Everyone knows that charitable giving peaks in December. In fact, GivingTuesday 2025 broke records, with $4 billion donated in the U.S. alone.
However, spring is a hidden opportunity to maximize donations. Those same donors who gave in December are often ready to give again by March or April, making it a great time to launch a campaign.
To help your fundraising bloom this spring, we’ll answer frequently asked questions about spring fundraising and provide plenty of ideas for you to pull from:
- FAQs About Spring Fundraising
- Artistic and Creative Spring Fundraising Events
- Active Spring Fundraising Ideas
- Environmental Spring Fundraisers
- Holiday-Themed Spring Fundraising Ideas
- Spring Cleaning Fundraisers
- Food-Focused Spring Fundraising Ideas
- Family-Friendly Spring Fundraisers
FAQs About Spring Fundraising
What Makes Spring Fundraisers Unique?
Spring fundraisers are unique because while spring isn’t always a fundraising-heavy time of year, it presents an opportunity to capture supporters’ attention outside of the urgency of year-end giving in the winter and the back-to-school fundraising rush in the fall.
After months of cold weather, donors are ready to get outside. Many spring fundraisers revolve around the outdoors, encouraging supporters to enjoy the milder temperatures and show up for your organization. Plus, from Mother’s Day to Earth Day, there are many seasonal holidays that enable you to anchor your fundraising efforts around central themes and deliver experiences that make giving fun.
Why Host a Spring Fundraiser?
There are many benefits to hosting a spring fundraiser, including:
- Avoiding donor fatigue. Donors who gave during the year-end fundraising season will likely need a break before they’re ready to give again. The spring presents an opportunity to re-engage supporters and provides ample time for them to consider another donation. Plus, spring coincides with tax season, meaning donors who receive tax refunds may have a little extra disposable income to offer your organization.
- Offsetting the slow summer giving season. Historically, summer is a slow time for donations, especially for school-based groups. By ramping up your fundraising in the spring, you’ll provide a cushion to help sustain your organization, even if donations dip in the summer.
- Lower overhead costs. Since spring weather inspires outdoor events, you can likely save on venue costs. Instead of renting indoor spaces, you can host spring fundraising events at public parks or on your school or facility’s grounds, helping you create incredible experiences for less.
What Best Practices Should My Spring Fundraiser Follow?
To set up your spring fundraiser for success, implement these best practices:
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- Schedule events strategically. While spring is a prime fundraising time, it’s still busier than you might realize. Avoid scheduling any fundraising events too close to spring break, standardized testing, or Memorial Day to encourage participation.
- Make rain plans. Although spring typically has milder weather, we’ve all heard the phrase “April showers bring May flowers.” Always offer a rain date for outdoor activities, and try to secure an indoor venue just in case.
- Leverage seasonal sponsors. Spring is a huge marketing season for certain local businesses. Consider forming partnerships with landscapers, pool-cleaning services, summer camps, and pest control companies that will appreciate some extra exposure during the spring.
- Clean your donor data. Take spring cleaning to your database. Remove duplicate entries, correct any errors, and ask supporters to update their contact information so you can easily reach them with any spring fundraising communications.
- Use relevant visuals. Spring is associated with vibrant colors and floral motifs. Incorporate these visual elements into your marketing materials to make them pop and celebrate the spring spirit.
Artistic and Creative Spring Fundraising Events
1. Fashion Show
Get your community together for a fashion-forward event! Partner with a local boutique that can provide spring clothing for participants to model. Then, sell tickets to raise funds for your organization.
2. Talent Show
Uncover hidden talents among your school or nonprofit community. Hold auditions to round out your show lineup, and sell tickets so everyone can join in on the fun. In good weather, you may even consider hosting your talent show outside.
3. Craft Night
Supporters of all ages will love participating in a spring-themed craft night. From pipe cleaner flowers to spring-scented candle making, the possibilities are endless! Charge supporters a small fee to participate.
4. Sidewalk Chalk Festival
Let kids show their creativity with a sidewalk chalk festival. Parents can pay to “rent” a sidewalk square for their children to decorate. You can even raise extra funds by selling chalk at the event!
5. Tie-Dye Party
Take this messy craft outside in the spring sunshine. Sell white t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags, and provide fun dye colors so participants can customize their own creations.
Active Spring Fundraising Ideas
6. Spring Fun Run
Spring is the perfect time for a Fun Run! Use peer-to-peer fundraising software so participants can set up their own individual fundraising pages. They’ll collect pledges for each mile they run, raising money on your organization’s behalf.
7. Walk-a-thon
If your supporter base prefers a more leisurely pace, you can host a Walk-a-thon instead. The process is exactly the same, but participants walk rather than run. You can also combine a Fun Run and Walk-a-Thon so participants can choose the pace that best suits them.
8. Obstacle Course Challenge
Encourage a little friendly competition with an obstacle course challenge. Set up the course outside or in your school’s gymnasium. To raise funds, you can either charge for participation or have participants collect pledges for completing the course.
9. Hula Hoop Contest
How long can your supporters keep a hula hoop going? Put their skills to the test with a hula hoop contest! Similarly, you can either charge participants to enter the contest, or have them collect pledges per minute they can keep the hoop up.
10. Color Run
Celebrate the spring spirit with a vibrant Color Run! Have participants wear white, and douse them with colored powder at regular intervals along the course. Participants can collect pledges per mile they run.
11. Field Day
Plan a day of fun activities where your community can get outside and release some energy. Incorporate classic games like tug-of-war, water balloon toss, dodgeball, capture the flag, and a three-legged race. Charge a general entry fee, and sell concessions to boost revenue.
12. Step Challenge
Support your community members’ fitness goals while raising money at the same time. See who can take the most steps within a specified time frame. This fundraiser is similar to a Walk-a-thon, but usually takes place over a longer period of time and requires participants to track their steps with a smart watch or other fitness tracker. Use a system where participants can create peer-to-peer fundraising pages to collect pledges, record their steps, and see how they stack up against the competition.
13. Dog Walking
Let your supporters take the day off from walking their pups while supporting your cause. Have volunteers walk dogs in exchange for a small donation to your organization.
14. Hit-a-thon
Baseball teams will love participating in a Hit-a-thon to raise funds. Kids can gather pledges from their friends and family based on how many successful hits they get. That way, they can get some extra practice time and help raise money for the team.
15. Shoot-a-thon
Similarly, basketball teams can host shoot-a-thons based on how many shots they make. Make sure to set parameters like how much time participants have to make a shot and how far from the hoop they have to stand.
16. Yoga in the Park
Partner with a local yoga studio to host a ticketed class on a weekend morning. Alternatively, if you have any donors or volunteers who are yoga instructors, ask them to run the class.
17. Pickleball Tournament
Capitalize on the pickleball trend with a fun-spirited tournament. Rent a local court, or use your school’s own court. Charge an entry fee, and let the competition begin!
18. Bike-a-thon
Elementary school students will love showing off their skills in a Bike-a-thon. Similar to other a-thon events, participants can collect pledges, but this time, based on the number of laps they complete.
Environmental Spring Fundraisers
19. Plant Sale
Celebrate Earth Day with a plant sale! From flowers to succulents, you can offer a variety of options so supporters can pick the plant of their choice.
20. Electronic Recycling Drive
Have supporters bring in old electronics that they can recycle for a small fee. Then, you can have volunteers drop off the items at a local recycling center or organize a pickup directly with a relevant organization.
21. Used Book Sale
Collect used books from supporters, libraries, and school classrooms. Organize the books by genre, author, or title, and bring new life to these already loved stories! Consider communicating parameters to ensure contributions are in reasonably good condition.
22. Birdhouse Building Contest
See which of your supporters can make the most beautiful birdhouse. Charge an entry fee and provide supplies to build and decorate birdhouses. Consider asking supporters to donate to vote for their favorites to earn even more.
23. Nature Photography Contest
Challenge nature lovers in your community to a photography contest. Create two entry categories—one for amateur photographers and another for experts—and watch the donations flood in.
24. Community Cleanup
Put a spin on a typical community cleanup by making it a fundraiser. Participants can collect pledges for every pound of trash they collect from local parks or beaches.
25. Tree Sapling Adoption
Sell tree saplings that supporters can plant in their own yards. It’ll be the gift that keeps on giving as they watch their trees sprout and grow!
26. Herb Garden Kit Sale
Set your supporters up to grow tasty herbs like basil, mint, and cilantro right on their windowsills. Sell mason jars with soil and seeds, and include instructions on how often to water them.
27. Floral Arrangement Class
Enlist a local flower shop to lead a floral arrangement class. Supporters can learn the art of flower arrangements, the flower shop can promote their business, and of course, your organization can boost funds—it’s a win-win-win!
Holiday-Themed Spring Fundraising Ideas
28. Easter Egg Hunt
Kids will love participating in a classic Easter egg hunt, and parents will love that it’s for a good cause! Hide the eggs around your school or facility, and get ready for a day filled with fun.
29. Egg Decorating Contest
You may also hold an egg decorating contest to get into the Easter spirit. Charge a per-entry fee and have voters make a small donation in exchange for their voting power.
30. Mother’s Day Flower Grams
Let community members show their love for the moms in their lives by selling flower grams. Make sure you provide paper and pens so they can attach sweet notes to the flowers.
31. Pi Day “Pie the Teacher” Event
Ever wanted to pie a teacher in the face? For some students, this will be their dream fundraising event. Students can donate to throw a pie in a teacher’s face on Pi Day, March 14th. Just make sure to create a list of teachers interested in participating to avoid any unwanted surprises.
32. May the 4th Trivia
All Star Wars fans know that May 4th is a special day. Celebrate this classic with a trivia fundraiser where the biggest fans can show off their knowledge and win a themed prize.
33. Purim Festival
Purim is a Jewish holiday that involves dressing up in costumes. Many Jewish organizations and schools host Purim festival fundraisers where families can purchase tokens that let them participate in fun activities—while in full costume, of course.
34. March Madness Watch Party
Celebrate the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments with a watch party or two! Partner with a local restaurant or pub where supporters can watch the game and have a meal, with a percentage of proceeds going to your cause.
35. St. Patrick’s Day Green Breakfast
Kids will love getting a green breakfast fit for a leprechaun! Whether you sell green bagels, pancakes, or eggs, it’s sure to be a tasty (and colorful) breakfast for all.
36. Cinco de Mayo Taco Night
Gather your community together at your local Mexican restaurant for a Cinco de Mayo fundraiser! See if there are any restaurants in the area that would be willing to give a percentage of their proceeds from the night to your cause when patrons mention your organization.
37. International Women’s Day Fundraiser
International Women’s Day is typically in March, so it’s a great excuse to celebrate notable women and raise funds for your organization. Consider hosting a bingo or trivia night themed around women significant to your specific cause.
Spring Cleaning Fundraisers
38. Car Wash
Nothing screams “classic spring fundraiser” like a car wash! Have volunteers wash community members’ cars in exchange for a small donation. (It’ll be cheaper than the other options in town, and people will be happy to support a good cause while getting their cars squeaky clean!)
39. Dog Wash
Similarly, let community members bring their pups in for a quick scrub. All proceeds will go directly to your cause.
40. Community Garage Sale
Encourage everyone to do their own spring cleaning with a community garage sale! Raise funds by having families rent a park spot to sell their items in, or take a percentage of all proceeds.
41. Window Washing Service
Pollen be gone! Equip your volunteers with the tools they need to collect donations and wash your community members’ ground-floor windows.
42. Document Shredding Event
Getting rid of old papers is much easier when you have access to a shredder. If your organization has one, this is an easy fundraiser. Charge participants by the box to shred their sensitive papers.
43. Shoe Drive
Collect gently used shoes from your community with a classic shoe drive. Earn funds by selling them to a recycler or a shoe drive-specific company.
44. Clothing Swap
Encourage sustainability with a clothing swap event. Participants can pay an entry fee to swap gently used spring clothes and spruce up their wardrobes for the season.
45. Junk Haul-Away Day
Say goodbye to clutter with a junk haul-away day. For a donation, supporters can have volunteers with trucks haul their items to the dump so they don’t have to worry about it.
Food-Focused Spring Fundraising Ideas
46. Food Truck Fundraiser
Gather families in your community with a food truck fundraiser. Partner with local food trucks, which can park right outside your building or in a designated parking lot. Then, they’ll give your organization a percentage of their proceeds from the day.
47. Ice Cream Social
Cool off with a delicious ice cream social. Adults and kids alike will enjoy making their own sundaes in exchange for a small donation.
48. Chili Cook-Off
Who makes the best chili in your community? Find out with a chili cook-off fundraiser. Chefs and participants alike can pay an entry fee to support your cause.
49. Picnic in the Park
Assemble and sell picnic baskets with everything you need for the ultimate spring picnic. Then, community members can enjoy the picnic in the park together.
50. Bake Sale
Put a spring twist on the classic bake sale. Have volunteers bake spring-themed items, like cookies or cupcakes with flower designs, and sell them on your organization’s behalf.
Family-Friendly Spring Fundraisers
51. Outdoor Movie Night
A cool spring night is the perfect time for a movie. All you need is a projector, a family-friendly movie, something to project it on, and concessions, and you’re good to go.
52. Rubber Duck Race
Your local river is a natural course for a rubber duck race fundraiser. Sell numbered ducks, and watch them race down the river. The owner of the winning duck gets a prize.
53. Scavenger Hunt
Organize a town-wide scavenger hunt where teams can pay to enter. Or, set one up on a smaller scale around your facility or school.
54. Penny Wars
In a penny wars fundraiser, classes or teams compete to fill jars with pennies. Opposing classes or teams dump silver coins to subtract points from their competitors. At the end, your school or team gets all the coins and can cash them in.
55. Teacher Challenge
Students love seeing their teachers do something out of the ordinary. If a class raises a predetermined amount of money, they can have their teacher do something silly, like go in a dunk tank or dye their hair.
56. Kite Flying Festival
On a windy spring day, there’s nothing better than flying a kite. Sell simple kits and invite families in your community to a local park (or outside your building) where they can treasure this simple joy.
57. Board Game Tournament
On the other hand, a rainy spring day presents an opportunity for a board game tournament. Stay dry indoors while supporters compete after paying a small entry fee to play.
58. Family Festival
Welcome the spring season with a family festival. Set it up like a carnival with games, rides, and concessions that families can enjoy for purchase.
59. Silent Auction
Host a family-friendly silent auction this spring. Offer prizes geared toward kids, like games and toys, along with more adult-oriented items, like wine and local gift cards, so families will be motivated to join the fun.
60. Pet Parade
Imagine your supporters dressing up their pets and paying a small entry fee to parade them around town. What could be better?
61. Parents’ Night Out
Give parents a well-earned break with a parents’ night out event. Organize a dinner at a local restaurant that parents can attend, while volunteers offer babysitting services.
Additional Resources
Spring fundraisers are the perfect way to boost your revenue and gather your community during this restorative time. Whether you’re looking for a fundraiser that will get your supporters off their feet, provide them with delicious treats, or bring families together, this list of spring fundraising ideas has something for everyone.
For even more fundraising ideas, check out these examples:
- 12 Festive Winter Fundraiser Ideas to Inspire Generosity. Still looking for winter fundraiser ideas? Look no further than this guide.
- 12 Fall Fundraiser Ideas to Build Community and Boost Revenue. Fall is another great time for fundraising. Explore fall fundraising ideas here.
- 50 Winning Sports Fundraising Ideas to Help You Raise More. Check out these sports-specific fundraising ideas to raise more for your team.
