Amazing Fundraising Ideas For Your Charity, Club or School

We all like a challenge and fundraising is nothing if not that. There are so many tried and tested ideas out there that it can be hard trying to come up with some novel concepts which you can throw your energies into. And there are so many deserving charities so unless you have a particular connection or passion, it can be hard deciding on the most deserving recipient.

Raising a regular amount of money is vital for many schools, organisations, and charities who rely on that guaranteed cash just to keep going, but although as a nation we are among the most generous when it comes to giving, with constant requests for money, sometimes you can run into charity fatigue when the begging cap comes out! Football and netball clubs, guides, brownies, beavers, scouts, schools, playgroups, churches, sports associations, the list goes on and on – and that’s before you begin on the local hospices and community organisations and the national higher profile charities. So the more you can think outside the box and come up with a completely new, wild or wacky idea or add a fresh twist to an already tested concept, the better.

Cake & Bake Sales

Cake and bake sales have long been a staple of fundraisers as they are easy to set up and run, they also appeal to parents who may not necessarily have time to volunteer but can always throw a tray of cakes or biscuits together and bring an organisation and its supporters together for a social occasion too.

Make sure as with every planned event, the marketing is in place with posters and fliers distributed in plenty of time and notices going out to bakers with times prominently displayed. There is nothing worse than an uninformed parent turning up to an event with a show stopper of a cake only to find that the organisers are packing up!

The Great British Bake-Off has put cake and biscuit making centre stage so there will always be an element of competition there which fundraisers can use to their advantage. Children can also get involved and there are numerous recipes out there for no bake cakes and biscuits which they will have great fun creating in the kitchen. If you are running a school fair or summer fete, and have access to tea and coffee making facilities, why not offer a cuppa as well. And don’t forget the healthy versions of a few classics and a simple range of gluten free cakes. If you are running a Halloween or Christmas event, decorate the stall accordingly and suggest the helpers get into the spirit of the theme, wearing Witches or Santa Hats to complement the themed cakes and stall.  The goods should really be home-made but with such great shop bought alternatives out there, there is no excuse even for busy dads and mums – remove all packaging, add your own cake frill, top with additional decorations and pass it off as your own – but don’t tell anyone !

Coffee Mornings

The Macmillan Cancer charity holds the annual World’s Biggest Coffee Morning every September and it's their biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer. They ask people all over the UK to host their own Coffee Mornings with cakes galore – last year they raised over £27 million – that’s a lot of coffee and cakes!

Sandcastle Building!

If you live near the beach – as we do – there are huge opportunities for easy fundraising without the expensive overheads or hall hire. What about a sandcastle competition where you pay to enter – you can increase donations by leaving buckets in front of the sandcastles for members of the public to show their appreciation. Or how about a competition for the most sandcastles created within a given time with entrants paying a small fee to enter and a prize incentive.

Doggy Events

The beach is a great place to stage a doggy event as you need plenty of space for the contestants but obviously check beforehand that the local authority allows four legged friends on that section of beach. Always make sure you have everything to hand from adequate poop containers and poop bag dispensers to water particularly if it is a warm day. Cordon the area off and come up with the zaniest ideas for competitions from doggy fancy dress to best owner look alike. You can also offer dog agility tests, making basic jumps and tunnels for them to display their skills. Find judges from local dog breeders and vets and approach pet companies for prizes in return for free marketing. Or set up a goal post, find your best goalie and charge per kick at goal with small prizes for the successful strikers.

Still on the great outdoors, charity fundraising walks and runs have become very popular so perhaps seem a little less exciting. So why not ring the changes – take dogs with you, dress up in wacky attire – get the men to don dresses and high heels and run a sponsored totter up and down the high street (always good for a laugh).

Scooter & Skateboarding and Midnight Walks

Children will enjoy a sponsored scooter or skateboard event while adults can opt for a midnight hike or climbing a peak to watch the sunrise – a number of hospices now hold Santa runs on the countdown to Christmas and celebrate the solstice, summer and winter with a fundraising walk.

The Breast Cancer charity are in their 23rd year of the London Moonwalk with women walking through London at night in their decorated bras to both raise breast cancer awareness and money for the charity – they have raised millions over the years.

Teddy Bear's Picnics

For young children, particularly those of pre-school and playgroup age, Teddy Bear’s picnics are simple to organise and great fun for all involved, children and adults alike. Even if the weather is bad, you can always hold the activity indoors in the church hall or school where the group usually meets, and decorate with leaves and branches to create the impression of being outdoors. Charge a fixed amount to everyone attending or charge a bit extra and supply the food, asking local suppliers to help sponsor the event, donating fruit and crisps. Give each child a name sticker for themselves and their bear and get everyone sitting round on rugs with their bears. Organise communal singing, teddy bear crafts and games – you could make teddy bear masks for the kids and their bears - we give you some great ideas for teddy bear related games and activities right here on the Be My Bear website so please stick around!

Why not add a bear-making activity for the children using Be My Bear kits. We offer great fundraising packages allowing for a decent mark up on the teddy bears and accessories. The children will go home happy with the new best friend they have made and you’ve made some extra cash to add to your picnic tally.

Over the years Be My Bear have supplied a number of charities with teddy kits and ready stuffed bears from St David’s Hospice, COPS, and Rays of Sunshine to Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s charity and Blind Veterans UK as well as numerous playgroups, schools, clubs, brownies and scouts groups too numerous to mention. So we know its works !

But one important piece of advice - whatever you decide to organise, whether it’s a pizza or popcorn night, rubber duck, snail or space hopper racing, charity head shave, parachute jump or bingo marathon – HAVE FUN !

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