RCC
(Leicestershire & Rutland)
Toolkit
This toolkit covers:
1. Some fundraising ideas A-Z
2. Collections, raffles and selling merchandise
3. Keeping it legal and safe
4. Challenges, sponsorship and shop-on-line fundraising
5. Raising money via donations
6. On-line donations
7. Search for grants, contracts and loans
8. Information and support
Volunteers, voluntary and community groups engage in a range of fundraising activities. This ‘toolkit’ provides ideas for fundraising, resources available and sources of information and support.
1. Some fundraising ideas A-Z
Ideas kindly provided by the Alzheimer’s Society and Charity Challenge
In regards to the A-Z ideas, check out ‘Keeping it legal and safe’, page.
Aerobics – organise a sponsored aerobathon with the help of gyms, leisure centres
and sports clubs.
Antiques roadshow - find experts to donate their time. Charge for entrance and
valuations; maybe link with an Antiques Fair and charge stall holders.
Afternoon tea/coffee morning – put the kettle on and get baking! Entertain guests
with raffles, auctions, tombolas and live music.
Auction of promises - people offer goods or services to be auctioned (e.g.
cleaning, chauffeur for the day, decorating, haircut etc.).
Fundraising Ideas
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Bag packing at local supermarket – enquire at your local supermarket if you can
pack bags for shoppers.
Board games evening – invite friends to play Scrabble, Cluedo, Tiddlywinks etc.
Charge for entrance or game fee.
Car washing – contact your local supermarket or local council to approach
customers at car parks. Alternatively, ask neighbours for a donation for a car wash.
Christmas – decorate your house and ask visitors to make a donation to admire!
Dance your socks off - barn dance, bollywood, belly-dance, disco, salsa,
tea-dance, zumba etc. Recruit an instructor who knows the dances. Charge for admission and refreshments.
Dog show – charge proud pet owners to show off their pooches. Ask pet shops to
sponsor event.
Easter egg hunt – charge entry fee and ask shops to donate eggs.
Expert talk - use an expert or well-known personality to donate their time. Charge
admission, have a break to sell refreshments and auction their latest book, invention or autograph.
eBay - register yourself on eBay.co.uk or another auction site and auction off your old, unwanted items. You're likely to raise more money than you would from a car boot sale.
Fancy dress days - pay to wear fancy dress or dress down to work, school etc. and
fine those that don't make the effort. In the office have crazy tie, bad hat or yellow and blue only days. April Fools’ Day is ideal for this.
Fete, festival or fun day - team up with organisers of an annual event. Celebrities
will help draw in crowds. But there's lots of work, planning and costs involved!
Fun runs - organise your own; you decide the venue and the distance. Try to get a
local personality to compete or start the event off. Or, if you do not have time, simply book a place in an officially organised event and ask friends for sponsorship
Foreign coins – ask people to donate their left-over holiday coins, and change into
sterling once you have enough!
Guess the .... weight of a cake, number of sweets in a jar, name of the doll, who the
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Hair cut, head shave or beard shave - get friends and family to sponsor you!
Head and tails auction - good to do at a fundraising meal. Get everyone to stand up
and pass a bucket around collecting people's change (although encourage £5 notes). Everyone decides whether they're heads or tails by putting a hand on their head or their bottom. Flip a coin and announce the results. Those who get it wrong sit down. Continue until only one person is left. Winner gets a prize.
Ironing - offer your ironing services – at a cost.
International Day – themed events, decorations, food and costumes.
Jigsaw – race or marathon
Karaoke - Arrange your own x-factor contest. All you need is a machine, a room and
plenty of refreshments!
Left-handed day – try doing everything with your left-hand for the day!
Line dancing – make sure you have a caller and plenty of refreshments!
Masterclasses - are you good at something? Why not organise a small class to
show other people how to do it and charge people a fee.
Memory meal - transport yourself back to the 60s, 50s or the 40s. Dress in the style
of the day and try to cook some dishes of the day.
Mile of Pennies – make a mile of pennies ask for donations to make it grow.
New Year resolutions – get sponsored to stick to your new year’s resolutions.
Open garden/s – ask an established group for advice to set up; or try
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=502
Pantomime – stage a production and sell tickets.
Pub games or Quiz night – stage a championship of traditional pub games – darts,
skittles, dominoes, cards etc. Team up with your local pub to organise a quiz night.
Promotion – get businesses to advertise in an event programme. Number
programmes and use as raffle tickets.
Race night – bets are taken before a pre-recorded race is shown on a large screen .
Props and film are supplied by race operators. Check raffle laws as you may need to register depending on the circumstances.
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Raffle – ask local firms to donate prizes and sell tickets. Check raffle laws as you
may need to register depending on the circumstances.
Safari supper – travel from restaurant to restaurant, having a different course at
each stop. Ask restaurants to support your efforts, but set a cover charge to include all food and your cut.
Shoe shine – get shinning at your nearest shopping centre or train station!
Sponsored silence – stay silent for as long as you can!
Tin-can alley – Knock down a stack of tin cans and win a prize. Take care for health
and safety!
Tombola Pick a raffle ticket out of a barrel and match it with a ticketed prize.
Unwanted gifts – arrange a post-Christmas sale of unwanted gifts.
Walks – organise walks to places of interest; themed walks such as ‘ghost walks’
are also popular.
Welly throwing – fun at a fair or fete. The winner is the furthest thrower! Watch out
for health and safety!
Windscreen wash – raise funds washing windscreens at supermarkets.
World food – get together with your friends, colleagues and neighbours; provide
dishes from around the world; decorate, dress up, charge for dishes/entrance.
Xmas hampers – Make up and sell your Xmas hampers. Include food, drink (if
alcohol note licensing regulations see below) toys and gifts.
‘Yes’ day - say ‘yes’ to everyone's demands (within reason!) and ask people to
sponsor you to do so.
Zodiac evening: invite a guest astrologer and charge for horoscopes and entry.
More fundraising ideas
Get more fundraising ideas from these websites: Alzheimer’s Society
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=508
CAFORD
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Charity Challenge
https://www.charitychallenge.com/pdf/a-z_fundraising_ideas.pdf
Rednose Day
http://www.rednoseday.com/fundraise/ideas-and-tools
2. Collections, raffles and selling merchandise
Collections and raffles
Collections and raffles are often used as an additional way to raise money during a fundraising event, such as a concert, fete or meal. There are regulations regarding collections and raffles, so depending on the circumstances you may need to register your raffle or collection with the local council. See A Guide to Regulations for Raffles, Lotteries and Fundraising events’: http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/resources.html
Selling merchandise
It is possible to raise money through selling items such as mugs, pens, bags, badges and tee-shirts etc. As this involves an initial outlay for the products it’s advisable to plan how will you cover costs, raise money, where you will sell the items and who you will be selling to.
3. Keeping it legal and safe
Alcohol & Public Entertainment Licence
If your event involves the sale of alcohol and/or various entertainment you may need licences. Contact your local council or see ‘A Guide to Regulations for Raffles,
Lotteries and Fundraising events’: http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/resources.html
Data protection
Make sure that your fundraising activities comply with data protection. Don’t keep any personal information (electronic or paper) any longer than you need to, and don’t give out personal details without the person’s permission. For further information contact VAL Help line0116 257 5050 http://www.valonline.org.uk/
Food and non-alcoholic drink
If you are selling or providing free food and non-alcoholic drink you should contact your council’s environmental health department at least 28 days before the occasion. In most cases you will be required to register with the council which requires the completion of a form, see: ‘A Guide to Regulations for Raffles, Lotteries and Fundraising events’: http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/resources.html
Performing, playing music or showing films
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licences to perform copyright material, see: ‘A Guide to Regulations for Raffles, Lotteries and Fundraising events’: http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/resources.html
Public Liability Insurance
If you or your group are running an event, or activities, open to the public it is
advisable to consider Public Liability Insurance which will protect you against claims made by a third party for injury or property damage as a result of negligence. For further information contact VAL Help line0116 257 5050 http://www.valonline.org.uk/
Raffles, lotteries and collections
It may be necessary to register a lottery (raffle, bingo or other games of chance) and check out guidance for collections, see: ‘A Guide to Regulations for Raffles, Lotteries and Fundraising events’: http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/resources.html
Risk assessment & safety plan
If you are putting on an event or running activities in public, it’s advisable to have a ‘risk assessment’ and a ‘safety plan’. For further information contact VAL Help line 0116 257 5050 http://www.valonline.org.uk/
4. Challenges, sponsorship and shop-on-line fundraising
Charity Challenge
Offers UK and world-wide challenges such as trekking, biking, climbing, skiing, sledding and rafting whilst raising funds for charity. You can raise money for any registered charity as long as they give you permission. Challenges range in duration from (3-18 days); and costs vary depending on trip and package you choose.
Tel 020 8557 0000 http://www.charitychallenge.com/index.html
Easy Fundraising
Shop on-line and raise money for charity. You can shop with over 2,000 well known stores and each will donate up to 15% of what you spend.
www.easyfundraising.org.uk
5. Raising money via donations
Gift Aid
Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC's) can claim the tax back when donations are made by UK tax payers; for example for every £1 donated from a basic rate tax payer an additional 25p can be raised.
To use Gift Aid you need to register with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), ask all donors to sign a Gift Aid declaration, make regular claims to HMRC, and keep accurate records. HMRC
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Give as you earn or payroll giving
Payroll Giving enables employees to give to any UK charity directly from their gross salary (before tax is deducted), giving immediate tax relief on those donations; for example a £12 donation each month by a 20% tax payer enables the charity to receive £15. This process can be managed via a provider listed in ‘On-line donations’, below.
Standing orders
You may be able to encourage your supporters to pay a monthly standing order to your group. In order to do this you will need to give them your group’s bank account details so they can ask their bank to set up a standing order. It’s worth reminding people that they control the standing order, and they can change or cancel it any time. Also ask them to let you know when they’ve set up a standing order so you will know who the money is from when it appears in your bank account.
6. On-line donations
All provide an on-line system which receives donations and adds gift aid – if entitled. Charges vary for services.
B My Charity
A commission free, online fundraising service for UK registered charities. It is also suitable for individual fundraisers seeking sponsorship for marathons and challenges etc. to raise funds for charities. http://www.bmycharity.com/
Charity Aid Foundation
CAF processes credit/debit card donations from your group’s online profile. Also processes ‘give as you earn’ donations. https://www.cafonline.org/
Just Giving
Charities pay a 5% transaction fee on donations and a £15 monthly charge for the service, which includes a portal and access to tools. http://www.justgiving.com
Virgin Money Giving
A set up charge and 2% is taken off donations. Gift Aid is reclaimed from HMRC on behalf of charities and passed over in full.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/index.jsp
Other donations/ payment services
Providers such as Paypal, Google Checkout or Worldpay, can also be used to receive donations. You do not need to be a registered charity but you will need to register with them, and give them your bank account details.
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7. Search for grants, contracts and loans
Funding Central
A free website that lists grants, contracts and loans, plus tools and information supporting groups/organisations to develop a sustainable income strategy.
http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk/Default.aspx
Leicestershire Funding Toolkit
A free website that contains a funding database and a range of useful information for voluntary/community groups. http://www.valonline.org.uk/funding-toolkit
8. Information and support
Where to get resources, information and support.
How 2 Fundraising/ Charity Aid Foundation
‘How To’ guides, A-Z of Fundraising Ideas and Templates for fundraising letters etc.
http://www.how2fundraise.org/fundraising-ideas/a-to-z-of-how2guides
Institute of Fundraising
Training, events and advice are available to non-members.
http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/home/
Know How Non Profit (NCVO)
This website, part of NCVO, provides a large resource of ‘How To’ guides including: How to use Twitter/ Facebook for fundraising; How to approach local businesses for donations; How to write an application to a charitable trust; How to use the internet for fundraising. http://knowhownonprofit.org/how-to
Voluntary Action Rutland
Support to voluntary sector groups in Rutland, including funding advice, volunteering and learning events. Tel 01572 722622 http://www.varutland.org.uk/
Voluntary Action LeicesterShire
Support to voluntary sector groups, including funding advice, volunteering, learning events and the Leicestershire Funding Toolkit. Help line0116 257 5050
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This toolkit was compiled by RCC Big Society Project, with the help of The Resource Centre, Brighton.
Rural Community Council (RCC) (Leicestershire and Rutland) Community House 133 Loughborough Road Leicester LE4 5LQ 0116 266 2905 ruralcc@ruralcc.org.uk http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/
Please let us know what you think of this toolkit via the contact details above
The Big Society Network project is part of the Transforming Local Infrastructure project (including partners: Voluntary Action LeicesterShire and Voluntary Action Rutland).
Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this toolkit was correct at the date of publication: February 2013 but the RCC cannot be held responsible for any omissions or errors.
