8 Fun And Exciting Fundraising Event Ideas For This Summer

Worried about how to raise funds for your non-profit organization easily? Running out of the quintessential creative juice? Don't worry too much! Because it's summertime and this season is perfect to organize various fun and exciting activities which will also be golden opportunities for fundraising. The pleasant weather of a summer evening is the most suitable for thrilling outdoor activities with family, friends and neighbors. Add in a noble cause to raise funds for and you get a really great experience out of it.

To help you with the brainstorming, we are here to help you with some interesting and creative ideas for fundraising with a nominal budget.

1. Sports Tournament: When you try to think of a common outdoor activity most people enjoy, it would be sports. There's sports-lovers everywhere and it's a sure shot way to bring a community together. Arrange a sports tournament in your local park or playground. It can be any kind of sport ranging from football, baseball, volleyball, basketball to golf. Pick one or two options depending on the popular choice of your organization and neighborhood. You can try to form partnerships with the local clubs, sports associations and sports-gear sellers to sponsor the event so you can raise even more money. Don't forget to keep stalls for refreshments as well to attract a bigger crowd and collect a few more bucks.

2. Movie Night: Another relaxing and fun fundraising event could be a movie night. A summer evening would be perfect to put up a big screen in an open space, lay blankets and cushions in the ground, gather a crowd of movie lovers and venture into the world of action, romance or fantasy. Choose 2-3 movies including classics and latest hits so everyone can enjoy them. You can charge a nominal charge for tickets for raising funds. Take care of the screening permission beforehand so you don't land in any legal issues. Also no movie night is complete without snacks. So keep arrangements for popcorn, chips, candies and beverages so you can earn a bit from selling those as well.

3. Barbeque Party: One more sure shot way to attract a large crowd to your fundraising event is to lure them with food. Who doesn't enjoy a good barbeque party? It's very hard to resist tasty grilled meat delicacies. You will be easily able to raise funds through selling dishes, sauce and various beverages. Partner up with a local butcher and restaurant to provide you with the required meat, grilling equipment and cutlery. You will also need volunteers to take responsibility to man the grills at all times. You can also add activities like raffles and auctions to get some additional funds.

4. Yard Sale: Hit two targets with one stone and go for a classic yard sale fundraiser. Ask the members of your organization, friends, family and neighbors to donate things they don't use anymore and arrange a yard sale. They can be clothes, books, toys, gadgets or anything in decent, usable condition. The money earned through the sale will directly benefit a good cause and the donation drive will motivate many people to declutter the mess they might have in their wardrobe or cupboard. Another benefit of yard sales is that people can often get their hands on things they otherwise can't afford.

5. Tree Planting: Go for this brilliant 2-in-1 combo fundraising idea this summer where in addition to raising money for a cause you are also planting trees to save nature. Partner up with a local nursery or shop to sponsor you the necessary saplings to organize a tree planting campaign. Advertise and encourage nature lovers to come join the activity and pledge donations. You can easily organize this event in a nearby forest or park with necessary permissions from authorities.

6. Art and Craft Fair: Arrange an art and craft fair in your locality to draw the art lover crowd to engage and donate to your fundraising campaign. Give your local artisans and craftsmen the chance to get a stall in the fair to showcase and sell their creative pieces in exchange for a reasonable fee. Also get their pledge to donate a portion of their profit to the fundraiser. This is a great opportunity for many small businesses to get a good exposure. Don't forget to arrange stalls for snacks and drinks as well so visitors get something to munch on while roaming the fair.

7. Live Concert: Make this summer weekend even more exciting with this amazing fundraising idea. Organize a few hours of musical bliss aka a concert. You can invite a popular singer or a band if you have the budget and means. But even if you can't afford to bring a big celebrity, you can still go for local artists or bands. It could be a good opportunity for both the parties involved where you would be able to host a fun concert and the amateur artists would get decent promotions. You can charge a small fee for concert tickets and additional charges for food and drinks to raise money for the decided cause.

8. Bake-off: Give your local bakers or aspiring bakers a chance to showcase their talent through this ingenious fundraising idea of bake-off. Ask people to bring their best baked goodies to the competition to decide on who is the best baker in the area. They would be charged a small amount to participate in the event which would then proceed to the chosen cause. You have to also arrange a few experienced bakers in the community to be the judge of the baking contest and prepare a lucrative prize for the winner to attract more participants.

Few things to keep in mind while you are arranging a fundraising event:

• Choose a particular cause for fundraising and make it clear to everyone so they know what they are supporting. 

• Set a realistic goal for funds. Particular goals motivate people more than vague estimations. You can also pledge to do something special like donating books to the local library or giving clothes to the kids of an orphanage when a specific fund goal is met to encourage more people to donate.

• Choosing appropriate locations is a must for an event to be successful. A golf course for a golf tournament, a decent swimming pool for swimming contests and a big, open space for movie screening - they are important. So be careful about choosing locations, get permission from authorities and keep a backup plan if somehow weather plays tricks in case of outdoor activities.

• Recruit enough volunteers to help manage the events. Smart and hard-working volunteers are of utmost importance for smooth operation of a fundraising event.

• To make a fundraising event successful, you need to properly advertise it everywhere. Verbally tell people, make banners, hand out flyers and promote the programs on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

• Build a rapport with local businesses so they are willing to sponsor your fundraising events when needed.