2019-2020 Fall Fundraising Trends

It’s back-to-school time, which means back-to-fundraising time! Looking for some fresh ideas to boost your fundraiser mojo this school year? Check out these latest trends in fundraising for some great ways to mix it up and keep people engaged in your cause.

Community Clothing Swap

Appeal to the shopaholics in your community with this fun spin on the age-old neighborhood yard sale idea. Prior to your event day, ask participants to donate gently used clothing: last year’s kids sports gear (cleats seem to only last a season before they grow out of them!), dance recital costumes, the pricey jeans grandma sent that are now too small - anything that could be used again! We suggest allowing at least two weeks for collection with several friendly reminders. The day of the event, set up clothing racks or (makeshift clothing racks with ladders and rope) and hang the donated clothes. Set a per-item minimum donation amount, then allow participants to shop ‘til they drop!

Participants get to clear out some old items, revamp their wardrobes, and give to a good cause. And any leftover clothes can be dropped off at The Salvation Army, Goodwill or another community donation center.

Tried-and-True Candy Fundraising

Appeal to… well, everyone with a candy fundraiser! Yep, candy fundraising is still a hugely popular trend. Why? Because EVERYBODY loves chocolate! And nobody can say no to an adorable kid supporting a good cause with sweets! And talk about an easy option for the organizer! The key to success is choosing the candy wisely, not all candy fundraisers are going to achieve success.

One company we know you will see success with is See’s Candies! See’s provides a simple fundraising experience that requires no registration of any kind and includes all of the materials that you may possibly need – pre-sell forms, envelopes, bags, fundraiser banners, and more, all for FREE! They even have local Fundraising experts on hand to help you organize and hit your goals. To top it all off, earn up to 50% in profits! Learn more about kicking off your Fall and Holiday Fundraiser with See’s Candies here .

Virtual Dares for Dough

Appeal to thrill-seekers with this modern version of Truth or Dare without the Truth and with a twist of tech. We like to call it Virtual Dare! Sponsor this contest on Facebook and Instagram.

Begin by making a list of funny and bizarre tasks and ask participants to volunteer for things they are willing to do for donations. (Use Signup.com’s free signup sheets to make this task a breeze!) Think ice bucket challenge, planking in a designated public place, or wearing mismatched shoes for a day. You could even include extreme dares for the real dare junkies – give yourself a mohawk, crack an egg over your parent’s head with no warning, or let someone wax your back.

Using the volunteer signup list (dares + volunteers), create a second Signup for sponsors. Ask them to contribute a certain amount of money per dare, depending on the difficulty level. After a sponsor signs up and funds the dare, notify the dare volunteer and ask that they record a video of them completing the dare. Then share the videos on social media.

Dog Wash

Appeal to all of the dog lovers (there are A LOT of us!) in your area with a dog wash, another spin on a traditional fundraising idea, the tried-and-true car wash fundraiser. It’s simple – wash for donations. But washing pups is way more fun than washing cars!

Pro Tip: Ask local pet shops to donate the dog shampoo needed in exchange for sponsor advertising on social media and at your event. 

Personal Mentor Auction

Appeal to the ambitious crowd with the opportunity for self-improvement, whether it’s the next LeBron James or Bill Gates. Coordinate with local high school or college coaches to organize a calendar for personal coaching sessions. Likewise, reach out to people with special skills, professionals and business owners in your community as well as influencers/thought leaders on social media to create a calendar for digital mentoring sessions via video chat.

Once you have your mentors on board and your calendars set up, use a charity auction software to set up an online auction for participants to bid on the available mentoring sessions.

Kick off the season with these festive Fall Fundraiser trends and ideas. Pick an idea or pick two to create an unforgettable impact this year!