I want to fundraise but I don't know what to do
Ideas and venues
FUNDRAISING TIPS AND TOOLS
Choose an option below for some valuable tips and tools
I want to fundraise but I don't know what to do
Ideas and venues
What is your question about?
Top Ideas
- Morning or Afternoon tea
- Percentage of product sales
- Gala Dinner
- Luncheon
- Race Day
- Head Shave
- Night In/out
- Sports event
- School Fundraising Day
- Bake Sale/ Cooking competition
- Sporting Challenge (Trek, Swim, Run, Triathlon)
- Donations in lieu of birthday, wedding or anniversary gifts
- BBQ
- Quit/Fast/Give up something
- Clothes swap
Top Venues
- Home
- Workplace
- Community Hall
- Sports Club
- Hairdressers (headshave)
- School
- Local park
- Race Club
- Café/Restaurant
- Cinema
- Bar/ Nightclub
- Dad’s shed
- Your mate’s house
- Boat
- Local Pool
- Function Centre
I am already fundraising but need some tips
Tips to help you get started
What is your question about?
Top Tips
Set up your online Fundraising Page
This is an easy way to start fundraising right away! Personalise with photos and a little blurb about you and then send the link out to your friends and family and ask them to donate!
Ask for help
Get your friends onboard to help organise your fundraiser
Tell Everyone
Tell everyone your story, it’s unique to you and makes you special!
A great way to get the word out is by hanging posters or flyers around your workplace or school.
Our fundraisers find that when they share why they are fundraising for National Breast Cancer Foundation with their friends, families and colleagues, they are more successful in getting donations.
Get the office involved
Let your office know about all of your good work and make it easy for them to get involved. You could bring baked goods in and sell for a gold coin donation.
Dollar Matching
Ask your employer if they will match what you raise. Some companies may not dollar match, however you might have inspired them to give you a tax deductible donation!
Ask local businesses for a donation
See how local businesses can pitch in, whether it is the bread for the BBQ, balloons for the party or the use of the venue, it all helps. The less you spend, the more you can raise!
Thank Everyone!!
Always thank the generous people who have donated to you. Make it as personal as you can whether it be a big or small donation, every dollar will help us towards Zero Deaths from breast cancer.
Getting started with an online page
Personalise your fundraising page
Add a photo and a blurb to tell people what you’re doing and why you are supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Try to keep it brief but sincere. Be sure to change your profile picture. We have found that this increases the amount that our fundraisers raise by an incredible 74%
Set your fundraising goal – be ambitious!
The fundraising challenge is a big part of what will get people’s attention – aiming high will inspire them to help out.
Lead by example
People do as they see others do, so get some good first donations!The higher the first donation, the higher the average donation on a fundraising page. Lead by example and put $50 or $100 on your page and ask your partner or family to do the same.
Ask Everyone
Remember, you get what you ask for. So ask people to give an amount that is doable for them – that rich Uncle who gives $10 would probably give $100 if you asked! Use our dollar handles to help you out.
Get Social
Use email, text, Facebook or however you like to communicate!Where possible, personalise the message (and the amount you ask for) to who is receiving it. Individual or small group messages or emails get more donations than status updates,so cover your bases and do both!
Thank your supporters!
Not just with the automated email they receive when they donate, but with a personal email, page mention and a Facebook shout out. Publically thanking people for the amount they’ve donated will motivate others to give, and hopefully match that amount.
Maximising online fundraising
Remind people to give
Especially those who have said they’ll donate, or ‘liked’ your posts about the challenge. People often just genuinely forget, and if you remind them on payday they’ll probably come through.
Use Social Media
If you enjoy connecting online, why not set up a Facebook page for your fundraising campaign. Talk about what you’re doing, promote your events and share pictures of the auction, raffle or sale items for your fundraising.
Break it down!
Tell everyone your goal is to raise, for example, $30 every day for a month. One day it may be a donation, another you might do some baking and then you might offer neck massages to your colleagues – there are plenty of options! By the end of the month,you’ll have raised almost $1000 if not more.
Thank your donors
Tag them on Facebook or Twitter and mention the amount they gave. This will motivate your friends to give, and to match the amount.
Don’t just ask – show and tell the whole story
Whether it’s a photo of all your baking ingredients strewn across your kitchen before your bake sale, your hot and sweaty self after a training run or the transformation of your venue from blank canvas to gala dinner ready – let people see how hard you’re working!
Promote your fundraiser
Post it on Facebook and tag the seven most outgoing people you know. Tell them the they can support breast cancer research by recruiting another seven people to come to your fundraiser!
Also don’t forget to tag your posts with related NBCF hashtags, for example #NBCFAus #galadinner.
Low energy fundraising ideas
Go beyond putting your money where your mouth is – forgo your dignity for a good cause!
Ask people (on Facebook or your work intranet) what they’d pay to see you do. Wear your pyjamas to work? Dye your hair? Let them change your Facebook profile picture for a week? Be their personal assistant or a day? Let the bartering begin!
Morning tea
Hold a morning tea with friends or at your workplace. Ask everyone to bring a plate or bake some healthy treats and make a donation to attend. You could even ask your friends to hold a morning tea at their workplace too.
Hold a raffle
The key is to get prizes people want to win, so put the word out far and wide and brainstorm some good prize ideas – maybe you can get a car service donated or a friend can offer a weekend use of their holiday house? Your colleagues might appreciate a week’s worth of free coffee from the local coffee joint. Remember to package your raffle tickets e.g. $5 for one but 5 for $20. Everyone will go for that extra chance!
Dollar matching
Find a business willing to dollar match either all of your fundraising dollars, or what you raise over a certain time period. You can then go out to your networks and ask them to donate because x business will match their donation – essentially they’ll be raising $2 dollars for every one they give. This way, you’re giving the supporting businesses some promotion in return. Remember it could be your workplace, your partner’s or a friend’s, a business partner, supplier or just somewhere you’re a regular customer and they know your face.
Online fundraising
With a good ask and a bit of effort the average fundraiser can raise around $1000 just via online fundraising.
Holding an event
You have plenty of time
– Choose your fundraising activity and set yourself a fundraising goal
– Round up the troops– get your friends on board to help organise your fundraiser
– Register your fundraiser at https://nbcf.org.au/fundraise/
– Start personalising your online fundraising page and share through your network
– Pick a venue
– Check the legal stuff. Do you need Public Liability Insurance?
– Speak to your boss to see if your work will become a sponsor or dollar match your fundraising
– Approach local businesses to help with food, drinks or prizes
– Invite friends, families and colleagues
– Look out for emails for guidance or reach out to us for fundraising support.
On the home stretch
– Contact your local newspaper and let them know what great work you are doing – they may write a story about it, which will help increase your attendance and therefore, more support!
– Create the runsheet and distribute to your event team with designated roles
The big day has arrived
– Check in on social media – let everyone know you’re prepared and excited for the event! Remember to tag your posts with related hashtags, for example #NBCFAus
– Nominate someone to capture the day through pictures and/or video and post them to your page
– Check the weather forecast – do I need sunscreen or ponchos?
– HAVE FUN!
Tying up loose ends
– Say a huge thank you to all guests, sponsors and donors
– Announce your total
– Bank your funds
– Have a post event catch up, celebrate and get inspired for next year!
Legal tips
Authority to Fundraise
Once you have registered your fundraiser with the National Breast Cancer Foundation you will automatically received an Authority to Fundraise. If you require one to take around to sponsors and donors we can provide you one on NBCF letterhead.This letter can also be used to approach your local community for donations or goods and services to minimise your costs.
Community Fundraising Guidelines
Make sure your fundraiser complies with regulations particularly if you are using the NBCF logo.
Insurance
Your fundraiser won’t be covered by NBCF’s insurance so it is important you have your own Public Liability Insurance, or check if the venue you are using allows you to use their insurance.
Licenses
Some activities like raffles or alcohol sales require a licence. Check if you need one with the relevant state and territories regulators. (Information found on p3 of the Community Fundraising Guidelines) [can we link this to the CF guidelines?]
Permits/permissions
If you are fundraising in a public place, make sure you have permission from the property owner or local council.
Tax receipts
All donations over $2 are tax deductible. You can only provide a tax deductible receipt to someone who makes a cash donation. You cannot provide a tax deductible receipt for donations made to a raffle, auction or to someone who provides goods, a service or general cash for sponsorship.
If someone provides a large cash sponsorship donation, you can provide them with a letter to acknowledge their contribution. You can also provide NBCF with their details and we can send them a thank you letter for their sponsorship donation once the money has been received by NBCF.
Online donations will be automatically receipted to the email address provided when the donation is made.
Health and Safety
Check your event for any hazards and have measures in place to minimise the risk of injury.
If you think you’ll need First Aid assistance on hand, contact a reputable organisation like St. John’s Ambulance for support.
If you sell food in a public place, food hygiene laws will apply – Contact your local council for information and guidelines
Media tips
The local media can be a very powerful way of raising awareness and the profile of your fundraiser.
To help you out, we’ve developed a “Media 101 guide” to give you the tips and tools you need to promote your fundraiser.
Be creative and unique
Local papers and radio stations love a “feel good story”. When approaching your local media, be creative and unique.
– What makes your fundraiser “unique” compared to others in your area?
– Who can help you tell your story? Is it someone you’re fundraising in honour of? A “local” celebrity or someone of local influence? What does this fundraiser mean to them?
– What “visuals” can you provide or help the media create before the fundraiser? For example images, video footage.
Be prepared, specific and personalised – don’t just send information about your fundraiser to every journalist or media outlet in your local area. Make sure what you’re telling them is timely, specific and relevant.
– Research the publication you’re pitching to. What type of stories do they publish? For example are there “what’s on” listings, feature articles, news briefs? Tailor your approach to fit their needs.
– Find out who the best person to approach might be (for example someone who has written a story about breast cancer or other local fundraisers). If you aren’t sure, it is best to give the “news desk” a call. Tell them briefly about what you are doing and they will tell you who you should speak with.
– Think about the “what’s in it for me factor” – what makes this story of interest to this journalist or media outlet. Do they have a personal interest?
– If your fundraiser is on a particular day, what opportunities are there before and on the day of the fundraiser?
– Use the materials provided by the National Breast Cancer Foundationsuch as: Breast cancer facts
Be confident and enthusiastic
Talking to the media doesn’t have to be intimidating. The guidelines below will help you focus on the key points, be prepared, relax and give a great interview. Remember their job is to find local stories that are relevant to their local community. They speak with people like you each and every day and it is their job to get the best story possible.
– There are four main things to remember:
– Keep it Simple
– Be Positive
– Show your personality
– Never Go “Off The Record”
– Things to consider:
– Smile – the journalist will hear it in your voice, even over the phone.
– You are not expected to be an expert or a spokesperson for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. However you are representing NBCF as an approved fundraiser. Speak positively and with enthusiasm. If the journalist asks you for any specific information about NBCF please refer them directly to us at nbcf.org.au
-If you don’t feel comfortable answering a question, then simply don’t. Move the conversation to an area you feel happier with.
– If you are not sure of an answer, advise the journalist that you will get back to them.
– Avoid:
– Criticising other community / fundraising organisations and events or the medical community – there are many organisations that strive to do good work in this space.
– Do not comment outside of your area of expertise – it is ok to admit you do not know all the answers.
Don’t forget about social media
Social media can help you share your message with a large group of people very quickly.
– Change your profile picture to represent your fundraising efforts, perhaps you could use your “proudly supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation” logo.
– Tag people – you can thank your sponsors and friends who’ve made a donation on your social media channels by tagging them. This will appear on their feed and is another way of acknowledging their contribution. Don’t forget to tag NBCF.
– Hashtags – Don’t forget to tag your posts with related hashtags, for example #NBCFAus
Facebook is a great way to tell people about your fundraiser and to create two way conversations about your fundraiser. Consider creating a Facebook event and invite all your friends. Make sure you include details of your online fundraising page and the date, time, location and any other relevant information.
– Don’t forget about Instagram and Twitter.
Tell us – you can share what you’re planning by using the hashtag #NBCFAus or speak to us directly by using the handle @NBCFAustralia on Facebook or @NBCFAus on Twitter and Instagram.
Asking for sponsorship
Have a clear idea about what you’re asking for
If you don’t know what you want from the business, how are they meant to know? Research what products or services they offer and how you want to use them, and use that in your ask simply and clearly. Eg. We are holding a raffle and would love to include <their product or service> as a prize.
Think about what’s in it for them
Offer something back, they will be more likely to lend a hand.
Examples:
– Advertising
– Social media acknowledgement
– Recognition
– Aligning with a great cause
Ask the right person
Make sure you ask the right person in the business. Visit their website or give them a call to find out who the manager or business owner is and target them. The right people will give the best results.
Tell them a bit about yourself and your fundraiser
They will want to know who you are and the details of your fundraiser.
An example looks like this – I am part of group of dedicated women helping the National Breast Cancer Foundation achieve their goal of Zero Deaths from breast cancer. We are holding a gala dinner to raise funds for breast cancer research at the RSL hall on October 3rd.
Tell them a story
Great communication is a result of great story telling. Help your prospective sponsor connect with the purpose of your fundraiser and why you are organising it.
An example looks like this – My friend Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. She was one of the lucky ones and just received the amazing news that she is five years cancer free. We want all women and men diagnosed with breast cancer to receive this news as well.
Provide contact details
Clearly include the best contact details for them to follow up with you or give you the good news that they’d like to support your fundraiser.
Don’t forget to say Thank You
Remember you want to build a strong relationship with the business. You never know when you might ask them for sponsorship or help again.
Write a letter or card and thank them generously for their help. Let them know the success of the fundraiser and that they helped achieve it.
Maximise your fundraising
Spread the word and generate excitement
– The more people that are aware of your fundraiser, the more money you can collect! Create hype and excitement so people want to donate.
– Spread the word through social media and if you have an online fundraising page set up before your event and after, it gives people no excuse!
– Send reminders!
Create a raffle
– Use the Authority to Fundraise letter the National Breast Cancer Foundation sends you to approach local businesses for prizes.
– Get rid of extra or unwanted holiday gifts.
Remember to say thank you
– It is really important to take the time to thank those that have attended your event, helped with the fundraising or donated. This will make people far more likely to attend your next fundraiser and may even give a bit more of a donation.
Ask your workplace to dollar match
Some company have dollar matching programs where they dollar match money raised by employees for charity. If your company doesn’t have a dollar matching program, still ask! All charitable donations over $2 are tax-deductable so they may still help you and your fundraiser.
I am already fundraising but need some tools
We can help you promote your event
What is your question about?
I want to promote my fundraiser
Once you have signed up for your fundraiser you will have access to all these downloadable materials:
– Research poster
– Fundraiser poster
– Email signature (my fundraiser)
– Email signature (our fundraiser)
– Facebook event banner (my fundraiser)
– Facebook event banner (my fundraiser)
I want to plan my event
Check out the event checklist and legal tips tabs on this page!
I want to know more about NBCF
Research Projects
Click here to find out about research we support.
The Facts About Breast Cancer
Get some facts about Breast Cancer in Australia here.