By Luna Dominic, @deca.luna_ | Florida Atlantic University, FL
Fall is the season of giving. As the air cools and the leaves begin to change, autumn offers endless opportunities to bring your chapter together and connect with your local community. With teamwork, preparation and a creative mindset, your next fall fundraiser can be your best one yet!
Planning for Success
Every strong fundraiser begins with a plan. Meet with your team to identify what you want the outcome to be and how the event aligns with your chapter’s goals. Once you know your goal, create a timeline that covers planning, budgeting and promotion. Creating a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) is a great way to help you stay organized and measure progress along the way.
Picking the Perfect Fundraiser
When selecting a fundraiser, opt for activities that are engaging, meaningful and reflective of your chapter’s identity. Think about your audience, the resources you have access to and the partnerships you can form with local businesses or even other DECA chapters in your area.
Here are a few fall-inspired ideas to get you started:
- Costume & Decoration Drive and Sale: Collect gently used costumes or fall decorations from students and families, then resell them to raise funds while promoting sustainability.
- Seasonal Bake Sale: Offer autumn favorites, such as pumpkin bread, caramel apples and pies. If you have an SBE, launch a limited edition line of fall-themed items!
- Contests and Competitions: Host a pumpkin carving contest, costume contest or even a dance marathon to spark excitement.
- Community-Wide: Organize a 5K run, football tailgate or school-wide trunk-or-treat event to get families of all ages involved.
Making Marketing Magic
Marketing is what transforms an ingenious idea into a truly successful event. Start promoting early to build “customer buzz” anticipation and maximize participation later on. Utilize social media platforms, school announcements, flyers and word-of-mouth marketing to spread the word effectively.
Ensure your message is clear and engaging in promotions: highlight why your event matters, how it supports your chapter’s goals and what participants will gain from attending. Attention-catching visuals, fall-themed designs and consistent messaging will help your promotion stand out!
Execution and Reflection
When your event arrives, soak it all in and enjoy the moment! Be sure to capture photos, videos and testimonials to showcase the authenticity of the experience and hold onto some great memories.
Once the fundraiser is over, remember to acknowledge the efforts of everyone who participated and organized the event in a meaningful way. Taking the initiative to conduct this follow-up and show your appreciation is crucial for building trust and good morale. Afterward, dedicate time to analyzing the event. Identify the successful elements and the aspects that could be improved for future events. Document this experience to leverage future growth.
Fall fundraisers are more than just events. They are opportunities to strengthen your chapter’s teamwork, creativity and community outreach. Whether you’re selling sweet treats, hosting competitions or partnering with local businesses, each entrepreneurial drive is a new way to build your chapter’s name. So what are you waiting for? We can’t wait to see how you Go The Extra with your next fall fundraiser!
