During summer, families are on break from school and most organized sports, and they often fill their schedules with vacations and activities.
So, how do you keep your fundraising momentum going from May to August?
Take a look below at eight summer fundraising ideas that will encourage your patrons to spend time together over the sunny months while keeping your organization’s finances on track.
1. Sporting tournament
It doesn’t have to be golf—you could opt for kickball, cornhole, disc golf, tennis, or whatever sport has the best chance of capturing your members’ attention. An outdoor tournament can be targeted at adults or families, and it’s appealing because it encourages participants to spend time outdoors in warm weather.
2. Geocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity where participants can use a GPS device or a mobile app to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches," marked by coordinates at specific locations.
A geocaching fundraiser is another way to attract support from individuals looking for ways to spend time outside during the summer. Teams can compete to be the first to return to base after collecting a sticker, code word, or other proof of visiting all geocached sites.
3. RaiseRight
Gift card fundraising with RaiseRight is an easy way to raise money throughout the year—24/7, 365. Families buy gift cards through your RaiseRight program for payment at retailers, restaurants, and more. Each brand offers a percentage of earnings that automatically streams back into your organization’s fundraising account.
During summer, you can promote gift card fundraising program to your members:
- To use on travel costs and providers for vacations
- To use at grocery stores or department stores when shopping for barbecues, get-togethers, beach days, and more
- As a way to celebrate or give for occasions like graduations or Father’s Day
- For back-to-school spending
4. Festival
A cookout, a carnival, a festival—no matter what you call it, lavish summertime gatherings provide a fun way for organizations to offer multiple fundraising options on one day or weekend. For instance, you can charge separately for:
- Food and beverages
- BBQ or other competition entries
- Raffles
- Bake and/or crafts sale
- Water balloon target shooting
- Carnival-style games and rides
- On-site scavenger hunt team registration
You can increase funds raised by shopping and using RaiseRight gift cards for event supplies.
5. Invisible event
One Redditor suggested the idea of holding an “invisible event.” Here’s how: mail (or email) an invitation that breaks down the cost of attending a splashy fundraiser, banquet, or gala. For example:
- Ticket: $40 each
- Black-tie outfit: $120 each
- Child care: $60
- Rideshare with tip: $30 each way
However, the event isn’t real—rather, you’re encouraging your supporters to donate what it would’ve cost them to attend your hypothetical event. The benefit? “In return, [supporters] get a free night [without] the hassle of a big event. You can also say that your organization is saving money by not renting a venue, spending manpower on event planning, etc.”
6. Ice cream social
An ice cream social can be a smaller standalone event or another fun feature of a festival or tournament (remember how you can slice, dice, and combine multiple offerings based on your resources).
You can host an ice cream social at a park or a sponsoring business. If resources allow, include:
- A lavish toppings bar
- Flavors beyond the vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate trio
- Non-dairy offerings
Don’t forget to use RaiseRight gift cards for event supplies!
7. Outdoor movie night
Movies in the park are popular in many communities for a reason—watching a film under the stars is a lovely experience. Be sure to include licensing and toilet facilities on your planning list, and consider the following:
- Selling concessions, bug spray, and add-ons like picnic blankets in addition to tickets
- Hosting family-friendly showings as soon as the sun goes down
- Creative planning for teens and adults, such as horror films shown in spooky locations
8. Restaurant night
If you live in a close-knit community, a restaurant night can be a fairly passive fundraiser. Negotiate with a local restaurant or bar for a slice of the profits during one day or evening in exchange for promoting the opportunity to your audience. You can earn anywhere from 5-25% of proceeds during your event.
Be prepared to market the fundraiser through:
- Emails to your mailing list
- Social media promotion
- Announcements at gatherings or events
- Ads in newsletters, programs, and websites
Fuel summer fundraising with RaiseRight
With RaiseRight, summer fundraising doesn’t have to be slow or stressful. Families simply buy and use gift cards for goods and services already within their budgets. In turn, partner brands provide earnings between 1% to 20% (with an average of 6%) that stream directly to your organization.
Our easy-to-use mobile app also makes it simple to purchase or reload gift cards on the go. With hundreds of brands available across groceries, gas, clothing, sporting goods, travel, streaming and delivery services, restaurant dining, and more, there’s something for everyone on RaiseRight.
Ready to take the next step?
- Learn more about how RaiseRight works
- Download The Gift Card Fundraising Playbook
- Get started for free
