Fundraising for any charity or organisation can be hard work. Especially in these more difficult economic times, many people simply cannot afford to donate much, if any, of their income however charitable they wish to be. In addition, some fund raising events are boring! Or at least tried, tested and overdone. Getting a balance between putting some originality into fundraising and also using some simple fund raising techniques, is a fine art. Here are some tips to raising money for any kind of organisation.
The Reverse Raffle, or Hostage Situation
Although becoming more popular a Reverse Raffle can create a new twist on the old charity raffle. Reverse raffles are simple; instead of selling tickets you give them away and participants sell them back to you. Sounds simple but seems unlikely? Not when you operate one as part of a charity evening. Attendees are given the ticket on arrival and unless they sell their ticket back to you they get to play a starring role in a mildly embarrassing part of the evening’s entertainment. Admittedly this is a little reminiscent of a hostage situation, but it’s all in a good cause and organised well will be well received. The level of embarrassment and potential events in which they may have to participate will be down to your creativity! Reverse raffles are a great way to raise money but also to provide a lively evening; they are also fantastic for school events and fundraisers and often popular with younger children!
Raising Cash and Awareness
With family budgets tight raising even small amounts of money for any project can be difficult. If you’re trying to raise funds to build a new community building, or add to school buildings, the amounts of cash needed can be high. Combining several approaches and a number of events can be a sensible way to raise the necessary cash and using volunteers to complete the work makes sense. Simple fundraising items such as magnetic bumper stickers can be sold to generate donations; these can be made available over the whole period of time you are fundraising. Keeping your group or school visible in times of recession is important and simple items like vehicle magnets can make a real difference in keeping your profile in potential donors’ minds. Cakes sales, evening events and sponsored events (walks, runs, climbs, swims etc) should also be planned at intervals during the period of fundraising. Local businesses may be willing to donate material and asking volunteers to help complete the project cuts the costs for you and offers those individuals who can’t make donations the chance to be involved in a way which they can afford.
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Safety, In Numbers
Safety, it’s suggested, can be found in numbers. For small organisations there is a lot to be said for working with other groups to raise money. By combining resources (time and investment) with other groups who work in similar fields, or with other schools and church groups, you’ll be able to host an event or hold a fundraising day that is bigger, better and probably more lucrative! As well as offering the chance to raise more money by working together, the chances are that you’ll be able to get more publicity for your event and for your fundraising efforts. Working together is normally rewarding but be clear on how the proceeds will be divided up and also ensure that the work involved is shared out equally and fairly between organisations.
TV Appearances and Virtual Presence
Traditional ways to ensure people know about your charity, event or cause, include advertising in the local media. TV, radio and print advertising should all be considered and hopefully you can get a slot on a local news or community programme (without a costly advertising fee). These channels are still important but don’t forget the new media route as well. If you already have a website, then add a blog for specific events and consider Facebook and Twitter to spread the word. If you don’t have a website yet, then it may be time to consider one; the web and charitable giving via the internet are one of the rapidly expanding areas in the fundraising world. Several sites exist that allow you to take donations for your project and these should be added to your fundraising efforts, more and more people donate via the internet and it’s an easy and simple way to reach potential donors. Ensure that your site is easy to read and answers any questions your donors might have.
An Uncharitable Recession
While it seems likely that the recession is not going to be charitable and go away anytime soon, finding ways to raise funds for charities and schools is likely to remain a priority. Getting creative, working together and keeping your group’s profile highly visible can all help to maintain a healthy income and continue to fund worthwhile projects.
Alan Rosinski is a marketing professional and avid fundraiser for local projects. Here he looks at how to beat the recession for fundraisers.