About Rob Hampson

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A Life Full of Fundraising...

Welcome!

I'm Rob Hampson. Author and publisher of Rewarding-Fundraising-Ideas.com.

I'm also an aspiring filmmaker (writer/director) from South Africa, who on my journey towards my dream has been involved in many different types of fundraising...

Fundraising for my schools, sports teams, for charities, and of course, a personal fundraising campaign to raise funds for the ridiculous tuition costs of attending Film School!

Myself (centre), Ant, and Bushy at the
Durbanville Quadraplegic Centre during the
Out On A Limb charity expedition through Southern Africa in 2012.

Not only did I gain countless experience from all those fundraisers but during the process I spent many hours researching fundraising ideas and fundraising techniques.

Much of that research time was spent on the internet (where I found some really amazing and profitable fundraisers), but I also took the time to speak to and gain knowledge from other experienced fundraising campaigners!

In hind sight...

I really wished that I had had the knowledge and the ideas that I have now, back then when I was starting my personal fundraising campaign.

It would have saved me a lot of time and effort, and quite honestly would have meant a more successful fundraising campaign!

And that's why I want to help you now, by bridging that gap and helping you not waste the time and effort that I did. Which is what gave me...

The Idea For
Rewarding-Fundraising-Ideas.com:

While researching and running my personal fundraising campaign I had found it very frustrating not finding a website that gave a wide range of fundraising ideas and advice.

A website that had an easy way of navigating around and finding the ideas that I wanted and needed.

What I found was that most websites either had a limited amount of ideas or only focused on specific types of fundraisers (like internet fundraisers).

A lot of the sites also didn't explain the ideas properly or didn't inform me on how to actually run those ideas.

I wanted a site that did...

I wanted to find a site that offered a wide range of both online and offline fundraising ideas.

A site that not only gave great ideas, but that gave the advice and guidelines on how to actually run those fundraising ideas.

And then one day I came across a great e-course that taught the process of building a successful website.

It had such an excellent, simple and obvious process that made so much sense that I thought, "Hang on, I can do this!"

And so the idea for Rewarding-Fundraising-Ideas.com was born...

I had fundraising experience, I had fundraising knowledge, and I had loads of ideas...

So why not use all that to help others with their fundraising needs...

Why not build the website I had spent so much time looking for!

And here it is...

I am now proud to say that I have a successful website that is providing many different fundraising ideas (with many more, still to come!) to a wide audience of readers!

This website is a resource for you, the fundraiser.

This is a place where you can share your knowledge and where we can build a fundraising community to support and inspire each other. I invite you explore this site, contribute your ideas, and come back often to see what's new.

Please do share any fundraising ideas, tips, stories or content that you may have.

My Fundraising Experiences:

My first experience with fundraising was when I was at primary school.

All of us at some stage help raise funds for our school, but what made this experience so great was that we were so involved in the fundraising process...

The fundraiser was a flower bulb fundraiser where the kids had to go out and sell flower bulbs to friends and family, etc.

We were part of the organizing, selling and collecting of the fundraiser and it was such a great learning event for us all... A real life skills lesson!

And then...

I then continued to be involved in fundraisers for my schools and my sports clubs, throughout my school career and beyond it.

From event fundraisers like food taste evenings, to sports events, to dodgeball tournaments, to parties to raffles.

Recurring Donations...

In 2006 I traveled to the UK to start saving towards film school and worked for a company called Fabulous Developments Lmt.

We helped Charities, like Scope, gain monthly donors through door to door (sales) signing ups to a monthly direct debit of £6.50.

We signed up hundreds/thousands of people and raised huge funds for those charities, and probably still are from those who are still donating their monthly contributions!

It was also an unbelievable experience that taught me so much!

I would definitely not recommend it as a career though, but for someone looking to learn people skills it's worth doing a short stint of!

And after that came...

My Personal Fundraising Campaign:

In 2008 I applied and was accepted to the Los Angeles Film School. It was a dream come true!

The one major problem though was the huge expense of attending the Film School. For the years course it cost $40,000 in fees, plus travel and living expenses which I budgeted to be another $30,000!

What I had saved up so far wasn't anywhere near to that cost.

So what could I do?

I thought that there's no ways I'm going to let this opportunity go to waste... I'd been accepted so I might as well do my absolute best to try raise the funds needed!

And so my personal fundraising campaign began...

I got onto the internet, started researching fundraising ideas, and asked around for as much advice as possible.

Nick Williams & Myself, Aylesbury to Cornwall 2008 -
300 miles in 26 hours!

During my campaign...

I ran a few different successful fundraisers including a sponsored cycle of 300 miles in 26 hours, and a musical theater evening (read my success story about this fundraiser here).

I also ran a successful internet fundraiser through a website I set up which included contextual advertising, affiliate fundraising, and online donations though Crowdfunding!

If only I had been able to use a fundraising platform like this one back then, my campaign would have succeeded at a whole different level!

Unfortunately...

Even though the individual fundraisers were successful, my campaign as a whole didn't reach the unbelievably high target I needed, and I wasn't able to attend the Los Angeles Film School!

But I did take away a huge amount from the whole venture!

The experience and knowledge I gained was immense, and the contacts I made have been invaluable.

Without that fundraising campaign I wouldn't be in the position I am now... Both with my fundraising knowledge and experience, and with my Film Career!

It was totally worth it!

So What Since Then?

Since then I have been involved in a few fundraisers for nonprofits including a film festival evening I ran with my friend, Bruce Grobler, where we raised funds for the Edendale Children's home.

Magic, from Edendale Childrens home, and I,
talk to the audience at our Film Festival!

In 2012 I was part of the crew on the Out On a Limb charity expedition through Southern Africa.

It was a film documentary initiative to raise funds for disabled people, which followed Bushy McKelvey, a bilateral amputee, motorcycling with two other bikers and an environmentalist through Southern Africa, visiting and assisting different charities.

It was an unbelievable experience where we touched many lives and were affected and inspired by as many back!

This was one of my most favorite moments on the OOAL Charity expedition -
Helping release these Cheetahs back into the wild at Erindi Game Reserve in Namibia!

Although I've been involved with these fundraisers and more, the majority of my time has been taken up writing and building this website.

So What Else Do I Do With My Time?

Well...

One of my favorite hobbies is obviously watching films. I absolutely love movies. Watching films is never considered as procrastinating or a waste of valuable time...

It's always considered as learning, especially when watching with the director's commentary on!

I love the outdoors (I grew up on a farm), horse riding, hiking, bird watching... you name it!

Sports...

I play polo, which in my honest opinion is the most exhilarating, fulfilling, and addictive sport on the plant! I am also currently a professional polo umpire.

I love sports, and am an avid follower of Rugby, Cricket, Football (that's soccer, not Gridiron) and obviously polo. I have also played all of those sports.

I also really enjoy reading books (I'm a Dick Francis fan) and am fascinated by history! There's so much we can learn from it, if you just look hard enough!

And That's Me!

I currently live on our family farm in Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

I hope that this website provides you with some great ideas, advice and tips... Because that's what it is meant to do!

And I wish you all the best of luck with your fundraising!

Where are you?

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