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A to Z of fundraising ideas

At a glance

Fundraising inspo

There's countless ways you can get donations to reach your fundraising goals, and there's no right or wrong way to do it!


From doing something daring to drum up donations, to hosting a social event and charging entry, here are some ideas to get you going:

A-F

A Auction your outfit. Let donors bid on what you wear on training runs or event day (think silly socks, a neon wig or fancy dress). The highest donations get to pick the gear.

B Bake Sale. Who doesn't love one? Host one at work, your gym or social club. Create custom CALM flag cake toppers, print off our posters, and add a donation QR code so people can donate easily on their phones.

C Celebrating a birthday, anniversary or wedding? Why not ask for donations instead of presents?

D Double up. Training doesn't need to be solo. Get a loved one to donate to run, cycle, or walk a mile with you during your training.

E Entertainment Night. Partner with a local venue to host a music or comedy night. Charge door entry and raffle off prizes donated by local businesses.

F Finish Time Guess Sweepstake. Get your mates or colleagues to donate and guess your finish time. Offer a fun prize or bragging rights to the winner.

G-L

G Game-a-thon & Live Streams. Host a gaming stream or Twitch marathon with fundraising asks.

H Head shave. For the bravest. Commit to a head shave, leg wax, or post-run ice bath stream once your fundraising page hits a key target.

I International Feast. Host a dinner party or potluck inviting guests bring a dish from around the world. Ask for a small donation to your fundraising page in return.

J Jumble sale. Commit to that clear out and sell some items on Vinted, Depop or Facebook Marketplace.

K Karaoke night. The more out of tune the bigger the donation. Get your mates together, have fun and ask for donations to join in.

L Loose change collection. You’d be surprised how many people still have change knocking about at home!

M-R

M Matched funding. Talk to your company about whether they can match fund your fundraising. CALM can provide a letter to confirm your fundraising if needed, just get in touch.

N No-spend week or month. Could you cut out takeaways, coffees or pub trips for a week or month and donate what you save?

O Odd day challenge. On the odds of the month, run, walk, cycle or swim the km on the date. 3km on the 3rd or 15km or the 15th - see how far you can get! Share your progress on your socials to rally support.

P Playlist. Let your fam and friends sponsor a song on your playlist for training runs or race day.

Q Quiz night. Get a venue, source some prizes, charge to play and have fun!

R Host a raffle. Reach out to local businesses for prizes. Get in touch with the CALM team if you need to request a letter of authority to give to raffle prize donors.

S-Z

S Sponsor a mile. Ask people to sponsor a mile in your race - could a friend donate £8 for your mile 8?

T Taste test. Get colleagues or mates to pay entry to watch or take part in a blind taste test. Could you really taste the difference between a Pepsi and a Coke?

U Ugly jumper day. Pay to join in and pay a penalty for wearing something that isn't ugly enough.

V Virtual Challenge. Distance doesn't matter, get your mates together no matter how far away, and complete a training run. Sync up on Strava to stay connected.

W Work Email Signatures. Add your JustGiving link to your email signature to spread the word about your challenge.

X Xmas fundraising. Why not organise a Christmas jumper day or carol singalong?

Y Yes day. Get sponsored to say “Yes” for a whole day.

Z Zero waste. Turn pre-loved items into cash by setting up a stall at a car boot.

The legal stuff

We know you want to dive right into your fundraising, but it's good to make sure things are safe and legal if you're hosting an event. Here's some things to think about.

Legal and safety guidance

All done? Head back to the Challenge fundraising hub:

Challenge Fundraising Hub