A – Z of Fundraising Ideas
NB: Some of these events may require you to take out Public Liability Insurance. Please check with IOMAS before you begin.
A is for Auction
Hold an auction and ask for some special auction prizes (you may need to do some begging for these): e.g. a weekend at the boss’s country house, football match tickets etc. Make up some of your own, e.g. offer to do a car wash, dig a garden, etc.
B is for Beard/Head Shave/Leg Wax
These events are very popular with local newspapers, particularly if the individuals are very hairy!
C is for Car Boot Sales and Coffee Mornings
Sell pitches for cars and ask families and friends to donate goods. Leaflet houses in the area with details of why you are raising money and when/where the sale will be held. Give each house a bin bag for items for you to sell. Or, make a big pot of coffee, provide a few nibbles and get people to pay to get together for a gossip!
D is for Dinner and Dancing
Hold an evening at your local pub, sports club or restaurant (if you can get a good deal), and sell tickets.
What about a Dance Marathon? Pair up for a disco endurance test. Pay to enter and see who’s the last pair standing.
E is for Exhibitions
Stage an art or photography exhibition in a community venue. Get a local artist to help out and give them a chance to display their work. Charge an entrance fee, or auction off selected material.
F is for Fete or Fair
Run a host of fundraising activities such as craft stalls, competitions, treasure hunts (draw a treasure map, divide it into squares, sell squares to people and at the end of the day announce under which square the treasure was located), raffles (ask local businesses to donate prizes), lucky dips, throwing wet sponges at ‘volunteers’ etc. You may want to ask local groups to do displays e.g. karate, belly dancing or dog training, which will also bring in the public and the local press.
G is for guess the number of sweets in a jar, guess the weight of a cake…or your boss!
Give a prize for the closest guess.
H is for House Party
Whether you have a house party or a garden gathering, sell tickets or use games to raise money.
I is for In Jail
Ideal for companies. The Boss, team leader or manager is placed ‘in jail’, and members of staff have to put up money to either keep them in, or get them out.
J is for Jeans Day
Another favourite with companies – employees are allowed to have a ‘Dress Down’ day, on payment of a donation. Alternatively, liven things up by making it a themed ‘Dress-Up’ day e.g. ghouls and Vampires, doctors and nurses, bishops and actresses.
K is for Karaoke
Persuade a local pub to donate a room for you to use for an evening. Advertise the evening in the pub and local area and charge would-be singers to take part (perhaps also consider selling ear-plugs as an additional money-spinner!)
L is for Lunch
Instead of buying sandwiches, persuade your colleagues to bring in their own from home, and donate the money they would otherwise have spent. Alternatively, why not get people to make their favourite sandwich and have an office competition for the best sandwich filling recipe.
M is for Matched Giving
More and more companies are recognising their employees’ efforts to support charities and have set up matched giving schemes to help. Whatever you do to raise funds, it pays to find out about matched giving in your company – it could double your sponsorship.
N is for Nautical
How about organising a dragon boat race, rowing competition or raft race? Perhaps you could enter the Castletown Tin Bath Championships or make up a team for the snake races and ask the organisers if you could seek sponsorship on behalf of IOMAS, as well as their chosen charities.
O is for Odds On
Get friends to pay to guess your finish time for your sponsored swim, bike ride, parish walk etc. The nearest guess wins a prize.
P is for Packing bags
At your local superstore. Get some friends to help for a few hours on a Saturday and the donations from grateful shoppers soon add up.
Q is for Quiz Night
Ask a local pub to hold a quiz night on a quiet week night. This kind of event will bring custom to the venue, and if run on a regular basis, will provide a regular flow of funds.
R is for Radical and Ridiculous!
Think up an idea which hasn’t been tried before and have a go. Plait someone’s hair and see how many braids you can add in under 6 hours; invent new flavours of ice-cream and have a judging competition; compete to grow the tallest sunflower, the most carrots in a 6” pot or the longest tomato truss; cycle the equivalent of the length of the island on your exercise bike dressed as a polar bear; have a Bar-B-Q and have the adults come dressed as children and the children in charge of the menu and organise appropriately silly games.
S is for Sponsored Events
Sponsorship can apply to any to any number of activities – the more original the idea, the more sponsors you will attract. Set a pledged amount on your sponsorship form (you can get these from us) and remember that people will be led by what amounts other people have pledged. A sponsored silence is an easy one! Perhaps all or part of the Parish walk.
T is for Teddy Bears picnic
Great for young families and big kids alike. Get people to pay to picnic in your local park or even in the garden.
U is for Utilise
Be sure to use your friends, family and colleagues to help you to raise money. Encourage them to organise their own fundraising activities on your behalf.
V is for Venues
Approach a selection of venues and ask if they will donate a space. Offer owners an incentive e.g. they could make money on the food and drink if you make money on ticket sales.
W is for Write a Letter
Write letters (or emails) to local business, schools, and colleges, telling them about your idea and enlisting their support.
X is for X-rated
If you’re over 18, why not do an ‘adults-only’ event such as a lingerie party - or a wine tasting evening.
Y is for Youth
Youth groups such as the Scouts and Guides often fundraise for good causes so enlist their help.
Z is for Zest and Zeal
If you believe in what you are doing, then others will do too and want to help you.
Whatever you decide to do, make it fun! Thanks and good luck from everyone at the Isle of Man Adoption Service – 01624 625161.
Charity Number 268 (IOM)
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