Funds are flooding forward. Americans donated more than $617 billion to non-profit organizations in 2025. Yet this money didn’t come all at once. Some days saw higher donations than others. If you are planning on fundraising in 2027, you have to be mindful of when people will donate.
What occasions should you never run a fundraising event on? What local or religious occasions should you avoid? How can you take advantage of certain holidays without running events on the same dates? Answer these questions, and you can become a master at planning your fundraising in 2027!
New Year's Day
January 1st may seem like a good time to run virtual fundraising events. Many organizers like to “ring in the New Year” with galas and fundraisers. This is exactly why you should not hold a fundraising event on New Year’s Day in 2027. It is hard to stand out in the crowd, even if you are fundraising online.
Even if there are only a few fundraising events near you, many people are celebrating the holiday and cannot attend your event. If January 1st falls on a weekend, you should not run an event on the same weekend at all. Consider doing a start-of-the-year drive that covers the entire month of January instead. You can run a few small fundraising events throughout the month instead of one big one on January 1st.
The Grammys
The Grammys will take place on February 7th, 2027. Though it is not as big of an event as New Year’s Day, it still takes up a lot of attention. This makes it hard to run a fundraising event, regardless of the cause you promote.
The Oscars
The Oscars will take place on March 14th in 2027. Pre-shows for the Oscars run for hours, so viewers may be unavailable for the evening of the 14th.
If you run a nonprofit that helps filmmakers, you may be able to take advantage of the Oscars. Hosting a screening party and inviting an Oscar nominee to speak are two unique fundraising ideas. But you may want to schedule your Oscar-related fundraiser for a different day so your attendees can give your fundraiser their full attention.
Easter Sunday
Easter takes place on March 28th in 2027. Those who celebrate Easter will likely spend the day with family, at church, or participating in religious ceremonies and are unlikely to attend fundraisers. While religious groups may find success fundraising in 2027 before or after Easter—giving food to the hungry and building homes for the homeless are good works that align well with the holiday—fundraising events should not be held on Easter Sunday itself.
Consider also that Passover week begins at sunset on April 21st and ends at sunset on April 29th in 2027. If your nonprofit serves a geographic area with a high Jewish population, you should avoid fundraising in 2027 during Passover week.
It is generally a good idea to avoid holding fundraisers on any religious holidays. Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu holidays are also dates you should research when planning your fundraisers.
Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th falls on August 13 in 2027. Most people regard the date with suspicion, believing that actions they take on that day will lead to bad luck. You should avoid planning any nonprofit fundraising on that Friday.
Independence Day
Independence Day is July 4th. It is a federal holiday, with nearly all businesses closed for the day. Most people like to spend time with their family and friends. You should not plan to run any fundraising events on that day. Veterans organizations could sponsor fireworks shows and other occasions to build their name recognition, but they should not ask for donations.
Election Day
Election Day in 2027 falls on Tuesday, November 2nd. It is a midterm election day, so all seats in the House of Representatives will be contested. One-third of Senate seats will also be contested, along with many gubernatorial and local seats. Your local area may have one or more primary days. Visit the National Conference of State Legislatures website to check when your state primary days are.
Primary days and Election Day eat up a significant amount of attention. A lot of people that may otherwise donate to your cause may be planning to give donations to political candidates and parties. Wait for a different day to fundraise in 2027.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 25th in 2027. It is a federal holiday that nearly everyone in America celebrates. Many families make a four-day weekend out of Thanksgiving, taking the Friday after Thanksgiving off from work to spend with their families. They will not be able to attend events you hold, so plan not to schedule any fundraising events for that weekend.
Around this same time of year, GivingTuesday takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which will be November 30th in 2027. You should prepare your nonprofit for GivingTuesday and then plan to spin your GivingTuesday campaign off into a year-end drive. This is a great way to cap off your fundraising in 2027.
Christmas
Christmas is another extremely popular holiday. December 25th is a federal holiday, and many nonprofits close their doors for the day. December 24th is another day that many Americans take off to be with their families. Some will attend church services or throw parties. Try to avoid running any fundraising events on December 24th and 25th.
Local Events
Be sure to be mindful of popular local events when you plan for fundraising in 2027. Football games and school vacation weeks can take up a lot of attention, especially in suburban areas with a lot of families. Try to research when people may be out of town or busy, then schedule your fundraisers for other dates.
The Worst Days for Fundraising in 2027
To sum up, there are definitely days you must plan around when fundraising in 2027.
Don’t plan to hold a fundraising event on major holidays like Independence Day and Thanksgiving. Try to avoid religious holidays as well—Easter and Passover are two examples—as they typically take up a lot of people’s time. Be mindful of local and regional events, such as football games and election dates. And, don’t forget, many people may be busy watching award ceremonies on certain nights, like the Oscars and Grammys.
Here is a link to some “Best and Worst Fundraising Dates” for 2027 that may help in setting your event up for success.
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Auction Frogs
Auction Frogs streamlines your fundraising process by giving live and silent auctions a digital backbone. Reduce hassles, save valuable volunteer time, and increase your revenue raised. We deliver unique technology to simplify the experience of hosting a successful fundraiser.
