Ideas And Events
looking for fundraising inspiration?
Signing up to volunteer abroad is a wonderful experience. You’re probably feeling excited about the trip, a bit nervous about what will come, and generally eager to get going! But you’re also probably wondering how you’re going to go about the fundraising. We believe fundraising shouldn’t be a chore, so here are some ideas to have fun while raising money!
ideas
Below we have some options for fundraisers that tend to require less planning and less time than events. However, that is not to say they require none at all!
Think about:
What you are going to do: See our list of suggestions below for ideas to get started!
Where are you going to do it: Do you need an area to set up shop, or is this something you can manage from your phone in your bed?
Props: What items will you need? What do you already have? What can you get cheaply or have someone lend you? Ask around and try to remember every little detail. For example, ‘How many sweets in the jar’ isn’t just about the sweets and the jar – you need a table, a sign, a notebook, a pen…..
Publicity: How are you going to let people know about what you are doing to get them to donate?
Budget: Budget every little thing. To take the sweets in the jar example – budget the jar, the sweets, the pen, the pad…. That way you can work out how much to charge and how you will make a profit.
Of course, to do all of this, you first need your idea! So have a read below to get some inspiration:
Online
fundraisers
Online fundraisers are a safe first place to start. Online platforms mean people can donate as they wish, track your progress and understand your story. We use enthuse but there are plenty out there. Just be sure they don’t charge a fee, and be sure to share your page around.
Shopping fundraisers
Similarly, some platforms let you set up a page that can receive donations for you when people shop online from certain stores. There are a few around so have a look online. Again, double check fees and share your page!
Sales and
services
Do you have a knack or a skill? Check whether your campus allows stalls and selling. It could be crafts, jewellery, nail painting… and of course, everybody loves a bake sale! You could even grab one of those head scratchers for cheap and charge a small fee for a five-minute head massage for the stressed students on campus. It really could be anything!
Dress-up or down day
Take a leaf out of primary school’s book and get your classmates or the team at your place of work to pay a small fee for a non-uniform day – or even to take part in a fancy dress day!
Chores
It may sound like a drag, but we’ve had students see massive success by charging £10 to clean their fellow student’s bedrooms! Doing chores for others can be helpful and really pay off. If you’re feeling really brave – you could up the price and face the dreaded uni halls kitchen….
Rummage sale
Have a rummage through your belongings and see if you have any clothes, books or bits and bobs that you no longer want, need or use. Set up a stall, attend a car boot sale or stick them on an online platform and sell them! Second-hand is so in right now – and as they say: one man’s trash is another man’s trip to India!
GET ACTIVE
If you’re the sporty type, have people sponsor you on some type of physical activity. Set a length to run, bike, or swim and have donors sponsor you per mile, kilometer, etc. You can also piggy-back onto other sporting events, and raise money for your trip, like a ToughMudder, or 10km run, or the Three Peaks Challenge.
If serious sports aren’t your thing, get a bit more creative with it! Host a solo dance marathon or aerobics marathon, complete with headband and legwarmers, and have people sponsor you for however long you can keep it going.
You can also get your friends involved! Having your friends join you makes the experience more fun and motivates you to keep going. Plus, if you have generous friends, their sponsorships can also go towards your volunteer experience.
Raffles & tombolas
You can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned raffle or tombola. Raffle ticket books are really cheap to buy, and you can sell tickets almost anywhere. You also don’t need a tombola drum for the tombola – any big container that you can shake will do. See if you can get some good prizes for cheap, discounted or donated from people you know or local businesses.
Other classics
Classics are classics for a reason! How about a game of ‘How many sweets in the jar’, ‘Guess the weight of the cake’ or ‘Name the teddy’ in one of your university classes or at work? You can get sweet treats on mass for cheap, or cute cuddly toys second-hand to save money.
Break a habit
Are you a nail-biter? A potty mouth? A serial latecomer? Get your network to sponsor you to break a bad habit. Not only is it a fun challenge, but it may help you out in the long run!
Swear jar
On the topic of potty mouths – why not start a swear jar for your group of friends?
Wear it
Get people to sponsor you to wear something embarrassing or funny for a day, week or night out! Some people let their friends go second-hand shopping for them and choose something mortifying. Or, get hold of a small item on mass and get people to buy them off of you – so you can all be in it together! We’re talking fake moustaches and silly glasses…see what you can find!
wax
Another classic is a good old-fashioned waxing. A packet of wax strips isn’t too expensive, and you could either get people to sponsor the wax or pay to join in. If you’re not in need of some hair removal, then see if your hairiest friend will do you a massive favour. Or if your lecturer is a good sport, see if they’re willing!
PUT YOUR FATE INTO THE HANDS OF OTHERS
This final idea is not for the faint of heart. Set a target goal and have friends, family, classmates, and colleagues donate their loose change until it is met. What happens when that goal is met? Well that’s up to you; or if you’re feeling particularly risky.
Whether it be dying your hair (even chopping it off), wearing an embarrassing outfit to work, playing janitor for the day, or some other unpleasant task, it’s up to you to complete it once the goal is met. This also works particularly well if you find a teacher or boss that is game for bearing this burden (and it gets you off the hook!)
Remember that this isn’t a definitive list of all the ways to fundraise so get creative, have fun with it, and happy fundraising!
Some of these ideas can easily be turned into or made part of a wider event! See below to start looking at how best to run a fundraising event.
events
Events are likely to bring in more money than the fundraising ideas above – therefore they need more planning and consideration. Planning is vitally important – a rushed event will likely be less of a success and therefore raise less money.
Think about:
Venue: Where are you going to have it? Do you know anybody who could help you out – perhaps a sports club manager who would let you use their playing fields or a community centre owner who could lend you a hall? Does your university have a communal area you can use? Don’t be afraid to ask people. Local pubs and businesses may happily host events if it will help bring business in.
Staff: Do you need any help? See if you’re friends and family are willing to volunteer.
Props: What items will I need? What do I already have? What can I get cheaply or have someone lend me? Ask around and try to remember every little detail. For example, a sports tournament not only needs a venue, but sports equipment, nets, balls, racquets…
Food: Is there going to be food and drink at your event? Can you make anything yourself or have people donate?
Safety: Will the event be safe? Check with the venue owner about fire escapes trip hazards and the like. And as a general rule of thumb – avoid pyrotechnics!
Publicity: How are you going to let people know about your event?
Add-Ons: Are there any extras you could have at your event? For example, you could also sell refreshments at a sports tournament and have a ‘name the teddy’ stall. Little bits go a long way!
Presentation: How are you going to tell people at the event what you are doing? Are you a public speaker? Could you stand up and tell everyone at the beginning? Or would you rather put posters around to get the information out there?
Budget: How much is ALL OF THIS going to cost you? And we mean all of it. Budget in every little thing. Then you can decide how you are going to make a profit, and how you are going to charge attendees. You can also think about how you can keep costs down. What do you already have? Can you borrow things or buy cheap ones? Call in favours?
We also suggest thinking about what and who you know to save money. If you already play in a football team, see if they are willing to play in a fundraising tournament. If your uncle is a DJ, see if he will DJ an old-school disco for you. Approaching your existing networks will help keep your event cheaper and easier to run.
Now you’re ready to become an events extraordinaire, take a look at our suggestions below!
Tournaments
If you’re part of an existing sports team or already play, see if you can create a tournament out of it! Get other teams you know of (or just other students or locals) to participate and have a knockout. It doesn’t need to be a serious sport either. Everybody misses school rounders. You could even have a communal tag tournament!
Remember though – it doesn’t even have to be sports. Are you and your best friend unstoppable at Articulate? Make it into a tournament. Reckon you’ve got a good set of pipes? Karaoke tournament. King of Mario Kart? Tournament.
You really can turn anything into a tournament. Be creative!
Games
On the topic of games – you could host a game night! You can find loads of board games in charity shops, or just borrow from people you know. Or if you prefer video games – people love multiplayer. Charge a fee on entry, serve drinks and snacks and make an evening out of it.
class
If you’ve got a talent you can teach it. It could be a step-by-step painting class with a few wines, a morning refresher yoga class, a beginner’s guitar class, a knitting class…you name it you can teach it. Think about what you can do – everyone is good at something!
Potluck
Potlucks are gatherings where everyone brings a dish and the group digs in. This keeps your costs low and your income high! Potlucks can even be themed. Charge a small fee for entry and make an evening of it. Potlucks can also be tied in with other events.
quiz
Quizzes seem to have seen a real resurgence lately! You can easily put a quiz together on paper, in slideshow software or on an app. There are some great speed quizzing apps for free as well, just have a look online. See if you can get prizes donated or cheaply for the winners, and charge a small fee.
Coffee morning
Another classic is a coffee morning. Hot drinks and cakes can be bought (or made!) cheaply, then charge a small entry fee and include a drink and a cake. If you like, you could then charge for additional drinks and cakes. Or – up the entry fee for unlimited drinks and cake. It’s a chilled way to get people together and get your funds up.
disco
Remember that DJ’ing uncle we mentioned earlier? Now is his time to shine! See if you can get a venue and some music together, and invite people to have a boogie. You could even add in a theme: a certain decade of music, or your favourite musical (we all know the effect ‘Mama Mia’ seems to have on people). The size you’re going for will affect the venue you may need, as well as refreshments. But bear in mind – kitchen discos are not unheard of! Charge a small entry fee and perhaps for drinks.
Open Mic Night
A little more difficult, but not impossible for those in the know! If you enjoy performing or know people who do, see if you can find a venue and have them play. Invite friends and family and charge an entry fee. Be sure to think about this one though – there will likely be a lot of equipment involved that will be expensive if you or your friends don’t already have it. Be sure to get your sound-tech friends to help if you’re stuck.
Societies
Are you part of any university societies that you can make use of? For example, if your university has a video gaming society – could you use the usual venue for a gaming tournament or marathon? Societies are a great launchpad for ideas, venues and props – so be sure to take inspiration and ask your society.
Seasonal events
Depending on when you are doing your fundraising – you can take advantage of events that are going on at the time. For example, a Christmas karaoke tournament? Or an Easter-themed coffee morning? A potluck with gory-looking dishes for a Halloween party? Even a pancake sale on Shrove Tuesday! Check your calendar and see what you can make use of.
start planning
Once you’ve got your ideas in hand, it’s important to start planning. Give yourself as much time as you can – and mostly have fun with it! The experience is not only about when you get on the plane, this is all part of it as well.
If you are feeling intimidated, fear not. We have a success stories page for you to get some inspiration and rest easy that it has been done before, and it can be done again!
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