Promoting a Charity

alyth

can anyone give me any advice on how I can promote a charity? I've agreed to become the Scottish rep for a world-wide animal charity that isn't particularly well-know, but I haven't a clue as to how I can promote it. I've never been involved in anything like this before, but came across this charity in China and want to try and help them. I've been accepted as the Scottish rep, and want to raise awareness, but it's not a cute and fluffy animal charity, and I want to raise the charity's profile, but the nature of the charity means that the promotional material is a bit full-on. I'd like to first of all get more members before I start with any promotional of fundraising activities, but I don't know how to go about this, and it's starting to worry me! can anyone give me advice on where I can promote this charity, be it on websites (they have their own website), or places that I can put posters (I'm guessing libraries, that sort of thing).

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who could point me in the right direction - thanks.

Savvy_Sue

I presume you have started by asking the charity's head office for advice?

Especially as I think that under the new charity legislation a charity needs to be separately registered in Scotland in order to raise funds there - but as someone who works for an entirely English charity it's not something I'm particularly well informed on!

I don't know if any of the stickies on the Small Biz & Charity Organisers board are any use? I know there's some information in one on The Media Trust, but that may not be quite what you need at this stage.

My initial feeling is that word of mouth may be where you need to start. With non fluffy charities (ours is one!) then you explaining to one other person why you care about it may inspire them to tell another, and so on.

GiveItBack

depending on the activities you'll be doing, you may well need to register with OSCR. England based charities working in Scotland certainly do, but the NSPCC which fundraises mainly in England and Wales and doesn't work in Scotland probably doesn't have to.

http://www.oscr.org.uk/AboutOSCR.stm

However, I suspect you may not have to, certainly to start with. The best thing to do is contact them to find out for certain.

All the best.

Froglet

alyth wrote: »

can anyone give me any advice on how I can promote a charity? I've agreed to become the Scottish rep for a world-wide animal charity that isn't particularly well-know, but I haven't a clue as to how I can promote it. I've never been involved in anything like this before, but came across this charity in China and want to try and help them. I've been accepted as the Scottish rep, and want to raise awareness, but it's not a cute and fluffy animal charity, and I want to raise the charity's profile, but the nature of the charity means that the promotional material is a bit full-on. I'd like to first of all get more members before I start with any promotional of fundraising activities, but I don't know how to go about this, and it's starting to worry me! can anyone give me advice on where I can promote this charity, be it on websites (they have their own website), or places that I can put posters (I'm guessing libraries, that sort of thing).

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who could point me in the right direction - thanks.

What specifically does the charity do?I would be very interested as a lover of all our lesser and very often,sadly abused creatures that have to exist alongside mankind,often to their detriment.Especially in China!!

alyth

hi Froglet - the charity is the Animal Asia Foundation - basically they/we try and help animals in China, specifically bears, but also dogs and cats - having travelled round China a bit I've seen first-hand the way animals are treated, and when I came back last month I wanted to try and do something in a small way to help the charity but also to help the animals. China is getting slightly better in their animal welfare, I've visited Beijing zoo three times now and each time it does improve, I despite zoos but visit it for Born Free Foundation's zoocheck, and I've worked with pandas in China so feel I can speak first-hand about China, but I'm still a bit stumped as to how I can help them!

Froglet

I wonder if the WSPA could advise and help you out? They are the most wonderful charity i know and do an awful lot of work with bears,particularly in China and Japan,etc.I donate to them monthly,and i have heard of the Animal Asia foundation as well.I admire you for wanting to help,it upsets me an awful lot when i read about their suffering and it is a very deserving cause.

As is the dogs and cats situation.I cannot understand how humans can inflict such dreadful things on defenceless creatures.But glad to hear you think China is beginning to improve.

GiveItBack

Aren't there other charities doing much the same thing?