Spring. Summer. Fall. Any season of the year is Fundraising Season. It never stops . . . it just blooms and blossoms into refreshing activities that welcome funds for your cause.

Below are 10 fresh ideas for fundraisers. Read through the list. Think about them and how your organization can put its own twist on the ideas and come-up with imaginative fundraisers created just for your cause. Charge an entry-fee to attend or participate in an activity...there is so much more than the oldie-but-goodie car wash event.

#1 Pop for Prizes

This is a really fun activity for a gathering of individuals. When people are congregated in an area, present a rumble of balloons with hidden messages inside some of the balloons. Provide pins or “popping instruments” to the attendees and ask them to catch and pop balloons. Some of the balloon messages will identify gifts or prizes that the popper will win. This can be fun, silly, and get people involved and in a good mood.

#2 Chilly Willy

You need to raise funds all year -- not just during holiday seasons or in the summer. Chilly Willy is perfect for an activity during colder winter months.

There are several lakes and rivers in which people can dip their toes. Invite adventuresome enthusiasts to participate in a polar bear dip into frigid water. Participants can garner sponsors with proceeds going to your organization. You can have hot chocolate and warm towels or blankets handy--as well as a cheering squad.

Cold weather can warm the hearts of the individuals whom you help. Your cause can turn a cold splash into a warm experience.

#3 Drawing Auction

Show-off some young Picassos to your community. If your cause is helping children, this fundraiser may get you some attention. Participate in a local event -- picnic, concert, festival, fair -- and auction framed artwork created by children and youths who benefit from your organization. You can even have photos of each artist next to his or her work.

Even better, if you can, have the artists attend your fundraiser. Each child or youth could explain what he was thinking about when he drew, painted or sculpted his creation. The artist could explain who or what is in the image and what that item means to him. Having the individual present adds a human quality to the auction item and often brings smiles to faces in the bidding audience.

#4 Cut and Style

Whether your mission is in helping children, seniors, homeless or any other target within the community, everyone could use a haircut. You could simply collect donations for each cut or even go a step further and offer the "customers" to sponsor a hair cut for a community member in need. This activity works well just before school starts and before holidays. Involve local hair stylists in your project. Invite stylists to contribute their time for one or two days to donate the value of their haircuts and styles to your cause. Get the salon involved -- it will be good publicity for them.

This event can get local media coverage. This is also a good place to publicize your organization and send out news releases about the Cut and Style day. Something unique will get attention; just get the word out ahead of time.

Often local morning talk shows enjoy having a chance to talk to community leaders and present unique topics for discussion. Having a remote reporter at a salon and discussing your Cut and Style project could be welcomed by local stations. Again it is good exposure for your cause and great publicity for the stylist and salon.

#5 Home Run Hitters

Every red-blooded-American town loves baseball. Whether it is pro, little league, or sandlot. Every kid loves to watch or play ball. Every person has played baseball at some point in their life.

This fundraiser idea can involve students and dads and moms. Organize a home-run-hitting-challenge. Charge a fair entry fee and have a trophy for the winner.

You could hold this event in conjunction with other events--picnics, fairs, carnivals. You could challenge other nonprofit organizations to a batter-up competition. Get creative about where and when you could hold a Home Run Hitter fundraiser. Participants and spectators will have a great time.

Change it up to fit a different sport! There is a challenge to fit any sport interest.

Basketball -- Free-throw

Soccer -- P/K kick

Hockey -- Slap shot

Track -- Long Jump

Golf -- Putt

Football -- Target Throw

#6 Open Your House

Many people are curious and would like to see where things are created, manufactured, or housed. Here is your chance to welcome people to your facility and let them get acquainted with where your base of operations is, and what it looks like.

Get your donors and fundraiser participants acquainted with your organization’s home. Open your charity’s office and grounds to the public. When they see behind-the-scenes, they are more inclined to continue supporting your cause. Have volunteer “tour guides” escort visitors and have your staff greet and talk with the visitors. Attendees buy tickets.

#7 Onward to the Top

Climb a wall and support your cause. This event gives your supporters a chance to get their feet off the ground and reach for the stars. Enlist the help of a local climbing wall gym to provide the walls, and hold a race to the top. Participants pay an entry fee. Judges determine the winners in various age categories, and can present awards for the fastest climber, the slowest climber, the best dressed climber, the cutest climbing shoes, etc.

You can have “rock themed” food and drinks, such as granite gulps (drink) or rockaway nachos with pebbles. Kids can paint rocks with acrylic paints. Let your imagination climb to great heights. Make this one really fun.

#8 Dog Wash and Wipe

In the summertime, our pets tend to get stinky and sticky. Just as we enjoy a nice shower when the temperature rises, our dogs enjoy a refreshing bath and the fluffy clean feeling after -- they may even get more pets and love when they smell fresh. A Dog Wash and Wipe is the ideal fundraiser for hot days.

Invite the public to bring their dogs and get a shampoo and wipe-down. As long as you have access to water, you can hold this happening almost anywhere. Don’t forget to give plenty of publicity. Let people know that the Dog Wash and Wipe is coming to town and the date and time for the wash. You could hold this at any venue with high-traffic . . . even outside a dog park. Have a photographer on hand to take before-and-after pictures.

#9 Food Truck Round-Up

Food trucks are rolling all over cities. Tacos, BBQ, and Chinese noodles can cruise up to any corner. People are supporting and loving food trucks. Fresh and tasty at any location.

Organize a food truck round-up for a fundraiser for your cause. Get access to a large parking lot. Obtain a permit from the city, and welcome local food trucks to come and park in your area. You can charge for entry to the round-up, and the food truck owners can charge their regular prices. You can even couple this event with other ideas from this list --Pop for Prizes or Drawing Auction. Make the round-up a day filled with good food and fun for the family. Invite local street performers who welcome exposure to their skills and would gladly donate their talent and time.

#10 PJs and Pizza

Host a stay-at-home themed party. Hold it at your organization’s site or find someone to donate a location. The idea is to be comfy and casual -- and for everyone to come in pajamas or sweats. Bunny slippers and flip-flops preferred. Shoes optional. Provide a relaxed atmosphere with comfortable lighting and relaxing music. This activity gives your staff a nice opportunity to mingle and relax with donors. And, of course provide pizza. Add a portable movie screen to project a family friendly movie and you have yourself a relatively low-maintenance event that is sure to be fun for all.

Have any questions or suggestions about fundraisers? If you have had an especially successful fundraiser, care to share it with use so we can include it in one of our blogs -- and give your organization full credit? This is another way of getting your organization known -- think of it like free advertising! ;)

Keep in touch with our blog. We have ideas to share and solutions to management and organizational questions. If you have questions about any other not-for-profit industry topics, contact our not-for-profit team leader at trent@tbfosteraccounting.com.