Thinking of fundraising but not sure where to start? We’ve put together a handy A to Z of fundraising ideas to help you! You could even mix and match different suggestions to create something new and exciting!
A
Afternoon tea – host an afternoon tea for friends and family, and invite your guests to make a small donation.
Auction – organise a charity auction where people can bid on items or offer up their skills and services.
Art exhibition – showcase some local artists and raise money by charging an admission fee. You could also auction off some artwork!
B
Bake-off – inspire everyone’s creativity by selecting a theme for your bake-off, such as ‘Chocolate,’ ‘Pastry,’ or ‘Italian.’ Offer sampling tickets to your guests, allowing them to taste and vote for their favourite desserts!
BBQ – throw a charity BBQ with your neighbours or friends. Invite everyone to bring a dish, and donate the money they would have spent on a meal out.
Bingo night – charge an entry fee and donate half of the winnings.
Birthday fundraiser – set up a birthday fundraiser and ask for donations instead of presents this year.
C
Cake sale – host a cake sale and sell homemade treats to raise funds. Get your family and friends baking too and raise even more!
Car wash – gets some friends together and organise a charity car wash, offering to wash cars for a donation.
Cocktail night – show off your mixology skills by organising a cocktail evening for friends and family.
Coffee morning – reconnect with friends over cakes and coffee. Bake an extra cake and raffle it off!
D
Declutter – reduce your clutter by selling things you no longer need and donating what you make. You can sell online on platforms like eBay, Thrift, and Vinted, or at car-boot sales.
Dinner Party – host a dinner party and invite your friends to donate the cost of a meal. Just like the Bake Off idea, you could mix it up with a theme- inspired by a location, film, or season!
Dog show – let those pups strut their stuff and vote for a winner! Boost the excitement by having different categories for the dog show such as best costume, smartest trick, or owner-dog look-alike.
E
Endurance challenge – challenge yourself to 1000 push-ups or the 30-day plank challenge, and get sponsored to reach your fitness goals.
Employer match funding – companies of all sizes support employees by matching their contributions. Don’t be shy about asking!
F
Fancy Dress – a fancy dress day can be a super fun way to build team spirit, whether you’re at school or work. Encourage everyone to come in their wackiest outfits in exchange for a donation.
Film night – host a charity film night, and get creative with themes! From Halloween classics to period dramas or rom coms- make the night one to remember and provide themed snacks and decorations.
G
Games night – unleash your inner gamer! Gather your friends for an epic board or video game night. By giving penalty fines for being late or talking about work, you can boost fundraising even more!
Gift aid – we can claim an additional 25% on any donations you make to The Brigitte Trust at no additional cost to you. Complete an updated Gift Aid declaration form here.
Give it up – get sponsored for giving up something you love. Alternatively- whether it’s chocolate, coffee, or alcohol- donate what you would have spent!
Golf tournament – whether a novice or a pro, get outside and enjoy a friendly day of competition. You can hold the competition at a local club. Why not raise more with an after-dinner event to celebrate the winner?!
H
Head shave – are you brave enough to shave your head? Set up a fundraising page to get sponsored, and don’t forget to take a before and after photo to show off the transformation!
I
International night – invite everyone to bring something from a specific cuisine and watch a themed movie together. You could watch Mamma Mia while enjoying a Greek salad, or see To Rome With Love with a tasty bowl of pasta!
J
Jewellery recycle – ask your friends and relatives to donate unwanted jewellery. Host an auction or jewellery party. Clean and re-package the jewellery to increase its resale value.
K
Karoke – host a karaoke night and charge an entry fee, or ask for donations for song requests. There will be plenty of laughs as well as the opportunity for friends and family to showcase their singing skills!
L
Lottery – be in with a chance to win £25000 in the Brigitte Trust weekly lottery!
M
Marathon – whether you’re keen to try a 10k or go for a full marathon, sign up for an organised event- there are plenty to choose from. Set yourself up for success by giving yourself ample time to train and prepare. Maybe find a running partner to keep you motivated!
Make Over – offer to do makeovers for your friends and family- whether that’s styling their hair, doing their make up for a day out, or giving them manicures! Charge a small donation fee for each service.
Music – organise a mini music festival, gig, or open mic night. If you play an instrument yourself, maybe you could give lessons for a donation.
N
New Year’s resolutions – get sponsored to give something up or take on a new challenge in the new year!
O
Obstacle race – find your local muddy challenge, like Tough Mudder, and get sponsored to take part. Get your friends involved, get dressed up, and make it a fun day out!
Open garden – host an open garden for charity to share your passion for gardening. To boost fundraising, provide refreshments and even plants for sale!
P
Pedal for a cause – take part in a cycling event, or organise your own. Use our online fundraising platform to get sponsors.
Penny jar – fill a jar with your loose change, or keep one in your office and encourage your colleagues to join in and donate their spare change. Every penny helps!
Plant sale – connect with fellow garden enthusiasts in your local community. Best hosted in late spring or early summer, make sure to plan well ahead and allow everyone plenty of time to sow extra seeds, take cuttings, and pot up to ensure there are enough plants for sale.
Q
Quiz night – organise a quiz night and charge an entry fee. Boost your fundraising efforts by hosting a raffle or tombola at the same time. Ask local businesses for prizes and find great quiz questions online. To get people to attend your event, use social media to spread the word.
R
Ramble – plan a route and ask others to donate to join you or ask friends, family and colleagues for sponsorship.
Recipe book – collect favourite recipes from friends, family, or your local community and create a fundraising recipe book to sell.
S
Shop online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday- you could be raising free donations for The Brigitte Trust with your everyday shopping, at no extra cost to you! Click here to find out more.
Sweepstake – choose a big sporting event like Wimbledon, the Grand National or a popular TV show such as Strictly. Charge people to enter and the winners get either a prize or a small percentage of the money raised.
T
Talent show – host a talent show and invite your friends and family to showcase their skills. Organise a collection or charge at the door for entry.
Treasure hunt – choose a suitable location for your treasure hunt. Hide little treasures along the way and first team back wins the main treasure! Ask for a donation for each participant or team.
U
Upcycle – gather pieces of old and unloved furniture and transform them into something extraordinary to sell on. Raise money by donating a portion of the profits. You could even upcycle old clothes into trendy new pieces!
Used book sale – collect donated or unwanted books and organise a used book sale.
V
Virtual Challenge – set your own personal challenge, whether it’s cycling 10K, running a marathon, or walking 10K steps a day on a treadmill. Make mini video diaries to show and share your progress!
W
Walkies – offer to walk your friend’s and neighbour’s dogs in return for a donation.
Wedding gifts – instead of presents, why not ask your guests to donate money to a cause you care about?
Wine tasting – choose a location theme such as Spain, Italy or Germany, and pair the wines with cheeses from your chosen country. Make the evening more enjoyable by providing information about each wine and cheese, such as its region of origin, flavour notes, and food pairings. You could even involve your guests in a blind-tasting challenge to add an extra level of excitement!
X
X-box tournament – set up a gaming tournament, ask for an entry fee from participants- and split the prize winnings with us!
Xmas cards – donate the money you usually spend on Christmas cards and stamps. Complete a Gift Aid Declaration at the same time and increase your donation by 25% at no extra cost to you!
Y
Yoga marathon – organise a yoga marathon with participants collecting pledges for each hour they complete.
Year-long challenge – challenge yourself to walk 10,000 steps every day or to give up chocolate for a year! Good luck!
Z
Zero waste – could you go a whole week or even a month without producing any waste? Challenge yourself and those around you to reduce their waste and contribute to a worthy cause, as well as the environment! See how much waste you can prevent from entering landfill and how much money you can raise! Set up an online fundraising page and document your journey, highlighting your successes along the way.
ZZZ – raffle or auction off a duvet day at work. Alternatively, make it a pyjama day in the office and have everyone come in PJs and slippers!