Valentine’s Day-Inspired Ideas for Small Nonprofit Events and Fundraisers

Valentine’s Day is all about love, connection, and giving back. It’s a time when people come together to celebrate meaningful relationships and spread joy. This makes Valentine’s Day an ideal opportunity for nonprofits to host events and fundraisers that inspire generosity and support for their mission.

By tapping into the heartfelt spirit of the holiday, you can create engaging activities that not only raise awareness but also strengthen your connection with supporters. Here are some Valentine’s Day-inspired ideas to get you started!

Valentine’s Fundraiser Ideas

• Couples Events

1. 1. • Romantic Dinner Night: Partner with a local restaurant to host a Valentine’s dinner. In addition to ticket sales, raise money by offering special services and experiences like wine pairings or a photo booth.
      • Date Night Raffle: Offer a package including dinner, a movie, and an overnight stay at a hotel. Many hotels will offer a free room in exchange for advertising and promotion!

• Singles and Friends

1. 1. • Anti-Valentine’s Party: Host a fun, lighthearted event that celebrates being single, with games, raffles, and themed snacks and beverages.
      • Galentine’s Day Brunch: Celebrate friendship with a brunch and pampering, featuring themed activities like mimosa (or mocktail) bars, manicures, and photo stations.

• Community Activities & Fundraisers

1. 1. • Cupid’s Fun Run/Walk: Host a themed run/walk and encourage participants to dress in Valentine colors and costumes.
      • Valentine’s Craft Workshop: Teach attendees to make cards or gifts for loved ones, with ticket sales supporting your cause.
      • Candy-Gram Sales: Deliver candy and notes to recipients for a small donation.
      • Flower Fundraiser: Partner with local florists to sell bouquets where a percentage supports your nonprofit.

• Themed Auctions

1. 1. • Love Letters Auction: Auction handwritten, personalized love letters written by local authors or poets.
      • Valentine’s Basket Auction: Create baskets with romantic, self-care, or family-friendly themes.

• Entertainment

1. 1. • Love Song Night: Take requests and dedicate songs in exchange for donations and offer special awards to participants. Host a live performance or make it a karaoke night!
      • Romantic Movie Night: Screen romantic classics with ticket and snack proceeds benefiting your nonprofit.

• Virtual Fundraisers

1. • Virtual Date Night: Host a cooking class, wine pairing class, art class, yoga class, or any other class with a love or relationship theme, or gear the class towards singles and Galentines!
   • Online Love Story Contest: Invite participants to share their love stories and award prizes for the best ones. You can also help participants write “love notes” of appreciation to teachers, soldiers, first responders, animal rescue workers, nurses, volunteers, etc. 

Mission-Focused Valentine’s Fundraiser Ideas for Nonprofits

Even though the following suggestions are organized by nonprofit sector, many ideas can be adapted for your organization’s specific mission.

• Advocacy Nonprofits

1. 1. • Love for ____ Auction: Auction off items or experiences donated by supporters, highlighting your mission.
      • Spread the Love Letter Campaign: Encourage supporters to write letters advocating for change in line with your mission.

• Animal Rescue Nonprofits

1. 1. • Purr-fect Match Adoption Event: Showcase pets for adoption while offering Valentine-themed photos, toys, and pet apparel.
      • Pet Kissing Booth: Set up a booth where attendees can “kiss” (hug or snuggle) a friendly dog or cat for donations.
      • Fur-ever Love Gala: Celebrate with a formal evening featuring pet adoptions and a silent auction.
      • Paw-some Self-Love Yoga: Host a yoga class featuring adoptable animals like puppies, kittens, or even goats (if partnering with a farm). Participants can stretch, unwind, and enjoy cuddles with furry friends while supporting your cause.

• Arts and Culture Nonprofits

1. 1. • Cultural Valentine’s Gala: Host a culturally diverse Valentine’s dinner showcasing food and traditions from the cultures you serve.
      • Love in the Gallery: Organize a romantic evening in an art exhibit with guided tours and themed refreshments.
      • Love the Arts: Host an event at a venue where attendees can enjoy live music, poetry, dance performances, art exhibits, and more.

• Education-Focused Nonprofits

1. • Love for Learning Book Drive: Encourage donations of books or funds to support literacy programs. Offer personalized “love notes” in exchange for donated books.
   • Cupid’s Classroom Trivia Night: Host a Valentine-themed trivia competition featuring topics like famous love stories or romantic history.

• Environmental Nonprofits

1. • Plant Love: Sell Valentine-themed potted plants or host a tree-planting event where people can “adopt” a tree in honor of loved ones.
   • Eco-Valentine Craft Night: Teach attendees to make eco-friendly Valentine cards or gifts from recycled materials.

• Health and Wellness Nonprofits

1. 1. • Heartfelt Health Run: Organize a Valentine’s-themed fun run or walk, emphasizing heart health.
      • Spread the Love Wellness Fair: Host an event featuring yoga sessions, mental health workshops, or healthy cooking demos. You can have local vendors pay to set up and sell products that align with being health conscious.

• Homelessness and Housing Nonprofits

1. • Warm Hearts Drive: Collect warm clothing, blankets, or toiletries, pairing each donation with a paper heart showcasing the donor’s name.
   • Cupid’s Cozy Nights: Create and sell Valentine care packages (e.g., hot chocolate kits, cozy socks) with proceeds benefiting your programs.
   • Send Love Packages: Create a campaign where donors can fund Valentine care packages for those you serve or an event where supporters can come to help create/assemble the care packages.

• Hunger Relief Nonprofits

1. 1. • Love Feast: Host a community dinner or food truck event with ticket sales supporting your food programs.
      • Cupid’s Cooking Class: Offer a cooking workshop with a chef teaching how to make a Valentine-themed meal.

• Music-Focused Nonprofits

1. 1. • Singing/Musical Grams: Offer a fun and personal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day by having volunteers or musicians perform love songs at a recipient’s location. Set a delivery radius. Allow song requests for an added donation.
      • Love Songs Concert: Host a live performance featuring classic love songs. Sell tickets, and include concessions or themed merchandise for extra fundraising.
      • Valentine’s Day Talent Show: Organize a community talent show where participants perform love-themed music, dances, or skits. Sell tickets to the audience and have prizes for crowd favorites. Allow audience members to pay for extra votes.

• Youth and Family Services Nonprofits

1. • Family Valentine’s Day Party: Host a kid-friendly event with crafts, games, and a photo booth.
   • Love Notes Workshop: Guide children and families in writing appreciation notes to local community members or caregivers.

We encourage you to take these ideas and run with them! Customize them for your nonprofit, mission, and donors, and show the love at your next event or fundraiser.