Christmas fundraising
Crowdfunder festive fundraising 101
The practical detail behind a Christmas campaign – what four years of our own data says, when to do what, what it costs, how many people you need, and the questions we get asked most.
If you're still choosing an idea, start on the Christmas fundraising hub instead.
Last updated September 2026 · 12 minute read
Does Christmas fundraising work?
~20%
of the year's giving lands across November and December — a fifth of the year in two months.
Source: Crowdfunder data, 2021–2025
£10,218
average raised by match-funded Christmas campaigns, vs £3,099 without.
Source: Crowdfunder data, 2021–2025
£12m
in pledges over the Christmas giving period in 2025.
Source: Crowdfunder data, 2022–2025
Campaigns worth being inspired by
Five campaigns that have shaped how the UK gives at Christmas.
Here are some impressive mechanics you can scale down to any size.
Christmas Jumper Day
Save the Children
Every December, Save the Children turns a jumper into a nationwide fundraiser. Schools and offices swap uniforms for festive knits, donating as little as £2 to join in. Since 2012, Christmas Jumper Day has raised over £30 million, backed by names like Mo Farah — proof that low-effort, high-joy fundraising adds up.
Reverse advent calendar
Simon on the Streets
Not every Christmas campaign needs celebrities. Homeless charities like Simon on the Streets have built a tradition around the reverse advent calendar: instead of opening a treat each day, supporters add one to a box. By Christmas Eve it holds a store cupboard's worth of essentials — food, socks, and toiletries.
Secret Santa
Action for Children
Action for Children's Secret Santa appeal asks something simple: be a secret santa for a child you'll never meet. Supporters buy virtual gifts or sponsor a present so vulnerable children stay warm and fed over winter. What began as one appeal is now a whole festive programme — and a tradition donors come back to.
Dame Judi Dench and Dame Imelda Staunton
ShelterBox (2025)
In November 2025, ShelterBox proved a charity film needn't be solemn. Dame Judi Dench regifts an unwanted red thong to Dame Imelda Staunton — the joke lands, then the message: billions go on unwanted gifts each year, while displaced families need tents, blankets and cooking sets to survive.
Text Santa
ITV (2011 to 2015)
Between 2011 and 2015, ITV's Text Santa raised money for several charities at once through a single act: sending a text. Viewers gave by phone during a night of star-studded sketches — including a 2014 Downton Abbey parody with George Clooney. It grew from £4.2 million in year one to a record £8.3 million in its last.
The festive fundraising calendar
Eight moments that matter, and the one date most people miss: giving falls away sharply after 17 December.
Fundraising ideas by team size
Find the group that looks like yours. Every idea here works on its own or alongside a crowdfunding page, and none of them need a budget to start.
Ranges are illustrative guidance adapted from our guide to 16 fundraising ideas for grassroots teams.
Solo, or a couple of you
Run an online prize draw, sell entries and draw a winner at random.
Could raise £150–£600
Sell physical raffle tickets in person, at an event or through local shops..
Could raise £150–£500
Donate a prize yourself and keep everything raised.
Could raise £100–£400
Hold an online auction of items donated by supporters.
Could raise £200–£800
Auction vouchers or experiences donated by local businesses.
Could raise £200–£800
Run a sweepstake on a big date or event people already care about.
Could raise £100–£400
Sell unwanted kit, stock or equipment through a local Facebook group.
Could raise £50–£200
Set up a pop-up stall at a local market or fair.
Could raise £50–£200
A small team or committee
Host a quiz night at a local pub, entry fee and prizes for the winning table.
Could raise £150–£500
Host a ticketed awards evening, with a sponsored award or two.
Could raise £300–£1,000
Throw a thank you evening for the people who already back you.
Could raise £200–£600
Run a car wash at a regular event. Minimal cost, captive audience.
Could raise £80–£250 per session
Serve hot drinks and snacks at a regular event.
Could raise £30–£150 per session
Hold a bake sale, cakes donated by the group.
Could raise £30–£150 per session
Rent out your space when it's sitting idle.
Could raise £50–£200 per booking
Hire out equipment you already own between uses.
Could raise £50–£200 per booking
The whole group or organisation
Organise a tournament, entry fees per team plus refreshments on the day.
Could raise £400–£1,200
Run a themed event day, everyone dresses up and pays to take part.
Could raise £300–£900
Put on a fun day, several small activities running side by side.
Could raise £400–£1,200
Set up a sponsored walk or run, individually or pooled to one total.
Could raise £200–£600
Organise a sponsored cycle or long-distance challenge.
Could raise £200–£600
Take on a sponsored stunt or dare people will pay to see.
Could raise £150–£500
Host a watch party around a big shared moment.
Could raise £100–£400
Launch a full crowdfunding campaign for a bigger, longer-running ask.
Could raise £500–£10,000+
Choosing the right idea
Tailored inspiration and how-to guides, broken down by sector.
CICs and nonprofits
Christmas fundraising ideas for charities, CICs and nonprofits.
Sports clubs
Christmas fundraising ideas for sports clubs.
Schools
Christmas fundraising ideas for schools and PTAs.
Faith groups
Christmas fundraising ideas for faith groups and churches.
Arts organisations
Christmas fundraising ideas for arts organisations.
Food banks and warm spaces
Christmas fundraising ideas for food banks and warm spaces.
What we can help with
Start with match funding. When a fund is live, pledges from the crowd are doubled — there's currently over £10 million available across live funds, ones that open in the autumn are usually claimed before December.
Beyond that: Gift Aid adds 25% to eligible donations at no cost to you, prize draws give people who wouldn't otherwise donate a reason to, and our free coaching and webinars run right through November.
Giving Tuesday explained
1st December 2026
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that falls the Tuesday after Black Friday, the closest thing UK fundraising has to a starting gun for December.
It shows up clearly in our own numbers: 65% more pledges and 71% more raised than an average day on Crowdfunder.
You're not competing with national charities on spend, you're borrowing a day when everyone is already talking about giving.
Two decisions to make before the day: whether you launch on it or peak on it, and who's free to thank people while the pledges are landing.
Giving Tuesday playbook
- Preparation checklist
- Hour-by-hour plan for the day
- What to send afterwards
Questions people ask us
The ten we get most in November and December.
When should we launch a Christmas campaign?
Friday launches hit target 48% of the time, against 35% for a Thursday, so pick your launch day if you can. Beyond that, give yourself real runway rather than starting campaign week: aim to close after the 17th December (when giving falls away sharply) and before Christmas Eve, not on it, so there's time to plan a proper close rather than a scramble.
Is Christmas a bad time to ask — aren't people skint?
No, the opposite. Half the public say they always or usually give to charity at Christmas, against a third the rest of the year (CAF), and UK donations are expected to hit around £2.8 billion across November and December. On Crowdfunder specifically, December alone typically brings in 9-10% of the whole year's giving.
Do we need to be a registered charity?
No. Companies, CICs, unregistered community groups and individuals can all fundraise on Crowdfunder. Charity registration affects eligibility for some match funding pots, not your ability to run a campaign.
How much should we aim to raise?
Base your target on a specific, costed need rather than a round number, "we need £2,000 for new goalposts" outperforms a vague ask. Most successful campaigns are genuinely modest too, medians across the sectors we've looked at sit in the low thousands, so there's no need to feel a campaign only counts if it's a big number. You can reach your first target and then choose to add an additional stretch target.
What if we don't hit our target?
It depends which funding type you choose when you set up. On All or Nothing, you only receive the money if you hit your target. On Keep What You Raise, you keep everything raised regardless, down to a minimum of £2. Most community and charity campaigns choose Keep What You Raise for exactly this reason.
Do we need a gambling licence to run a prize draw?
No, as long as your prize draw has a free entry route, a standard-rate postal, phone or SMS entry, or free entry through the website, it falls outside the Gambling Act entirely and needs no licence from the Gambling Commission. This is different from a raffle or lottery, which does need one. Prize draw guidelines.
What's a realistic average entry or donation?
For prize draws, £3 to £10 a ticket is typical. For a straight donation ask, suggesting a specific amount ("most people give £8 to £10") can raise the average gift compared with leaving it open-ended, but generally people will give what they feel is right for the cause.
When will the money reach our bank account?
You choose weekly payouts, a manual "start when ready" option, or one lump sum when the campaign closes. Weekly payouts begin once your first pledge clears (Keep What You Raise) or once you hit target (All or Nothing), and each payout takes up to seven working days to land. If you never trigger a payout manually, it's sent automatically within 30 days of the campaign closing.
Can we get match funding for a festive campaign?
Yes, Christmas doesn't change eligibility. Check the funds page before you launch, as individual partner funds have their own timelines and caps, so it's worth confirming what's currently open rather than assuming.
What's the single biggest mistake people make?
Relying on a public post and hoping people find it, rather than messaging the people already connected to you directly. Over half of Christmas pledges come from direct or private shares, WhatsApp, email, text, not public social posts, and it's the one pattern that shows up across every sector we've looked at.