9 Breakfast Fundraiser Food Ideas to Make it a Success | 2023 Updated

Fundraising breakfasts are a great way to reach a broad range of potential donors all at once. They’re also relatively inexpensive to organize as fundraisers go. That being said, if you’re not careful, your fundraising breakfast can end up costing you a lot more than that.

In this blog post, we’ll share six great ideas for your next fundraising breakfast and everything you need to know to make it a success.

Breakfast Fundraiser Food Ideas to Make it a Success:

Live-Event Fundraising: Auctions and Games

Nothing gets people more excited about giving than being able to participate in a fun, live event. Give your guests a chance to engage with each other and leave with a souvenir by including a raffle.

For example, you could sell raffle tickets for seats beside a guest speaker at your next event. Or, try an auction to generate more money from your guests. For example, auction off signed merchandise or tickets for a special experience with a celebrity or influencer.

Another option for live event fundraising is games and puzzles. This is a great option for younger donors and larger groups.

For example, try hosting a debate or trivia night that your guests can participate in. Or, you could challenge your guests to solve a puzzle. Participants who solve the puzzle first win something special.

Finally, consider using a live auction to close out your event. This is a great way to get your guests excited and keep them engaged toward the end of your event. A live auction is best used to raise money for a large-scale project or a recurring need.

Donor Recognition Breakfast: Shout Out Your Biggest Supporters

At the donor recognition breakfast, you can recognize your biggest supporters in front of your entire audience. This is a great way to motivate other donors to give and inspire others to increase their gifts.

Reward your biggest supporters by inviting them to sit at the head table or by recognizing them in your event program. You can also create a donor wall or donor board to recognize your top donors onsite.

Alternatively, you can thank your donors in the form of a gift or prize that is relevant to your cause or mission.

Networking Breakfast: Build Relationships with Prospective Donors

If you are hosting a networking breakfast, you can set aside time for attendees to meet and greet each other during the event. This is a great way to break the ice and allow potential donors to get comfortable with one another and ask questions about your organization.

During the networking portion of your event, you can also set up a table where attendees can write down any questions they would like answered. This is a great way to centralize questions and make your nonprofit organization’s response easier.

Cause Marketing: Leverage Partners and Existing Brands

If your fundraising event will feature a brand partner or cause marketing opportunity, you can capitalize on their presence at the event. At the end of the breakfast, invite guests to make a special contribution to your organization. Ask them to donate in exchange for a special gift or experience.

For example, you could invite guests to donate to receive a special gift from your organization or to receive advertising space on your organization’s website.

This is a great way to generate additional revenue from companies that want to support your cause but cannot give a traditional donation. You can also sell ad space on the back of your program or event signage.

This is a great way to earn additional revenue while also promoting your cause to a wider audience.

Licensing Rights Breakfast: Raise Money Through Intellectual Property Rights

If your organization owns any valuable intellectual property rights, you can use those rights to fundraise at your breakfast event.

For example, if you own the rights to a book, you can sell the publishing rights to your book at your event. This is a great way to raise money from the publishing rights to your book, and it makes an interesting twist on a standard book signing. You can also sell the licensing rights to your organization’s logo or slogan.

This is a great way to raise money from an existing asset and reinvest the funds back into your organization. If you don’t own any intellectual property rights that you can sell, you can also ask for donations of intellectual property rights.

For example, you could ask guests to donate the publishing rights to their next book. This is a great way to raise money without spending any money on your end.

Offer great food and coffee

The food and coffee at the event are one of the first things that guests will notice. Therefore, offering guests an excellent selection of food and coffee is important. This will help guests feel welcome and comfortable at the event.

It can also help establish your organization as a high-quality, professional organization. Offer a wide range of options, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Avoid coffee and tea that is strong enough to overpower conversation. Your goal should be to enhance the experience, not silence it.

Ask for cash, not pledges

At some point during the event, you should ask for cash donations. This is important because it establishes cash donations as the primary parting gift for your guests. It also makes it easier for your guests to stay consistent with their giving goals throughout the year.

However, you should ask for cash upfront instead of asking guests to make a pledge and make follow-up calls throughout the year. This is a much better option because it shifts the responsibility for donating from your organization to the guest.

It also reduces the number of unwanted calls and emails your organization has to deal with.

Add a small raffle or game to boost attendance and revenue

A small raffle or game can help improve attendance and revenue at your breakfast event. If you are concerned about attendance, adding a raffle or game can greatly boost attendance.

It’s also a great way to create excitement and provide a small souvenir for guests who attend. For example, you could host a small raffle at the end of your event that offers guests a chance to win a signed book or special gift from an author. A small game is another great option.

It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. You could even host a small version of Trivia for donations. The trick is to ensure the prize or game is relevant to your organization and mission.

Breakfast foods that encourage giving

Some breakfast foods are better for fundraising than others. With that in mind, here are some of the best foods for fundraising breakfasts:

Cereal – Cereal is a great way to start your day. It’s also something that almost everyone loves. It’s also fairly inexpensive to buy in bulk.

Granola – Granola bars are great for fundraising because they make a nutritious breakfast. All you have to do is add a sticker with your organization’s logo or mission statement to the packaging.

Pancakes – Pancakes are a classic breakfast food. They’re also relatively easy to make. All you need is a griddle and a little bit of time.

Waffles – Waffles are a great breakfast food and they’re also delicious when topped with fresh fruits and syrups.

Bagels – Bagels are very easy to make. They’re also inexpensive, and they can be topped with a lot of different ingredients.

Eggs – Eggs are a nutritious and affordable breakfast item. They’re also easy to make in large quantities.

Yogurt – Yogurt is a great way to start your day and a healthy option. You can top yogurt with fruits and granola to create a tasty and nutritious breakfast.

Coffee – Coffee is a staple for many people and it’s also cheap to buy in bulk. All you have to do is provide single-serving cups and brewing machines.

Wrapping up

Whether you’re hosting a smaller event or a larger one, it’s critical to do your research. Make sure you understand your target audience and their needs. Find out what will motivate them to give and make it easy for them to do so. With the right approach, you can make your event a success.

Fundraising breakfasts are great at many different events to build relationships and raise funds. However, they can be challenging to organize.

When it comes to planning your fundraising breakfast, pay close attention to the content. Make sure it’s tailored specifically for your audience.

The content of the presentation will have a big impact on the success of your event. Keep in mind that there are many different types of fundraising breakfasts. Some are more popular than others. Try to choose a type of fundraising breakfast that is most relevant to your event and your audience.