Fundraising can be fun if done right. One of the key things to remember is to make sure you and the people there are having fun. Mix it up a little bit, do something different and make sure your fundraising events are for a cause you believe in. If you and others believe in a cause then you are going to put in more effort than you would for a cause you are only partially interested in. If people can see your passion and enthusiasm, they are more likely to donate and participate. Here are an assortment of ideas to get you thinking.
Aerobics
The first thing to consider is Aerobics. Organise a large event where people can take part in a huge aerobics challenge. You can set the challenges and it’s a great way of keeping people fit and healthy. This is flexible, as you can choose what type of aerobics you want to do, as well as setting goals for your fundraiser. Be sure to hire a trained aerobics instructor to give you the best experience.
Arts, Crafts and Auctions
If aerobics isn’t your thing, then how about an arts and crafts fair? Get the local community to make things and then sell them at a fair. It is a great way to include everyone, even children. Who doesn’t have fun when being creative?
Failing that, you can organise a simple auction. You don’t have to sell anything in particular, you could even sell your talents for the day (like face painting for example) better still if you combine the arts fair with an auction, then you could have your own mini art auction. Easy to organise and cheap to run, everyone will have fun either participating in the auction, or creating things to sell.
Bake offs, Bag Packing and Cycling
If you like cooking and your friends do to, then a bake off might be a good way to go. You could make things interesting by offering prizes such as best decorated cake, tastiest cake and even most sold cakes.
One of the simplest ways to raise money is to offer to pack bags at your local supermarket. This costs next to nothing to organise. You must book a time with the store and bring your fundraising buckets with you. Just be sure to tell the supermarket who you intend to raise money for, as they might have their own way of doing things.
If you enjoy riding a bike then charity cycle rides are a great way of fundraising as well as keeping you fit and allowing you to explore somewhere new. You get to travel whilst raising money, what could be better? Organise a route that is suitable for everyone who wants to participate and be sure to not leave anyone out!
Concerts, silent Discos and Dancing
If you have any musically talented friends then a concert might be a good idea. You will need to book a venue, or if you want to keep it small scale then have it at someone’s house or at a low cost venue like a community centre, just as long as you have the equipment you need and the space. Hiring out a pub function room is usually a good option as they will have the space and might be able to help out with equipment.
If music isn’t your thing, then a car wash might be something to consider. Easy to set up, you just need a few buckets, sponges and a hose, along with some car soap. This is a great fundraiser for the summer months. Just ask for a small donation for each car you wash, you could even go as far as offer extra services such as waxing and interior cleaning for a larger donation. Also do checkout this guide on cleaning your car.
If you like to dance then you can use dancing as a fundraising idea. There is something known as a silent disco, if you want to have a dance but not disturb people, you can organise a group of friends to listen to music via headphones and dance away. You might get some funny looks but who cares, it’s fun!
Feast or famine
If you want people to be sympathetic to your cause then consider hosting a feast or famine. The more people the better. Host a raffle and have only a small number of winners, say if 30 people participate, only 3 people win. These three people get to eat a large amount of food, a feast, whilst everyone else gets a simple cup or bowl of soup. This can really help people to understand why fundraising for the people who rely in it is so important. Hopefully everyone participating will realise how lucky they are and will not hesitate to donate regardless of wither they win a feast or not.