FUNDRAISING…
So many charities rely on the support and efforts of people fundraising for their cause. Fundraising is something I really enjoy and in a way I find it quite addictive, so I tend to try and put on a fundraising event once a year. I think it is a great thing for everyone to try at least once though.
There are 2 main ways for people to fundraise. The first is to do a sponsored challenge and the second is to put on a fundraising event.
I have put together a new series of updated fundraising blogs which can be found here:
- 7 Fundraising tips
- Different ways to fundraise
- Tips for fundraising events
- How to get people to sponsor you
- How to get raffle prizes donated
- Raffle Prize ideas
CHALLENGE
Challenges are becoming incredibly popular, particularly running and cycling races. You are likely to get a better response when asking friends for sponsorship if you are taking on a REALLY tough challenge – one that is different and is genuinely going to be hard. If you are a regular long distance runner and you do a half marathon then it is not a big deal.
People also become reluctant to sponsor challenges when they feel like they are paying for you to have an experience. For example you can jump out of a plane or trek Kilimanjaro and a chunk of what you fundraise will be taken to actually pay for you to do it. There are ways for you to self fund taking on these challenges where you cover the costs personally so 100% of donations go to the charity….this is something you need to think about and make a decision about what to do.
If you are looking for sponsorship you can also think about writing to companies to ask for donations, again this is more likely to be successful if you are doing something unusual or really tough. You could contact your current and previous workplaces, any gyms or sports clubs you regularly attend, local businesses and your nearest rotary club. One idea is to offer to give a talk about your experience in return for a donation.
EVENTS
The second most popular way to fundraise is to put on an event. I’ve put together a step-by-step guide with all my advice on putting on a successful event.