Fall fundraiser ideas

Trivia is a popular way to guarantee some light-hearted fun on a budget. In-person or online through Zoom or a communication channel with poll features, a fall-themed trivia night is a great way to get everyone participating. Subjects could include Halloween, Thanksgiving, sports and food-related facts on everyone’s seasonal favorite: pumpkin spice.

Use our fundraising tools to create a registration page for teams to enter ahead of time and award prizes to the team with the most correct answers. 

Hosting a fall festival is a great way to kick off the season and jumpstart your cause. You can hold it at a local park, garden or farm. Some fun, classic activities you can choose to include in your festival are:

• Bobbing for apples stands
• Pie-eating contests
• Hayrides
• Corn mazes
• Scavenger hunts
• Autumn-themed photo booths

What’s October without Halloween costumes? A classic costume contest is a Halloween fundraising idea favorite and something the whole family can enjoy. Participants can pay an entry fee and vote on the best costumes by category like craziest, funniest, scariest and more.

Want to take it a step further? Host a costume parade to promote the mission of St. Jude around your city for greater participation. (Tip: Create a sign directing parade goers on how to donate!)

Another successful Halloween fundraiser that "screams" fall is a haunted house. Host your attraction somewhere easily accessible such as a large garage or outside by a location with a spooky urban legend.

Ask if anyone in the community is willing to donate or lend Halloween props, or DIY some of your own. Gather volunteers to dress up and hand out candy. Sell tickets for entry and a good scare! 

Host a charity walk through scenic fall foliage or your region's most picturesque spots to support your cause. Ideas could include walks in the park for specific age groups and full-day hikes with adults.

Donations for your organization can be made through participant registration fees, and it is an opportunity to partner with local businesses that may be willing to sponsor your event. You can offer T-shirts customized for your cause and hand out goodie bags.

When the sun goes down, it’s time to cue the projector. Partner with a local drive-in theater or DIY your own backyard theater with an inflatable screen and hay bales and blankets for lounging.

Charge admission and offer cinema-style refreshments to sell such as popcorn, hot cocoa and candy to help raise funds. You can even offer a raffle where the winner gets a free movie poster or snack at the concession stand. This event also gives you a chance to raise awareness about your organization with the crowd before the movie begins.

Turn this seasonal chore into an opportunity to grow your nonprofit and give back to your community with a leaf cleanup campaign. Set up an online fundraising page to receive donations and monitor the lawns in need of raking. Charge a flat fee or provide tiered pricing for donors to decide what to give.

If you’re feeling up for a challenge, make it a competition for kids to see who can rake the most bags of leaves by groups. 

Gather the community together to submit and taste-test signature chili recipes. Attendees can sample the entries and cast votes on their favorite chili dishes. You can include multiple categories such as best overall, best vegan/vegetarian, spiciest and more, and award a prize to the winning team.

Charge an admission fee for a delicious way to spend a fall day while raising money for a good cause. 

Apple and pumpkin pies are essential fall desserts. Have supporters bake their best pie recipes and charge an admission fee for attendees to sample them all. You can also combine this event with a bake sale for people to purchase their favorite pies. Local bakeries might even be willing to donate pies in exchange for being promoted in your fundraising event. 

Consider hosting a tailgate party fundraiser at your community high school, college or professional football team. This is a great way to both socialize with your community and raise awareness for your cause.

Football tailgate parties can be hosted virtually, too, and football fans can enjoy cheering on their team and supporting your cause as they gather to watch the games on TV. 

Make returning to school more fun by hosting a small community fair. Hosting it outside allows for more space and time to enjoy the crisp fall weather.

Set up all-ages carnival games or a stage for a talent show, rent a bouncy house, offer face painting and more. Consider working with a local restaurant for catering food or a local farm to offer pony rides. To raise funds, consider charging an entry fee or per activity.

Adults can relive their high school days with a homecoming-inspired dance-a-thon. Capture the magic of the 80s and dance the night away. Consider charging an entrance fee or for food or drinks where all proceeds from purchased drinks go toward raising funds for your cause. Include a few themed raffles throughout the evening to improve donations. 

What better way to show thanks and giving this fall than hosting a Thanksgiving charity dinner for the community? Such events can be held in a school cafeteria or gym, community center or backyard. Partner with local restaurants to help cater for the event, and see if any families want to contribute some of their own favorite dishes for Turkey Day.

Raise money by selling tickets for attending, and ensure there’s enough food to go around and maybe even for some to take leftovers home.