Soapbox Engage Blog

It's never too early to get kids involved in making a difference in the world. Whether you're raising money for your favorite charity or you're fundraising to cover medical, school, adoption, or other expensive costs, it can feel like a daunting task.

Fundraising can be a great teaching tool for kids of all ages! It's also an excellent way for families to work together to accomplish a goal. Fundraising for worthy causes can help children learn valuable life skills and learn positive character qualities like empathy, generosity, compassion, and selflessness.

No matter the fundraising cause or goal, most families have busy schedules. They don't have the bandwidth to dedicate hours and hours to keep up with all the little details fundraising demands.

We rounded up some creative fundraisers for kids and families that we think everyone will actually be excited to participate in.

Table of Contents

• Crowdfunding for kids and families
• Yard sales are excellent kids' fundraisers
• Holiday themed parties and contest fundraisers for kids
• Outdoor and backyard fundraiser ideas for the whole family

Crowdfunding for the Kids and Family Fundraising Win

Crowdfunding is a strategy to raise money from many people by inviting everyone to pool together small "investments" or donations to help an individual, organization, or business reach their financial goal. Most of us are familiar with popular crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe or Kickstarter that help startups get off the ground, or individuals raise money for a cause.

Whether you're fundraising for adoption fees, medical bills, or a charity you're passionate about, crowdfunding can be an excellent way to raise a lot of money without hosting in-person events or selling any products. It's not exactly "easy money" because crowdfunding done correctly does take a bit of networking and advertising effort. Still, crowdfunding is a reasonably straightforward fundraising strategy.

Crowdfunding is an excellent fundraising option for families with older kids because everyone can participate by inviting friends, family members, coworkers, and other people in their network to donate to the cause.

Another benefit to crowdfunding as a kids' fundraiser is that it's a virtual fundraising option that you can use even during the COVID-19 pandemic!

Soapbox Engage apps that make crowdfunding more successful

Set up a custom fundraising page with the Soapbox Engage Donations app. Share all the essential information about your fundraising goals.

Having an online donation page also expands your reach and allows you to process online donations hassle-free. People in your network can share your page and invite others to get involved with your campaign.

Yard Sales are Excellent Kids' Fundraisers

Yard sales aren't just for families wanting to declutter the home; they can make excellent fundraisers (and learning experiences) for kids! Many people probably have quite a few things lying around the house that are no longer in use. If they're in good condition, you can sell them in a yard sale to raise money for your cause.

Your friends, neighbors, and family will appreciate the help decluttering, and yard sales are an excellent place to learn practical skills like handling money, making change, bargaining, and organizing. If you decide to hang flyers, run an ad in the paper, and do other advertising, it's also an opportunity for kids to learn a few marketing skills.

Start by getting the word out to everyone in your network. Share why you're raising money and what types of items you're hoping to collect for your yard sale. Sometimes people are willing to let go of valuable items around their home if they know it will support a good cause.

Make it easy for people to donate items to your yardsale by arranging to pick up donations at their homes. It's also wise to provide a drop-off site for a few days before your yard sale. Be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to organize and price all the items you collect!

Turn your yard sale into a virtual fundraiser

If you'd like to turn your yard sale into a virtual fundraiser, consider asking for donated items you can sell for profit on eBay. Some kids and families also collect gently used books to list for sale on Amazon.com.

Opting to list items for sale online does require a lot more knowledge and involvement. You'll need to list each item, follow the auction, and package and ship each item as it sells. It really can turn into a drawn-out, detailed process. However, you can raise quite a bit of money if you list desirable items for auction!

Be sure to mention that you're raising money in each product description! This can help boost the prices a bit as people are more willing to pay a bit more when they know it's going to a good cause.

Soapbox Engage apps that make yard sales more successful

Use the Forms app for an easy way to collect information about item donations. Invite friends, neighbors, and family members to fill out your form, letting you know what they're donating to your yard sale and if they'd like you to come to collect it.

You might also consider creating an online donations page so people can give directly to your cause.

Holiday Themed Parties and Contest Fundraisers for Kids

The holidays can be an excellent time to raise money for your favorite cause or charity. We found some creative ways you can turn some of the favorite holiday traditions into fun, exciting fundraising opportunities that the whole family will enjoy.

Pumpkin carving contest: Celebrate autumn and the Halloween holiday by hosting a pumpkin carving contest. Really the variations and options for this fundraiser are nearly endless! At a minimum, all you'll need to do is gather your friends and family and invite them to pay a small fee (or make a suggested donation) to enter the contest.

Consider creating different categories, so everyone feels comfortable participating. Categories for the youngest participants could ask kids to paint, rather than carve, their pumpkins. You can also offer creative categories like "Funniest Jack-O-Lantern" or "Best Hero-Themed Pumpkin." Whatever categories you decide on, make sure there's something fun and inviting for everyone.

If you're planning to host the pumpkin carving contest in-person, consider asking for a minimum donation covering the price of a pumpkin and all the necessary carving tools. Some pumpkin patches may even donate or significantly discount the cost of the pumpkins for your event.

The Ambassador Leaders organization uses the pumpkin carving fundraiser strategy, and they use a "$1 per vote" strategy. Attendees put dollar bills in the jars of the jack-o-lanterns they want to vote to win the contest. The pumpkin that brings in the most money for the cause wins the contest. Some organizations give a small cut of the money as a prize.

This event works just as well if you choose to go virtual! Have people make a donation to enter some photos of their Jack-o-Lantern creations. One way to make this virtual pumpkin carving contest more interesting is to offer prizes for each category winner. Ask local businesses to donate the prizes or create a cash pool with a percentage of the money you raise.

Gingerbread house decorating party or contest: Like the pumpkin carving contest, who doesn't love some fun, festive, and gloriously tasty holiday treats! Channel the holiday spirit of all your friends by hosting a gingerbread house or holiday cookie decorating party and contest!

Just like the pumpkin carving contest, you can choose to either have participants "pay to play" and you provide all the basic necessities, or you can have people donate a small "entry fee" and let everyone use their own supplies. This event can also quickly go "virtual" should the need arise.

Now that you've got the idea, you can extend this fundraising strategy to other holidays, too!

Offer a virtual tutorial or class before your contest to raise more money

One way to raise even MORE money with these types of contest/party fundraisers is to bring in a professional to teach a class! Who doesn't want the chance to collect a few new tips and tricks before setting to work on their pumpkin or gingerbread masterpiece! Plus, these kinds of hands-on classes make great family activities. Many people are more than happy to pay a small fee to attend these kinds of events, especially when it benefits a great cause!.

Many pastry chefs and other people have started offering virtual classes, too. Typically, they share a list of items you'll need for the class (or send the items in advance), and people can follow along from the comfort of their own kitchen!

Soapbox Engage apps that make these holiday contests more successful

In addition to using the donations page to give people the option to contribute online, the Soapbox Engage Events app will help you streamline event registration! Have people sign up for your pumpkin carving or gingerbread house contest (or decorating class) online! No more keeping track of paper sign-up slips or remembering who signed up for which contest category!

Outdoor and Backyard Fundraiser Ideas for the Whole Family

Are you looking for an opportunity to get kids and families outside and active to support your cause? There are some really fun, effective fundraising ideas that will help you accomplish just that!

Backyard Olympics: The Tokyo Olympics are coming up in a few months. Every kid loves dreaming of representing their country at The Games! Why not give them the opportunity to compete for family pride by hosting your own Backyard Olympics!

Plan a day full of competitions, sports, and activities for kids (and kids at heart) of all ages. Invite families to register for a small "entry fee" to support your worthy cause. Be sure to provide those gold, silver, and bronze medals for the event winners!

One easy way to boost your fundraising potential is to sell some snacks and refreshments throughout the day to keep your little athletes fueled and performing in peak condition.

Geo-Caching Event: Geocaching is a bit like a treasure hunt for the 21st century… think Pokemon GO, but with real "caches" or treasures to find using your phone or a handheld GPS unit. There are more than 3 million registered caches already hidden around the world… so odds are, there are probably some good ones around you already!

One option is to use geocaches already placed for your fundraiser. You can offer a prize for the individual or team that solves all the geocaching clues and reaches the cache first.

A very popular geocaching fundraiser structure is called "Geocache Poker." Each team is given GPS coordinates to several "caches" where you stashed a playing card (or several cards). It's a race and a game of strategy. When the clock starts, all the teams head out. At the end of the set amount of time, everyone reconvenes, and the team with the best Poker hand (made from the cards they collected) wins the tournament.

The Rainbow Routes trail association in Sudbury, Ontario, uses this concept in their annual "Geocache Hide and Seek" fundraiser. They add an extra layer of excitement by including additional prizes in some of the caches.

This geocaching event is an excellent, socially distanced fundraiser. Everything can be done outside. It doesn't really require any gatherings of large people (except perhaps at the very beginning… but even that could be done with everyone staying in their cars).

Soapbox Engage apps to make these outdoor fundraisers more successful

Use the Events app to make sign-ups a breeze for all your outdoor fundraising activities. You can also use the Soapbox Engage Forms app to solicit volunteers or encourage people to donate gifts-in-kind to the events (like prizes, snacks, or other things).

All of our apps are easy to set up and don't require a degree in computer science (or loads of free time) to maintain.

No matter what you're raising money to accomplish, there are loads of effective, kid-friendly fundraiser ideas out there that the whole family will enjoy!

If you're looking for more fundraising insights, ideas, and strategies, here are three more resources to keep you going.

• 4 Easy Fundraising Ideas for Teams and Sport Clubs: For many kids and parents, fundraising is just part of participating in youth sports programs. But most families have busy schedules and don't relish the idea of selling another round of wrapping paper or candy bars around the neighborhood. This blog has four effective fundraisers with youth sports teams and clubs in mind--no door-to-door salesmanship required.
• Quick-Start Guide To Planning Your First Charity Event: Charity runs, walks, and other athletic events have been successful fundraisers for many years. Whether you're thinking of planning your first "donut dash" or you'd like to take your annual charity walk to the next level, this blog includes an easy guide to help you plan a successful charity run.
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: What You Should Know and a Quick-Start Guide: Peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the fastest-growing forms of crowdfunding. With this fundraising type, each person creates their own fundraising page to raise money toward a common cause. This blog has some essential tips and tricks to help you launch your first peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.