Like many of you, I sure am looking forward to some cooler weather and everything pumpkin flavored that Trader Joe’s has to offer. I am also looking forward to fall festivals and the bounty of creative and exciting ways to raise funds while having fun! From pumpkin carving contests to haunted houses, there are so many ways to embrace this new season with fresh ideas.
The following fall festival fundraising ideas and action steps are great for any nonprofit looking to warm the hearts of their supporters and make a meaningful impact for their beneficiaries. Whether you are looking for ideas as a church, school, or other community-oriented nonprofit, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the event ideas, how to’s, and fundraising strategies so that you can get started on your own autumn extravaganza!
Laying the Foundation
Defining The Purpose And Goals Of Your Fall Festival
As a kid, I remember begging my parents for more money to bring to school for our annual fall festival, namely for one particular event: the cake walk. Depending on your organization, the cake walk may not be the winning experience, however, it is crucial to define what and who the event is for, and how you will engage people to attend. Focusing on your cause is imperative and relaying that information to your attendees is essential in ensuring a successful event.
It is important to consider questions like these. Are you:
- Curating a kid-friendly fundraiser that caters to families?
- Envisioning a delightful, cost-free gathering that unites the community?
- Looking to offer a paid festival where your supporters get an experience or create something they can take home?
Not sure? Don’t worry, we will share more questions to ask yourself and ideas below.
The Art of Planning and Organization
Behind the scenes of every successful fall festival fundraiser lies meticulous planning. Every detail, from selecting the perfect venue and crafting engaging activities to coordinating volunteers and securing sponsors plays a crucial role in creating a seamless and unforgettable experience. The time invested in careful preparation not only ensures a smoothly run event but also maximizes the fundraising potential, leaving both organizers and attendees with a sense of accomplishment and delight.
Choosing the Right Location and Date
It is important to look for both a practical and pleasing venue for your target audience. If you live in an area with unpredictable weather, maybe choose a venue that has both indoor and outdoor features. Hosting an event for families where most people need to drive? Consider securing a place with easy and ample parking.
When choosing a date for your fall fundraising event, try to plan around, or maybe with other similar events to ensure maximal footfall. It is always important to gauge the community’s availability to ensure that your event becomes an integral part of their fall schedule.
To learn everything there is to know about planning a nonprofit fundraising event, check out our free guide.
Download your Complete Guide to Fundraising Events
Crafting Engaging Activities and Entertainment
If you are stumped for ideas of what to include for your big event, don’t worry. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for activities to consider including in your fall festival:
1. Pumpkin Patch
Create a charming pumpkin patch and offer fun activities like pumpkin carving contests, hayrides, and pumpkin painting. Attendees can purchase pumpkins and participate in the activities, with proceeds going towards your cause. You can get prizes donated so that the person with the best pumpkin carving wins something special. This adds a little friendly competition and encourages more people to get involved.
2.Haunted House or Corn Maze
Capitalize on the Halloween spirit by organizing a spooky haunted house or corn maze. Charge admission for the thrill-seekers who want to experience the scares. You can also offer different levels of fright, ensuring there’s something for everyone. If you are space limited, offer a costume contest where participants can win a spot prize for the best outfit. You can set up a photobooth and encourage participants to take photos and tag your organization. This is an easy and free way to gain exposure and create excitement around your event.
3. Live Music
Curate a diverse lineup of local musicians, bands, or performers that resonate with the fall theme and your audience’s preferences, or host a community talent show. You can charge entrance for the day and invite people to bring their blankets and set up for an afternoon of entertainment. Don’t forget to offer hot apple cider or Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSL) for people to enjoy while they listen.
4. Fall-Themed Games
Friendly competition adds an electrifying spark to your fundraising efforts. You can have a variety of games for all ages from apple bobbing relays to pie eating contests. Kids can enjoy a hay bale maze or leaf pile jump with little prizes hidden amongst leaves. Adults may enjoy bingo, fall themed trivia, or pumpkin bowling. Regardless of age, these engaging activities heighten the festival experience and foster a sense of community while supporting your cause.
5. Silent Auction
Incorporating a silent auction into your fall festival fundraising event can significantly enhance the engagement and fundraising potential. You can gather fall-themed auction items, like a fall inspired cooking class and harvest basket, a weekend away in the mountains, or an autumn adventure pack with outdoor gear and experiences. To make the silent auction family friendly, you can tie in a pumpkin-themed play area or hayride experience for the kids while the parents walk around and bid on items.
If you are looking for more inspiration, check out these 19 Fall Fundraiser ideas.
Promoting your Fall Festival Fundraiser
Creating a Buzz
To ensure your fall festival fundraiser reaches its full potential, leverage the power of social media platforms to reach a wide audience, using captivating visuals and event details to pique interest. You can also engage local community channels through posters and flyers to tap into the neighborhood’s pulse. The age-old charm of word-of-mouth remains a potent tool – encouraging supporters to share the event within their circles and to bring a friend–or the whole family–is a great way to multiply the amount of attendees.
Capitalize on using social media to promote your fall festival!
Volunteer Recruitment and Management
The heartbeat of any successful fall festival fundraiser is the dedicated team of volunteers. Reach out to your network of supporters to share this exciting, tangible way to get involved in your organization.
Efficiently managing volunteers involves establishing a structured system where roles and responsibilities are defined, allowing volunteers to contribute their skills effectively.
And always remember to acknowledge your volunteers’ hard work. Recognition not only fosters a positive relationship but also encourages their continued involvement in future events, creating a cycle of support that benefits both the fundraiser and the volunteers themselves.
Fundraising Strategies
So now that you have some ideas on what you want your event to include, what your goals are, and how you are going to get the word out, the real work begins. There are a myriad of ways to approach fundraising and here are some ways to maximize your fall festival!
1. Sell Tickets To Your Event
One easy way to operate your event is to sell tickets. With CauseVox ticketing, you can streamline the buying process and maximize your fundraising with integrated event ticketing.
You can also sell tickets for attendees to be able to participate in the different activities you’ve laid out above.
2. Ask For Corporate Sponsorships
By partnering with corporate sponsors, you provide businesses an easy opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause that positively impacts their community. This collaboration not only allows you to continue serving your constituents effectively but also positions the businesses as heroes, actively engaged in creating change.
Women Build was able to secure several corporate sponsors to help them reach their mission’s financial goal.
3. Set Up A Donation Page
It is important to set clear fundraising targets and communicate the impact of your supporters’ donation or purchase on the cause. At CauseVox, you can create a dedicated campaign site (for free!) that allows you to reach your audience, accept donations seamlessly and share your progress.
You can also invite your supporters to set up peer-to-peer donation pages to engage their communities. For instance, if you are planning to incorporate a “No Shave November” campaign into your fall festival, this is a great opportunity for the participants to set up their own fundraising pages. Picture all the bearded participants showing up on a stage at your fall festival to show off their new facial hair. On the day, you could even provide voting jars for attendees to choose the best beard by placing a dollar in the respective jar.
4. Host A 50/50 Raffle
A 50/50 raffle is a great way to add an exciting twist to your fall festival. Participants have a chance to win half of the collected funds, while the remaining half supports your cause, creating an engaging way to rally support and raise funds simultaneously.
5. Sell Merchandise Or Food
Food vendors are the culinary architects of an unforgettable festival experience. Adding fall favorites, like apple cider, caramel coated apples and pumpkin pie is a great way to add an extra source of income for your fundraiser, especially if you are able to get the food and drinks donated. After an eventful day, everyone will want a nostalgic treat, and knowing that their money is going to a good cause may entice them to buy even more!
This is also a great opportunity to engage the community by inviting local vendors and food trucks to set up at your event. You can arrange that a portion of each sale goes towards your cause, or they pay a flat fee to set up shop for the day. This promotes local business and benefits your mission without the hassle of organizing catering.
Fall Into Fun
By now I hope the creative juices are flowing with all the ideas of what fun experiences you can include in your fall festival fundraiser.
To make the entire process seamless and stress-free, utilize CauseVox’s comprehensive downloadable fundraising guide to take the guesswork out of your planning and executing your fall festival fundraiser.
As always, be sure to share how your supporters’ involvement furthers your organization’s mission, reminding them that their bobbing for apples isn’t just for a prize, it’s for a purpose!
