Getting Started
Where to start when fundraising
Fundraising is an essential part to any charity, non-profit organisation, or NGO. Fundraising can take many forms; from a sports match, to a concert, to a hike or run, or a cake sale.
If you’re planning on going on a volunteer or sabbatical trip abroad, fundraising is a great way to raise money for your trip! In addition to raising money for a great cause, fundraising can teach you some important skills that you can take beyond your trip abroad!
preparation
How much will I need to fundraise?
Your starting figure and fundraising goal will be worked out based on the placement you apply for, which location you choose and the length of your stay.
You can use the pricing page to work out how much your placement will cost. But what about the extras; flights, injections, visas etc?
Your volunteer coordinator will help you work out a total, including any extras that aren’t included in the placement donation fee.
The length of your stay will impact the total you will need to raise. The longer you give yourself to fundraise the better, the only immediate outlay is the deposit, the total balance isn’t due until 60 days before departure.
Take a look at our budgeting page for more advice.
Timeframe
With over 30 years of fundraising experience, the timeframe you give yourself will depend on your other commitments. If you are a university student, then you will have lots of opportunity to fundraise, but you will be juggling many other commitments.
Shorter fundraising timescales can limit your ability to host events or build enough awareness to your campaign. You might want to look at large scale sports events like organised runs, so consider the dates of those.
Christmas and birthdays can also be a great way to fundraise, and to keep your friends and family in the loop about your plans.
Fundraising Success Stories
We know it’s really daunting to start fundraising. It can feel really overwhelming and like climbing a mountain. But everyone has to start somewhere and we promise, once you start, every little helps. The skills you will learn through fundraising will be invaluable and will be another brilliant achievement to add to the list.
Visit the success stories page for more advice and guidance
Create your own Story
Fundraising is at the core of everything Vocational Impact does. We chose to operate as a charity, and not a for profit company. This means we are governed by UK charity law and have to follow a very strict set of guidelines. What this means for you is you can trust us, and we are 100% transparent.
The money you pay is a donation, and will be used to support the project you will be working with, as well as all your in-country costs to ensure you have the best experience.
STEP ONE
Tell your story and create a fundraising page, which will become a reference to all your fundraising efforts. Many sites will keep a total for you so you know how far you’ve come and how far you have to go, display your donors and give details about the adventure you are planning.
Step Two
Put a timeline together, so you can stay on track. You have a busy life, with lots of commitments, one great thing to do is to link in with the activities you already do, so if you are part of a sports team, then you can work with this and build your fundraising efforts around your current commitments. Look for fun ideas and events, and piggy-back onto them, like birthdays, or big races, or challenges. Then you should start your research and begin applying for a bursary or grant and finding a sponsor. These will all help you reach your total in no time, and soon you will be setting off on the trip of a lifetime.
REQUEST INFO