Running Individual Fundraising Campaigns

The running of individual fundraising ideas can sometimes be somewhat challenging.

You're not a charity, you don't have a members list or supporter's base, and you probably have no idea where to start from...

Well don't panic!

Because you do have a supporter's base (your friends and family).

You also have loads of ideas you could use, and with a bit of direction anyone can run a successful Solo Fundraising campaign!

Let's get started...

Choosing Your Fundraisers:

The first thing you will need to do is decide on what individual fundraising ideas you will use.

Read through the ideas on this website and sit down with possibly your family, or friends, discussing and brainstorming which will be the best fundraisers for you to do!

Carefully consider what you're capable of, and what would suit you the best. If you can't swim very well then a sponsored swim across the English Channel probably wouldn't be a great idea...

Although it might be the perfect thing to wow people and get them to sponsor you. Just don't drown!

Individual Fundraising. Choosing your Fundraising Idea or Fundraising Challenge! (Photo by Kyle Taylor / Flickr)

You should also consider using the services and products of a fundraising company.

Click here to review the fundraising company that I recommend. They have some excellent fundraisers like their Online Fundraising Program!

You can grab a free information guide off their website.

Although not all there fundraisers will work for individual fundraising, you'll find that some of them will be perfect!

If you are not from the USA or Canada then you should use a Google search below to find a fundraising company in your country...

(A Tip: Type the name of your local area or country with a plus sign before it, and then add your search query with a plus sign before it as well. Ex. +france +fundraising product supplier)

Plan And Prepare:

You will then need to plan and prepare your individual fundraising campaign properly. Know what you need and what you need to organize, and then draw up a to-do checklist.

Also set a goal of what you would like to fundraise. Having a goal will give you so much direction and extra motivation.

If you have some help, which you will usually need, then assign the jobs out evenly amongst yourself and your helpers... And then get them done on schedule with lots of time to spare; you don't want it to be a big rush at the end!

Promoting:

This is one of the most important parts of your individual fundraising campaign!

Start with word of mouth and post your fundraiser on your website or blog.

Another idea would be to email all your friends and get them to forward it on.

Use social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest. Consider starting a cause or event page for the fundraiser.

If the fundraiser is a challenge that is really amazing, you could consider a press release and get local newspapers and radio stations involved...

Whatever you do just make sure as many people know about your fundraiser, and how they can help out!

Also remember that when you're collecting donations you will also be raising awareness and advertising your cause and fundraiser!

For more great ideas on Promoting Fundraisers read here.

Donations:

For a majority of the individual fundraising campaigns most of your funds raised will come from donations.

So the first thing you will need to do is set up a method for people to donate to you both online and offline.

You have a few options...

My first recommendation would be to setup an individual fundraising page here for FREE, where you can accept easily donations. You must read the Online Donations page to do this properly though!!!

Or you could also use a Supporter Wall App on your website (if you have one). People donate to you by sponsoring blocks on your wall... You raise money and they gain exposure!

Another option for general ongoing donations is PayPal. If you have a website or blog you can put up a simple donations button, or if not, you can just link to your PayPal donations page through your emails and your social networking site page (Like Facebook).

Read the Accepting online donations page for more info.

Offline Donations

Offline donations will obviously just be people giving you cash and checks. Consider putting up a few donations boxes at local stores/pubs/restaurants etc. (with permission of course).

A great idea would be to print off a whole lot of donations sheets you can hand out to friends and family who can then collect donations for you from their friends.

The donation sheets should take down info like name, email address and amount donated or vouched for.

Thanks And Gratitude:

Individual Fundraising Campaigns. Learning how... (Photo by Romain Guy / Flickr)

You must always, ALWAYS make sure you say "thank you" and show your appreciation to everyone who has helped out, given advice, sponsored and attended your fundraisers!

It's so important!

The first reason being that it's obviously just good manners. Secondly, you will also increase your chances of having those same people helping out and supporting the next time you hold a fundraiser...

And lastly, think about how you would feel if you helped someone out and they never said thank you to you!!!

So bottom line... Make sure you say "thank you" and really show your gratitude to everyone!

Updates:

The last thing you should do, especially if it is a personal fundraiser, is keep people who have supported and helped you updated with how your fundraising campaign is going.

You should also keep people updated with how whatever you were fundraising for is going! I still email all the people who supported me with updates on what I'm doing in the film industry.

You never know, you may need to fundraise again in the future and all those supporters will appreciate that you kept in touch and kept them updated, and will be more likely to help you out again because of that!