As a member of this year’s DUCK expedition to Kenya, I’ve been thinking about how to raise funds for the trip. And whilst brainstorming, I realised that there are many current, and prospective, student fundraisers, who could benefit from what I believe are the best methods of fundraising. After all, the charity community is all about sharing, and what better place to start than sharing ideas.
1.It sounds simple, but you can’t go wrong with setting up a simple MyDonate or JustGiving page. Share away on social media, and perhaps even ask for money instead of birthday or Christmas gifts.
2. Apply for travel grants. There are so many out there, and it won’t take you too much time to apply for multiple grants. Who knows, you may be successful, and raise all your funds just by filling in a form!
Some organisations will even cover the cost of your trip if you offer to blog about your experiences for the company.
3. Charity collection buckets. You can stand somewhere on campus, or in your local area, perhaps outside a supermarket. Be sure to apply for permission! My best friend and I did this one year to raise money for the charity GIFT (based in North London), and raised much more than we expected!
4. This is where it gets fun – organise a fundraising activity! There are so many options. From a sponsored event, like a 5km run or swim or a sponsored bounce at a trampoline park, anyone can find something to suit their needs.
Aside from this, contact your former schools and/or universities to see whether they are willing to host an event. The possibilities are endless:
- Mufti day
- Music event/ concert
- Educational talk
- Sporting event
- Raffle – ask local businesses to donate prizes
- Online auction (or auction event!)
- Anything else you can think of!
To raise my own funds, I am organising a charity film screening at my local cinema in my hometown. This is just one example, but think about your target audience and what people would be interested in, and go from there.
Of course, fundraisers will always take some planning and organisation. But if you are motivated and enthusiastic, anything is possible!
I hope this has given you some food for thought. Please feel free to share your own experiences with fundraising – we are all part of this community, and should help each other in order to facilitate the most charity work possible.