2022 was a year defined by inflation, and close to half way into 2023, things aren’t looking drastically different. The rising cost of living and prolonged pandemic impacts have more Canadians in need of charitable services. At the same time, fewer Canadians are making charitable donations. As we head into the summer months, we want to ensure charities are prepared to take advantage of every dollar available to their organization.

Many charities turn off their fundraising activities when summer comes. Why? Often the summer is known as the season of the "fundraising drought" when donations are lower. It's true, summer is a time when many of your supporters get busy with weddings and holidays but, that doesn't mean they stop caring about your cause. The bottom-line is, with some creativity and planning, you can raise more this summer and build stronger connections with your supporters!

Summer campaigns

Let’s dig into why charities should consider running a summer campaign by first starting with some simple tips to effectively fundraising this summer—from outdoor events to summer-themed promotions, there are plenty of ways to make a summer campaign successful.

Here are a few tips to help get you started:

Consider an in-person event! Yes, summer is popular for weekend getaways and summer vacations, but not everyone is away and those that are around are typically looking for ways to get out and have fun. They even tend to leave work early and are more open to weeknight activities. Best of all? It’s a time when you can stand out with fewer fundraising events and donation asks competing for your supporter’s attention.

The first thing to keep in mind when planning your summer event is that people want to be outside. For example, think beyond traditional fundraising events and get creative with summer-themed activities. From park cleanups to water-balloon battles, themed movie nights and golf tournaments, there are plenty of ways to make your event fun and unique. Why not sit down with your team this afternoon and brainstorm what kind of summer event works best for your organization? Be sure to consider how to balance building connections with your supporters and deepening care for your cause while ensuring donations follow. You’ll want a clear fundraising goal and plan to achieve it.

Take advantage of the summer’s ready-to-go and proven virtual fundraising event, the Great Canadian Giving Challenge. The Great Canadian Giving Challenge is a month-long contest run by CanadaHelps during the month of June to help charities fundraise during the slow summer months when donations tend to decline. During this challenge, every dollar that a donor gives via CanadaHelps is an entry to win $20,000 for a charity of their choice – and your charity could be the lucky winner, all you have to do is promote the campaign and get your supporters involved!

The challenge has been an important source of funding for many charities and it is an easy way for Canadians to show their support for the causes they care about. Plus, it’s a great way to kick off your summer fundraising. If you are interested in participating and are wondering where to start, CanadaHelps has developed a number of resources to help charities plan out and execute on their campaign.

Lastly, no matter what summer fundraising activities you land on, you’re going to want to use social media to spread the word. Social media is a great way to publicize your summer fundraising campaign. You can post about your upcoming events, share photos and videos, and encourage people to interact and donate. You can even increase engagement and event participation by offering incentives, like rewards for donating, finding a matching sponsor or by creating exciting contests and giveaways.

So, whether your charity chooses to participate in the Great Canadian Giving Challenge or if you’re kickstarting your own summer fundraising make sure you remember to set goals and track your progress. Doing this will help you stay on track and motivate you and your team to reach the desired outcome!

These are just a few tips for running a summer fundraising campaign. With the right planning and execution, your charity can have a successful campaign that brings in much needed donations and raises awareness for your organization or cause. What are you waiting for? Get planning and make the most of this summer!

Claire Spicer is the Director, B2B Marketing at CanadaHelps, a leader in providing powerful fundraising and donation technology to charities and donors since 2000. www.canadahelps.org