Wonderful Winter Fundraising Ideas & Planning Tips
Indoor & Outdoor FUNdraisers for Schools, Clubs, Churches & Teams
Last Updated August 20, 2026
As pumpkins give way to snowflakes, you may find yourself scrambling to hit your yearly fundraising goals and wondering which winter option is best for your group. Good news: there's no shortage of creative ideas, and the holiday season gives you a built-in boost of community spirit and generosity. Spread some cheer this season while raising the much-needed funds for your good cause with these indoor and outdoor FUNdraisers!
Indoor Winter FUNdraisers
1. Book Swap & Silent Auction
Invite community members to bring gently used books for a swap, charge an entry fee for participants to pick out new reads, and pair the event with a silent auction featuring donated items from local businesses.
2. Carol-oake
Host a night of karaoke where participants can only sing holiday carols, and encourage festive costumes that match their selected song. Pick a few judges to crown the best performance and collect a minimum donation from both performers and audience members. Stream the event for virtual entries to raise even more!
3. Cheesecake Competition
Ask volunteers to submit their best cheesecakes and request a minimum donation from attendees. Serve bite-sized portions in individual paper cups, ask attendees to vote for their favorites, and award a prize at the end. Pro Tip: Ask the nearest restaurant supply store to donate supplies in exchange for sponsorship recognition on your social media and at the event.
4. Crafting and Cocoa Night
Combine a cozy hot cocoa bar with a crafting station where attendees make winter-themed creations like DIY snow globes, holiday ornaments, or personalized mugs. Charge a small entry fee and let participants take their creations home as a keepsake.
5. Indoor "Garage" Sale
Ask families and community members to donate gently used or new items ahead of the event, then organize the sale inside a gym, community center, church hall, or school auditorium. Schedule it during or just after the holidays when people are ready to clear out and declutter.
6. Gingerbread House Contest
Decide whether participants build their creations before or during the event, then have judges and/or attendees vote on the best entries based on originality, difficulty, and overall design. Ask participants to pay an entry fee or raise money through a crowdfunding platform like GoFundMe.
7. Holiday Concert
Enlist the school choir, band, and other local musicians to perform for the community. Charge a small entry fee and pair the concert with a seasonal raffle and concession stand to boost profits for the evening.
8. Holiday Movie Night
Recruit a tech-savvy volunteer to set up a projector or viewing screen, then rent the rights to a holiday classic and sell tickets. Charge a small entry fee and set up a concession stand with popcorn, soda, and seasonal snacks to boost the evening's earnings.
9. Indoor Mini Golf Extravaganza
Transform classrooms, hallways, or a gym into a winter-themed mini golf course with creative obstacles and challenges. Charge an entry fee and offer prizes for top scores. It's a crowd-pleaser for all ages!
10. New Year's Eve Party
Invite community members to a New Year's Eve celebration with a twist: kick off the year by doing good! Whether it's a black-tie affair or a fun themed party, serve seasonal drinks and appetizers donated by local businesses in exchange for advertising. Ask attendees to crowdfund for entry and award a prize to the top fundraiser.
11. Parents Night Out
Give parents a much-needed break during the busy holiday season! Enlist a high school club or sports team to volunteer as babysitters, secure the gym, and have parents sign up for drop-off spots and pay a per-child fee. It's simple to organize and fills up fast.
12. Photos with Santa
Set up an after-school Santa photo station in the gym or auditorium and use SignUp to manage volunteer shifts and appointment slots. Ask the theatre department to decorate the backdrop and coordinate a Santa costume through a local costume shop or community member. Promote the event in neighborhood email groups, at daycares, and in the school newsletter, and set up a donation box for suggested contributions. Encourage pet photos too!
13. Poinsettia Sales
The festive flower of the holiday season makes for a simple, effective mini-fundraiser that can bring in $500 to $2,000 during the holidays. Connect with a poinsettia fundraising company online, buy in bulk, and sell at a profit to community members.
14. Raffle
A raffle is a terrific stand-alone fundraiser and pairs beautifully with any other event. Ask local businesses for prize donations in exchange for advertising, or source prizes through a fundraising platform partner. Seasonal prizes like sleds, snow gear, sports event tickets, or a family trip to an indoor waterpark tend to generate a lot of excitement. Ask volunteers to sell raffle tickets at $1, $5, and $10 price points. Pro Tip: GiveBacks (formerly MemberHub) makes it easy to run a raffle from start to finish!
15. Snow Day Board Game Tournament
Organize a tournament featuring winter favorites like Monopoly, Scrabble, and Clue. Charge an entry fee for teams, and award a grand prize to the ultimate champion. It's low-cost to host and surprisingly competitive!
16. Super Bowl Event
Organize a viewing party for the big game. Sell tickets or have attendees crowdfund for entry, and award a prize to the top fundraiser. Add kid-friendly activities to make it a family event, or combine it with the Parents Night Out idea to double your fundraising efforts.
17. Ugly Sweater Party
Plan an ugly sweater party and invite attendees to enter a contest for the most creatively terrible sweater, with a prize for the winner. Pair it with a silent auction featuring items donated by local businesses in exchange for sponsorship recognition on social media, your website, and in community newsletters.
18. Virtual Fitness Challenge
With New Year's resolutions in full swing, a virtual fitness challenge is a natural fit. Set a time period and a goal (miles walked, laps swum, hours cycled), and have participants secure pledges from friends and family or corporate sponsors. A virtual format opens up participation to anyone, anywhere.
19. Window Painting
Gather artistic volunteers, think Art Club members and other community creatives, to paint holiday murals on local business windows in exchange for donations. It's a high-visibility way to get your group's name out in the community while raising funds.
20. Winter Crafts Workshop
Host an in-person or virtual crafting workshop featuring ornament decorating, wreath making, or snow globe assembly. Ask attendees to pay a suggested minimum donation to participate, and use SignUp to manage registrations and provide a supplies list ahead of class time.
21. Winter Favorites Recipe Book
Invite community members to submit their favorite winter recipes, compile them into a printed book and e-book, and sell both as a classic product fundraiser. Pro Tip: Ask your local print shop to cover printing costs in exchange for an ad in the cookbook, boosting your profit margin significantly.
22. Winter Trivia Night
Host a holiday-themed trivia night at a local venue or community space. Charge an entry fee per team and let the competition get festive with categories like holiday movies, winter history, and seasonal foods. Award a fun prize to the winning team and pair the event with a raffle or concession sales to maximize your fundraising total.
Outdoor Winter FUNdraisers
1. Caroling for Donations
Gather volunteers to sing holiday carols in a public venue with donation boxes for the audience, or go house-to-house collecting contributions as you go. Hang clear signs explaining the cause, and advertise the caroling route in advance so the community is ready to welcome you.
2. Fire Pit Fundraiser
Set up several fire pits at a local park or outdoor venue and sell tickets for an evening of s'mores, hot drinks, and storytelling around the fire. Add live music or a local storyteller for extra atmosphere and engagement.
3. Holiday Elves (Services for Donations)
Offer seasonal services in exchange for suggested donations: setting up and taking down Christmas decorations, wrapping gifts, shoveling snow, and Christmas tree disposal are perennial favorites. Use SignUp's add-a-spot feature so community members can list tasks they need done and your volunteers can claim them.
4. Holiday Lights Tour
Ask community members who decorate their homes to add their address to your tour map through a SignUp link. Then create a shareable map of the tour and offer it in exchange for a small donation. It costs almost nothing to organize and brings the whole neighborhood together.
5. Hot Cocoa Stand
As temperatures drop, this easy mini-fundraiser is perfect for your next soccer game, Scout event, or club parent meeting. A few thermoses of hot chocolate, some paper cups, and a couple of handmade posters are all you need. Don't forget the marshmallows! Pro Tip: Encourage supporters to bring their own reusable mugs to save on supplies.
6. Ice Sculpture Contest
Organize an outdoor ice carving contest where participants pay an entry fee and show off their creative skills. Have local businesses sponsor the event and provide prizes, and let attendees vote for their favorite sculpture by making a donation.
7. Murder Mystery Event
Turn your outdoor space into a wintry crime scene! Choose a holiday-themed murder mystery plot, sell tickets for participants to join, and offer hot cocoa, mulled cider, and snacks for sale. Sell "hints" to teams for an extra fee to boost revenue. Pro Tip: Use SignUp to recruit volunteer actors and schedule rehearsal slots so the whole production runs smoothly.
8. Outdoor Winter Market
Organize a winter market featuring local vendors, artisans, and food trucks. Charge booth fees for vendors and an entry fee for attendees. Add live music or caroling to create a festive atmosphere that keeps people browsing (and spending) longer.
9. Polar Plunge
Organize a 5K walk or run that ends with a chilly plunge in a local body of water. Challenge-seekers love this kind of event, and participants earn serious bragging rights for completing it for a good cause.
10. Ski-A-Thon or Tube-A-Thon
Partner with a local resort to host a timed race where participants ski as many laps or make as many tubing runs as possible within a set window. Charge a registration fee, set up a concession stand, and crown a King and Queen of the Mountain at the end. Pro Tip: GiveBacks (formerly MemberHub) can help you manage the whole thing from registration to finish line.
11. Sledding or Ice Skating Event
Reach out to your local ice rink or ski slope to arrange a profit-sharing day for your fundraiser. Advertise the event and invite the whole community to join. Pro Tip: If you're in a warmer climate, get creative with a parking lot roller rink or a day of snowless sledding!
12. Sleigh Rides or Hay Rides
Find a volunteer willing to donate or discount their ride services, then sell tickets for a sleigh or hay ride. Pair it with other outdoor events on this list for a full day of winter fundraising fun.
13. Snowball Fight Tournament
Arrange a tournament of snowball battles and have participating teams raise money through crowdfunding or ticket sales. Give teams that raise more funds a gameplay advantage, like extra players or bonus shots. No snow in your area? Swap in water balloons or indoor no-sew snowballs instead. Pro Tip: MemberHub's fundraising platform is a great option for managing team-based fundraising events.
14. Snowman or Snow Fort Building Contest
Host a building contest for snowmen or snow forts and charge a small entry fee or have contestants crowdfund. Request a minimum donation from spectators and sell hot chocolate or lemonade. No snow? Use kinetic sand, Lego blocks, or cardboard boxes for a climate-friendly alternative.
15. Snowshoe Race
If your area gets snow, host a snowshoe race through a local park or forest trail. Charge a registration fee and set up sponsor tables and donation stations along the course for additional fundraising opportunities.
16. Winter Scavenger Hunt
Create a seasonal scavenger hunt in a local park or neighborhood with clues leading participants to winter-themed items or landmarks. Charge an entry fee and award a prize for the first team or individual to complete the hunt. It's a great way to get the whole family moving and involved.
17. Winter Farmers Market
Partner with local farmers and small businesses to host a seasonal outdoor market featuring fresh produce, baked goods, handmade crafts, and holiday gifts. Charge vendors a booth fee and collect a small entry donation from attendees. It's a feel-good event that supports multiple community members at once while raising funds for your cause.
No matter which fundraiser you choose, free online SignUps can help you manage volunteers, recruit participants, and keep everything running on schedule. Ready to get started? Create your fundraiser SignUp today, completely free!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the best winter fundraising ideas for schools?
A: Some of the most popular and effective winter fundraisers for schools include Photos with Santa, Holiday Movie Night, Poinsettia Sales, Parents Night Out, and Indoor Mini Golf. They're easy to organize, family-friendly, and generate strong community turnout during the holiday season.
Q: What are quick winter fundraising ideas that don't require a lot of planning?
A: Poinsettia Sales, Hot Cocoa Stands, and Raffle campaigns are some of the simplest winter fundraisers to pull together quickly. For groups with a little more time to plan, an Ugly Sweater Party or Holiday Trivia Night can come together in a week or two with good volunteer support.
Q: How can I manage winter fundraiser volunteers with SignUp?
A: Create a free SignUp at signup.com and add time slots, tasks, and roles for your event. Share the link via email, social media, or your school newsletter and volunteers can sign up instantly from any device. Use SignUp to send reminders, track participation, and keep your team coordinated from setup to cleanup.
Q: Can I combine multiple winter fundraising ideas into one event?
A: Absolutely! Many of the ideas above pair beautifully together. A Holiday Concert + Raffle + Concession Stand is a classic combo. An Outdoor Winter Market + Caroling + Hot Cocoa Stand creates a full afternoon of community fun and fundraising. Combining events often boosts your total by giving attendees multiple ways to give.
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About the Author
Diana Schlott
Customer Champion & Content Creator
Diana is a SignUp co-founder and content creator of how-to user guides, YouTube videos, and Idea Center content on fundraising, mentoring, and business management. More about Diana →
