Fundraising tips
To raise £3,000 or more may seem like an impossible challenge right now – but fear not! As soon as you register, we will send you a detailed fundraising pack that is full of ideas and advice. Our Fundraising Team will also provide you with an array of fundraising materials and on-going support to ensure that you meet and even exceed your target!
Follow these 10 simple steps to meet your fundraising challenge
Step1. Check what the minimum sponsorship target is for your challenge and get started – don’t delay – the sooner you get going the better.
Step 2. Planning & dedication – make a list of all the people you could approach, the events you would like to hold and the sponsored activities you could do. Plan well ahead and start as soon as possible, this could take several months!
Step 3. Delegate – never underestimate the value of volunteers and helpers. They could have hidden talents, hobbies, event-organising skills and the ability to access untapped donors. Let your friends, family and colleagues decide how they would like to help and get them involved.
Step 4 Budget – don’t spend lots of time and money on an event or activity with only small returns
Step 5 Record – Keep details of everyone who has supported you, this is good practice but also helps you keep track of who you need to thank.
Step 6 Who to ask for support? Friends and family, colleagues, neighbours, local tradespeople, your employer, business contacts, large commercial firms, clubs and associations. Don’t forget to write, phone, email and speak to everyone you know to get their support, whether it is for a donation or a raffle prize. If you don’t ask you don’t get! So ask everyone you know to support your fundraising efforts.
Step 7. Fundraise Online – CancerBACUP now offers our fundraisers the chance to set up an online sponsorship fundraising page that allows you to collect donations from sponsors anywhere in the world, instantly and securely. You can personalise your page with a message and photo and email it to everyone you know. Sponsors can use credit and debit cards to donate or pledge, and they can monitor your progress at any time. Donations are automatically transferred to our bank account and we automatically receive a 28% tax bonus (gift aid) from the Inland Revenue on donations made by UK taxpayers.
To set up your page, simply go to www.justgiving.com/charity/cancerbacup click on the “Raise Money” area and then “View Events”, select your trek and follow the simple instructions to personalise your page.
Step 8. Be Innovative – Instead of asking someone outright to put their hands in their pockets and give you cash, why not give them something back in return. Fundraising events are a great way of raising significant amounts of money in a short period of time and a legitimate excuse for bringing people together for a great night. If you put your mind to it, the possibilities are endless. A theme can make your event really stand out. The key is to be fun and practical. Think of something inspiring, but also be easy to recreate.
Step 9. Publicise your fundraising – the more people who know about your fundraising the more support you’ll get. Tell everyone – local radio, TV, newspapers, staff newsletter, magazines and journals that are published specifically for your profession or hobby, perhaps even try to get a local celebrity to come along to an event. Give us a call and our press office can assist you with promoting your event. Remember that promoting your event helps raise much needed funds and also raises awareness of CancerBACUP and our services.
Step 10. Fundraising at work – If you work for a large business, they may have a department that deals with charitable donations. Find out whom to contact and arrange a meeting. Many companies now work on a match-giving scheme whereby the company matches any money raised by you. For smaller companies, offer to wear a t-shirt with a company logo on your challenge in return for a donation. Don’t randomly send letters to companies asking for money. You’ll rarely get a response, let alone any money.
How you could reach your target:
Its useful to break down your target into more achievable sums – by doing this you not only identify the events or activities that are worth pursuing but also makes you realise that reaching your target is not that impossible after all! For example:
Sponsorship pledges from family, friends & colleagues £500
Event (party, disco, garden party) £500
Car boot sales / bring & buy sales £400
Collections outside your local supermarket £300
After work pub quiz £300
Raffle or auction at your events £250
Dress down days at work £250
Sponsorship from your company £200
Collection can placed in your local post office & corner shop £150
5-a-side football tournament with work teams £150
TOTAL £3,000
And finally…
Remember to thank everyone who has supported you for their time, sponsorship, prizes and use of venue.
Don’t leave it to the last minute. Plan your sponsorship strategy in advance and whatever you do, don’t panic!
If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ring us on 020 7920 7211 or email [email protected]
