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Bright Ideas for Fundraisers - A Quick Guide to Fundraising Success

If you’re looking for inspiration, check out the ‘Get Involved’ section of our website, look at some fundraising stories, or download the ‘Fundraising Ideas’ section of our Fundraising Pack for examples of what you could do.

Share your story

Chances are, you want to fundraise for CLAPA because you have a personal connection. Perhaps your child or a child you know has a cleft, or you have a cleft yourself. Whatever the reason, make your fundraising personal by sharing your story as much as you can. People love to read a personal story, and if you have an online fundraising page make sure you make use of all the ways you can share it – write it in your page description, upload loads of photos, and if you are feeling ambitious you can even make a video.

Not only does this let your sponsors know that they are supporting a good cause, but it means people are much more likely to donate to you.

Start as soon as possible

Planning is the key to any successful event – and to get the most out of your event, you should start planning as soon as possible. Anything can happen between now and your event, and having time in advance to plan means you are prepared for any eventualities.

It also means that you can draw your fundraising out over at least a few months – some people who can’t donate immediately may be more able or willing later on, and some may even donate again!

Providing plenty of notice also means that you will be more successful when approaching companies and venues, or when applying for licenses (see below).

Plan and Prepare

Before you start organising anything, have a real think about what’s possible. We’re not saying you shouldn’t aim for the stars, but being realistic about what you can achieve given the time and resources you have can save a lot of headaches. A series of smaller events can be easier, cheaper and more profitable than one large event, but don’t let that put you off doing something big if you think it’s possible!

Setting a fundraising target is important, but if you are going for several thousand pounds then split up the target into manageable chunks, for example £200 from a dinner party, £600 from online sponsorship, etc. To keep your friends and family invested in your progress, why not celebrate milestones by doing something crazy, like dying your hair blue when you reach £500?

If you’re organising an event with tickets, be careful when pricing your entry fee, and make sure you always have enough to break even – we don’t want you losing your own money! Always tell suppliers that you are running a charity event, and tell them about any personal connection you have with CLAPA – they may be able to give you goods and services for free or at a discount. Offer them a mention at your activity or event to sweeten the deal.

If you are putting on an event, always carefully research the time and place to make sure it doesn’t clash with any major events such as sports matches or public holidays. Announce the details of your event well in advance and encourage people to put it in their diaries.

Get a helping hand

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help! You will be surprised at how much easier fundraising is when everyone chips in, even if they just share your online fundraising page with their Facebook friends.

Ask your employers if they have a ‘matched giving’ scheme. Some employers offer match funding for employee fundraising, meaning you could up to double the amount you raise! Even if your employer doesn’t have a system like this in place, encourage them to make a donation (or at the very least share your story with others), and remind them it is tax deductible.

Tell the world!

Use the local media to help promote your fundraising activity. Our Media Guide contains more information to help you do this, and we can get your story in local newspapers, radio or even TV.

Many of our supporters have had their personal stories published in the ‘real life’ section of local newspapers, and have used this as a way to advertise their fundraising event.

If you manage to do this then let us know and send us a copy – we’d love to see it!

Gift Aid

If your sponsors are UK taxpayers, CLAPA can reclaim tax they have paid on their donations, meaning we can get an extra 25p for every £1 that is donated. Have a look at the ‘Paying In Money’ page to find out more. If you are using an online sponsorship page, the gift aid is collected and donated to us automatically.

Keep it legal!

It may not be the most enjoyable part of fundraising, but it’s very important. There may be rules, regulations or licensing laws which apply to your activity or your fundraising, and you may need to do a risk assessment. If you are organising a fundraising activity it is your responsibility to make sure your event is safe and complies with the relevant laws – so make sure you look into it!

You may need to consider…

- Risk Assessment – most events in the community will require at least a basic risk assessment, but you can contact your local authority for more information on what you need to do.

- First Aid – some events will require it, and you may also need adequate insurance cover for your event. Check with your local council to find out what you need.

- Food – If you are using suppliers, make sure they have the relevant Food Hygene and Environmental Health certificates. If you are preparing food yourself, try to get someone involved who has a basic food hygiene qualification. Contact your local council to find out what you need.

- Alcohol and Gambling (including raffles, lotteries, etc) – the venue may not be licensed, or you may need to obtain a temporary license. Contact your council for more information.

- Collections – Bucket and tin collections require a permit from the council if they are in a public place and permission from the owner if they are on private land. Read our page on collections for more information on what you’ll need to do

- Promotion – You must have CLAPA’s logo and charity registration number on all promotional materials. CLAPA’s registered charity number is 1108160 (England and Wales) and SC041034 (Scotland). Check with us if you are unsure.

To find out more about your obligations as a fundraiser, and how you can make sure your event is completely legal, have a look at this guide by the Institute of Fundraising. 

We’re here to help

You’re not on your own: if you need help with your fundraising, have a question or would just like to chat, contact us on 020 7833 4883 or at

Good luck!