Fundraising hints and tips

Now you've signed up to take part in an event to raise money for Carers UK, you need to start thinking about ways to raise as much sponsorship as you can. Here's our top tips:

Set yourself a target
Some events already have a minimum sponsorship target. If not, it's still a good idea to set yourself a target. It will give you something to work towards and help keep you motivated!

Create your own online sponsorship page
We are now working with Justgiving, the award-winning online fundraising service. Justgiving enables you to set up your own sponsorship or donations page to collect donations online from friends and family all over the world. They can sponsor you securely, quickly and easily with a credit or debit card. By creating your own online sponsorship page you can:

• Save time by emailing the web address of your personalised page to all your friends, family and colleagues at the touch of a button.
• Include a photo, personal message and updates on your training and fundraising progress. Your friends can also leave messages of support and encouragement.
• Send an automatic thank you email to everyone who sponsors you.
• Forget the hassle of carrying cash or cheques. The money you raise is transferred directly into our bank account and a record of every donation automatically sent to us.
• Raise money from people you wouldn't normally see in person.

To set up your page, simply visit www.justgiving.com/CarersUK, choose the event you are taking part in (or set up your own if your event is not currently listed) and follow the instructions to build your page. It takes just a few minutes. Every time someone sponsors you, you will receive an e-mail notification. You will also have access to a page giving you a breakdown of the money you have raised through the site. Carers UK will receive payments each week, along with a report detailing who the payments relate to, so every donation will be added to your personal total. Justgiving will also claim tax back from the Inland Revenue for every donation made, increasing the value of donations by 28% at no extra cost to the donor.

Sponsorship forms
Carry sponsorship forms with you wherever you go and give copies to family and friends and ask if they can raise sponsorship on your behalf. You can download sponsorship forms at the bottom of this page. Don't forget to make sure the people who are likely to sponsor you with high amounts go at the top of your sponsorship form - it sets a good example. And try to collect money on the spot if you can - it will save you time later!

Raising sponsorship at work

• Publicise your fundraising efforts on the company intranet or staff newsletter.
• Approach the suppliers your company works with – if you speak with them on a regular basis, they might be keen to support you.
• Find out if your company participates in a matched funding or another sort of sponsorship scheme.
  

Raising sponsorship in the community

• Approach a local company for sponsorship. Explain why supporting you will be good for them (for example, any publicity you have planned in which you could mention their generosity).
• Ask local businesses – your supermarket, newsagent, café, gym – for donations. Or maybe they’ll let you put a collection box on the counter? Contact us for collection boxes.

Organise an event
You can always boost your sponsorship total by hosting a fun event. Keep it simple and do something that family and friends can enjoy - its a great way to get more people involved in your fundraising. We've come up with a few suggestions to get you started. more...