If the person you care for gets support from a charity, you could help the work of the charity by fundraising on their behalf. Alternatively, you might need to raise money directly for the person you care for so they can get equipment they need or treatment abroad. Or perhaps you’re part of a carers' group that needs money for its activities.
Below, you'll find tips on successful fundraising. There are strict rules about fundraising, so you’ll also need to be aware of these if you’re organising your own event.
Where to start
If you’re raising money for a charity, find out if they have a fundraising department who could help. Many large charities have fundraising packs that you can request or download online. These could include branded publicity materials to help make it clear who the money is for, and tips for planning and organising events.
If you’re fundraising for a smaller organisation, or for an individual, there are some questions you’ll need to think about before you start.
- What is the money for? People will only give you money if they believe that it will go to a good cause. If you can tell them about the difference their cash will make, they’ll be more likely to donate.
- How much do you need, and when do you need it? Set yourself a goal.
- Who will be involved? Knowing the resources you have available will help you plan your fundraising event.
- Are there other ways you could find the money? It’s worth looking into grants and other sources of funding that may be available. If the money is for a small group, are there savings you could make instead? You could also think about charging a small fee for membership.
There are also laws relating to fundraising. You need a licence from your local authority to do some types of fundraising, such as street collections. There are also licensing rules if you’re organising a lottery, such as a raffle, tombola or sweepstake. The Gambling Commission website has advice for people organising fundraising lotteries.
For more information about fundraising licences, contact the licensing department of your local authority. If you’re raising money on behalf of a charity, they should be able to advise you about fundraising law. They may also have a code of conduct that you’ll need to follow.
Fundraising ideas
People are more likely to get involved with a fundraising event if they can have fun and feel good about giving money at the same time. If you’ve been to an event that you really enjoyed, think about doing your own version of it. There are many places you can look for fundraising inspiration – see our external links section, right, for some ideas.
Getting organised
When you’ve decided how you’re going to fundraise, the next step is planning and organisation. Draw up a list of tasks that will need to be carried out in order for your event to be successful. Think about when these will need to be done, and in what order.
If other people are going to be involved in organising the event, make sure that everyone knows what they’re responsible for, and when.
There may be costs involved with your event and it’s important to budget for these. Make sure that the cost of setting up a fundraising event doesn’t mean that the money you gain is small in comparison.
Spreading the word
Next, you’ll need to make sure that as many people know about your event as possible. Use all the communication methods at your disposal – tell people face to face, by phone, text and email. You could set up a Facebook page or a Twitter account to keep people updated.
Getting local media involved is a great way of publicising your event. Write to your local newspaper or radio station, letting them know your plans and what you hope to achieve. Keep it brief and to the point. You can also find advice on writing a fundraising press release on the MS Society website.
If you’re asking for online donations or sponsorship, one way to maximise the amount you raise is to ask close friends and family first. They're probably likely to give you a larger donation, which could encourage other people to give more.
