Top tips to maximise your fundraising

It’s great for you to have something to aim for, and helps your supporters see how close you are to reaching your goal. Set a realistic target and increase it when you reach 100% to keep the momentum going.

Make sure you give yourself enough time. It’s nigh on impossible to raise £1,000, never mind £100,000, in less than two months.

Take the time to create a fundraising plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be thorough. Break your target into manageable goals and amounts. 

Choose an activity/activities you enjoy and others will want to get involved in. After all, fundraising should be fun!

Include a personal story of why scouting is important to you, your community and the wider scout movement. This gives your friends, family and members of your local community an opportunity to see what scouting means to you and how passionate you are. Add all your fundraising messages, where possible, to your story This, in turn, should increase the amount they donate. 

Social networking sites are a great way to raise awareness among your friends about what you are doing. Around 2.1 billion people use Facebook every day. Social media is a cheap and easy way to spread your message to a big audience. If you haven’t already, set up a Facebook page for your group so you can promote updates, news, tickets and donation asks for your fundraisers. And to top it off, did you know Facebook has a donate button so you can link your fundraising directly to your charity?

A powerful button!
Did you know Facebook has a donate button? If your scout group is registered as a charity on Facebook, you can donate straight to the charity.

Fun fact: There’s been a big increase in birthday fundraisers through Facebook donate – with lots of success!

Set up a Just Giving or Virgin Money page, making it as easy as possible for your friends to show their support. Always try adding a signature line to your emails.

Generate your own posters, flyers, invitations and banners customised to your event. The centre allows you to make personalised fundraising materials in a matter of minutes, giving you more time to fundraise. You can find it at scoutsbrand.org.uk

Some workplaces will match the amount of money you raise, so be sure to check with your employer (target the managers who control budgets).

Ask local businesses to match the amount of money you raise and get behind your event for more exposure and income. Ask them who is the best person to speak to (in person conversations are always better than emails), what you need to do and their matching limit.

It’s best to start in your own community rather than trying a national fundraising effort. There will be lots of opportunities to engage local businesses. As well as donating cash, you could ask for their support in other ways. Some businesses could donate products and services that you could in turn ‘sell’.

Whatever you do, make sure you receive the 25p on every £1 you collect from a taxpayer. You can even raise extra funds from your membership subscriptions. For example, if your group has 50 Members each paying £90 per year, the potential Gift Aid is around £1125 per year. See our gift aid page for more details.

Make sure you put your name, email address and phone number on all your forms and any materials you use.

Whether you’re organising a challenge event, bake sale or something else, ask your friends and family for help so you have a chance to enjoy your fundraiser too.

The national fundraising team at Gilwell Park can signpost you to the answers you need for successful local scout fundraising. They offer advice on: bids to trusts, foundations and grant-making bodies; corporate partnerships; fundraising events and projects; Legacies; and Gift Aid. 

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Make it as easy as possible for people to donate. Why be subtle? Send direct messages with a link to your fundraising page!

You can receive donations weeks after your event has taken place. Keep your fundraising page open and full of updates, photos and videos and don’t forget to continue sharing to your network, group and social media channels, and even to the local press.

No matter how big or small your fundraiser is, we are only human and it’s easy for something to get missed. To stay on top of things and ensure you have a relaxed fundraiser, make a list of everything you need to do, the deadline for each item and anyone you have delegated tasks to.

Public collections can be a great way for you and your group to raise funds. Anyone collecting money or selling articles on behalf of your Group, District or County, in a place where the public have unrestricted access, must have a license issued by your Local Authority. It is an offence to collect money without a valid permit. Each Local Authority differs so don’t forget to do your research.

Decide what your fundraiser will be, where it’ll take place and when it’ll happen before contacting your Local Authority so they can guide you to the type of licence or permit you require.

Types of public collections include street collections and door-to-door collections.

For more detailed advice, the Institute of Fundraising has a handy introduction. Find out more here.

Remember:
Young people aren’t allowed to collect money from strangers. This should be done by adults over the age of 18. It’s good practice to gain consent from parents or guardians before allowing their children to participate in a fundraising activity.

By staying positive, being clear and focused, you can hit your target. Good Luck!