Spring Fundraising Ideas

Spring is a time of renewal and growth, making it perfect for launching fresh fundraising initiatives. As the weather improves and people emerge from winter hibernation, they’re often eager to participate in community activities.

At Give as you Live Donate, we help charities maximise their fundraising potential year-round, offering tools and platforms to make seasonal campaigns even more successful. Whether you're looking for inspiration or a seamless way to collect donations, we’re here to support you. Here are some Spring fundraising ideas to help your charity bloom.

March

1. International Women's Day Event (8th March)

Host a women's empowerment panel, lunch, or workshop. Charge a small entry fee and invite inspiring local women to speak - such as business owners, community leaders, charity founders, campaigners, and women involved in arts or music.

Friendly tip: Give speakers at least 4-6 weeks' notice to secure their availability. Partner with local women-led businesses for sponsorship and cross-promotion.

2. Spring Clean for Charity

Encourage supporters to declutter their homes or organise a community cleanup day. Participants can ask to be sponsored for each bag of items they donate or rubbish they collect. They could also donate the proceeds from any items they sell, perhaps at a local car boot sale, or online via Vinted or eBay.

Friendly tip: Provide participants with branded bags and create a central drop-off point. This is also a great opportunity to collect quality items that can be donated.

3. St. Patrick's Day Fundraiser (17th March)

Host an Irish-themed party or dinner with traditional food, music, and games. Sell tickets in advance and offer additional activities like raffles during the event.

Friendly tip: Local Irish pubs may be willing to host or sponsor this event. Consider offering them advertising space during the event or featuring their logo on promotional materials to strengthen the partnership. Or, if you have a venue in mind that's already hosting a themed event, they may be willing to donate a portion of their ticket or event sales.

4. Mother's Day Celebration (Last Sunday in March)

Host a special Mother's Day brunch, high tea, or spa day. Share stories about how your charity impacts mothers and families.

Friendly tip: Offer tiered ticket pricing with different perks at each level, and consider creating a keepsake gift that attendees can take home or give to their mothers. You can also do this on a smaller scale, by appealing to local pubs or restaurants to donate a portion of the cost of their Mother's Day meals.

5. Picnic in the Park

Organise a community picnic with a small entry fee. Combine with other simple activities like face painting, lawn games, or a mini bake sale.

Friendly tip: Always have a backup indoor venue in case of rainy weather, and secure any necessary permits from your local council at least a month in advance.

April

6. Easter Egg Hunt

Host a family-friendly Easter egg hunt in a local park or community centre. Charge per child or per family.

Friendly tip: Ask local businesses to donate eggs or prizes to maximise your fundraising margin. Consider having a separate hunt area for different age groups.

7. Sponsored Spring Walk

Organise a sponsored walk through local scenic routes. Participants can collect sponsorship based on distance completed and track their progress using fitness apps such as Strava.

Friendly tip: Mark the route clearly and have water stations staffed by volunteers. Create a beautiful route that showcases Spring flowers and greenery. If you're not sure about hosting an in-person event, a virtual challenge where supporters walk in their own time is a great alternative.

8. Sponsored Quiz Night

Host a Spring-themed quiz night with fun questions about seasonal traditions, flowers, and trivia.

Friendly tip: Create different rounds to appeal to various knowledge bases - nature, sports, pop culture, and local history. Don’t be afraid to mix it up with a practical round – how about a quick challenge like potting a plant or identifying flower types?

9. Garden Produce Sale

Set up a community plant and seedling exchange where gardeners can sell or swap their extra plants and seedlings, with proceeds going to your charity.

Friendly tip: Encourage participants to start growing seedlings 6-8 weeks in advance. If you’re a creative type, you could make plant care instruction cards to add value to purchases. Social butterflies may want to partner with local garden centres for expert advice or donations of materials.

May

10. Community Lunch

Host a community lunch or picnic that brings people together. Charge for entry and offer additional food and drink for purchase.

Friendly tip: Source food donations from local markets, restaurants, or grocers to reduce costs.

11. Charity 5K Run/Walk

Organise a 5K run/walk event with registration fees. Create different categories for various fitness levels. You can also run this as a virtual event, with participants taking on the challenge at their own pace, in their own time.

Friendly tip: Partner with local fitness centres for cross-promotion and potential sponsorship. Participants can set up their own fundraising pages to raise additional funds from friends and family.

12. Art Project Auction

Commission or collect spring-themed artwork from local artists or school children and host an auction event.

Friendly tip: Display the artwork in a local venue for a week before the auction to build interest. Create a digital catalogue with artist statements to add value and context to each piece. Consider having some pieces available through silent auction to accommodate different price points.

Spring Fundraising Tools

For Spring events, consider using Give as you Live Donate to streamline collection. Online Campaign Pages work well for events like the International Women's Day celebration, while your supporters' Fundraising Pages can boost participation in the Spring Clean and Charity 5k Run/ Walk activities. For in-person events like the Easter Egg Hunt or Community Lunch, using Tap to Donate for contactless donations can increase giving and simplify the collection process.

Even better, you’ve got access to a myriad of free, ready-made resources in your Marketing Toolkit – including a Spring Events Printables campaign, with everything you need to promote your fundraising events over this bright and cheery season!

Need help getting started? Give as you Live Donate offers free support for fundraising all year round! Reach out to our Charity Team at charities@giveasyoulive.com to learn more. 

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Offers, donation rates and participating stores are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. Please visit the Give as you Live Online website for the most up to date information.