A-Z Fundraising ideas

A

• Auction skills: Everyone’s got something to offer, and they can offer it while raising money for charity with a skills auction. Get a group of talented friends together, set up a time and place and make sure your community knows they can come and bid. You don’t have to be a virtuoso to take part: skills auctioned off in the past include marketing help, flat pack building, and cleaning.

B

• Bake sale: Bake sales are a classic for a reason. Whether you put one on at work, school, or as an event in the local community, they’re a fantastic way to fundraise for the best causes. You can even add a bake off element to get a bit of competition going.
• Barbecue: The only thing better than a delicious summer barbecue is a delicious summer barbecue that is raising money for charity. Whack on the barbie and invite people round to yours, with a quick donation. With a British summer, it’s best to plan for all eventualities with the weather. Make sure there’s a back up area for people to go to if it rains, and some meat free products for vegetarians.
• Bike ride: No one forgets how to ride a bike, so there’s no excuse for ignoring a cycling challenge. These are wonderful because of their versatility. You can opt for a virtual challenge, and ask for sponsorship to ride a long distance on your Peloton or Wattbike, or go for one of the big biking events such as Ride London. Or, if you want to get out on your bike but without a formal event, you can take up a challenge such as cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats.
• Brave the shave: This is one of the simplest but most effective fundraisers for individuals. The concept of ‘brave the shave’ was popularised by Macmillan Cancer Support but works so well people use it to raise money for all sorts of things. People have raised hundreds of millions for charities simply by grabbing their clippers and  shaving off all their hair. The best part is you can also donate the hair you shave off to charity the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for kids with cancer.

C

• Coffee morning: The official coffee morning is run by Macmillan and raises millions every year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put on a DIY coffee morning for a good cause. Simply pick a time and place, get your friends and family together, get the teas on, and share the link! Make sure you think about the best games to maximise donations, and make it a morning to remember.

D

Dry January: Maybe you’re looking for a reason to lay off the booze after Christmas and raise money for a good cause. Dry January is the perfect opportunity to do both. You can go sober in January to raise money for a range of charities, but also it helps raise awareness of the climate impact boozing has.

E

• Edinburgh Marathon: The Edinburgh Marathon sees thousands raised for charity every year. It’s been running since 1982 and is a fast, flat marathon – perfect for setting those PBs and raising money for a good cause!

F

• Football for charity: The beautiful game goes hand in hand with charity fundraising, and it’s easy to get involved. You can organise five-a-side games if you can’t find 22 people willing to play. One way to organise is through a club, or with workmates or school friends. Don’t be afraid to get creative: some football fundraising ideas involve playing Harry Potter themed matches and 24 hour games.

G

• Golf day: Contact your local golf clubs to see if they offer any discounts for charity rounds and make your next tee time for a good cause.

H

• Host a cocktail party: Got a friend who loves to show off their skills behind the bar? Put them to work and host a cocktail party to fundraise for your charity. Make sure you share the link with guests before, after, and during the event. If you’re feeling particularly extra, you can print off some QR codes and hand them out with the drinks. As always, drink responsibly. Make sure there are non-alcoholic options available for those who don’t drink or in case younger guests attend.

I

• International food night: Why not get together with a group of pals, colleagues, family and host an international food night to raise some funds? You could have a world of food on one night or arrange a rota for different themed nights once or twice monthly.

J

• Jump out of a plane: Feeling adventurous? One way you can raise cash is by skydiving – for charity! Provide some brief advice on where fundraisers should start if they want to set up a charity skydive. Simply book a place, set up a fundraising page, and get ready for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime.

K

Karaoke night: Maybe you’re born to perform and dying to let that out – well, host a karaoke night. You don’t need any special kit – just pick your song and play it (and sing it) as loudly as you like. It’s a brilliant excuse to get people together and a way to raise money for a good cause.

L

• London Marathon: The London Marathon is a must for any running enthusiasts – but the amazing atmosphere and spirit is sure to help carry even novice distance runners over the finish line. It’s also an excellent way to raise money and an impressive cause people will surely want to donate to. 

M

• Movember: Moustaches go hand in hand with a focus on men’s health thanks to Movember, where thousands of people get sponsored to proudly grow facial hair all in aid of charity. You can set up a fundraiser in under five minutes on GoFundMe, giving you more time to focus on the important stuff – like styling your moustache.
• Movie marathon: Everyone loves a big night in – so go all out with a themed movie marathon. You could try watching every single Harry Potter film in 24 hours, go for a sci-fi theme, or plan a day where you watch every single film made by one actor. Whatever you decide, fire up the popcorn machine and make sure you take a donation for entry fee. You’ll be at your fundraising target before you can say ‘hasta la vista, baby’.

N

• Night run: A night run is a fantastic way to challenge yourself and embark on a fresh running challenge, whether you’re an experienced jogger or just starting out. Night runs are organised runs that take place – you guessed it – at night. Why not get a team together to start training? 

O

• Office Olympics: Organised fun in your office is a great way to utilise having a group of people ready made in one place for your fundraiser. Why not get together and organise an office olympics? It doesn’t have to be purely sports-based, there are plenty of inclusive and even desk friendly competitions you can put together so everyone can get involved.

P

• Pancake day: If flipping pancakes is your thing, why not put this to good use and fundraise on pancake day? You could do a sponsored pancake flipping – get people together and get frying for a good cause.
• Poker night: If you’re looking for a bit of excitement, a poker night in aid of charity is always a popular one. It’s easy to host at home and can be done responsibly.