Fall is the perfect time of year to celebrate abundance, community, and gratitude as part of your fundraising campaigns. For nonprofits, schools, and community organizations, autumn is a prime opportunity to engage supporters with seasonal activities—and raise vital funds at the same time.
From cozy harvest-themed gatherings to spooky Halloween events, fall fundraisers can be both fun and profitable. Here are 12+ of the best fall fundraiser ideas to inspire your next campaign.
What We’ll Cover
- Chili Cookoffs
- Fall Harvest Festival
- Pumpkin Carving or Pumpkin Painting Contest
- More Halloween Fundraisers
- Corn Maze Fundraiser
- Oktoberfest Party
- Outdoor Movie in the Park
- Farm-to-Table Dinner
- Walk-a-thons and Fun Runs
- Bowl-a-thons or Top Golf Events
- More Custom Peer-to-Peer Events
- Make the Most of Fall Fundraisers
Chili Cookoffs
Nothing says fall like a warm bowl of chili. A chili cookoff fundraiser is a crowd-pleasing event that brings your community together in friendly competition. Invite local chefs, amateur cooks, or school teams to participate in a cooking competition. Charge an entry fee for contestants and sell tasting tickets to attendees.
You can boost fundraising by implementing a vote-for-your-favorite system, where supporters donate to vote. Also, get participants excited by offering prizes to winners in categories such as “Hottest Chili” or “Best Vegetarian.”
Fall Harvest Festival
A fall harvest festival is a classic, family-friendly event that typically features hayrides, face painting, local food trucks or vendors, and carnival-style games. These festivals can be hosted at a school, farm, or community park and provide a variety of ways to raise money through entrance fees, vendor booths, raffle ticket sales, and concessions.
Make sure to include a fundraising booth that highlights your organization’s mission and offers online and mobile giving options for newbies to your cause.
Pumpkin Carving or Pumpkin Painting Contest
Tap into the Halloween spirit with a pumpkin carving or painting contest. Charge a small entry fee and offer a range of categories, allowing people of all ages and skill levels to participate. You can even incorporate a virtual component by encouraging participants to submit photos of their creations online and allowing people to vote with donations on peer-to-peer fundraising pages.
Partner with a local farm or grocery store to donate pumpkins or offer a discount to participants.
More Halloween Fundraisers
There’s no shortage of creative ways to fundraise around Halloween, especially for schools or kid-centered organizations. Your group can consider these fundraising ideas for fall campaigns:
- Host a Haunted House: Transform a local gym, school floor, or community center into a spooky walkthrough experience.
- Trunk-or-Treat: Safer than traditional trick-or-treating, this event features volunteers decorating their car trunks and handing out candy in a parking lot.
- Costume Contest: Charge an entry fee and offer prizes for the best costumes by age group or theme.
These events are ideal for families and can be paired with bake sales, food truck fundraisers, or raffle drawings to enhance the experience and raise more money.
Corn Maze Fundraiser
If there’s a corn maze near you, partner with the farm to host a fundraising night. Advertise the event, and a portion of admissions can go to your cause, or you can rent out the venue for an exclusive event.
Enhance the experience with a themed scavenger hunt, glow stick sales for night-time navigation, and food and hot cider stands. A themed evening, such as “Maze & Movie Night,” can be a big draw for families.
Oktoberfest Party
Celebrate the season with a festive Oktoberfest event featuring bratwurst, pretzels, live music, and craft beer tastings. Charge admission or offer all-inclusive tickets for food and drink samples.
To raise more, your organization can include a silent auction of donated items, cornhole or other contests and games, and branded merchandise sales. This is a great option for adult supporters who enjoy social gatherings with a purpose.
Outdoor Movie in the Park
Host a cozy, fall-themed movie night under the stars. Choose a family-friendly film or a Halloween classic and project the movie onto a large outdoor screen. Encourage guests to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Offer popcorn, hot cocoa, and snacks for sale.
This event can be low-cost if hosted on school or public grounds, and you can fundraise through ticket sales, concessions, and sponsorships from local businesses.
Farm-to-Table Dinner
Host a fall-themed fundraising dinner featuring local, seasonal ingredients. A farm-to-table dinner appeals to donors who appreciate sustainability, fine dining, and community connections. Partner with a local farm, chefs, or caterers to plan the menu and recruit volunteers to serve and assist with meal preparation.
Sell individual tickets or full tables, and offer opportunities to donate during the event through a live appeal or fundraising auction. This type of event is also ideal for sharing impact stories and showing how contributions make a difference.
Walk-a-thons and Fun Runs
Cool fall weather is perfect for outdoor fitness fundraisers, such as a walk-a-thon or fun run. Fun Runs invite supporters to have fun and get active for a cause. Get creative with fall themes or costume runs. Participants can sign up individually or in teams, then raise money online.
Our free walkathon platform provides easy-to-use peer-to-peer fundraising tools, enabling participants to set up their own fundraising pages and share them with friends and family with ease.
Bowl-a-thons or Top Golf Events
When the weather turns chilly, an indoor bowl-a-thon or Top Golf fundraiser is a fun alternative to outdoor events. Reserve bowling or Top Golf lanes, create team challenges, and encourage participants to raise funds by collecting pledges per pin or hole played.
Add a competitive edge with team costumes, prizes, and contests to break up the rounds and keep the audience engaged. Bowl-a-thons and Top Golf events are great for families, schools, or corporate teams looking for a lighthearted way to give back.
More Custom Peer-to-Peer Events
Want to give your supporters more flexibility? Host a DIY fall fundraiser where individuals or teams can create their own events, like apple-picking challenges, leaf-raking or lawn services, or backyard bonfires for a cause.
Using a peer-to-peer fundraising platform like DoJiggy, each participant can set up a personal fundraising page, share their fundraising ideas for fall, and collect donations online. This approach empowers your community and expands your reach.
Make the Most of Fall Fundraisers
Regardless of which fall fundraising idea you choose, ensure that you plan early, promote it widely, and offer multiple donation options, including mobile and online giving. Visuals, storytelling, and seasonal touches will help your campaign stand out and raise more.
DoJiggy simplifies your fundraising planning process with free online registration tools, peer-to-peer pages, and real-time reporting—so you can focus on engaging your supporters and making your event memorable.
Conclusions on Fall Fundraising
Fall fundraisers offer the perfect blend of community spirit and seasonal fun. Whether you’re hosting a cozy farm-to-table dinner, a spooky haunted house, or a family-friendly walkathon, the key is to connect your cause to the joy of the season.
With these fall fundraiser ideas, you’re sure to find something that aligns with your mission, audience, and fundraising goals. So grab your pumpkin spice latte and start planning—autumn is calling!
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