Just been made Chief Fundraiser - HOW!?!

jcst104

Hi Everyone,

I have just been elected chief fundaiser for a society I joined at uni. The idea being to raise enough money to send a team of people over to Central America to build water wells and a school for a remote village.

The problem is how do I even start to raise the £15 000 needed. I will have a team of people helping so it's not just up to me but I need to be the leader/organiser / idea comer-up-erer.

Please help with ideas? think we may have missed the christmas giving/ selling period so what else is there?

Any examples of stuff you have done? I dont just want to beg and sit in a bath of beans...

Thanks

jcst104

Without even trying I have already managed to raise £30.. not a lot on the target but a great start as I hadnt worked out the action plan yet..

Thinking of doing a swoosh (one of those clothes swap things) and an eastermine show (like a pantomine only we have missed the christmas slot).

Have conatcted everyone for raffle prices and free wine... for mulled wine event... dont know if anyone will donate.

Savvy_Sue

Sorry you haven't had any replies, apart from your own (although I always reckon that if I talk to myself at least I'll make sense!)

Worth browsing around this board for fundraising event ideas, and the Small Biz & Charity Organisers board for the practicalities of some of it.

One idea I'll share is if you can make a play on the society's name or the numbers involved. For example, you need to raise 15,000, so can you challenge people to raise money by multiples of 15? Give something up for 15 days and pass the money on (I'd have thought beer money for 15 days might go some way towards it!) or be sponsored to do something for 15 days or hours and so on.

Because you'll find an Eastermime is a LOT of work, at a time when presumably some of you will be thinking about summer exams. Clothes swoosh will be easier, but you need to get the publicity right to get people there.

jcst104

Thanks for getting back to me, I find if I type something onto MSE I remeber to keep doing it/working on it. Also if things are on bits of paper I would lose them as I run aroun so much. Am thinking with the swoosh to get the vintage and retro societies as well as crafting clubs involved, as they will have the best ideas for jazzing up clothes and society members who would be keen to do it. I wonder if the university has a fashion degree course - something to check out.....

MarkLee_2

Hey jcst104, I know how you feel. I have just taken up a Chief Officers post for a small charity and also have a target to reach which seems almost impossible (about £200,00!). Have you looked into any grants or funding you might be entitled to? Also have you set up a JustGiving link or facebook group? The best way of making money is to network i have found.

Savvy_Sue

MarkLee wrote: »

Hey jcst104, I know how you feel. I have just taken up a Chief Officers post for a small charity and also have a target to reach which seems almost impossible (about £200,00!). Have you looked into any grants or funding you might be entitled to? Also have you set up a JustGiving link or facebook group? The best way of making money is to network i have found.

In haste, JustGiving isn't the cheapest option for a small charity to use: there are others! Look at Martin's article on giving to charity which I'll link to later ...

Savvy_Sue

As promised, here's the article about online giving. Note that this is only really useful for registered charities, so more useful for MarkLee than for the OP. There are also useful stickies on the Small Biz and Charity Organisers board.

full-time-mum

Would your student union not be able to give you some advice?

When I was at uni (many moons ago so I do understand that things have changed) there were always lots of fundraising nights out. (Cliche alert) The old tarts and vicars was a favourite but the drama department did a 20's themed cabaret which worked quite well.

There was a very popular annual beer race. Teams of at least 3 people strung together 3 legged style would follow a set route, pub to pub. You had to have a drink in each pub (think there were 10 but it was a long time ago <hic>) so you needed an official in each one. Not sure what the implications were for public disorder - guess things were a little more relaxed than they are now.

A friend of a friend used to run an annual meal. She'd cook and her friends all paid attend and the profits went to charity. They had to bring a bottle of wine plus a raffle prize. It only worked because they were all happy to support her cause and it didn't raise a huge amount but it was fun way to have an evening out whilst doing something positive. I believe it continued after they had all left uni as a way to keep in touch.

The clothes sale is a good idea. When my children were babies, the National Childbirth Trust used to run one. 30% went to the charity and 70% to owner. Some branches did 50/50 - but either way it's win win although does take some organising. If you want more details on the logistics then please pm me. Maybe you could get away with limiting it to say prom and party wear. Idea might work at uni with course work books too.

Good Luck

XxXfashionqueenXxX

Maybe with valentines day approaching host a singles night/speed dating event thing.