A to Z Fundraising Ideas

a to z

Planning Your Event

1) Decide what event you would like to hold.

Pick an event that you will enjoy and have fun doing, this will make it much easier for you to plan and promote. Have your friends and family involved, they will help develop your ideas and make running your event much easier!

2) Thoroughly plan your event.

Planning thoroughly, will help make your event run smoothly and allow you to raise as much as possible.

3) Set a budget and a target.

Set yourself a budget and a fundraising target. Think about the costs that you will incur to organising your event as this will help ensure that you don’t spend more than you raise. Helpful note: Think about reaching out to local businesses and organisations to see if they can support your event by donating some of the resources to help keep your costs down.

4) Set a date and venue

Set a date and venue early, this will help you plan around it and ensure that you are always working towards a set date, keeping you on schedule. Also be sure to choose a venue appropriate to your event.

5) Promote your event

Once you have your date and venue set, design flyers and posters to promote your event and get the word out! Make use of social media to ensure that you reach the most people possible.

6) Keep the event safe and keep within the law

Consider all laws and event planning requirements to ensure that your event runs safely and legally.

7) Wrap up your event

After your event, ensure that you thank everyone who has donated or taken part and let them know the total amount that you have managed to raise. Then get in contact with our Community Fundraising Team to arrange sending your donations to us.

Don’t forget, we are here to help! Our Community Fundraising Team is here to help answer any questions you may have and to help you make sure that your event is a success.

Fundraising Checklist

Deciding on the details

• Choose the kind of event you would like to run
• Set yourself a budget and fundraising target!
• Decide on a date
• Consider what resources you will need (Raffle Prizes, equipment, chairs etc)
  
  

Organising the day

• Think of what your event has to offer, think of what you would want at the event if you were an attendee.
• Research and book a venue
• Invite any external suppliers (speakers, caterers, entertainment etc.)
• If you would like representatives from Raystede to attend, contact us
• Consider the insurance/permits you may need, ask suppliers for copies of their certificates.
• Start collecting the required resources (Raffle Prizes, equipment, chairs etc)
• Design any posters/tickets/flyers/advertising
• Get the word out, start to promote your event & start to sell tickets
  
  

Event Week

• Contact the Venue and suppliers to confirm that they have all required information for the event
• Send out reminders to all attendees
• Double check your equipment to ensure you have everything you need for the event
  
  

Day of the Event

• Arrive at the venue early
• Ensure you have all insurance paperwork and all documentation regarding the event
• Decorate the venue with any posters/pull up banners etc
• If you have volunteers attending, brief the volunteers on their roles
• Test any equipment to ensure everything is in working order

Keep things safe & legal

After the Event

• Send a letter of thanks to any donators and to attendees
• Contact Raystede’s Events and Community Fundraising Team to arrange the donation of funds raised from the event.

Insurance

If your event is open to the public, you may need Public Liability Insurance. Your venue may already have the insurance you need, so check with them first.

Health & safety

Create a risk assessment prior to running your event. List all the hazards and how you would deal with them or prevent them entirely. If you are using external suppliers, ask for copies of their risk assessments and relevant insurance documents.

Food & drink

If you are serving any food at your event that you are preparing, follow the food standard agency guidelines when preparing, handling, and serving food. Make sure all food is labelled with any allergens such as nuts, dairy and eggs. If you are using external caterers, ensure that you have asked for copies of their food hygiene certificates and relevant insurance documents. If you are serving alcohol, you will need to speak with your local authority to obtain the relevant licences to do so.

Permissions & licences

If you are planning on having music or dancing at your event. Check if your chosen venue has an entertainment licence as you may need an occasional licence from your local authority.

If you are holding a raffle or prize draw, you may also need a licence from your local authority. Small raffles drawn on the day of the event do not need a licence. However, we do recommend you check if its anything bigger. We also recommend you review the information on the Gambling Commission’s Website. www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk

Collections

Children and young people under 18 are not able to collect money in public. If you are planning a street collection, you will need to obtain a licence from a local authority in order to do so.

Under 18s

If you are below the age of 18, please share this guide with your parent or guardian and make sure they are happy with what you are doing.

Fundraising Tips & Tricks

Set up a Just Giving page

This is one of the quickest and easiest ways for our fundraisers to raise money and get donations from friends and family.

Share what you’re doing on social media

Share your JustGiving page with friends, family and work colleagues.

See if your company will offer match funding

Some employers will match fund the money you raise (donate the same amount you raise to the charity you’re supporting). Ask your employer if they have a matched funding scheme or if you can promote your fundraiser on their social media, newsletter, and noticeboards!

Host a fundraising event

Pub quiz, bake sale, movie marathon, a sweepstake or more. Ask people to pay £5 to enter and they could win a prize at the end! You can find lots of great pub quizzes online.

Take a collection box into work

In your fundraising pack you will have received a carboard collection box, if you pop one on your desk these make a great reminder for people to donate to your cause.

Create your JustGiving Page

1. Create your page

Head to JustGiving.com and fill in the details about your fundraising. Create an account, so you can log in and see the donations rolling in from your friends and family.
Make sure your page includes the key information - your name, the event, your target.

2. Customise your page

Connect with your supporters, get them interested in your challenge and why you’re doing it:
• A photo of you – this will give them the confidence to donate.
• A story or message as to why you are doing the event and what Raystede means to you.
• Updates - take them on the journey with you to achieving your challenge.

3. Kickstart your fundraising

Ask your family and close friends to support your challenge.
You could even make the first donation yourself to show your commitment!

4. Share your page

As you get closer to the event date, share your page regularly on social media, with friends and family, and even in your work group chat to share on your behalf!

5. Thank your donors!

Show them how grateful you are for their support through messages, updates and posts. Let them know you achieved your challenge and how much you raised.

Fundraising FAQ

How do I pay in fundraising money to Raystede?

There are many ways to get your hard earned fundraising donations to us. You can:

• Pay in using the form at the bottom of our Fundraising page.
• Phone us on 01825 840747 and make a credit card payment over the phone.
• Drop into Raystede and give us any cash donations you've managed to raise, along with any sponsorship forms.
• Pay the money directly onto your Justgiving page. All the money on your Justgiving page gets automatically transferred to us.
• Send us a cheque to Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, The Broyle, Ringmer, BN8 5AJ. All cheques can be made payable to 'Raystede':
• Make a bank transfer, making sure you quote your event as a reference. These are our bank account details:
  
  Sort Code: 60-13-09, Account Number: 42366623

How do I become a Fundraising Volunteer for Raystede?

Find out more about how to become a Fundraising Volunteer for Raystede by following this link.

How will the money I raise help Raystede?

Our centre costs over £6,000 a day to run and we rely on voluntary donations to look after the animals that so desperately need us. The money you raise will help Raystede to run and continue rescuing, rehoming and providing sanctuary to more animals.

Can I use your Raystede logo on my website or promotional materials?

Any time you are thinking of using the Raystede logo on our website or promotional materials please contact us first on 01825 840747 or email fundraising@raystede.org.

What events do Raystede do?

Please look for a full list of our events here.

What fundraising materials do Raystede have?

We can send you a welcome pack, which includes sponsor forms. Alternatively you can download a sponsorship form here. We also have collection boxes, buckets, information leaflets, window stickers, fridge magnets and T-shirts.