Spring Fundraising Made Easy: Fun and Profitable Ideas for Your Organisation

You have a spring in your step – and rightly so – did you know that if you want to host a successful fundraiser or get started as a community fundraiser, then a great season to pick is a spring fundraiser.

The weather is better, and there are so many ways to successfully raise funds when you can bring together large groups. At Collection Pot we see thousands of smart campaigns as people raise money and put on quality fundraising activities, so we’re sharing our best spring fundraising tips and ideas – from what you can do, to how to ensure you’re set up for success with a community fundraiser that will be unforgettable! Gather your employees and help them get set up for success.

How to host a spring fundraiser campaign: Think I.S.C.P

When it comes to hosting a spring fundraiser, it’s all down to great planning. That’s why we always recommend that you follow the successful fundraiser acronym – ISCP. This is great for organisations and individuals alike:

Identify your cause
Set your fundraising goal
Choose the type of fundraiser
Plan your budget

Identify your cause – and share the message

You most likely have a cause in mind already (it would be quite unusual, although not unheard of, to want to fundraise just because!) While you might know everything about your charity or cause, the key part is selling this story to other people, so it becomes a successful fundraiser. This is the time to arm yourself with everything you need to get people invested.

Why does it matter to the world?
Why does it matter personally to you?
What will the funds do?
What would be an incredible outcome?

When you write this in a fundraising platform or on a letter to request funds, it gives a real structure that is compelling and engaging. Don’t forget to search community boards and social networks too – there may be many other people who want a community fundraiser and would be willing to support or help you. If the spring fundraiser is just the start, then mention this too!

Example of a community fundraising message for your organisations spring fundraiser

“At ACME inc we are supporting Cancer Research this spring as our chosen charity – and we want to make a community fundraiser. As you may know, 1 in 3 of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetimes. That is a huge amount of people. We all should be fighting to arm people with support, information and care – and to ensure that in the future, as many forms of cancer are eradicated as possible or managed with treatment. Many of our team have been affected. The work this charity does includes helping with research, supporting families and so much more. You can read more here. The spring fundraiser will help (if this is a successful fundraiser!) – to support the charity and will also hopefully engage the local community and ensure our business is involved in the greater good. This matters to us. We are planning a series of fundraising events to be a great laugh. We really appreciate your donations and support.”

Set your spring fundraising goal

The next step is to set a goal. There is no limit on what you can ask for, but it’s a good idea to calculate based on your reach and proposed activities for your spring fundraiser.

For example, a big community event might attract a couple of hundred people. With a door fee, as well as other giveaways, raffles and other fundraising moments, you could calculate an amount easily.

If you are relying on people sending funds to you for a one-off event, you might have to reign in your expectations.

That being said, shoot for the moon!

Even if you aim for £50,000 and achieve half of that, that gives you a chance to write a fundraising letter to reach local businesses and connections, explaining where your target is and where you are up to with it.

Spring fundraiser ideas:

For a spring fundraiser – the world is your oyster! As the weather improves, you can head outside and try and get people together again after a long hibernation period.

Try some of these spring fundraising ideas:

Charity Runs/Walks: Organise a 5K or 10K race that participants can register for and raise money through your Collection Pot. You can tie into an existing event, such as the Park Runs, or you can set up your own event.
Spring cleaning sales: Known over the pond as a garage sale, you can have a spring clean sale and either resell directly to people in your area or pop things into an online auction. If you are a business, you can ask employees to do this.
Garden tour: Do your employees live in an area where a garden tour could be appreciated? A great community fundraiser is one where you all live. Set up with the right people and allow local sellers to pitch up mini stalls for extra enticement to come along. You might be able to sell flowers or cuttings, and with a few jugs of lemonade and some Pimms, cakes and cream and you are on your way to a very successful fundraising event!
Picnics or Barbecues: The sun at a spring fundraiser is a dream when you want to host a fundraising event with food, drinks, and games. This can be a great way to bring people together and raise money. Time it just around the school break so families can all come and enjoy the day. Look for a long-term weather forecast, and consider areas of shelter, just in case!
Car Washes: The best day for a car wash isn’t the beaming hot day of summer but in fact, the calm of Spring on a dry day. If you play the dates right, you can do it without losing the feeling in your hands too! Organise a car wash event and charge for each car washed. This can be a fun and easy way to raise funds.
Charity Concerts: People really like to come back out after the winter, so see how you can bring people together with something that’s accessible and appreciated by all -music. Host a musical event and sell tickets to raise funds. This can be a great way to showcase local talent and unite the community. As you can see, a spring fundraiser has plenty of potential!

Plan your budget.

Your budget might entail things such as printing, postage, leaflets and flyers, food, refreshments and paying for venues. A community fundraiser will tend to have higher costs than solo activities, but they bring a bigger return. Always be sure to mention that you are doing a fundraiser, as people will often find ways to support your cause rather than charge you the full amount.

You can always add details of the costs associated with running your event(s) into your Collection Pot page so people can see how much money and time is invested in getting a fundraiser right.

Elaine Keep

Elaine Keep is an accomplished content writer with over 15 years of experience in the field of marketing and content creation for many leading brands, where she shares her passion for research and helping others through her articles. You can also find her in 'mum mode', walking in the countryside or enjoying the dreamy combo of a new non-fiction book with a tea and chocolate bar to hand.