It’s that great time of year again—the holidays! And we love them just as much as you do. So, for those groups and organizations doing a special Holiday fundraiser, we want to share with you some great ideas. As you know, this is the most generous time of year, and people want to support a good cause. And if you’re in the process of a shoe drive fundraiser, this could be extra special for you. Meaning, people don’t have to make a financial contribution. All they have to do is give you their gently worn, used and new shoes.

One thing before we get started with our Holiday Fundraiser ideas for more support… While we’ll mention shoe drive fundraisers because, well, that’s what we do, you could use these ideas for other fundraising events. So, take a look at what we’re sharing with a broad lens. You never know if it’ll inspire some fabulous idea for one of your other fundraisers. Oh, and one other housekeeping note. If you want to get our holiday fundraiser ideas deck and webinar, you could do it by CLICKING HERE. And, don’t miss our Giving Tuesday 2021 ideas season. Alright, with that out of the way, let’s get started!

1. Use Decor for Your Holiday Fundraiser

Hey, it’s the holidays. And that means that people want to celebrate and have more fun. As we know, the stores put up holiday decorations earlier and earlier every year. So, take advantage of that holiday spirit for your fundraiser. If you have a drop-off location for your shoe drive fundraiser drop-off, spruce it up with holiday decorations. You could even take a few pairs of shoes and make them decorative in a display with some holly, tinsel, or even holiday lights!

Another great idea is to take a bag or two full of shoes and add a nice red holiday bow to it. When you use holiday decor, you have the chance to brighten your location. Moreover, it suggests to people that you’re in the process of collecting shoes for your shoe drive fundraiser. So, make it a point to make your location festive and full of holiday cheer and spirit. Remember, we live at a very visual time, and this helps communicate to your community what you’re doing with your holiday fundraiser.

2. Trade Cookies for Shoes

Again, during the holidays, people want to let loose a little bit. As we know, it’s been a tough couple of years. And one of the essential things that people want is a little more compassion and kindness. So, how about having a small event at your location, school, or community center? For those people who want to attend, ask them to bring a pair or two of shoes—or even a whole bag of shoes for your fundraiser.

In exchange for the pairs of shoes, prepare or buy holiday cookies, sweets, and candy to give them. You’ll be sure to spread some cheer with some delicious cookies and holiday baked goods, and candy. Moreover, this approach is family-friendly. In other words, it’s a chance to get families to your event, and the kids will love having a sweet holiday treat. By the way, you could even make the baking time as a pre-fundraising event. Get bakers to attend the event and ask for a pair, two, or three of shoes.

3. Holiday Fundraiser Events

After a long, long time of social distancing, people need to be with other people. So, why not use your holiday fundraiser as an opportunity to bring them together? Sure, many people are busy reconnecting with friends and family, but others may not be so fortunate. Think of people far from home or seniors. In short, your event could be a time to bring people together for a bit of holiday cheer.

You could have any type of event. Think of doing fun holiday work parties for your team and close supporters, or a shoe packing party! You could also do, along with your shoe drive fundraiser, other fundraising events (check out our virtual fundraising ideas) to raise more money in fun and creative ways. The idea of an event is to share goodwill and holiday cheer with those closest to you and your broader community. And in the process, ask for people to bring the shoes they don’t want!

4. Marketing Ideas for Your Fundraiser

If you follow our team, then you know we love sharing our social media marketing ideas! As we know, social media is essential to promote your shoe drive fundraiser or any fundraiser! So, the following are crucial tips from our marketing team:

• Utilize a mix of graphics, photos, and video.
• Facebook Live is great for events or behind-the-scenes peeks.
• Leverage Facebook’s fundraising tools.
• Always include a CTA (call to action). You don’t always want to ask for donations; sometimes, you just want a share or a “like.”
• A/B test content, copy, and even CTA’s.
• Utilize polls and surveys both on Facebook and Instagram Stories.
• Post consistently and respond to comments and messages frequently.

5. Pro Tips to Create Dynamic Videos

As we know, images say a thousand words. And while actual words aren’t going anywhere, it’s vital to communicate your holiday fundraiser, or any fundraiser for that matter, through images. So, we want to share some essential tips to ensure that you put your best foot forward. Remember, it’s not all that difficult to produce excellent video content. All you need is your mobile phone, authenticity, and a few simple tips, as follows:

Keep it Simple

• Keep videos between 15 – 30 seconds.
• Pick a good angle for your shots.
• Lighting is crucial, so don’t make it too light or too dark.

Keep it Direct

• Don’t be wordy or vague about your holiday fundraiser
• Write a script if you need help and focus.
• Have a story, including your fundraiser, outlined.

Keep it Cool

• Research trends to keep with the times (always!).
• Make it educational, but fun (check out Oregon Zoo’s TikTok)
• Use helpful tools, such as polls, to raise audience engagement and insights.

Finally, for our partners, don’t forget to use your Dropbox Social Media Folder because it’s got a lot of great stuff and templates you could use! If you don’t have the link or misplaced it, just check in with the Funds2Orgs fundraising coaching team. Happy holidays!

Remember to follow us on social media on YouTube or Facebook.

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