Charity Fundraising Guide

Tips & advice to get you started

Starting your fundraising journey

Fundraising is an incredibly fulfilling experience. Seeing your many hours of planning materialise into hard earned funds is an experience well worth the hard work. Before you begin, our charity fundraising guide contains everything you need to know to run a successful fundraising campaign.

Creating your fundraising page

Build volunteers: If you are taking part in a build, ask your team leader for the link to your team’s Charity Checkout page. From your team’s page you can click on the ‘Fundraise for us’ button and create your personal page.

Individual fundraisers: If you are fundraising as an individual then head over to the Charity Checkout website. You will then need to sign up to create an account. Once you are signed up you can choose Habitat for Humanity GB as the charity of choice and begin spreading the word.

Money management

Sponsorship: Use the Sponsorship Form (PDF) to track any offline funds you raise. Then, count the money and upload any funds to your Charity Checkout page, or make an online donation here.

Offline funds (without a fundraising page): Arrange a bank transfer payable to ‘Habitat for Humanity GB’, send us a cheque or contact us for more information.

Offline funds (with a fundraising page): Adding offline funds to your page is simple with this Offline Donations guide.

Marketing and social media

Facebook: Let us know about your latest activities by tagging @habitatforhumanitygb in any posts that you share.

InstagramInclude @habitatforhumanitygb tag and #habitatbuild to be featured on our website.

Twitter: If you are going on a build then remember to tag @habitatFHGB and  #habitatbuild to keep everyone in the loop.

Telling your story

When you are fundraising it is important to keep your supporters up to date with your progress. Make sure that you not only thank those that help you, but that you also actively upload stories and images that display your achievements.

When creating fundraising materials, please make sure that you use the Habitat for Humanity GB Brand Guide. The guide includes colour codes, logo instructions, and more.

Your guide To Gift Aid

Gift Aid is a tax relief that allows UK charities to reclaim an extra 25% in tax on every eligible donation made by a UK taxpayer. You can only make Gift Aid declarations on your own taxpayer status when spending your own money. Click the arrows to learn more.

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You can claim Gift Aid if...

1) If you are an individual, living in the UK or overseas, that pays UK tax then you can claim Gift Aid. If you are living overseas, please ensure that you can satisfy the Gift Aid declaration process.

2) You are paying the donation proportion of your Build costs.

You can not claim Gift Aid if...

1) If you are paying the registration fee or the trip expenses portions of a Build. These payments are not eligible for Gift Aid.

2) If you are fundraising by way of selling raffle tickets, event tickets, or any other such items where the donor receives something in return.

5 steps to setting up an event

1

Research: Shop around for an appropriate venue that is easily accessible to your guests. Once you find somewhere give them a call and book a date. Don't forget to ask them if they can give you a charity discount.

2

Entertainment: Consider allowing singers, dancers and other performers to sell their own merchandise at the event in exchange for a free performance or two. This will help you to cut costs.

3

Advertising: With your venue and entertainment sorted it's time to sell the show. Create an open invitation event on social media along with some posters and flyers that you can give to local restaurants and shops to hand out.

4

Tickets: Create some tickets and sell them for a set price before the event. You can also sell tickets on the door for a slightly higher price to encourage ticket sales earlier on.

5

Additional Funds: If there is a bar at your venue, ask them if they would donate a percentage of the income from the event to your fundraising. Alternatively, sell cakes or crafts at the event to boost your fundraising.

Charity fundraising guides & how to's

How to fundraise: more tips and ideas