and cultural performances.
Eid al-Fitr is a three-day celebration to mark the end of Ramadan, observe the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar, and remember Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina. If your organization serves a Muslim community, you can invite families to join together to celebrate after the month-long fasting period. You can also include activities for children in the community.
50. Nowruz poetry contest
Nowruz, also known as the Persian New Year, is another opportunity to celebrate if you serve a Persian community.
One way to celebrate Nowruz is with poetry, so your organization can host a poetry contest with an entry fee for your community members to stretch their creativity together. Include a panel of local writers or literature experts to judge for the grand prize.
51. Cinco de Mayo celebration
A fun and educational May fundraising idea is hosting a Cinco de Mayo celebration. You can provide a traditional Mexican feast and entertainment while educating your community on the history of Cinco de Mayo. Work with local Mexican businesses to provide an exciting experience to your supporters.
52. April Fool’s sing-a-gram
While April Fool’s pranks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, you can use them as a fun fundraising idea by offering April Fool’s sing-a-grams. Recruit talented singers to deliver surprise singing telegrams featuring silly lyrics or parodies of the recipient’s favorites. This spring fundraiser idea is great for schools looking to provide some comedic relief before exams start!
School spring fundraiser ideas
53. Brochure fundraiser
Brochure fundraisers are a great option for schools. Students can raise money by selling products from a selected catalog they can hand out to potential buyers. This is a perfect fundraising idea for late April or early May because you can use catalogs featuring Mother’s Day presents to motivate people to purchase.
54. DIY graduation fundraisers
DIY fundraisers provide your supporters with flexible ways to fundraise for your mission by hosting their own fundraising events, and graduation season in May is a great time to let your supporters raise money on your behalf. Graduating students can create donation pages for their celebrations and ask people to donate to your cause as a graduation gift.
55. Field day
Field days are filled with classic outdoor games and fun activities for participants of all ages. Typically, field days are school fundraising events, but you can also have your community members register as family teams and collect extra donations from their friends and relatives. Incorporate nostalgic games, such as sack races, tug-of-war, and three-legged races, to add a competitive element.
56. Dress-up day
Another great spring fundraiser idea for schools is to organize a dress-up day where students and teachers can dress for a theme. Students can purchase a ticket to participate, and you can even make it a competition to see who creates the most on-theme outfits or gets the most creative. Consider hosting the dress-up day as part of a spring spirit week to keep the fun going.
57. Opposite day
This fundraising idea works especially well for schools. Students and teachers can purchase tickets to join in on the fun of an opposite day, and you can encourage participation with activities played in an opposite way, such as purposely trying to miss the hoop in a basketball competition. You may also have students dress up as teachers and vice versa to make the day more fun.
Service-related spring fundraiser ideas
58. Car wash
Car washes are a classic fundraiser, and with the weather warming up, spring is a great time to host one. Schedule groups of volunteers at different times to wash cars for a fixed donation amount and ensure signage pointing to the car wash is visible from the road.
59. Dog walking
Hosting a dog walking event is a great way to get your community out of the house to enjoy the spring weather. Your participants can raise funds through donations for each mile walked with their furry companions or accept donations to walk a friend’s dog for them. This spring fundraiser idea benefits both your cause and the dogs who get some extra attention.
60. Lawn mowing fundraiser
As the weather warms up, lawns also start to gain some height. Offer lawn mowing services for a donation on a scheduled day where volunteers go to clean up your donors’ lawns. Advertise your lawn mowing services to your community through social media to attract potential donors.
61. Volunteer-a-thon for Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week is the perfect time for an April fundraiser focused on volunteering. Host a volunteer-a-thon that encourages your supporters to dedicate their time to community service while raising money for your mission through pledges for each volunteer hour.
Final thoughts
With the cold of winter blowing past, embrace the blossoming spring with a fun seasonal fundraiser. A unique themed fundraiser can unite your community and motivate them to support your cause throughout the year. Use these spring fundraiser ideas to renew your fundraising efforts and foster your community’s spirit.
Additional resources
If you want more fundraising ideas, check out these additional resources!
- 49 Online Fundraising Ideas to Help You Raise More. Use this list to find more ideas for virtual fundraisers your organization can host.
- DIY Fundraising Ideas for Your Nonprofit Organization. For more DIY fundraising ideas, check out this list with 50+ ideas!
- 35 Exciting Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Ideas. For more peer-to-peer fundraising ideas, check out this list of fundraisers!
