Fundraising ideas?

[The Gs Man]

Dudes, bit of advice needed if you please!!!

The missus is thinking about organising a charity event for the Cancer Treatment and Research Trust (specifically for the Trophoblastic Tumour Screening and Treatment Centre), a charity which helped her a lot over the past year and a half. So I need some fundraising tips!

Karaoke night? Disco? 70's night?  What do you think would be a good night out and most importantly, would raise lots of money for the charity?

I've organised a gig night in the past for another charity so I was thinking about doing something different.

Any ideas welcome!

[Puckoon]

There's this band from Lurgan....

[mc_grens]

I'd be interested in ideas here too lads, Im thinking of doing a trek to Machu Picchu in September for Cancer Research also.

My mate did the Niall Melon thing the other year and he was saying he raised 3 grand from packing bags in Tesco Roselawn on a Saturday, Friday night, and Thursday night. I thought was huge, but when you do the Maths its not big a stretch- if got to do it in a Dunnes Cornelscourt or a Blanchardstown, or a Tesco Clarehall, you'd be laughing.

[The Iceman]

The bag packing is a great job - I went on three Global Village trips with Habitat for Humanity and we used it every time as a fundraiser.

A dinner dance is a good job if you can organize one. Charge a premium on the ticket, get prizes from local business, have an auction, a silent auction or a raffle. I did one in the Welly Park in 2003 and had about 200 people at it. We made a few grand profit in one night and everyone had a powerful nights craic.

Writing begging letters to local business can work. It's tough in these economic times but for a legitimate charity there are tax benefits for companies and your cause is as good as any. Me and the Ex sent about 40 begging letters in Armagh/Tyrone and cleared nearly 3000 sterling.

Schools are a great angle. Get your old primary school to partner with you, do presentation for the assembly, have visual aids over a 5-6 month period and collect the money at the end. Used that too and lifted about 2 sterling.

Hope this helps.

[screenexile]

Sorry but this whole "trek to Machu Picchu" or other similar things like "running the New York Marathon" or "Climbing Killimanjiro" for charity really annoys me.

I don't see why I should pay my good money in the name of a reputable organisation only for someone to get a trip to one of these places. Sure if people are paying their own way to these things fine but most of the time they don't. Why does someone have to do the New York marathon for charity when surely the Belfast one would do and as there is no cost ALL the proceeds go to their intended recipient. Why can't a trek through the Sperrins or the Macgillycuddy's Reeks be just as good as going to Machu Picchu and at a fraction of the cost?!!

[The Gs Man]

Thanks Iceman, some good tips there.

Screen, we'll be keeping this local.  No trips to Kilimanjaro for me, although I might send the wife away on a one-way-ticket.....

But seriously, this treatment centre is very specialist in nature and wouldn't recieve too many donations so we know that anything at all would be appreciated.

So keep the ideas coming!

[Dougal Maguire]

Round about this time of year there are loads of Amateur Dramatic Groups who are putting the final touches to their plays before the competition season starts. I'm sure you'd get one that would be prepared to perform for you. All you'll need to do is feed them well before and after the gig. You can sell teas and biscuits to patrons at the break, do a raffle for a few donated prices and bobs your uncle you're quids in.

[lurganblue]

There is a website you can set up to receive donations isn't there.

Did a local quiz night last year. Charged £3 per person. Asked local business to donate prizes, gift vouchers etc for a raffle. All in all it raised about £900.

The last two years we have gathered a few fellas together and did the mourne wall walk. Raising about a grand each time for one charity. Get others in on the act

[mc_grens]

Sorry but this whole "trek to Machu Picchu" or other similar things like "running the New York Marathon" or "Climbing Killimanjiro" for charity really annoys me.

I don't see why I should pay my good money in the name of a reputable organisation only for someone to get a trip to one of these places. Sure if people are paying their own way to these things fine but most of the time they don't. Why does someone have to do the New York marathon for charity when surely the Belfast one would do and as there is no cost ALL the proceeds go to their intended recipient. Why can't a trek through the Sperrins or the Macgillycuddy's Reeks be just as good as going to Machu Picchu and at a fraction of the cost?!!

This'd be the first time I've done something like this, but from what the fundraisers were saying it serves two purposes:

1) It gets people who might not otherwise participate in fundraising to do so.
2) Apparently the "far out" nature of the event encourages people to donate more dough.

Oh, and 3) If they enjoy it they'll come back and do it again and raise even more money.

Personally I was, and still am training towards the Belfast marathon, and this came up. It gives me a more palatable goal to train for, and provides a break in getting ready for the run. I was already going to be doing something, and I thought why not enjoy it as I go.

The goal is £3,500, but if I raise 5, 6, or even 7 grand, then happy days. It sure beats me sitting on my arse at home.

[Square Ball]

Poker Night, easy to organise with little overheads. especially if you have the chips tenner a ticket and I bet that a lot who buy wont bother to turn up, add buy inns as well, plus a ballot on the night, easy gran

[Big Puff]

Fancy dress in derryhirk gs man.

[Louth Exile]

An old friend of mine has been in a similar situation, in that he was twice treated for cancer (only in mid 30s now!). He received great help from the Irish Cancer Society, so swore he would do something for them. Last summer he organised a Mock Wedding and raised over 22k from the event! The rules which such events are similar to a golf classic, you don't make money on the tickets, it the peripherals where you make the dough. Eg. the PR behind it will get some people who can't go (such as was my case) to simply write a cheque to the charity, pure profit. There was an auction of signed Jerseys, this comprised 3k of the money raised. If it is an event you are looking at doing and you want something a bit different then this might be the one for you. Its all about building the PR around the event though (such Bud is doing with the golf outing). Anyway, if you decide that this is the idea for you then PM me and I can send you on the guys mobile, I have no fear that he'll tell you himself all that is involved. Either way, the very best of luck with it.

Sorry but this whole "trek to Machu Picchu" or other similar things like "running the New York Marathon" or "Climbing Killimanjiro" for charity really annoys me.

I don't see why I should pay my good money in the name of a reputable organisation only for someone to get a trip to one of these places. Sure if people are paying their own way to these things fine but most of the time they don't. Why does someone have to do the New York marathon for charity when surely the Belfast one would do and as there is no cost ALL the proceeds go to their intended recipient. Why can't a trek through the Sperrins or the Macgillycuddy's Reeks be just as good as going to Machu Picchu and at a fraction of the cost?!!

This time last year I would have felt the exact same as you Screen. However, then my brother signed me up for the Oxfam trailtrekker which is a 100k trek through some of the most beautiful parts of our own country, starting in the Mournes and finishing in the Cooleys. The stretch through South Armagh is tough, but on a good day there is no place I rather walking than around Slieve Gullion and Forkhill! With this organised challenge, which is basically what you are commenting on, you pay the registration from your own pocket, as well as any accommodation costs, gear etc, etc. Our team raised over 4.5k and because Oxfam's full time admin staff are funded from the revenues from their shops we can assure sponsors that the money goes where it is needed.

You are 100% correct, you don't need to go to Kilmanjaro and if you do you should foot the bill of that yourself, as you will personally gain enough from the experience. As another poster commented, (mc_grens) 1. It gets people who might not otherwise have participated in fundraising to do so (I used to be so wrapped up in fundraising for the club that I never did anything like this before last year). 2. If people know you are going to take on a big challenge they will give more 3. If they enjoy it, they will come back (we had one team in the trailtrekker last year, this year we will have 3 or maybe even 4!!)
Anyway, thats my experience of such an event, I couldn't recommend this one highly enough, there is a 50k option now for 2011 which is brilliant, full details below:
http://www.oxfamireland.org/trailtrekker/

[Tyrones own]

Facebook is a mighty job for fund raising efforts to set yourself up for donations,
I'm planning on doing the Aids life cycle in June from SF to LA over 5 days and so will
need to be creative also as it's a $3k min donation each 

[The Gs Man]

Cheers again for the ideas lads.  Some great stuff there.

Louth Ex, that sounds like good craic but I don't think she (or me!) would have the time to organise something that big with three kids running about!!!   

I see what you mean about the sponsors around the events.  We'll be hitting a good few round the town right enough!

Thanks again.

[Maguire01]

Sorry but this whole "trek to Machu Picchu" or other similar things like "running the New York Marathon" or "Climbing Killimanjiro" for charity really annoys me.

I don't see why I should pay my good money in the name of a reputable organisation only for someone to get a trip to one of these places. Sure if people are paying their own way to these things fine but most of the time they don't. Why does someone have to do the New York marathon for charity when surely the Belfast one would do and as there is no cost ALL the proceeds go to their intended recipient. Why can't a trek through the Sperrins or the Macgillycuddy's Reeks be just as good as going to Machu Picchu and at a fraction of the cost?!!

I agree. I wouldn't be too keen to donate to something like this, knowing that a chunk of the donation was going to fund someone's holiday.